My Mind's Eye Blog

Ronda's Mixed Media Canvas

Hello Everyone.

It’s Ronda here today to share with you a mixed media canvas I created using a variety of My Mind’s Eye products.  This 8 x 10 canvas mixes patterned paper, brads, chipboard, and stamps with gesso, watercolor crayons, and vintage thread. 

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:About Me patterned paper, decorative brads, stamp;The Sweetest Thing – Honey:decorative brads, stamp, layered sticker, label sticker, chipboard elements;The Sweetest Thing – Tangerine:stamp; Misc:Ranger Archival Ink, gesso, matte medium, glossy accents; Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Watercolor crayons, Maya Road trinket pin,

I always start my canvases with a layer of gesso.  This primes the canvas as well as adds subtle texture.  I knew I wanted to use the beautiful "About Me" patterned paper from The Sweetest Thing lavender line. 

I love the script, designs, and colors and used it as my inspiration.  After laying down the first layer of gesso, I added the bits of patterned paper and scraped some more gesso over top.  I wanted just peeks of the paper showing through the gesso. 

Next I used watercolor crayons to color the background of the canvas drawing on the patterned paper as inspiration. 

Once I had the background colored the way I liked, I decided to add in bits & pieces of embellishments.  I have a love affair with brads, especially those with bold designs.

To adhere them to my canvas, I used a pair of jewelry pliers to break off the prongs from the back of the brad and glued them down.  I love layering embellishments so I used some of the die cuts from the decorative brads and the chipboard embellishment on top of the patterned paper. 

I also added some more brads around the canvas as well as some stamped images in black.  I love the crisp black images against the softer colors of the canvas. 

I inserted a turquoise leaf pin into the heart layered sticker and placed in on a label sticker and the patterned paper.  After adding vintage thread to my canvas using matte medium, I added the final sentiment stamp to the canvas.  I love the simplicity of this statement on this canvas. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you found some inspiration to create your own mixed media canvas.

 

Please Welcome Ronda Palazzari to the team!

We are over the moon to (finally) tell you all that Ronda Palazzari is joining the MME team. We've known this news for quite some time and we were bursting at the seams to tell you. And now that we can.... we'd like to say that SHE IS AMAZING!

Ronda is a talented artist who makes beautiful,beautiful things. We just know she will bring so much to MME and we couldn't be happier that she is joining the team.

Ronda is an author, mixed media artist, scrapbook designer, and an instructor living in the burbs of Denver.  Her first book Art of Layers with North Light Publishing/F&W Media was released in March 2012. She has published in several magazines and idea books including Artful Blogging, Creating Keepsakes, Memory Makers, Scrapbook Trends, and Somerset Magazines.  She’s best known for combining her mixed-media techniques with scrapbooking, but Ronda is one to follow because you never know if she will be sewing or getting messy with paints; her craft changes day-to-day.  She continues to teach worldwide as well as providing inspiration and telling her dorky stories on her blog HelpMeRonda.

Ronda will be using MME in ways you've never seen before (like in this fantastic layout!) and we love what she does.

 

And...now that we've finally made the big announcement, here is Ronna's first post! So much goodness in one day, can you handle it?

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! I know that Thanksgiving is traditional a US/Canadian holiday but the beauty of this holiday is that everyone can celebrate and express gratitude.  Being thankful for the big things as well as the small things is important every day.  I have learned so much these past few years about being thankful for the small things since my husband is currently living overseas.  Things like holding his hand, dinner time together, or even the bigger stuff he took care of so I didn’t have to.  Being grateful lets people know how much we love & care for them. 

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:crocheted doilies,buttons,enamel dots,chipboard elements,label stickesr,tiny word stickers,The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:decorative tape;Misc:Ranger manila tag,gesso,Maya Road spray inks,twine

This Thank You tag is a fairly simple tag that can adorn any gift for family or friends.  Like all my tags, I start with a color story.  I was really inspired by the Sweetest Things Tangerine line, specifically the Hello buttons. I used gesso and spray ink on the background of the tag in teal, aqua, and yellow and then I cut a piece of decorative tape for the top of the tag adding in more yellow. 

