My Mind's Eye Blog

Welcome Misty Willis!

HI! I am Misty Willis. I am a stay at home Mom of 5 kids...who keep me laughing all the time. They are all in school, so a large part of my day is spent either volunteering at the various schools, or scrapping my photos of them! I have been scrapping for 14 years since the birth of my first son. I love the art of scrapping, but more importantly, I love the fact that I am preserving my family memories in the process. I want my kids to have beautiful collections of their memories to be able to share with their own children, as I was unable to do that. My family had a house fire when I was 4 and a flood in my house when I was 17...so natural disasters have played a large part in my lack of "history"! My husband and I just celebrated our 17th Anniversary, which means I have literally been married for half of my life! :) I do have every intention of "dancing the funky chicken" with him at our 75th wedding anniversary, so we have a LONG way to go still! I look forward to every minute of it.

I am a detail scrapper if there is such a thing! I like to add the little details to the layout that help to convey the story that the photo is trying to tell. I do mostly hidden journaling, not because I don't want to share my memories, but because I am VERY LONG WINDED! lol...and I do actually TELL the story. I believe that the story is important...because when I am 80 with a failing memory, I will NEED those words to jog my memory!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE My Minds Eye products. The beauty, the variety, and more importantly, the quality of every single piece is beyond compare. I am truly honored to be the Guest for this month...and I do hope to inspire some of you along the way! Here are a few of my favorite past projects using some of my favorite lines...

   

You may recognize Misty’s darling “Snow Balls” layout.  She won the December blog challenge with it.  We would love for you to help us welcome Misty to our team this month.  Leave a comment for Misty by midnight, June 12, 2011.  We will announce the winner of Misty’s Favorite (MME) Things on Monday, June 13, 2011.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kim’s Scrapbook Style

Trying to define my scrapping style is a difficult one for me. I tend to be a bit of a chameleon in that I tend to design around products, assignments, or photographs, changing up my style as is necessary. It makes my scrapping process much more fun & never boring for my sweet family, who love looking through my scrapbook albums when ever they can. I love the fact that my pages are all different yet all so 'me' at the same time.

After giving it some thought I decided there are definitely common elements in most of my pages which make them unique to me as opposed to a specific style, with often dramatically different results.

· Subtle layering

· Mist

· Sewing

· Border punches

· Hand made or cut out flowers

· And most of all authenticity, an important factor for me.

Here are x2 examples showing you what I mean. The same elements, yet very different.

I Must have done Something right by Kim Watson

And this page that I created in honor of my sweet Mum, whom we affectionately call Gee-Gee, for Mothers Day.

No#1 Mother by Kim Watson

For this page I used the gorgeous Stella & Rose ~ Gertie collection. Don't you just LOVE the zipper trim??? I pulled it apart & made this cute flower from it.

Actually I loved making the flower so much, I decided to photograph my process as I went along. Please excuse the weird colors...it can be tricky trying to sew & hold the camera at the same time :o)

ENJOY!

Zipper Flower Tutorial by Kim Watson.

· Pull the zipper trim apart.

· Gauge it using a needle & thread or your sewing machine on tack function.

· Make sure gauging is even along the length.

· Roll up from the centre.

· Secure underneath with needle & thread.

· Once completely, sew the loose end in place.

· Insert brad.

· Attach to layout using hot glue gun.

Thanks so much to the great team here at My Minds Eye. I have really enjoyed designing for you this month, using your gorgeous products, especially the wonderful Stella & Rose collections.

I will forever be a HUGE fan!!

Happy scrapping wherever you might be on this gorgeous day!

Meet Piradee Talvanna

 

Hi Everyone, Piradee Talvanna here and I'm just thrilled beyond to be given this opportunity to guest design for MME this month. A big thank you and I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect to kick start the year!!!  Happy New Year 2011 everyone!!!

I'm currently living in Singapore with my (super supportive) hubby for the last 2.5 years since we both relocated here for work (I'm originally from Bangkok, Thailand). I would say that I have always been a crafty person, always trying to find things create - from cross stitching, painting and even jewelry creation.  But I became addicted to scrapbooking when I moved to Singapore and fell in love with all the yummy goodies at my LSS. I can still remember that day... I was a like a little kid in a candy store, going oooh and ahhh and guess what, I still am!  Also I've discovered that this hobby is the perfect outlet to let my creativity and imagination run wild and especially helps me in de-stressing after a long day of work as I drown myself in all the yummy scrapping goodies.

