Don't miss our giveaway, THE LITTLE MERMAID Diamond Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack with Digital Copy! Winner announced this Friday, 9/23.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

inspiring creativity AND a giveaway!

I’ve already spent much of my morning catching up on all of the blogs I missed during the past 70 hour work week. I’m so excited to start my big birthday wish list – or more like, birthday to-do list – but I’ve already had a slow start to my day.  That means lots of time to make-up already!

Yesterday was NOT just another manic Monday – it was a record breaking prescription filling day… Monday + the first of the month + the first day of safe roads after the big snow + doctors offices opened back up after being closed due to snow + 14 hours in the pharmacy with NO BREAK WHAT-SO-EVER + a 2 hour commute home at the end of the day = complete and utter exhaustion.

Strangely enough, I’ve been sticking to a little mantra lately, “keep calm and carry on”, that saw me through the day and even kept a smile on my face. It didn’t hurt that I knew I got to go home to my husband and puppy at the end of the day, both of whom I hadn’t seen since Thursday!

So I’ve been soaking up my lazy morning today, feeling a little guilty for still sitting around and making no progress on the list, until my hubby called on a break from classes and told me I deserved the rest. I don’t know why I needed another person’s approval that it was okay to kick my feet up for a while - but I did. I big puffy heart love him.

So I needed the encouragement to rest – and I believe I am 99% finished with that for now. I now needed the encouragement to get busy! I have just the fix…

I picked up Martha Stewart Living magazine while at work the other day just to browse, not to buy. One little spread in the mag sold me and I had to bring it home with me.

Meet Darcy Miller – she truly has inspired me with her “scrapboxes”.

 

darcy_miller_home

 

Darcy is an editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings and ALSO  illustrates custom stationary {baby announcements, save-the-dates, wedding invites, mailing labels, etc.}  for Cherry Berry Paper. It is AMAZING what she can custom make, including illustrating stationary from a picture of your family!

In her spare time, she started preserving the memories of her own life with these amazing shadowboxes meet scrapbook, or “scrapboxes” as she calls them. She did an art show for charity, sponsored by Andy and Kate Spade {yes, THE Kate Spade we love}, with proceeds benefitting the pediatric endocrinology and diabetes division of Mount Sinai Medical Center in NYC.

The magazine spread was all about the show – I would’ve loved to have went!

I just wanted to show you a few pics of the scrapboxes that amazed me. The article showed much more – you really should pick it up, even if just to browse in the grocery store line without purchasing ;) my favorite way to pass the time.

{Side note: I was soooo not paid to do this and have no connections to this big-wig, in case you were wondering! I was truly just taken back from the magazine spread and then WOWED from her website! I have to share when something moves me like this did =)}

All of the pictures and captions are from HERE at MathaStewart.com, where you can find many, many more of Darcy’s scrapboxes. You won’t be disappointed!

wgd105534_0210_box003_xl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A photo of Pippa, Darcy and Andy's youngest daughter. One of her favorite toys, a giraffe, prances at the bottom of the box, and the label is mounted on foam board for added dimension.

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darcy's childhood copy of "Goodnight Moon," a family favorite, fills this box. A photo of husband Andy reading the book to Daisy adheres to the inside of the glass with double-sided tape, and dark-green background paper matches the cover's palette.

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daughter Pippa arrives, photographed here in the arms of her father, Andy. The collage captures memories of the day -- the baby cap and Darcy's hospital bracelet -- as well as a sonogram image mounted on foam board.

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nussbaums' sand-filled vacation lives on with a dynamic family portrait and a row of collected seashells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This box contains mementos from Daisy's princess party, including the front of a tiara, an invitation, and a lollipop, the last two decorated with Darcy's princess sketches. Oversize pink confetti, some adhered to the inside of the glass with double-sided tape, adds a festive note.

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ella's ballet photo is enlarged to the size of the frame and backed with foam board, to which her first pair of slippers is pinned.

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A captivating photo of baby Pippa makes a graphic statement: The enlarged images are centered atop one another. Busy images can be distracting in multiples, so choose a simple subject for this project. For ease, purchase a photo in each size when ordering online.

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darcy's parents, Madge and Martin Miller, beam in the aisle as newlyweds; beside the photo is their wedding invitation.

