My Mind's Eye Blog

July Sketch Winner

is Nicole Doiron!

 

Congratulations Nicole!

Please email stephanie(at)mymindseye(dot)com with your address and collection+color scheme of choice!

August Sketch Challenge

Hi, it's Ronda here today!  For this month's sketch, we are grounding our main photo (or photos) in the center and building all around it with lots of layers.   Three arrows pointing to that main layer really reinforces our focal point.  I love the playful journal at the top of the page and near the middle, split in two sections.  Try doodling around your strips of paper to add some fun accents to your page.  Lots of layers and with MME products you have a world of possibilities.  

Remember...you are interpreting the sketch so feel free to rotate the sketch or change out the one photo for multiple photos.  Envision the pieces and see how you can make the sketch your own with embellishments, paint, patterned paper, and other wonderful My Mind's Eye products. 

Supplies:  Now & Then: Mildred - With You: Library Paper; Jubilee: Tangerine - Awesome: 'Sheild' Paper, 'Arrow' Paper, Mixed Bag, Enamel Dots; Tangerine - Story: Rub-ons; Tangerine - Honor: Decorative Brads, Label Stickers; Tangerine - Fantastic: Sticky Notes, Chipboard Elements; Other: Watercolors, Black Pen

I knew i just had to use the Jubilee Sheild Paper as my jumping off point.  Do you ever find a patterned paper that you must have & use?  The playful chevron "B" side of this paper is perfect for me.  I couldn't decide if i wanted to paint the chevrons or leave them black & white.  In the end I decided to paint another MME paper to give me that pop of color.  

First i altered the paper with a light gesso wash and then added layers of watercolors to get that beautiful pop of yellows, pinky reds, and oranges.  I trimmed off a rectangle piece and I will save the rest for other projects.  

I added the white rub-ons on top of the altered patterned paper.  I LOVE rub-ons so I am really happy MME has new ones to add to my collection.  I added light aqua blue to the background paper and layered the altered paper on top.  I love all the playful details of the fonts, the mixed pieces, and the chipboard title.  I doodled around the edges of the layers of patterned paper to continue that playful touch. 

On top of the photo i added the sticky note and layered a brad on top of it.  I love how they look grouped together.  I even doodled all around my photo.  I added journaling to the chervon lines too.  So much fun!

The last touches are always those enamel dots.  I decided to do tone on tone with those dots and I love that choice.  It didn't overpower the rest of the layout!

Okay. Now it's your turn.

A random winner will be chosen and shared with our next challenge on Monday,September 1   . You have until the end of the day on Sunday, August 31 to share your project.

Please link your sketch via the InLinkz tool at the bottom of this post. Your layout must feature MME products. Only one entry per participant, please. The prize is any MME collection.

Have fun and good luck!

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Collection Spotlight | Necessities Wood

Hey there, everyone!  Missy here. The layout I’m sharing today focuses on the beautiful Wood papers from the Necessities collection. 

 

I decided to use the 6x6 paper pad to back a die cut I found in the Silhouette store.  I love that backing die cuts allows you to use lots of different patterned papers.  There are so many shades and types of wood papers in the paper pad…whites, greys, tans and browns. 

 

I chose a photo of my daughter wearing a bright (and hard to scrap) colored shirt.  I think it really pops against all the beautiful raw and natural wood papers.  I like that it really stands out, and the focus is on the photo.  Usually if a photo contains a hard color, I’ll change it to black and white.  But I really love this photo in color, so this is how I showcased it.

 

Supplies: Necessities Wood 6x6 Paper Pad, “Word Wood” paper, Wood Decorative Tapes, Wood Decorative Brads, Wood Shapes, Wood Alpha & Word Stickers, Wood Monogram Alphas, Black & Grey Decorative Brads; Other—Silhouette Cameo, cardstock, grey thread, cord, white pen, brown Sharpie.

 

Here you can see up close the details of the die cut and some of the different patterned papers.  It does take some time to cut each piece out by hand, but the result is so worth it!  It creates this beautiful mosaic look in the end.  I added in some cord here.  I like that it looks neutral, just like the colors in the layout, and it also adds interest and texture.