 

If you would like to learn a bit more about me or see more of my work, please do stop by my blog at www.piradee.blogspot.com.  

And once again, a big thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

Leave a comment on THIS blog post for Piradee between now and Sunday, January 9, 2011 and you could win our So Sophie collection – a favorite of Piradee’s!

Map of America

Designer: Amber Packer, Featured Collection: So Sophie 

I demonstrated this project this morning on Good Things Utah.  This map is a beautiful home decor item, a fun way to help children know where they are going on a road trip this summer and a great help for your 5th grade child who will be studying the United States.  Or, if your family is scattered across the U.S., add push pins and string to help your children know where they all are. This project is perfect no matter what country you call home. I simply searched the internet for an outline map of the United States.  I’m sure you could find a map of your home.

Fun story: My son came up to me as I was finishing and told me this was a “cool” project.  He then asked me what I was going to do with it when today’s segment was over.  I asked him if he wanted it and, YES, he does!  It looks like this has found a home.  Although, I may need the map somewhere that I can see it since Geography was definitely NOT my best subject in school.

If you’d like to make your own, all you have to do is click here to download the instructions: Download 2010_07_15_MME_Map of America.

When the video of today’s segment is available, we’ll add the the video to the left column on this blog (the video is up!).  You can also click here to read the segment on the Good Things Utah website.

p.s.  The current blog giveaways are: Christmas and Lost & Found (click to follow links) 

Our June Top Tens of 2010

Jumping June

 

Designer: Trisha Ladouceur, Featured Collection: Lush

No picas... only journaling. This time I used the cover from the red LUSH album as an actual page. It allowed me to simply use a journaling block embellished with a co-ordinating strip of paper and velvet ribbon with rhinestone brads and leave it at that. I embellished the flocked letters with red self adhesive rhinestones. A simple page in a LUSH-ious album!

{June 2010}

Designer: Sonia Thomason, Featured Collection: Meadowlark

I went with Meadowlark as I wanted to keep my photos in colour so the black and white was absolutely perfect! The numbers for the photos came from the calendar card on the Cards paper

Summer Kick-Off

Designer: Jana Eubank, Featured Collection: So Sophie 

Ahhhh, Summer! June is the perfect month to kick it off in full-fashion with lots of ice cream treats, days spent playing in sprinklers, and impromptu camping trips.

To keep my layout from feeling too chaotic, I printed all the photos in black and white and let the colors of the So Sophie Clever collection do the "talking".

The aqua color is reminiscent of all the water play we've done, while the pinks, creams and corals remind me of vanilla yogurt with sprinkles and juicy popsicles.

Top Ten {Grade 1}

Designer: Anam Stubbington, Featured Collection: So Sophie

Fay loves school and Grade 1 was an awesome year for her. Her top ten things were:  Friends, Winspear theatre field Trip, Art, Library, Gym, Her teachers and Ms Olson, Hot Pizza Lunches, Oil Kings Hockey Game, Music and Everything.

June

 

 

Designer: Amber Packer, Featured Collection: So Sophie with a little Breaking Free

My June Top Ten ended up being a Top Twelve and could have easily been a Top Twenty!  I feel like June went by at a full and complete RUN!  The minute school ended, we were in a race to get everything done: a concert, a new baby (It was a miracle), planting the garden after the wet spring was over, swimming lessons, TWO Open Houses at the hospital and one retreat my husband worked so hard on, Cub Scout Camp, Basketball Camp, The Wasatch Back relay (third year in a row for Bryan), Father’s Day, Father’s & Sons Campout.  Somehow I fit in work amongst all that!  It was a fun, event-filled month with very few computer games played.  And I am happy CHA time is here so we can settle down a little bit of a regular schedule ;)

 

We would like to feature Michelle’s May Top Ten.  Michelle has been enjoying this project with her Mom and Sister.