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A collage of mini photos captures Darcy and her three girls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said – MUCH more on line at DarcyMillerDesigns.com. Her work makes me wanna jump up and get going on all the fun little projects I need to get done in my house – the perfect get busy encouragement. {Plus, how inspiring is she –> editor, illustrator, wife and mom of 3 gorgeous little girls AND finds the time to even scrapbox… she puts my to-do list to shame.}

 

In honor of my new inspiration, and since I was already ordering one for my friend {I get to be the Matron of Honor for the first time!}, I’ve decided to give away one of Darcy’s awesome Wedding Scrapbooks:

wedding_scrapbook3wedding_scrapbook2

It chronicles how you met, prompts you with questions, has little details similar to a baby book timeline, and has places for your own pictures. It also has tons of illustrations and pictures that people are saying they can’t help but look through for hours… it’s classy, not corny, if you get the drift.

The reviews of this book from customers who bought it just rave about it!

It was also featured in Oprah’s O, The Oprah Magazine.

I might even have to order one for myself.

 

Win it for you, to keep all of those little details before they slip from your memory, win it for your future wedding, or win it for a friend!

{It’s great to stock up on last minute gifts for those occasions when you don’t have time to do the shopping!}

I’ll randomly choose a winner one week from today, Tuesday, the ninth.

 

 

The rules:

  1. You must be a follower of this blog to win.
  2. Get one entry for commenting.
  3. Get two entries for posting about our little giveaway on your blog.

 

Good luck!

Now back to my birthday wish to-do list!

I’ve added even more since telling you about it… {!}

 

34 comments:

  1. I have been a follower of your blog for quite sometime now, I rarely have time to comment and usually just blog "lurk" But this giveaway is amazing, I am getting married in May 2011 and this looks perfect for organizing all of the moments and thoughts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also Posted about your giveaway on my blog!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh and yeah I just commented :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a new follower, and I blogged about your giveaway here: http://spindlerfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/2010/02/giveaways.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a precious idea! I love it! I'm a follower too by the way. And won your last give-away so maybe I'll luck out again! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. oooh I want this!! I NEED this.
    Im a follower!
    And I am reposting this to my blog..
    tylerandapricot.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would love to have this book...My son and his fiance are getting married in November and this would be perfect for them...I am a follower...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've been a follower for a while..love your blog :) I will post this on my sidebar and link back to this post!

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are so cute! I'm also a follower!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is adorable, I would love it :) I follow you on google reader.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm a follower on Google reader... and I think this is an amazing giveaway. I am obsessed with scrapbooking, and getting married this summer!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the shadowboxes, I have been a follower!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. oh wow, this is super adorable. I'm an old follower.

    Thanks,
    Lauren

    lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  14. That looks precious! I'm getting married in August so I hope I win!

    ReplyDelete
  15. wew.. i am a new follower :) and that's a cool giveaway you've got there.. i super love my hobby which is scrapbooking..

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm a new follower and would love to be entered for this giveaway. :)

    Xoxo, Sandra

    PS. Those shadow boxes look incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the shadow boxes! I have two that need updating and I figure one can be for Kendra and one for baby #2 on the way until I can get more! :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. i post it here : http://luckyzoan.blogspot.com/2010/02/wedding-scrapbook-for-grabs.html

    ReplyDelete
  19. thanks girl for making me your follower of the week. So sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh, I love those photo boxes...I need to make one for Ava's room! WHat a great idea!

    Monday was bad here too! Thank God for end of the months! ha

    Enjoy your days off!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I guess I'm a follower, maybe more of a lurker since I've never commented on your page :) My best friend made me a scrapbox of my girl, Maggie. She was my four-legged child that I lost on 9/11/08. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her, and now I have a beautiful scrapbox that sits next to her urn. It's been one of the most precious gifts I have ever received!

    ReplyDelete
  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh my gosh. I love these! I love scrapbooking and I'm getting married in October so this would be very useful.

    Of course, I'm a follower! And I just posted something about your giveaway on my blog. http://bradleyandjill.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love this idea! We got married in May of 2008 and I need a scrapbox! Love your cute little blog!

    ReplyDelete
  25. hey girl! thanks for your sweet comment! What a cute blog you have ad you looked stunning on your wedding day! I totally agree, red hair is the best : )

    ReplyDelete
  26. Those are great pieces of inspiration!!! I keep EVERYTHING having to do with anything...and this is an excellent way to display all of it. Nice. P.S. I nominated you for an Award...stop by my blog, when you are not busy, I would love for you to accept! Have a good one.

    ReplyDelete
  27. You will have to update your blog information soon. You are now 26.

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a fab giveaway!!
    I just found your blog a few days ago. You are gorgeous, and so is your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I would love to be entered in this giveaway!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I am a follower and I would love to be included in the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete

I just shared my thoughts, I'd love to hear you share yours! {Besides, I'm tired of listening to the voices in my head.} I kid, I kid... ;)