My Mind's Eye Blog

Layle Part Two!

Today we are sharing two more awesome projects by Layle . Again...thank you so much Layle, we are so happy with what you created. Thanks for making MME look so good! :)

Just Hanging Out layout:

Supplies - Indie Chic:Hanging Out stamps,Boy brads,Nutmeg 6x6 paper pad,Memories layered chipboard,Family buttons and Zig Zag patterned paper, Hanging Out label stickers

Layle says:

I love the textured paper in the Indie Chic line.  That, combined with the yellows and blues reminded me of our family's recent trip to Mexico for Spring Break, so it was the perfect line to break out and get started scrapbooking pictures from our trip!

I got the idea for creating the flower from paint chip samples from Home Depot - the samples were in the shape of the petals of the flower on my layout.  I 'borrowed' a few of the samples (hey, that's what they're there for, right?!) and used them as templates to trace then cut out on the patterned papers.

Today and Every Day layout:

Supplies -Follow Your Heart:Be Amazing stamps, Be the Best patterned paper,Be Happy stamps,Honey Blue patterned paper,Be Happy chipboard,Be Amazing rhinestones;Miss Caroline:Lucky brads

Layle says:

This layout came together so quickly and easily for me!  I loved this paper when I saw it and knew I wanted to use it.  Also loved the hexagons in the Honey Blue paper, so I cut several of them out, added pop dots to a few to give them a bit of extra dimension, layered them above and below the photo and called it good :)

Thanks for stopping by today- see you guys tomorrow!

 

 

Introducing Our May Guest Designer

Won't you all help us give a warm welcome to Layle Koncar?

We are so excited to have Layle joining us this month. We love her creations and the fun&playful feeling they exude!

Hi guys! Layle Koncar here.  I’ve been scrapbooking in one form or another for the past 14+ years when my first son was born.  6 years ago I decided to take scrapbooking on full time as a job and worked initially for Scenic Route and then BasicGrey.  Although I no longer ‘work’ in the industry, it still holds a place close to my heart. 

I started teaching 8 years ago and still continue to do that several times a year as well as work closely with many of the industry publications, including Creating Keepsakes and Paper Crafts, and work with many of my manufacturer and kit club friends on design teams and guest designing. 

Besides scrapbooking, I love junking, reading, skiing, interior decorating, traveling, shopping, and most recently CrossFit!  Oh yah – and spending time with my husband Nick and our two boys Jack and Sam – can’t leave these 3 loves of my life out of the mix!

Find Layle here:

Layle's blog

Pinterest

What did you have the most fun working with?

OOH, that's a tough question!  Do I have to pick just one?!  I love dimensional things, so I loved using the chipboard, the layered stickers, the banner stickers and the pearl brads.  But wait - then there are the stamp sets. 

I love the designs that match the paper lines, but my favorite stamps are the ones I used on these layouts - the 'happy', 'today' and 'recorded' stamps.  I love to buy stamps, and when I do, I always look for good staples that I can use time after time.

What is your favorite MME line and why?  Hands down, it's Follow Your Heart - both Be Happy and Be Amazing.  I've been friends with Rhonna for many years and I just LOVE her style - it's so her!  I'm not much of a digi girl, so I was so excited when she began designing paper products again.

Rhonna and My Minds Eye are THE perfect match.  I love the papers in the Follow Your Heart lines - so easy to work with and FUN!

I'm So Lucky to Know You Layout:

Supplies - Miss Caroline-Adventures stamps,Celebrate brads,Story stamps,Curious layered stickers,Token patterned paper,small sticker accessories,Dilly Dally 6x6 pad,Hello rub-ons,Love Woodgrain patterned paper

Layle says:

I love the vintage feel of the Miss Caroline collection - the combination of the masculine woodgrain combined with the feminine doilies, polka dots and gingham was a nice balance for scrapbooking this picture of our boys and me.  

 

Happy Day card:

Supplies - Follow Your Heart-Be Happy:twine,chipboard,Be You patterned paper;Follow Your Heart-Be Amazing:Ephemera patterned paper,jewels

We will be back with two more projects from Layle tomorrow- we are so very grateful that she's shared her creativity with us this month!

