My Mind's Eye Blog

Mini Albums with Monika | January 2015 Edition

Thirty wonderful days of 2015 are now behind us. And how lucky we are to have had the gift of another new day, each and every day! It's something I remind myself of when my day just didn't go the way I had planned.

Hello My Mind's Eye friends, I'm so happy that you dropped in today for another...

 

This month's mini album project is a little bit of a stretch, but as I work toward living my word of the year, which is simplify, I've been keen to use up my stash and clear my work space of the clutter. And that's how this idea popped into my head. In my effort to simplify, I've used a frame and paper I've had in my stash and documented my One Little Word in a 3D mini album


Supplies Used | Chipboard Elements: Just Sayin', Jubilee Mint Julep "Live It Up" and Sherbet "Peace ," Alpha and Word Stickers: Just Sayin', Transparent Frames: Just Sayin' Flair Pins: Jubilee Mint Julep "Wild" Enamel Dots: Jubilee Mint Julep "Beautiful" 6x6 Decorative Paper Pads: Find Your Wings and Fly "Up & Away" Meadow, A Mother's Love, The Sweetest Thing "Lavender" and "Honey

This isn't something you don't already know, but it does bear repeating...so many MME collections coordinate and blend and work so well with one another. After going through my older stacks of 6x6 Designer Paper Pads, I chose muted patterns {all of these are B side papers by the way} because I knew that I was going to use decorative elements from the current Jubilee and Just Sayin' collections.

Can I show you some detail shots?



Flair pins are not just for pinning anymore. I used some foam dots to attach it to my decorative chipboard pennant flag.




I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike. I added this cheerful little piece of chipboard goodness just because it makes me smile. I added some enamel dots to the flowers and the wheels just because I could.



And now, my one little word. Simplify. Even though I've used multiple decorative elements in creating my 3D mini album, it feels calming and simple and open to me. And here's a little secret I'll share, it's hiding lots and lots of paper behind there that's not nearly as nice to look at as this cheerful piece of art.

Have fun exploring your word of the year in a 3D mini album!

 

 

 

MME Paper Goods

 

Have you had a chance to check out our Paper Goods line in person?

 

It is divided into four collections.

 

1. Trend:

2. Kraft :

3. Vintage:

4. Chalk Art:

 

 

Each collection contains a multitude of fun and trendy items. Calendars, confetti, banners, paper clips, tags, gift wrap..you name it.

 

We are even offering 4x4 InstaAlbums! These sweet little albums are the perfect way to display your Instagram photos.

album by Stephanie Howell

 

You can purchase all of our Paper Goods at our online shop HERE.

Thanks for stopping by, MME fans! Have a wonderful day.

Product Spotlight | Brads

Hello! It’s Valerie here today with a couple layouts featuring My Mind’s Eye’s fun decorative brads. 

 

Supplies: Market Street :“Nob Hill” Streamer paper. Jubilee Tangerine 6x6 pad, Jubilee Tangerine “Fantastic” chipboard elements, Jubilee Tangerine mixed bag. Necessities decorative brads: Teals, Blues, Reds, and Black & Gray. Other: Silhouette Cameo (font: Intro), baker’s twine, and black mist.

 

First up is this layout about my son’s obsession with Legos and The Lego Movie. This layout was inspired by all the awesome string art that’s floating around Pinterest these days. Usually this art uses a wood board and nails, but I wanted to see if I could incorporate this onto a layout.

 

Brads made a perfect replacement for nails. I set up my layout using the Silhouette Studio software. Instead of cutting the “L” out, I placed teeny tiny circles at all the corners where I’d be poking a brad through and then deleted the “L” outline so just the holes for the brads would be cut.

 

Once all my brads were in place, I just wound some baker’s twine around the brads.

 

 

For this next  layout, I made a repeating pattern and incorporated the brads into the pattern.