Next I layered the crocheted doily with the wooden button.  I really wanted to add in another color for that pop so I used the tangerine chipboard buttons and tiny word sticker.  The final touch is adding a few enamel dots around the tag along with the “you are the best” sticker. 

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:journal card,buttons,stamps,chipboard elements,layered stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell: enamel dots;Misc:Ranger manila tag,archival ink,gesso,Maya Road spray inks, twine,Doodlebug letter stickers

This next tag could adorn any Thanksgiving gift or any layout documenting this festive holiday.  Again I used gesso and spray ink on the background of the tag, this time working ink yellow, brown, pink, and red.  The brown stamped image on the background adds a cool decorative touch without overpowering the tag. 

Next I layered the journal card onto the background and then added a layered sticker.  More chipboard stickers around the page (both by the layered sticker and over the word happy)  make it stand out more and add dimension to this tag.  I want to use this tag for a Thanksgiving page so I added the stickers to the bottom of the journal card.  I absolutely adore using enamel dots to add that final touch of color. 

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:"The Best" Impressions patterned paper,chipboard elements,buttons,decorative brads,stamps,stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:chipboard elements;Misc:Ranger manila tag,archival ink,gesso,Maya Road spray inks,twine,pop up adhesive

I really love the layers of this thank you tag.  It all started with gesso on a manila tag along with some painted spray ink in yellow, brown, and pink.  Next I layered on some patterned paper to the background of the tag.  These circles from the Impressions patterned paper were perfect.  Next I stamped in black ink the doily images around the page.  Three is always a good number.

Adding similar designs creates harmony on this tag.  I added some chipboard elements to reinforce the circle shapes around the tag.  By layering them, I also added dimension to the tag.  For the flower, I stacked the chipboard element with a wooden button and two more chipboard buttons.  I also added a brad to the center of the doily chipboard piece.  Lastly I used 3-d adhesive behind the sticker to pop it up on the tag. 

I love keeping these kinds of tags in my stash for a nice homemade touch to any gifts or any page.  Thanks for stopping by today.  Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Wow. To say we are in love with Ronda's first assignments would be a massive understatement. We are THRILLED! We hope you'll join us in welcoming Ronda to the team! See you all tomorrow!!

Thank You (a Veteran's Day layout)

Happy Friday, y'all! This is Stephanie and today I'm here to talk about something very near and dear to my heart.

As most of you probably know, Sunday is Veteran's Day.

I happen to be married to a veteran. My husband has served this country since 1997 when he attended West Point. He has now deployed eight times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He has lost many friends and many colleagues. He has served selflessly. He has missed years of his children's lives and sacrificed many luxuries. And he has done all of this not expecting anything in return. As have all the men and women that have served this amazing country throughout the years.

And I will never stop telling him thank you. I will never stop telling all of our servicemen and servicewomen thank you.

Supplies: Lost and Found 3-Ruby:Grey Quatrefoil paper;Lost and Found 3-Oliver:Lace Fan patterned paper,chipboard elements,decorative tape;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:layered stickers,decorative brads,The Sweetest Thing-Honey:layered stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:chipboard elements;Misc:American Crafts thickers,adhesive,precision pen

This is a pretty straightforward design. I used Lost and Found 3-Oliver and The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell to form a cluster of elements under my photo.

Something fun and simple I did (I am NOT a technique-y person but I do like to add details to my layouts) is embellish the gold chipboard piece with designer tape.I cut the tape to form an "arrow" on the chipboard".

But to me, the reason behind this layout was the journaling. It reads:

10 years ago I knew I was proud of you. But I never could have imagined the pride I feel today. Thank you for being my hero. Thank you for your selflessness and bravery. Thank you for doing what I'm not strong enough to do. Thank you for your service. Thank God for you coming home safe.

Are you wondering how you can show your gratitude today? Well...the easiest way is to simply say "thank you" to someone that serves our country. A "thank you" and a handshake is so very meaningful.

If you don't know anyone you can thank in person, there are many wonderful charities and services that can convey your gratitude.