See you all tomorrow,

Lisa’s Style

So this has just been the best month, Guesting here at My Mind's Eye..I feel so honored and blessed to be amongst the "regular" designers at MME, who are nothing but EXTRAordinary!  I have loved each challenge and post and the chance to work with all the beautiful new products fresh off the press was a dream come true!  So now, I'm here at my last post of the month and I'm to define "my style".  I do find that hard to do as I tend to evolve with the trends and my interests, but I think what comes to mind, if I had to choose a couple of words, it would be "Simply Embellished".  More than anything, my memory keeping is about the photos and the memories so I do like to keep the focus there...but then, the artist in me jumps in and says "now make it pretty!"  And that is what I do!  I start with the photos and then make them pretty.  I spend most of my scrappy time creating layouts for our family scrapbooks, and I'm highly motivated by a great photo.  This one was taken just yesterday and the minute I took it I literally ran in the house to upload it and get started scrapping it as I knew exactly what papers I wanted to use. My daughter and husband came home a couple hours later from the dance and handed me this pin so of course I had to add it to the layout, too, and it was the finishing touch to their memory.

(Miss Caroline Dilly Dally- Best, Hello and Curious lines)

I also love to give (and my family loves to receive) home made gifts, so I alter things quite frequently for my family and you will see my projects tucked into all the corners of my home (and my extended family's homes as well!).  I created this shadowbox frame for my Mom for Mother's Day (getting a little head start!) I used a white framed Shadowbox from Michael's for this one and just layered in the papers on the inside and the embellishments on the outside.  Not too fancy, but I didn't want to take away from that cute picture of me as a baby. :) Of course my parent's nickname for me was Princess, too..so the die cut worked perfectly for me.

(Featuring Miss Caroline- Dolled Up Princess and Cute Lines)

And lastly, a typical altered project from me...this was a box that previously held scrappy products.  I've been hoarding it for a couple of years and thought my daughter would love a little box for her upcoming birthday.  She is a collector (takes after her mommy) and needed someplace special to keep her little trinkets so I created this box for her. MME products are so amazing for altered projects..everything works together so beautifully to create that layered look that I love...from the bling to the paper, to the rub ons to the embellished brads and twine, the coordination of the products makes it foolproof to create beautiful keepsakes, be they scrapbook pages or altered items.

(Featured products- Miss Caroline Lovely, Happy, Beautiful and Like)

I'd like to thank Amber and all the folks at My Mind's Eye for allowing me to design for and with you this month, and to all the wonderful blog readers for all their sweet comments!  It's been a blast and I hope to be back soon!

Lisa Spiegel 

Love Layouts

There are many different types of love and relationships to be grateful for.  We wanted to share a few of our “loves” with you.

I absolutely ADORE you

by Lisa Spiegel 

Featured collection: Follow Your Heart – be happy

I added the "You are my Sunshine" banner from the "Follow Your Heart- be amazing" line because it's "our song". :)  This photo made me think of our song because the sky was a little grey that day...and they make me happy when skies are grey. :)

I sewed a pocket for my photo behind the transparency...the journaling is hidden behind the photo and visible when the photo is pulled out. :)

 

You are the one Constant in my Life

by Karen Grunberg

 

Featured Collection: Love Me

 

A Half Dozen Roses by Jana Eubank 

Featured Collection: Love Me 

This year was an eventful Valentine's Day at our house. My daughter received her first roses from a boy as part of a Valentine's fund raiser at her school. Instead of sending my daughter just one rose with a card, her crush bought her six! She was beaming for the rest of the day! Her dad wasn't too keen on the idea and vowed to keep "those boys" at bay for a few more years by guarding the house with a shotgun. LOL! I used the Love Me collection for this page. I love it's soft hues and the way the bright red roses pop off the muted colors, allowing this memory to become center stage. The die cut bingo number border anchors my photos. I added a pink, glitter bookplate from my stash to highlight the date on the border and added a hand cut doily from one of the patterned papers. The rhinestone brads are from the Lush 2 collection and add just the right amount of sparkle. My journaling becomes more interesting with the addition of a couple of stamped chandeliers in light gray ink (Lost & Found stamps).

 

Family Love by Anam Stubbington 

Featured Collection: Lost & Found Christmas 

As I have already done a Love Me Layout for myself and Ian, I went with a Family photograph to celebrate love. 

