My Mind's Eye Blog

Upcycled Thrift Store Plaque

Hi everyone Laurel here.  I have an addiction...to patterned paper. I love patterned paper and some of it just makes my heart super happy. 

 

The Record It Pretty Things is one of those lines. I just love to look at it. The shabbiness, the roses, the woodgrain...sigh.

 

My other addiction is thrift store/garage sale finds. Yep I have a garage full and of course am always on the lookout for more.  I decided to use one of my wooden plaques for today’s project.

 

 

Now did you know you can use journal cards for altered art projects?  I did use a paper from the 6 X 6 pad but pretty much everything else is from journal cards. 

 

I started off just covering the front of the plaque with 2 journal cards and one piece of patterned paper that coordinated and had the same pattern. I was going to stop there because like I said, shabby, woodgrain and white roses need I say more?!

 

 

Well then I started to fussy cut.  It began with a sentiment or two.  I played around then then turned the plaque vertically and then I knew what I wanted to do.

 

I used it as a display for the most recent photos of my daughters and grand daughter (aren’t they beautiful??)

 

 

I fussy cut a few more items and then just began to layer and piece until I was happy with it. 

 

As always the final touches include adding a die cut title and some stitching.

 

 

I love the end product and one would never know that this is an upcycled thrift store find created using journal cards!

 

Now I challenge you to see what other things you can do with your journal cards.  Don’t be afraid to cut them apart they can be so versatile!

 

Laurel

Paper Pads

Hi everyone, Tonya here with you today. Are you a list maker or a note taker? If so, I have the perfect little project to share with you today. Something that is a fairly quick and easy to make.

 

These may look like cards but they are handmade pads of paper with cute little decorative covers! Both of these were made the same way, just decorated a little bit differently.

 

Supplies: Jubilee - Mint Julep: 6x6 Decorative Paper Pad, "Beautiful"Mixed Bag, Decorative Brads, "Wild" Enamel Shapes, "Journey" 3x4 Journal Cards, "Ride" Label Stickers, "Live it Up" Sticky Notes

Decorative Tape Sets: Mint & Grey Lime Twist: "Life of the Party" Charmed twine.

 

On the inside of each of the covers I placed one of the post-it pads.

 

To make the base of the paper pads I simply cut a piece of chipboard to the below specifications ( when folded up the pad measures a tad bit larger than an A2 card).  I chose this size because I wanted to make the papers inside that made up the pad easy to measure, which meant simply cutting my 8 1/2 x 11" copy paper into fourths.

 

Once I had the outside and the inside decorated I just adhered a 1/4" strip of Scor-Tape (which is a really strong double sided tape) in between the score lines.

 

When I removed  the release strip on the tape I stacked all of my inner papers as neatly as I could and pressed the upper edges against the Scor-Tape. Amazingly they all adhered and even with moving them all around for photos not a single sheet has fallen out.

 

These would make great stocking stuffers, thank you gifts, or teacher gifts (would be super easy to personalize)! Quick, simple and cost effective!

 

Tonya

Gift Box + Matching Tag and Card

Hey there, everyone!  Lea here today with some projects using the new Jubilee "Sherbet" collection.  There is a special little lady in my life who is turning 1 this month, and this paper collection actually matched t
he cute outfit that I got for her perfectly!!

 

So for my projects today, I covered & decorated a gift box, then created a matching tag & card that is personalized for her!  I know a one year old isn't really going to care about what it looks like, but her mom will love it!! :)

 

 

I chose a gift box that was square in shape, and it was just a little larger than 12x12.  I lined the top edges with teal washi tape before adhering the 12x12 paper to the top of it.  I then added a paper block to the bottom, and added a strip of glitter washi tape over the seam. 

 

After that I diecut a large bow from patterned paper, assembled it & added it to the top of the gift box.

I then made a matching tag using a journal card, chipboard shapes & alpha/word stickers.  I punched a hole in the top & strung twine through it, then topped it with a decorative brad.  After finishing the tag, I added it to the top of the gift box.