Michelle says:  “This was the easiest 10 things to come up with - mostly because I kept track (instead of waiting) by the end of the month I had 11 things to chose from.  My 10? I went to field day, carnival, Nik got an award, I made 40 invites, Hubby turned 50, End of school, made a book by hand, hubby went to Arkansas, I qualified with a 98 (for non law enforcement - that's my yearly weapons certification). I realized as I was typing this, that I put the end of school on there twice. So my 10th thing would have to be hubby went to the Memorial Day celebration at the State Cemetery. I guess that the end of school was that important!”

Challenge #13: Hope

The challenge:  Design a layout or other project based on this sketch (by Anam Stubbington) and the word HOPE.

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: Email your project, first and last name to [email protected] (with Blog Challenge 13 as your subject) or add a link in a comment on this post by Thursday, July 22, 2010 (midnight, MST).

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

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

Everyone is a winner!  We are excited to see what you design for our challenge and are grateful to everyone who will participate.  We will put every entry in a photo album here on the blog.  By submitting, you are giving My Mind’s Eye permission to include your entry.

 

We hope you enjoy this month’s samples:

 

Designer: Sonia Thomason

• So Sophie – Forever with You – Botanical Blue Paper
• So Sophie – Living Proof – Spontaneous Floral Paper
• So Sophie – Brother’s & Sister’s – Petite Floral Paper
• So Sophie – Simple Things – Thoughtful Flower Paper
• So Sophie – Anything for You title
• Lush Flocked Chipboard Alphas
• Lush Rhinestones in green

 

   

• So Sophie – Forever with You – Botanical Blue Paper
• So Sophie – Brother’s & Sister’s – Petite Floral Paper
• So Sophie – Simple Things – Thoughtful Flower Paper
• So Sophie – In Love –Small accessories card
• Lush Rhinestones in green

 

Designer: Trisha Ladouceur 

 

Journaling reads: Mackenzie, I hope so many things for you but most of all... happiness!

• Charming "Living Proof" frame (SS1009)
  "Anything for You" Reliable Red paper (SS1095)
• "In Love" Splendid Surroundings Paper (SS1113)
• "Possibilities" Content Geometric Paper (SS1018)
• "Brothers & SIsters" Gracious Greenery Paper (SS1107)
• Lush "Decorative Brads" Brown (LU1051)
• Lush "Flocked Chipboard Alphabet Stickers" Green (LU1047)
• Clever "Celebrate" Large Accessory Stickers (SS1039)
• Graceful :"Open your Heart" Notebook Page Card (SS1074)

“I finished this in record time: 1 hour from start to finish! I LOVE the simplicity of being able to use a sketch :)”

Fun and fast favors for the Fourth.

Try saying that four times in a row fast. ;)

One of my children's favorite things about the 4th of July is going to a parade.  The best part, the candy!  Sadly most parades around here don't allow people to throw candy from floats anymore.  So this is my solution to the "no candy blues."  I made these little "firecrackers" out of toilet paper tubes.  They are just big enough to hold a good amount of salt water taffy.  I will be giving them to my kids at the parade but I think they would be really fun decorations for a BBQ dinner table as well.  

To make some of your own, start by wrapping the tubes with a piece of tulle. (Mine was about 10" x 12")  tie off one end with twine.  Fill the tubes with candy and then tie off the other end of the tulle. Trim the ends of the tulle with pinking shears.  Cover the tube with a 4 1/2" x 6" piece of pattern paper.  I used papers from the So Sophie and Lil' Robots lines.  To finish I added paper flowers and stars to each tube.  

Happy Birthday America!  Have a happy 4th!

  

Fire Crackers

 

Looking for a project to add a little “pop” to your summer celebrations?  This project is fun and easy to do!

I said in the Father’s Day layout post yesterday that I can’t stay away from So Sophie “Savvy”.  Well, here it is again!  I loved the aqua blue and red with polka dots.  It’s a fun change, yet kept the red, white and blue theme.  These fire crackers can easily be done in another color scheme for our many readers who live outside the United States.

Can you just imagine these on your picnic table?

I had another fun idea.  What if you drilled out a larger hole in the top and instead of adding the wire for the fire crackers, you could add a glass cup and votive.  Then your fire crackers would really light up the night!

If you’d like to make your own, all you have to do is click here to download the instructions: Download 2010_06_22_MME_Fire_Crackers.

(including an idea for a more traditional blue in the instructions)

Later this afternoon, when the video is available, we’ll add the the video to the left column on this blog.  You can also click here to read the segment on the Good Things Utah website.