 

These wood shapes are to die for!  They stick really well, and they can be used just about anywhere.  I used them close to my photo to draw more attention to it.  There are also a ton of these adorable Word & Alpha stickers in this collection.  Almost every shade of wood color is available.  And don’t forget about the large monogram alphas.  I have loved using them on layouts as a large focal point.  I used the R here for my daughter’s initial and simply added bits and pieces on top of it.

 

Here is another angle of the die cut, the layering and the wood pieces and brads.  I love adding in those little elements at the end of my design process.  A few of those brads are from the Black & Grey Necessities collection.  I love how all of these MME lines work so well together!

 

I hope this gives you some ideas on what to do with the Wood collection.  Pick a photo that contains colors that are hard to coordinate with and make a neutral background.  It really does help the photo to stand out!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

 

Missy

Monochromatic Layout

Hello! Valerie here today. The end of summer is upon us, but I'm hanging on tight to these last few days and celebrating with another summer layout. Before we know it, it will be time to make those back-to-school layouts. 

SUPPLIES:Now & Then Milo "Little Things" Anchor paper and Izzy "Dream Big" chipboard elements. Necessities Black & Gray "Stripe" vellum paper and enamel dots. Blues enamel dots and decorative brads. Other: Silhouette Cameo, American Crafts Thickers & cardstock, pen.

 

I have been almost exclusively mixing the Necessities line with Market Street, but when I chose these photos, I knew it just had to be Necessities with Now & Then this time. I gravitated toward a very monochromatic color palette with this layout and love how it really makes the photos pop. 

I started this page in Silhouette Studio. I picked this circular raindrop shape I originally designed for another purpose, and decided on a horizontal strip of photos. I kept the colors all very soft and similar for a great texture effect. 

 

Next time you sit down to make a layout or two, I challenge you to try a monochromatic scheme. And remember, monochromatic isn't just shades of white and black. It can be any color. I'd love to see what you make. 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Valerie

Project LifeⓇ with Shelly | August 2014

Hello everyone, Shelly here! I am back with this month’s Project LifeⓇ inspiration. Today, I am sharing a week in the life using mostly Market Street along with a touch of the Record It! Charmed Collection.

Supplies :Market Street: Ashbury Hill – “Framed” Pattern Paper, 3x4 Journaling Cards, Mixed Bag, Decorative Brads, Designer Tapes; Ashbury Heights – 3x4 Journaling Cards, Label Stickers; Record it! Charmed Journaling Kit; Other – Becky Higgins Design A page protectors, Date Stamp, Black Ink, Corner Rounder

I am finding that the Charmed Collection is the perfect accessory. I mean, what doesn’t need a pop of extra gold? And Market Street is the ultimate companion for it.

I kicked off my inspiration for this layout with that striped “A Week in the Life” card. Oh stripes, how I love thee. With that in place, I knew I needed something with a little less color. That’s when I pulled out Record it! Charmed journaling kit and found the perfect fit for a title card.

The green striped paper has been calling my name since I first laid eyes on it. Like I said, stripes are my thing right now. I trimmed down a 4x6 piece for some added interest along with some short journaling.

The decorative tape was a nice added touch over my picture. I finished it off with an enamel dot that I easily separated from a decorative brad.

The weather actually gave us a little break from the extreme cold and snow, which was great for letting my kids actually get outside to play! The “Happy Days are Here” banner was just meant to be for that open space on that photo.

So there’s another week in the life documented with the ease of pocket pages and MME’s awesome journaling cards. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Shelly

 

Revisiting Now & Then : Card Duo

Hey there, everyone! Lea here today to share a couple of cards with you!! I don't know about you, but I love to mix & match collections.

Supplies: Now & Then "Izzy": 6x6 paper pad, alpha/word stickers, accent stickers, flair pins, decorative brads, buttons, enamel dots, 3x4 cards; Now & Then "Milo": 6x6 paper pad, accent stickers, buttons; Now & Then "Mildred": 6x6 paper pad, mixed bag; Other: ivory twine.