I loved the Lost & Found Christmas colors but wanted to use them for a non-Christmas layout as the combination of the browns and golds just inspired me to do a love layout. It took a little fiddling with placements but I think I made it work like it looked in my head.

Supplies:

Lost & Found Christmas Papers: Bright, Boughs, Holly

Lost & Found Christmas chipboard

Lost & Found 2: Sunshine Burlap Trim

Other: Heart Punch, Foam Adhesive, Distress tool.

 

Love your Smile by Amber Packer 

 

Featured Collection: On The Bright Side – TWO

My Riley’s smile can light up a room.  It brings joy to my life and melts my heart!

Valentine’s Cards

I couldn’t resist making a few cute Valentine’s.  All papers and die cuts are "Love Me".  So so perfect for Valentines!!

 

Card #1 is a spinner card.  I’ve included two pictures so you can see the fun you can have with a card like this.

I added Miss Caroline "Dolled Up-Cute" twine, Miss Caroline Layered Stickers and Follow Your Heart "Be Happy" Gems to this one as well as a little lace from my stash.

 

Card #2 I sliced open the mail box to insert a little extra love note and the hearts.

I added a bit of stickles to the hearts and a little pink doily to the background.

 

Card #3 I punched the hearts out of the paper, stitched around the hearts, then popped up that top layer of paper. I punched hearts from different paper for the background making the 3D effect. :)

I added Miss Caroline "Howdy Doody-Lovely" Heart button and some lace from my stash.

 

I can't wait to give these cards to my three sweeties...it was hard to hide them while I created!!

Lisa Spiegel 

p.s. You can still leave a comment on Lisa’s welcome blog post by Feb. 12, 2012 and be entered to win (link here) Lisa’s favorite My Mind’s Eye things!

Blog Challenge 32: Layout

We are pleased to announce this month’s blog challenge! Our blog challenges are one of the things we look forward to each month. We have so many talented blog readers.

As you participate in the blog challenge, please keep in mind a few items:

1. We only have three guidelines for you to follow:

• Use the theme “YOU”.
• Use this month’s sketch by Anam Stubbington as your starting point.
• Use 80% My Mind’s Eye products. That means our products will be the main focus (besides the photo and story you share).

**Remember that you must adhere to all three guidelines in order to win no matter how beautiful your entry is**

2. We are not looking for a particular style. Be yourself – create what you like and enjoy the process. The main goal is to document your memories.

3. Have fun and be positive.

 

The challenge: Design a layout based on this fabulous sketch and use the theme “YOU” on the layout (sketch by Anam Stubbington).

The rules: Use ANY My Mind’s Eye products (current or past) as long as your project has at least 80% My Mind’s Eye products.

The deadline: Add a link to your project to the bottom of this post using inlinkz by Sunday, February 19, 2012 (midnight, MST). Please include your first and last name and project name when uploading. (a photo of your layout or project will show directly in the post)

(For tips on how to best photograph your entry, click here)

The PRIZE: The winner will receive three ENTIRE collections of their choice! We will also award an honorable mention winner with one collection of their choice! All winners will be featured in a blog post and have bragging rights!

Anam Stubbington and Lisa Spiegel have created these beautiful samples to help you get your creative juices going!

 

Lovely “YOU” by Lisa Spiegel

Featured Collection: Follow Your Heart – Be Happy

"Jillian, you are such a beautiful dancer, always follow the song in your heart!  That song will carry you and make each day lovely, just like YOU!"

(I love the "Follow Your Heart" line...it is so perfect for encouraging layouts and so many themes!  The products all coordinate so well and layer together like a dream!!)

 

“YOU” make me smile by Anam Stubbington

Featured Products: Love Me Paper Pack and Kraft Funday Bright Day felt trim & Jewels.

 

We can’t wait to see what you create!  Good luck!

Please upload your project here:

Welcome Lisa Spiegel!

Hi everybody! I’m Lisa Spiegel and I’m thrilled to the Guest Designer for My Mind’s Eye this month! I don’t know if anyone knew, but it’s my birthday month, too, so this is the GREATEST gift ever!! (And truth be told, my birthday wish from last year came true!) I have always been a huge fan of My Mind’s Eye and have hoarded their products since the very beginnings of the scrapbook industry…I still have more than a few little Frame Up people and Quotes and the obsession with MME’s products hasn’t ever gone away! It is such an honor and a pleasure to be here!