Then I made a matching card to finish the gift set. I layered some 6x6 paper blocks to the front, then accented with a diecut journal card & some embellishments.  I also added a strip of glitter washi tape, and a washi tape bow.

In order to make the washi tape bow, I covered a strip of white cardstock with the silver dotted washi tape.  This way it would be rigid enough to run through my diecut machine.  After diecutting the pieces, I assembled it & gave the bow some shape before adhering it to the card front.

I think it is so fun to use my scrapbooking product to create fun gift wrap, & this one is extra special.  You only have your first birthday once, so why not go all out?  Thanks for checking out my projects today...I hope you've enjoyed them!!

Lea

Supplies: Jubilee “Sherbet” collection: 12x12 paper (Happy, Pretty, Enjoy), 6x6 paper pad, chipboard elements, rub-ons, decorative brads, enamel dots, mixed bag, & journal cards.  Now& Then “Milo” and “Dorothy” collections: alpha/word stickers. Necessities“Teals” and “Black & Greys” collections: washi tape. Other: bow dies, envelope liner die.

Altered Coupon Holder

Hi! Tina here today with a project that was un-planned, simple, and just plain happy. Often, when creating my Design Team projects, I get caught up in creating something that is overly-complex and over-planned. I get obsessed with creating a WOW project. A project that is much too serious.

But today, I am sharing a ‘spur of the moment’ project that is different than what I normally create.

Y’all know the Target Dollar Spot? That spot, right near the entrance of the store. {The spot that sucks you in} The Dollar spot bins are full of fun, colorful, and seasonal items. I can never walk into a Target without perusing the bins for items ‘I must buy’! ☺

One of the main reasons I enjoy shopping the Dollar Spot bins is that the items are inexpensive. We are all looking for a bargain, aren’t we? During a recent trip, I spied these little coupon holders. Super fun, cute & practical all by themselves.

But does practical need to be plain! No! Why not dress ‘em up a bit? I cut the entire Calendar Sticky Pad from the Jubilee Sherbet Sticky Notes – cardboard and all. I adhered it to the coupon holder with super sticky ScorTape. I added several chipboard and enamel shape embellishments for a whimsical design.

Supplies:Jubilee, Sherbet, Peace Chipboard Jubilee, Sherbet, Peace Sticky Notes Jubilee, Sherbet, Happy Mixed Bag Jubliee, Sherbet, Pretty Enamel Shapes Other: Coupon Holder: Target Adhesive: Scortape

Done! Instead of using my coupon holder to ‘hold coupons’, I am using mine to hold photos and little notes. A woman is allowed to change her mind. Ha!

I can carry this in my purse, to crops and creative events. Perfect for little notes and for safe keeping my project photos.

I hope you enjoyed my ‘just for fun’ project today. Remember, it’s okay to keep your creating simple and fun. Seriousness not required!

Tina

Mini Canvas Created with Jubilee Rub-ons

Hello! Valerie today with a fun mini-canvas project. I was so excited to see rub-ons included with the new My Mind’s Eye collections, so naturally they were the first thing I grabbed to play with after I unpacked the new collections. I love how you can layer them on top of just about anything. I’m using the white “Story” rub-ons from the Jubilee Tangerine color scheme for this project. The Jubilee collection also has black, gold, and silver rub-on options.

Supplies:Jubilee -Tangerine: “Story” rub ons,  “Adventure” flair pins, “Awesome” enamel dots “Adventure” enamel shapes. Other: Canvas, Liquitex Matte Gel Medium, Studio Calico Mister Huey.

 

Unfortunately, I didn’t take step by step photos, but I will walk you through my process.

 

It’s a very simple, repetitive process. I picked up this gallery wrapped canvas at a local craft store. It’s 5 x 5 inches and is 1 1/2 inches deep—much deeper than a basic back stapled canvas.