 

Supplies:Jubilee-Wild Berry “Hey You” Gardens paper. Decorative brads from Jubilee Mint Julep, Jubilee Wild Berry, Jubilee Sherbet, Now & Then Milo, and Now & Then Mildred. Other: American Crafts white cardstock, Silhouette Cameo, and Studio Calico alpha stamps.

 

The scattered brads mimics how the letters are spread across the refrigerator. I was able to mix and match brads from a few different sets. Usually I’d gravitate toward enamel dots for something like this, but I’m glad I decided on the brads instead.

 

We would love to see how this inspires you to use My Mind’s Eye decorative brads! Ready, set, grab those brads, and GO!

 

Just Sayin' Card Duo

Hi everyone Laurel here.  I have a couple of cards to share with you today.  I just love the soft colors and pretty patterns of the Just Sayin’ collection.

 

Supplies: Just Sayin’-: 6X6 pad; Mixed Bag; Alpha Word Stickers

 

I hadn’t used it for cards yet so I figured it was about time .

 

 

A little bit of simple layering and stitching and these cards went together quite quickly.  If you haven't had a chance to pick up one of our Mixed Bags, you must. These little packs of goodness make any papercrafting project so easy!  Title, layering pieces, and special touches all in one bag. This set made my cardmaking a breeze!

 

 

My projects never seem complete without a simple die cut title and staples... so of course I had to include them as well.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by. Have you used our Mixed Bags on your projects? If so, share in the comments. I'd love to see them!

 

Have a wonderful day-

 

Laurel

Travel Themed Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: Hello World: World Map patterned paper, Here & There patterned paper, Flowers patterned paper, 6x6 paper pad, mixed bag, chipboard, rub-ons, decorative brads, sticker sheets, enamel shapes; Misc: Blue thread, black ink and pen.

 

I am so excited about all the fantastic new lines released at CHA!!  One of my favorites is the new Travel themed "Hello World" collection.  The colors, patterned papers, and embellishments are wonderful and so versatile!

 

I had fun using this line to document our favorite vacation - a cruise to the Mexican Riviera in 2009. The colors matched perfectly with this picturesque picture of my children playing in the golden sand on the beach in Cabo San Lucas. (the last photo I took with my Canon before if fell into the ocean when I was hopping into the glass bottomed boat - so happy the memory card was saved)

 

I used the b-side of the World Map paper for the background of my page and framed it with the aqua blue patterned paper.   I used the 6x6 map paper, a 6x6 light blue paper, and a navy blue journaling card to create the mat for my photo. I rounded the corner of the map paper and circled our location on the map - how awesome to visually mark where we were!! I added an epoxy arrow and a "You are here" rub-on.

 

I cut a strip of the chevron striped paper,to tie in all the colors of the elements, and inserted a large brad in the top.  The bottom strip of blue and cream paper is a 6x6 sheet that I cut in half and trimmed.  I covered the seam with the red tag and grouped chipboard and stickers around it.  I LOVE the letter sticker sheet included in the sticker package - great for titles!!  I placed the "Oh the Places We'll Go!" layered brad on the right corner of the photo to anchor the page.

 

I slid the journal card under the photo and layered a vellum tag from the Mixed Bag under it - love the transparent look.  I added the blue enamel chevron shapes and continued them onto the photo. For the finishing touch, I placed a chipboard banner piece and two banner stickers, and a date tab.

 

I can't wait to scrapbook more vacation photos with this new Travel themed collection!!

 

Tamara

 

Valentine's Day Gift Wrap

Hi there, MME friends!  Lea here today to share some ideas for using your My Mind's Eye goodies when you wrap gifts!  I LOVE to give gifts, and I LOVE to make the outside just as pretty as whatever might be on the inside!  And I am always raiding my scrapbooking product whenever I have to put together a gift!