 

A little more about me…I have been an artsy craftsy kind of girl my whole life. My mother was quite the hobbyist, painting, decorating and flower arranging were some of her specialties, so I’ve been exposed to creativity my whole life. I joined Girl Scouts when I was 8 and got bit by the crafty bug and, well, I’ve never been able to shake it. I stayed in Girl Scouts, mainly for the crafts and the camping, and even though I left it in High School, I continued to volunteer with children so I had an excuse to color and get messy. In college, I thought originally I wanted to be a preschool teacher, but in the end, I became a Recreational Therapist, with a specialty in Art Therapy, and was lucky enough to find a way to make money doing arts and crafts all day!

I began scrapbooking when I was pregnant with our oldest daughter, about 17 years ago. I couldn’t find a baby book that I liked so I started keeping a photo journal and the rest is history. I’ve evolved from Mrs. Grossman’s stickers and origami paper to the scrapping we know and love today. I slowly became more and more obsessed with the hobby and I began teaching classes at my LSS back in early 2005. Since then, my little hobby grew from a small rolling cart I stored in a closet to the huge loft above my family room I use today. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching and doing Design Team work for so many wonderful companies. I’ve been published in many magazines both online and in print. I absolutely love sharing my passion with paper and stickers and glitter and all things crafty and fun with others that share the same passion. You can find me on several message boards, on my blog at Just a Slice, and on Pinterest (follow me!!)…oh Pinterest…lol. (Don’t you just love it?)

Now, I live in the “valley” of Los Angeles, about 20 minutes from the coast, with my hubby of almost 20 years and our three daughters, Madison (16), Jillian (14) and (Camryn) 10. When I’m not scrapping, I am a Lamaze Childbirth Educator and Newborn Hearing Screener as well as a Girl Scout Leader for the 10^th year running. My girls keep me busy shuttling between their many activities like concert band, many dance classes, scouts and cheerleading. Thankfully, they love to have photos taken of them so I have lots of opportunities to capture their lives. Keeping those memories is what drives me to scrapbook. My parents did put photos of me in albums but there are no stories and for me, the story is what I want to remember. It makes me proud to know that my girls will have the stories of their lives bound in albums for them to look upon fondly as they grow.

I mainly create layouts, but dabble in cards, sewing and home décor. It’s so fun to be able to create something custom for my family and loved ones. I’m always surprised where my pages take me…I don’t often have a plan before I sit down. I am either inspired by pretty paper or pretty pictures and the bonus is, at the end, they become a unified story that I am proud to share.

 

 

 

I’m super happy to be the Guest Designer for My Mind’s Eye this month and am looking forward to a month of crafty fun!!

Lisa Spiegel

Let’s give Lisa a warm My Mind’s Eye welcome!  Leave a comment on this blog post for Lisa by Sunday, February 12 and we will give one lucky commenter “Lisa’s Favorite Things”!

Holiday Hoopla day 8

I can be a little challenged when it comes to creating "projects", instead of my normal layouts and cards. But the one altered project that I love to create are these covered paper mache boxes. They come in such a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and you can find them at any craft of hobby store. Altering these boxes is so easy to do, and really takes no time at all. These come in very handy at Christmas time, since you can easily slip gifts in these boxes and stick them right under the Christmas tree. No wrapping required.

I used the 12 Days of Christmas collection to create these boxes. To start out, I simply measured all four sides of the boxes, and the four sides and top of the lids. I picked out the papers that I wanted to use for each box, and trimmed the papers to the sizes I needed. I put aside each set of papers, marking which box they went too. Then I used some white acrylic paint, and painted all of the edges of the boxes and the lids. Because the papers won't go all the way around the edges, this will help finish off the edges. There is no need to paint the entire box or lid, since the papers will cover most of it.

Once the paint dries, you can go ahead and adhere your papers to the boxes and lids. Sometimes, I just use regular adhesive to adhere the papers, if I'm not going for a really finished look. Or I will use Mod Podge, like I did for these boxes. I brushed the Mod Podge onto the backs of the papers, and then flattened them out on the boxes and lids, smoothing them from the inside to the outsides edges, to get rid of any air bubbles. Once they dry, I brush an additional layer of Mod Podge right over the paper, to give the boxes a nice, shiny finish.