 

1. Choose 3-4 mist/ink colors that coordinate with the collection you are using. 

 

2. Spray your canvas with water. 

 

3. Splatter one ink color on one area of the canvas and spray with water again to make it spread.

 

4. Let dry or speed up the process with a heat tool.

 

5. Repeat steps 2-4 with each color you are using, and continue to repeat this process until you get the desired effect and intensity of colors (and don’t forget about the edges).

6. Once dry and you are satisfied with the finished ink effect, I recommended brushing on a thin layer of matte gel medium (or Mod Podge) to keep the color in place. The rub-ons also adhere to the canvas better after the gel medium is applied. Let the gel medium dry or use a heat tool to speed up the process.

 

7. Apply rub-ons with included popsicle stick. You may need to place something hard like a book under your canvas between the stretcher bars if you are using a larger canvas size.

 

8. Once all your rub-ons are applied, add another layer of gel medium over the entire canvas. 

 

9. Add a flair badge, enamel dots/shapes, or other embellishments. I used hot glue to adhere the flair.

 

10. Hang on wall and enjoy!

So there you have it, a really fun canvas in ten basic steps. Totally doable, right?! I can’t wait to see what everyone makes with the rub-ons from Jubilee! How will you be using them?

Fourth of July Decor

Hey there, everyone!  Lea here today with a fun & easy way to decorate your desserts for the 4th of July using My Mind's Eye Necessities Collection in red & blue!!  The shades of red & blue are perfect for patriotic celebrations, and the bold patterns just pop.

 

Supplies: Necessities-Blues: 6x6 paper pad, alpha & word stickers, enamel dots, enamel shapes, decorative brads, foil monogram alphas; Necessities-Reds : 6x6 paper pad, alpha & word stickers, enamel dots, enamel shapes, decorative brads, glitter monogram alphas.

I'm all about ease when it comes to decorating, especially for holidays that you don't keep the decorations up for a very long time.  The large letters in each of the Necessities collections make it super simple to create a banner to put in the background.  I've just punched tiny holes into the sides of each letter, then strung them on ivory colored twine.

For the cupcake toppers, I used a circle punch & a star punch for the shapes.  The circles are all punched from red or blue cardstock, and the stars are punched from patterned papers from the 6x6 Necessities paper pads. 

I added the stars to the top of the circles with foam adhesive, adhered to a straw & then accented with an enamel dot.

The little banner on the top of the tiered cupcakes was also cut from the same patterned papers.  After cutting each triangle banner, I punched the edge of each one & threaded them onto ivory colored twine.  Then I attached each end to a red straw, tied double bows & accented with a striped brad from the Necessities collection.  To finish I spelled out the word "Freedom", with a letter on each banner. 

After putting together all the paper decorations, it was time to put together my table.  I added all the red velvet cupcakes to the glass tiered holders, then put the banner on the top tier of cupcakes.  After that I added all the toppers to the cupcakes in the front.  I strung the letter banner in the background to finish. 

Every aspect of this dessert display is really easy to put together, and doesn't take up much time.  I hope that this gave you some inspiration to dress up your holiday desserts!  You could also easily add a frosted round cake to the top tier (instead of 2 tiers of cupcakes) and add the banner to it in the same fashion. 

I hope that you have an awesome Wednesday, and I will see you next time!!


Lea

Father's Day Gifts

Are you wracking you brain, trying to figure out the perfect Father's Day gift? Like most men, the way to my husband's heart is through his tummy.  I thought it would be fun to put together three gifts that are sure to satisfy his appetite. The wonderful new "Necessities" collection provided  fabulous tools for creating these masculine gifts. The coordinating colored sets of papers, alphabets, and embellishments made creating a breeze!

 

My husband LOVES to grill and can always use some fresh supplies. I found this great plastic pail at the dollar store and filled it with a lot of grilling goodies: an apron, lighter, marinades, bbq sauce, lighter, steak sauce, tools, etc.  