Wounded Warrior Project

Fisher House Foundation

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

National Military Family Association

Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust

and countless others. Please click here to read more. I can tell you firsthand that these charities change peoples lives. I have seen it happen and I believe in the power of giving with all of my heart.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. And please make sure to thank a veteran on Monday.

Enamel Dots in Action with Suzanne

Hi, everyone! Suzanne here with you today, and I am sharing a recent page featuring The Sweetest Thing collection.

Today it is all about the enamel dots! They are so easy to use. They remind me of a brad...but all you have to is lift and adhere to your pages!

This page features my darling girl who is no longer ten! But oh was I happy to discover the photo in my library.

I chose the Best patterned paper as my background, making this page complete in thirty minutes. It already has the gorgeous graphics on the left side of the paper, so all  I had to do was build to the right.

A few border strips from the coordinating papers, stickers, and a few diecuts make this page complete. The little details are simply created using the enamel dots. On the package you will find a variety of sizes, and colors to choose from. Here are a few details of my page:

Here I embossed the "perfect day" diecut, and added a large embossed vellum  circle behind it. A little detail to the diecut is the vellum circle, simply embellished with a medium sized enamel dot.

Check this out... quick and easy way to dress up the bees on this paper! Simply adhere enamel dots to the top to add a bit of dimension!

I knew I wanted to incorporate more enamel dots on the page. So you will see them in three different places in clusters of three.

I punched three holes into my paper, and layered a strip of vellum to the back of the page. Then adhered the enamel dots on top of the punched circles.

A final look is at my journaling. I cut the ten block from my favorite paper from this collection...the Notable patterned paper.

I adhered it next to my flower, and cut the everyday word using my Cricut.

 

Thanks for taking a peek at my page! Hopefully you are inspired to use the enamel dots on your next page!

Stamps+Mini Canvases with Tina

Hi MME fans! Hope you are safe and dry this Tuesday morning. Tina here today with a different way to use your MME stamps on your layouts.

Lately I have been slightly obsessed (okay, I'll admit it - I'm super obsessed) with these mini canvases by Artist Loft.  I have been trying new ways to incorporate them into my projects and the layout I would like to share with you today  demonstrates one of those ways.

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Sunny patterned paper,Woodsy patterned paper,Greetings patterned paper,6x6 paper pad,decorative tape,stickers,tiny word stickers,layered stickers,chipboard elements,stamps,decorative brads,die cut journaling card;Misc:Jenni Bowlin alphabet,The Twinery twine,adhesives,Artist Loft mini canvas panels,spray mist,embossing powder,linen canvas paper,embossing ink

I started by applying a coat of gesso to my mini canvas to prep it for the spray mist. Next, I stamped several images to the canvas (with embossing ink), then applied white embossing powder. 

Once this was cool, I sprayed several coats of spray mist till I got the color I wanted.

To finish off my mini canvas, I tied twine and adhered a layered sticker and tiny word sticker to the canvas.

I really love how the mini canvas looks on my layout and the dimension it adds.

Special Note:  I used the Mini Canvas PANELS - these are super thin and do not add as much dimension to your layouts as a 'normal' canvas.

Thanks for stopping by today!

New Collection Reveals- Lost&Found 3-Oliver & Lucky in Love

Happy Tuesday, MME fans! And happy day two of our mid-release reveals! Today we are sharing two collections with you. We just know that you will love them!

First up is the second color scheme to accompany Ruby from yesterday.

Meet Lost and Found 3- Oliver!

This color scheme is masculine and elegant. It is fit for a king. :) The color palette consists of blues, grays, yellowish golds, and whites.

Just as with Ruby, there are twelve 12x12 double-sided papers (including glitter and quatrefoil), enamel dots, designer tapes, chipboard elements, brads, buttons, layered stickers, a 12x12 sticker sheet,stamps, a 6x6 paper pad, and adornments (metal accents and trim).

layout by amber packer

 

And last, but certainly not least, meet Lucky in Love.  Love is in the air!

Lucky in Love is a love-filled collection that is romantic, sweet, and playful. It includes whimsical motifs such as hearts, arrows, bicycles, doilies, chevrons, and hot air balloons.