Supplies: Jubilee "Mint Julep" - "Ride" 12x12 paper; Market Street "Nob Hill" - chipboard elements, chipboard buttons, flair pins; Necessities Metallic - alpha & word stickers; Now and Then "Mildred" - "Today" accent stickers; Record It! "Charmed" - enamel dots; other: wrapping paper, glitter cardstock, twine, bow die.


Valentine's day is right around the corner, so I went with a love theme for my gift wrapped projects today!  But, I didn't use the traditional red & pink.  I actually used gold, black & white, pulling goodies from different My Mind's Eye collections to accent the boxes.  These would be great for the man in your life because they aren't super girly, but he might not love all the glitter from the glitter wrap.  :)

I started by wrapping the larger box with glitter wrapping paper.  After that I added added a doily to the side of it, then tied twine around it.  I threaded the gold chipboard button to the middle of the twine bow, then layered a heart sticker & polka dot flair piece underneath it (tucking them under the twine as well).

I added the chipboard piece to the lower corner, added the word love in letter stickers & then accented it with enamel dots.  Are you wondering how I got everything to stick to glittered paper?  HOT GLUE.  It will be your best friend when embellishing gift wrap.  It still makes the package easy to take apart, but everything should stay on perfectly until they open it!

Next up is the smaller box, which I wrapped in some 12x12 MME paper.  After wrapping it, I diecut the bow from gold glittered cardstock, then assembled it & adhered it to the top.  I accented the middle of the bow with a gold chipboard circle.

To finish the small box, I layered a heart sticker & word sticker to the front and then embellished it with some enamel dots.  Easy peasy!

Be sure to make your valentines feel extra special this year by wrapping their gifts up in super pretty products from My Mind's Eye.  They will for sure feel loved by added touch of beautiful packaging!

Thanks for checking out my projects, and I hope that you have a wonderful rest of your day!

Lea

Market Street Layout

Happy Thursday everyone! This is Tonya here with you today. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new collections. Can. Not. Wait. 

 

While trying to be very patient I decided to make a layout using Market Street. I haven’t given this collection the attention it is so deserving of. Now is the perfect time to do just that. 

 

I printed up this goofy picture of myself with my oldest and my youngest. Love this photo as it is just so “us”. I pulled out some card stock to use as my background. It seems like it has been awhile since I have really used it on a layout. Speaking of which did you notice that My Mind’s Eye is releasing their own cardstock that coordinates with the new releases?! Yippee!

 

Supplies: Market Street- “Ashbury Heights” Globe Paper, “Ashbury Heights” Gold Shimmer Paper, Chipboard Elements, Journal Card, Decorative Brads, Foiled Mixed Bag, Decorative Stickers

I’ve used a lot of chipboard on this layout. The quotes on the chipboard strips were perfect to place over the upper left corner of the photo. There is a rather large black truck that is trying to take over the photo and those were the perfect cover up. To dot the ‘j’ I used a decorative brad for a little more visual interest.

 

 

 

I adore the metallic gold and that ‘perfect’ was just that…PERFECT! I snuck in a little 3x4 card from the journal card pack, and added one above the photo too.

 

 

Love those bigger floral die cuts, they add so much to a layout.

 

Lastly, I finished it all off with a striped metallic gold and white chipboard heart. 

 

Thanks for taking a peek today!

 

Tonya

Mixed Media with Karen | January 2015

Hi everyone! This is Karen and I am back with my a new Mixed Media with Karen.

Today I have a new page in the You Choose journal I mentioned last month .One of my desired feelings for 2015 is open. I want to be open to receive. Be willing to let people and the universe help me. Be open to signs and messages and kindness.

So I thought this was a lovely way to start my page. I printed this image from Pinterest. I then added layers underneath the photo and put a transparency on the right page. I decided I wanted a million little hearts so I punched a whole lot of them and glued them haphazardly on the right hand side.

Added a few on the left just for a unified look.

