January Sketch...

Hello all! I have been on yet another crafting hiatus due to the holidays, out-of-town company, spending much needed quality time with everyone and have just now had a chance to play with paper in glue! The creative juices are a flowing so everyone better watch out... only kidding!

The extremely talented and fellow My Little Shoebox Design Team member Aphra created this sketch for all of us to run with for the month.

I am really starting to get into sketches, especially when scrappin' in a pinch! So, after printing out her sketch and then setting the timer for 60minutes {my littlest was still napping} this is the end result...

We have a tradition in our family to save all the wrapping paper to only throw the girls in the mist of it and snap a photo for our "thank you" cards. I loved the way this years turned out so much that it deserved it's very own layout. Thank you Aphra!!!

A close up of the presents...

They were backed with My Little Shoebox diecuts and then "wrapped" with double sided ribbon

So... feeling inspired to make your own?

Ready?

Set?

CREATE!!!

ringing in the new year...

I love the holidays for so many reasons...

it could be the music...

the food...

but most of all, I love spending time with the family!

Wishing you and yours a safe & happy new year!!!

PS. With the new year comes lots and lots of new creative collections from all our favorite designers!!!

I am getting excited, how about you!?!?!?

vintage ornaments...

It is almost time to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, CHRISTMAS!

A couple weeks ago, our card group got together to eat, scrap and exchange gifts. These 12 ladies are some of the most generous women I have ever met in my life. They are kind, supportive, creative as all get out and love love love to spend quality time together. Two of these dear friends, Pattie & Rocio, planned out an evening of new techniques which resulted in fantastic Christmas presents. These two ladies are extremely talented and such a joy to be around. I took the techniques that they showed us and turned them into little ornaments using whatever Christmas stuff I had lying around {trust me, there is ALOT!}.

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

old music sheet paper cut into 1 1/2 inch strips

Fiskars circle scallop punch

Martha Stewart snowflake punch

red & white baker's twine

Crop-A-Dile

Tim Holtz photo strip

Tim Holtz tiny attacher

Glossy Accents

My Little Shoebox Chipboard letters

Thickers

Stickles

other random letters left over in the alpha box

There is just something about little vintage ornaments that make me smile!!!

After attending an amazing Christmas party for my husband on Sunday night, I was just so full of energy that I was wide awake. I made 20 of these little gems in a span of 2 1/2 hours... it is amazing what you can get done at 3am!

Wishing you and yours a very

Merry Christmas!!!

a scrappy share...

With Christmas right around the corner it was time to pull out all those festive decorations and with that came holiday photos that were gently placed in the "put-here-so-I-won't-forget-to-scrap-them" pile... well, I forgot! I brushed it off {like the rest of the stuff I haven't gotten to yet} and decided to scrap them at an impromtu scrapdate! Scrapdates are fun because you get to chit chat about this, that and the other while being paperly "productive." I cherish this time, it means SO much to me!

So with a pinch here, a trim there... topped with MLS minis

then some buttons, brads, stickers from my stash...

and Viola!

I love my little candy canes!

Okay, getting back to the minis... from the previous post I challenged you bloghoppers to tell me your favorite minis and your favorite ways to use them. Since only two of you were up to the challenge, you BOTH win a MLS new release mins prize pack.

Lindy said...

Beautiful Nicole. I love mini's too. Probably have doubles of some in my stash. I use them on EVERYTHING. My favorite is probably red.

Have a wonderful holiday!

NOVEMBER 24, 2010 5:49 AM

jennyplace2 said...

Oh so pretty, I would have to say the black ones.
jennyplace26@gmail.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2010 5:58 AM

Please send me your addresses to outoftheboxcreative@yahoo.com.

xoxo

A & E...

What can I say about these two lovely ladies...

It is hard to believe that these two sweethearts are now seniors... boy does time fly! Our families have become quite close over the last 5 years and it has been such a joy to have seen them grow into these respectable, balanced, smart young women. Their parents have done an amazing job raising them, supporting them, guiding them, instilling HIS love in them! I was honored and an itty-bit nervous when they asked me to take their senior photos. The girls picked the spot, their clothes and I picked the time... and we had a B A L L!

We laughed, giggled, walked through puddles, witnessed silly hikers, and braved one-way traffic all in hopes of getting some good shots. Well... happy to report there were more than a few! In two days I took more than 1500 shots and trying to sift through those beautiful faces to get the good ones was hard... only because they were ALL amazing! It is hard to say which are my favorites because one day I am all about the sweet smiles and others I love the fierceness... nonetheless, here are the ones I keep going back to... the ones I can't stop playing with!

Again, it was an honor to take these photos for you girls!

Love you both!!!

giving thanks...

The food is prepped...

The oven schedule is set...

The Macy's Thanksgiving parade is on...

The girls are bouncing off the walls...

It is time to craft something...

How about a turkey???

Here is a tiny Thanksgiving creation courtesy of the new lines from My Little Shoebox.

The diecuts are from different lines and the sweet eyes are from the snails on GREEN.

Add a little glossy accents, string & bling and viola!

"Oh give thanks to the LORD for his is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

Proverbs 107:1

There is so much to be thankful for... and on a day like today I truly truly feel blessed!

Here is to hoping you have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

minis and a sneak peek...

I guess you could say I have been on a creative hiatus...

or just too busy to create...

Either way, I am way behind and to help stir up some creativity I pulled out all my My Little Shoebox goodies, spread them out on the kitchen table and just took in all the prettiness. The bright colors, the fun icons... but one part in particular stood out... the mini alphas! I might have a slight addiction because I think I have almost every color and I use them on EVERYTHING!!!

So, here is a little tribute to those who love the minis as much as I do.

Please leave me a comment here on my blog listing your favorite mini color & where you use them on your projects.

I will pick one winner at random on Sunday, November 28th that will win the following...

And because I picked up an extra latte yesterday, I was up late creating...

Creative Cheers!