Once all the boxes and lids dried, it was time to decorate them a bit. I used the Trims and the Chipboard elements to embellish each box as desired.

Laura Vegas

 

What beautiful gift packages Laura has created!  We’ll give one lucky winner our 12 Days of Christmas collection.  Leave a comment on this blog post by December 25, 2011.

Holiday Hoopla day 7

Decorative Notepads

I love that I can pick up a 6-pack of 5x8" notebooks in yellow or white at my local Walmart for $2.50 and create six uniquely decorative notebooks as gifts for friends this holiday. I'd like to share a few quick and simple options on decorating these notepads in literally minutes.

#1 Decorative Notepad

Rather then write up a step-by-step tutorial for one of my favorite styles of decorative notepads, I decided to show you a video featured over at My Craft Channel that I created for all of you. Simple click here to view how easy these notepads are to recreate.

 

#2 Notepad Wrap Tutorial 

Supplies Needed: Everyday Fun Collection, 5x8" Notepads

Cut: 8 x 12" Everyday Fun "In Print"; 1 x 12" Everyday Fun "Remember This"

1. Score In Print (dot) paper from left to right: 5 1/8" then 1/4" from the first score line, then 5 1/8" from that score line and then 1/4" from the last score line.

2. Adhere 5 x 8" notepad in place inside of folded paper as shown in image above.

3. Score Remember This (striped) paper as follows: 3/4" from edge, then 1/4" from first score line, then 3/4" from that score line and 1/4" from that score line and repeat. Fold this strip of paper so it looks like a pleat.

4. Cut pleated piece so there is a 4" and 2" (approx.) pieces. Adhere 4" piece flush with top edge about 3/4" from left edge. Adhere smaller piece flush with bottom edge.

5. Wrap Everyday Fun Twine around front flap and tie in knot.

6. Trim around "Friends Forever" quote*, ink edges if desired and mount to black cardstock and mount 2 1/4" from bottom edge and flush with the left edge of book using foam tape.

8. Punch small hole in center of small flap and 4" piece of twine through hole. Punch Everyday Fun Decorative Brad through quote and notebook cover (you will twist twine around this to hold flap in place.

9. Embellish the over as desired using coordinating Every Fun Layered Stickers and Buttons.

*Download your copy of the Friends Forever Wordart by Bethany (Elegant Wordart)

#3 Notepad Cover

This is a simpler option then Notepad Wrap listed above.

Simply cut a 5 x 8 1/4" strip of paper of your choice. Score paper 5 1/8" from left edge and then 1/4" from first scoring line and fold. Here notepad to right side of inside of paper as shown here.

Create a few of these fun notepads, wrap them up with some ribbon and you have a darling, useful gift for all of your friends!! Happy Holidays and wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

 

Lori

www.allreddesign.net

 

Continuing our holiday hoopla – we’ll give one lucky winner the Kraft Funday collection of their choice.  Leave a comment on this blog post by midnight on December 25, 2011 to be entered to WIN!

2011 Holiday Hoopla day 3

Merry Christmas Advent Calendar

When I saw this wooden sled I knew that it would be fun to cover in paper and embellishments. (And it was!) This is a pretty simple project to put together and I just loved working with the line 12 Days of Christmas. I decided to use it for an advent calendar, but another variation could be to place a photo in the chipboard frame instead.

Supplies:

· 12 Days “It’s the Season” Paper

· 12 Days “Joy” Paper

· 12 Days “Tinsel” Paper

· 12 Days Chipboard Accessories Sheet

· 12 Days Rhinestones

· 12 Days Trims

· Wooden Sled

· Vintage White Paint

· Chalkboard Sticker

· Chalk Ink Marker

· Matte Varnish

Instructions:

1. The first things I did were paint the sled and seal it with a matte varnish.

2. I then decided what patterned paper I wanted to use to cover the four different areas of the sled. I traced the sled onto a piece of computer paper and then cut out the shapes to use as stencils. Worked great!

3. Once you’ve got your sled covered in the paper of your choice you can then have fun with the embellishments!

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Melissa Bell

How do you count down the days?  Let us know by leaving a comment on this post.  We will draw one winner on Monday, December 26, 2011.