The Now and Then color schemes mix together really well, and I combined elements from the Izzy, Mildred & Milo sets. I started by choosing a color palette of orange, aqua, grey/silver & just a touch of navy. I then grabbed the 6x6 paper pads from these collections, and pulled out 4 papers that matched my color palette best.

I then selected matching journal cards, stickers, buttons, brads & enamel dots to embellish the front of the cards. I used the same design for each card, creating one vertically and the other horizontally. This is such a great way to get the most out of your design process!

The two cards end up looking quite different from each other, and you've saved some time! You can do this with sketches from all the amazing online challenges out there as well...I love using a sketch multiple times, especially if they are a design that I love!

It was also great to break out my "Now & Then" collections again! I've already used them a ton, but there are so many great patterns & elements that I still wanted to use! By combining them, it allowed me to use even more of these great collections! I hope that you've enjoyed my cards today! Have a wonderful start to your week! 

 

Lea

Mix and Match with Karen | August 2014

Hi everyone!

This is Karen and I am back with August's Mix and Match with Karen page. This month's page is a celebration of my older son's love of science. He's been in love with physics since first grade and his knowledge has grown so much over the last two years that I am in awe of him.

This month, I wanted to see if I could use the big heart from the Record It! Just Splendid art pack. I loved that heart and decided it was time to use it, so I cut it out and put it right behind my photo and pretty much designed my page around it.


You can find the whole journaling here.

Once I put the thin strip of washi to tie my two pages together, I decided to use some more fun washi tape on the bottom to anchor my photo. I added a few more layers but kept it pretty simple.


On the top right, I put some chipboard pieces, I like how they make your eye travel back to the middle of the page.


To tie the pages together and to force your eye back inward, I put some arrows and chipboard to the bottom left, as well.


I then used all the awesome MME alphabets to have fun with my title. I incorporated the love on the heart to be a part of my title so it reads: i love you and i am so proud of you.


The first thought I have when I look at this page is how colorful and happy it makes me feel. That's one of my favorite things about My Mind's Eye products. Their colors always make me happy. I hope you take some
time to play with the bright yellows, blues and greens this month, too!

Quick and Easy MME Home Decor Options

Hi!  Tina here today with two home décor projects that are so easy and simple, it will just amaze you!

If you are not a pocket scrapper, but LOVE our gorgeous journal cards, this first project is just for you. 

  Supplies:Jubilee-Sherbet:Beautiful Journal Cards,Peace Chipboard;Misc: Frame: Michaels Twine: American Crafts Adhesive: Scortape

Find a favorite multi-opening frame, either from your stash or from your local store, with small (less than 3x4) openings.  (If using larger (4x6) journal cards, use a frame with 4x6 openings)

In place of photos, insert 3 pocket journal cards into the frame openings.  Add a chipboard embellishment ON TOP of the glass for more dimension and fun.  Tie a colorful bow and done!

 

My 2^nd project is inexpensive and quick!

Supplies: Jubilee-Sherbet:Pretty Flair;Jubilee-Tangerine:Together Flair,Jubilee-Wild Berry:Today Flair; Misc: Frame: Michaels Adhesive Fabric: WRMK Adhesive:  American Crafts

If you are like me, you love flair!  Flair is fantastic in scrapbook layouts and mini albums, but I really wanted to use it in a different way. Why not in home décor?

To create my trio of Flair Art, I found clearance frames at my local hobby store.  (I am always on the lookout for clearance and sale frames and alterable items).

I cut out a piece of adhesive fabric to fit inside my frame slot.  I adhered the fabric directly to the enclosed cardboard included with each frame.

Using super sticky adhesive dots, I adhered a set of Flair to each frame.  I told you this was easy!

This is one of those projects that made me think, ‘Why didn’t I think of this sooner?’ I love the simplicity, yet hip and fun look!

So get out those traditional scrapbook supplies and create Easy Peasy Art!