We would love to see YOUR firecrackers, too.  When you are done, please upload a picture to our fan photo album on Facebook.

Have a spectacular day!

For the Father in your life...

What I love MOST about My Mind's Eye is the fact that so many of their papers and embellishments work so well with masculine projects. With Father's Day coming up this weekend, Anam and I thought it would be great to provide you with a couple of cards to give your mojo a jump start!

 

Note how she outlined the "dad, father, papa..." die cut with Lush self adhesive rhinestones... the bling manages to take on a masculine appearance.
 

Another FABULOUS thing Anam did was to fold a strip of her patterned paper to create a funky trim. Any father would love to have this card:)

Anam's card supplies:

• So Sophie – charming – Forever with You – “Delightful Diamond” Paper
• So Sophie – charming – simple things – Journal Card
• So Sophie – charming – We Are Family – Small die Cut Accessories
• Lush Green Felt Alpha
• Lush Black Jewels

I also played with the "So Sophie" Collection but mine took on a totally different appearance even though we used a couple of the same elements.

 

I layered plenty of patterned papers and die cut accessories along with a few Decorative Epoxy Brads and ribbon from the brown LUSH Collection and green Chipboard letters that were inked and outlined with a fine brown tipped pen. You may also notice that I cut out the word "perfect" from the die cut journaling card and used it as a part of my title.

You may have noticed that I tend to like lots of "stuff" on my pages/ projects and that my motto is "lumps and bumps are a good thing", well it's easy to be true to my own style with how well all of the MME elements work together! You can't really make a mistake, you just keep "building" till  it's how you want it!

 
One last thing I will draw your attention to is that there is no reason that you cannot use the decorative edges from some of the full sheets as an embellishment rather than using it in it's entirety. I cut off a bit of the "postage stamp" edge and attached it from behind my "FATHER" title strip to match it up to the edge on the background paper of my card. I love doing this and it's one way to use some of the scraps you may accumulate while paper crafting!

• Supplies used on this card:
  So Sophie Collection:
• "Living Proof" Pleasant Stripe Paper (SS1012)
• "We are Family" Swirl Paper (SS1030)
• "Simple Things" Thoughtful Flower Paper (SS1024)
• "Simple Things" Nice Numbers Paper (SS 1023)
• "Forever with You" Botanical Blue Paper (SS1005)
• "Charming" We are Family Small Accessories (SS1026)
• "Charming" Living Proof Small Accessories (SS1008)
• "Charming" Possibilities frame (SS1015)
• "Charming" Simple Things Sticker Alphabet (SS1021)
• "Simple Things"- "perfect" Journaling Card (SS1022)
• LUSH "Decorative Brads" Brown (LU1051)
• LUSH Brown Ribbons (LU1057)
• LUSH Printed Alphabet Stickers- Green (LU1048)

We hope this provides a bit inspiration for you to create a fabulous card for the wonderful man in your life that defines what being a great Dad is all about!

Happy Scrapping!

Trisha and Anam

Caught Our Eye – Megan Aaron

While looking through the gallery at A Cherry on Top, this fabulous layout by Megan Aaron “Caught Our Eye”!

This beautiful layout is from a So Sophie – Savvy Reveal article that Megan wrote.  Here is what she said about this layout:

“I started off with this gorgeous double sided die cut paper and this interesting photo of my DD. I love how her face is in focus and off center, and the background is blurry. Even though she has her mouth open, you can see how happy she is. The first thing I did was grab the die cut for the title, then I noticed that the throw away strips on these papers have a wonderful coordinating sort of bracket design. So I cut one that coordinated with my colors scheme here and put it under the photo. This photo was from a gorgeous afternoon that we spent on the porch relaxing and playing Zingo and eating popcorn. So I wanted to evoke that same calm feeling in the layout. (I so rarely really get to RELAX that I wanted to really remember the feeling.) These pale greens and blues are just so soothing. I inked everything, added some distressed 'lollipop flowers' and some stitched stems and voila! so easy!”

Since our So Sophie die-cut papers are double-sided, Megan used the back of the die cut paper to create another fun layout.  To see the second layout and other that Megan created, you can read the article she wrote by following this link.  Be sure to visit Megan’s blog for more wonderful creations.

Thank you, Megan!