 

I then went to town with paint again and added some pen work this time, too. After I was done with it, it looked like this:

 

It's got several shiny parts including a glare from the transparency. But I love that.:

here's a closer look at the layers on the left. I added a bunch of paint to each paper:

and some lines of paint to the bottom right

and top left

I then decided my hearts looked too bare so I traced around them each with a black pen. And called it a day.

It's still a bit chaotic than I'm looking to create for this project but I am learning and that's all that matters. I am open to my instincts as I create the page. Thank you for letting me share! See you in February!

Toning Down Busy Patterned Paper

Hey there!  Missy here with you today.  Do you ever go through a collection and find a gorgeous piece of patterned paper, but it’s just so busy and colorful that it feels overwhelming?  I know that happens to me a lot.  I want to share with you how I use really busy papers as a background.  My main focus of a layout is always my photo.  I never want the papers to drown the photo out or overpower it.  So this is just a way that I use those busy papers without it taking away from the pictures.

The Jubilee Wild Berry collection is full of busy patterns and loud colors.  (Two of my favorite things!)  I chose to start with the “Life” Diamonds paper.  The first thing I did was take two less busy papers (the black & white stripes and the blue) and cover up about a fourth of the Diamonds paper.  This tones it down right away but still leaves quite a bit. 

The next thing is to use gesso.  It is perfect for fading out patterns & colors and toning it down.  I used white, and I just used my finger to keep smudging it around until lots of the pattern was faded.  It kind of creates a “cloud” and if you blend it just right, there isn’t a line separating it from the pattern.  It’s a gradual fade.  Once the gesso dries, you’re able to add paint or mist. 

I added some watercolors on top of the gesso to give some solid and soft colors.  This helps to make all those embellishments to the right of the photos pop.  If I had just adhered them on top of that busy background as is, they would blend in to much and make it look even more busy.

Supplies: Jubilee-Wild Berry:“Life” Diamonds Paper, “Love” Stamped Paper, “Hey You” Gardens Paper, 6x6 Paper Pad, “Life” Mixed Bag, “Wonder” Transparent Frames, “Wonder” Chipboard Elements, “Today” Flair Pins, “Hey You” Rub-Ons, “Love” Label Stickers, “Love” Decorative Brads; Jubilee-Tangerine: “Story” Rub-Ons; Cut & Paste—Decorative Stamps; Decorative Tape Sets—Pink & Charcoal; Sweetest Thing—Decorative Tape; Collectable—Decorative Tape; Other—Prima Chalk Ink, Mister Huey’s Color Mist, vellum, Liquitex Gesso, Coats thread, Brother Sewing Machine, Artist’s Loft Watercolors, StazOn Ink, Sharpie Black Pen

Here you can see how the gesso does double duty.  It helps cover the background, and it also creates a surface for color to go.  It helps to not warp the paper when you add liquid to it.  It even made it easy to write my journaling right on to the page.  The busy background is muted there, so it’s a solid spot to write on.  I was also able to use one of the transparent frames for my title.  It really pops on to of the gesso.

Another key to making your photos pop against the busy pattern is to layer less busy and solid colors under them.  The solid pink anchors the photos.  Then I added a piece of orange, black & white and aqua polka dots.  Not too much of each paper, but just enough to break it up.  Raising up your photos with pop dots also puts more space in between the paper and the photos, and this helps to make them really stand out as well.

Here’s one more shot.  I was also able to stamp here after I applied the gesso and watercolors.  It would be difficult to read any kind of sentiment on top of that busy background.  Even though I added a lot of other busy elements, they don’t compete with that busy diamond background because of the gesso fading it out. 

I hope this helps give you some ideas on how to use those busy backgrounds.  Don’t be afraid of them…just make them work.  I use this technique a lot, and the key is to choose other papers that aren’t as busy for your layers under your photos.  Cover some of the busy pattern up.  Use gesso to help blend some of the pattern out.  I know it looks complicated and can be intimidating, but it’s really not.  You just have to be willing to get your hands messy!  It’s fun, I promise!

 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

 

Missy

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