 

Supplies: Necessities - Black and Gray: 6x6 paper pad, decorative tape; Blues: monogram foiled alphabet; Reds: Tiny word/alpha stickers; Metallics: metal dots; Fun Day: twine; Misc: Black ink, red thread, pop dots.

 

For the gift tag, I trimmed a 6x6 piece of black paper to 4x6, then spelled out: "Dads Like You Are Rare" with red and silver letter stickers. I added strips of silver foil and black striped decorative tape across the center.  I finished it off with silver metal dots for an industrial look and the large "U".

 

 

Supplies: Necessities - Blues: monogram foiled alphabet, decorative tapes, enamel shapes; Reds: Stripe vellum paper, Tiny word/alpha stickers, enamel shapes and dots; Metallics: metal dots; Black and Gray: enamel shapes, 6x6 paper pad; MME Black and red decorative tape set; Fun Day: twine; Misc: Black ink, black thread, pop dots, white cardstock.

 

My husband's favorite drink is bottled root beer (a rare treat).  I decorated the front of the box with the HUGE blue foil monogram letters.  I moved them slightly off the paper, so they are "popping" off. I sewed the diagonal striped vellum to white cardstock and placed two strips of black decorate tape along the bottom.  

 

I printed the tag and cut it out in a circle, with a black mat.  I place strips of blue foil and glittered decorative tape on it, then placed letter stickers over them. For the finishing touch, I adhered enamel chevrons on the first "P" and two enamel dots on the decorate tape.

 

 

 

My husband really enjoys watching movies with our family.  I thought it would be fun to make a big "Movie Night with DAD" gift bucket.  I found the over-sized square popcorn bucket at my Dollar Store. I decorated the front with a strip of black cardstock, trimmed with silver foil tape.  

 

 

I placed black letter stickers above it to read "Movie Night With" and adhered the fabulous huge blue foiled letters. I filled it with tons of his favorite treats and had fun coming up with creative gift tags to coordinate.

 

I used a variety of colored letter stickers for the"key word".  I matted them with vellum and patterned papers from the 6x6 pads. I trimmed some of them with foil decorative tapes.  I finished it off with Blu Ray versions of his favorites: :The Complete Star Wars Saga" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

 

Supplies: Necessities - Blues: Stripe vellum paper, 6x6 paper pad, monogram foiled alphabet, decorative tapes, tiny word/alpha stickers; Reds: Stripe vellum paper, 6x6 paper pad, tiny word/alpha stickers; Metallics: decorative tape; Black and Gray: Stripe foiled vellum patterned paper, tiny word/alpha stickers; MME Black and red decorative tape set; Fun Day: twine; Misc: Black ink, black thread, white and black cardstock.

 

Snickers: You make us SNICKER

Corn Nuts: We love your CORNY JOKES!

Whoppers: You tell great WHOPPERS.

Stax Chips: You’re STACKS above the rest

Reeses Pieces: You hold the PIECES of our family TOGETHER.

Popcorn: You’re our Favorite POPS

Raisinetes: You’re the RAISIN we’re a FAMILY

Twix: You do cool TWIX

Nuts: We’re all a little NUTTY

Mounds: You’re MOUNDS of FUN!

Sugar Daddy: You’re our SUGAR DADDY

 

I hope you are inspired to make a gift from the hear for the special fathers in your life.

-Tamara

Custom Embroidery Hoops

Hello! It's Valerie today and I can’t wait to show you what I made! I decided to switch things up a bit this time and make a home decor project using Market Street.

We have lived in our home for almost eight years and I’m embarrassed to admit to you that the walls are still rather bare. I have a handful of my favorite photos displayed and one piece of my own artwork, but that’s about it. Sad, right? I guess I’m just too indecisive and have wall decorating commitment issues. I have a handful of wood embroidery hoops that I stocked up on when I saw them on sale. These hoops are super inexpensive and so fun and easy to customize (see below for instructions on how I prep my hoops for art.

