Shoebox Thursday

I think I had mention before but thought I would tell you how I prepare my shoe-box projects. Normally I think of the holiday that is coming up or the season. Then I decided what technique I would like to try or re-do and then I working on assembly line.
The next holiday is St Patrick's Day but also we are in winter and this would be my last chance to do a winter card as my next turn we'll be in Spring. My first choice is always the holiday coming up so hopefully I can get the other ladies into the mood to create some cards for the rest of the group but it hardly ever happens :0) and since I already have all my St Patrick's day cards that I'll be doing this year I went for a card I saw on Pinterest, it was a Christmas card BUT to me it was the perfect winter card.

We are 8 ladies that meet on Thursdays and I never know who's coming or not, except for 2...one is always a yes and the other is 99.5% its a no :0( I like to get supplies for everyone whether they show up or not. The extra projects would be extras if someone screws up or for me to give away as RAKs or mingles (swaps).

I guess to me the hardest part would be coming up with a simple card, one for all levels and something that won't take more than an hour everyone to finish. Since our shoe-box has to last no more than an hour after I decided what I'm doing I start "my clock". Why an hour at this point you might ask? well because I'm considering the getting the supplies ready equals the time I explain and we supplies are going around to stamp or punch :0) Since we use our personal supplies we only have one of everything to work with, I could as them to bring their supplies if they have them which I have done but the whole purpose of the hostess is who makes the project is so the rest only have to bring the what they want to work on the rest of the afternoon :0)

I first pick the supplies that we have one...stamps, punches, dies, embossing folders, etc. then I pick my papers whether I want to use scraps or normal card stock or background papers. and finally the embellishments.

I then start working on the sample card as well as what I'll be doing for them...remember assembly line. I don't do my sample card then cut the other supplies after all is only paper so if for any reason it doesn't work I would just grab new paper and start over, I can always use those papers for something else or add in my scrap box. Just as I do my card I do all so for instance if I'm cutting my card base I cut ALL the card bases, if I punch/die or emboss something I do ALL pieces. I do as much as possible for them, pretty much I just leave the stamping and putting together.

I put all of their supplies in inside an envelope so they go away with the whole card IF they would like to give away the card :0)

Well here is the kicker LOL for this shoebox project I broke my rule for a bit. I made ONE snowman completely before I decided what my card would be as I didn't know how big or small the snowman was I wanted to be able to choose my card according to that, which helped me as I had picked an embossing folder but the snowman didn't fit well on it so I ended up using the same as the sample from Pinterest. When I did my snowman I did get everything for the snowmen at once and then when I decided what was my card I continue with my procedure above...to punch or die cut all my pieces for snowman, embossed blue layer. I encountered a problem when gathering embellishments  as I only had a couple snowflakes like the one I used on my snowman and since I had planned on going to Impress figure I could get more but they didn't have them either so I had two choices either use something else or change project...I decided to use something else :0)

This is the original card I made.

The embossing folder is by SU, the snowman body was done with 1-3/4" & 2-1/2" circle punches by EK Success, the hat was done with SU artisan punch and Oval Framelits die, the nose it's a carrot I got at Impress a few years ago (I removed the green part),

The small buttons on belly are brads by Recollections. The scarf is made with SU's banner and word window punches, I had some buttons in my stash that worked perfectly to cover the "seems" on scarf, I draw the mouth with Copic Multi Liner and added the cheeks with Q-tip and chalk and last the snowflake on hat all I remember is I got at Impress.

Because I was using buttons from my stash and I really not a button person I only had 2 of each color on that size so I punched matching papers for each color and I decided that they would grab a goody bag with all their embellishments without looking that way it was more fair to all :0) 

These were the other options I have for them instead of the small snowflake...the leaf is a brad by Outlet Eyelet & Brads 

I don't know who makes this flower brad my guess Recollections or Colorbök

and last was this bigger snowflake which also don't know where I got them.