Have a wonderful day.

Tina

Wood Veneer…the Multi-Tasker

Hi all, this is Tonya with you here today. With the release of the Record It collection came a new embellishment from My Mind's Eye, wood veneer. After seeing this video by the über talented Jennifer McGuire on how to achieve the look of letterpress using your wood veneer I decided I had to give it a go! These first three cards were all made using the same piece of wood veneer.

The first card I kept very simple and basic. Since I used just the bare wood veneer with plain watercolor paper I really didn't want anything to over power the all white letterpress panel.

Supplies: Record It- Just Splendid: 6x6 Decorative Paper Pad, Decorative Tape, Enamel Wood Dots, Journaling Kit

For this next card I inked up the front of the wood veneer with a soft sea foam green pigment ink and then around the edges I inked it again using a darker teal color. Then ran it through my die cutting machine on a piece of watercolor paper.

 

Supplies: Record It-Just Splendid: 6x6 Decorative Paper Pad, Decorative Tapes, Journaling Kit Cut & Paste-Presh: "Noted" Enamel Dots Lime Twist- Fly A Kite "Spring" twine

 

This next card is the result of the wood veneer after it had been inked up for the previous card. I just let the pigment inks dry for a couple of hours before handling the card. I backed the open heart with some lime green glitter. That little strip of connected hearts was fussy cut out of one of the journaling cards in the journaling kit.

 

Supplies: Record It-Just Splendid: 6x6 Decorative Paper Pad, Journaling Kit Cut & Paste-Presh: "Noted" Enamel Dots

 

 

I have one last card for you. I made this one a while ago for a friend's birthday. To achieve the look on this wood veneer piece I first used watercolor paints to apply color to the veneer. After that dried I ran it through my Xyron machine to evenly apply a thin layer of adhesive to the front of the wooden piece. Lastly a layer of glitter on top for the final look! It really changes the look of the wood and makes it a sight to behold!

 

Supplies: Record It-Just Splendid:  6x6 Decorative Paper Pad, Journaling Kit Cut & Paste-Presh: Right Now "Hashtag" paper Lime Twist: Fly a Kite "Everyday" twine

 

 

I am loving the versatility of wood veneer. It's one of those products that can really be used over and over before it is committed to it's final project. You can keep it raw and organic or you can add some pizazz with colors and glitter. I think the possibilities really are endless!

 

Tonya

Product Spotlight | Decorative Tapes

Supplies: Necessities - Blue: decorative tape; Market Street - Ashbury Heights: journal card pack, stickers; Market Street - Nob Hill: stickers, enamel dots; Cut and Paste - Presh: decorative tape set; Misc: black ink and thread, Mr. Huey's Color Mist - Ocean.

Ahhh, the carefree days of summer.  Running from friend's house to friend's house with out a care in the world and the only worry you have is to be home by dark.  My youngest has enjoyed palling around with his little buddies all day - every day.  A few weeks ago, it was a sweltering day and I suggested they put the sprinkler on the trampoline and cool off.  

 

A little while later, I discovered our neighbor had brought over his slide and they fashioned their own water slide with it off the back our stone firepit bench.  They had such a blast - I love their creative minds!!  So, how do you scrapbook a ton of action shots taken with your cell phone?  Why, a few film strips of course!!

I love MME's vast array of decorative tapes.  I dug trough my stash to find some that coordinated with my photos - and captured the fun feel of a summer day.  I layered two blue striped pieces of tape from the "Necessities" collection for the foundation of my page.   Then I layered four more tapes to create the bottom and side borders.  

 

I placed a paper over the tapes to mask them, then I sprayed the background paper with blue ink - to echo the splashes of water in the photos. I used the Market Street Journaling card - "All the Adventure You Could Ever Want" for my title.  I layered three stickers over the title and placed 5 enamel dots on the journaling card.  I love how I could take elements from 3 different collections and they worked perfectly together.

 

I hope you can take time to document some of the fun and impromptu moments from your summer. :)

 

-Tamara