I grabbed some ivory linen and some muslin from my fabric stash and assembled the hoops. Prepping these hoops is super easy. I think each one took me about 15 minutes or less. The larger hoop has a 6 inch diameter and the smaller is 4 inches in diameter.

The Market Street chipboard florals are gorgeous, and I love the scripty words. I layered the pieces on top of a vintage doily and adhered everything with hot glue.

Supplies:Market Street-Nob Hill: chipboard elements, mixed bag, chipboard buttons, and enamel dots; Ashbury Heights:chipboard elements, flair pins, and label stickers; Other: wood embroidery hoops, linen & muslin, vintage doilies, hot glue.

How to prep an embroidery hoop


Layer a square of your base fabric on top of a square of muslin. I like my stretched fabric to be opaque and not show the wall color underneath. The double layer is just my personal preference. Use your own judgement regarding one layer or two. Some fabrics are more transparent than others and some people have much more colorful wall paint that might show through a thin fabric. Pull the fabric taut all the way around and then tighten the knob using some pliers.


Trim excess fabric, leaving enough to fold over.


Apply a thin layer of hot glue to the back of the hoop. Fold over and pinch the fabric down all the way around.


And that’s it! Easy, right!? You are now ready to embellish the front.

So what do you think? Ready to give some embroidery hoops a try?

Focus

Hi!  Tina here today with a home decor project that will really make your room POP with color!

The new Record It! collections include 8x10 word art packs that are perfect for popping into a frame and go!  But what if you wanted to make something a little more YOU?

When I was given this assignment, I immediately knew I wanted to use one of the word art sheets from the Follow Your Heart collection.  This is one of my all time favorite My Mind's Eye collections and just perfect for what I had in mind.

Using the already amazing 'Focus' page, I added color with Paint Markers, Gel pens, and basic black and white doodle pens.  

I colored design elements, then outlined them in black and white pen to make the color POP off the paper.   I also wanted a bit of Glitz to my wall art, so added glitter to several areas for the added shine!

Don't' forget the edges of the Word Art.  I colored-in random hexagon shapes for even more color.

I really love how my very own artwork turned out!

Have you framed your Wall Art yet?  We'd love to see what you've done!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Gelli Print

Hi!  Tina here today with another Home Décor project that brings out the inner ‘artist’ in you.  

Have you ever heard of Monoprinting?  

Monoprint: Monotype is any form of printmaking that results in a unique, one-off print. In a nutshell it is simply the manipulation of inks on a non-porous surface and as such it is the closest that printmaking can get to painting. It offers the printmaker a very direct way to transfer an image from a plate and presents by its very nature a limitless potential to experiment with rich colour and mark making. Monotypes can be printed with or without a press and good results can be achieved using water-based inks.

One of the current art trends is creating monoprints, by using a gel printing plate.  A gel printing plate looks and feels like gelatin, but it is durable and easy to use.  Gelli Arts make different sized gelli plates for this use.

I wanted to create a super easy, yet artistic home décor piece that incorporated a Gelli Print and My Mind’s Eye.

To begin, I created several Gelli Prints, using acrylic paint colors that would coordinate with my home décor.  When I was done having fun creating prints, I picked my favorite and one that had an interesting pattern and texture for my wall art.

Many of the layered stickers from recent My Mind’s Eye collections matched perfectly with my selection, so I choose one that was simple, yet beautiful.  (I used a layered sticker from Cut & Paste, Flair, and layered another sticker from the Chalk Studio collection on top).  I love how the black from the sentiment sticker POPS off the bright, colorful Gelli Print.

I cropped the Gelli Print and adhered it where a photo would normally go.  I added my layered sticker to the center and tied several strings of twine to complete my project.

How is that for easy? 

Don’t have a Gelli Plate?  No worries.  I’ve scanned a couple of my favorite prints for you to use in your next home décor project.  These should give you a jumpstart in experimenting with your artsy side.

PRINT ONE
PRINT TWO
PRINT THREE

Next time you want to combine art with your traditional scrapbook supplies, try this technique.  You will be hooked.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.