This collection's color palette is beautiful reds,pinks, and blues. You'll find it perfectly for documenting the love you have in your life.

In this Valentine's collection you will find nine double-sided 12x12 papers, a 6x6 paper pad, and a 12x12 sticker sheet.

layout by Stephanie Howell

note:enamel dots are from the L&F 3 Oliver collection

Something for everyone, yes?

We sure hope you think so!

Would you like to win one of these collections? You have two chances today! If you are interested in winning either of these collections, leave a comment here! I will draw a winner on next Monday, October 8.

Thank you so much for stopping by today and sharing in our excitement! Check back tomorrow for an amazing Halloween project by Tina Walker!

Pinspiration Monday

It's time for another adition of Pinspiration! Do you follow us on Pinterest? If not, make sure you head on over and click "follow"! We add beautiful,creative and inspiring MME projects every day. And the very best part is they are made by YOU!

We have the most talented customers in the industry, and you keep us busy pinning away!

Here is what our designers came up with this month.

Original card by Tonya Dirk.

Inspired layout by Shelly Jaquet:

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Chevron patterned paper, Sunny patterned paper, 6x6 paper pad, layered stickers,stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:6x6 paper pad, enamel dots;Lime Twist:twine,vellum, circle punches, Fiskars and Martha Stewart butterfly punches

Shelly says:  As soon as I saw Tonya Dirk’s amazing card, I knew I wanted to use it for my next layout. I loved the clean straight lines with the whimsical butterflies. Having them flutter to the top of the card  was the perfect touch to soften those lines.

I used the 6x6 paper pad to create 3x4 cards that would go straight across my page. I filled each one with little tidbits about my daughter at the age of 6. Tonya’s layout of the pattern paper squares was perfect for displaying all that fun information in a noteworthy way.

I also wanted to mimic her fluttering butterflies. I wanted to make mine on a grander scale since my canvas was bigger, so used different sized circles to fill in the space.

Thank you so much Tanya for sharing your beautiful card! It was the perfect inspiration that I needed!!

 

Original layout by Emily Spahn for Gossamer Blue:

Inspired layout by Stephanie Howell:

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:Adorable patterned paper, Intricate patterned paper, Flowery patterned paper,Swatch patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine: die cut card, enamel dots,Sunny patterned paper,chipboard elements;The Sweetest Thing-Honey: enamel dots, Peppy patterned paper,label stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:chip and wood buttons,chipboard elements;Misc:doilies,sequins,Studio Calico letter stickers,adhesive

 

Stephanie says: I fell in love with this layout the moment I saw it. Emily is one of my favorite designers, and for good reason. She consistently creates classic,timeless,and beautiful pages. This one is no exception.

I loved the layers of monochromatic patterned papers in Emily's layout. I don't sew (GASP..horror, i know :) so I simply trimmed strips of patterned paper and layered them over papers that were the same color.

I also adored The piece of paper "ribbon" behind Emily's photo and the use of chipboard pieces around her photo, so I lifted both of those design elements.

Emily, thank you so much for always inspiring me and making me want to scrap. You are amazing!

Grin by Suzanne

Happy,happy,HAPPY Friday everyone! This is Suzanne and today I am here to share a page with you!

Supplies: Nostalgia:Diamond patterned paper,The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:doilies;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Delightful patterned paper,Greetings patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:decorative tape,decorative brads;On the Sunny Side:Simple Stripe patterned paper,chipboard elements;Winter Wonderland:enamel dots

Suzanne Says:For this fun page of my daughter, I combined Nostalgia,On the Sunny Side, andThe Sweetest Thing. I used Nostalgia's Diamond paper as the background to balance the bright colors of the other patterned papers.

The polka dot paper from On the Sunny Side coordinated very well with the Tangerine Paper from the Sweetest Thing collection.

I cut out some of the roses from this paper to add dimension in the lower right hand side of the page. I also brought in a chipboard element from On the Sunny Side, and cut it in half.

I then ran it through my embossing folder to add some fun texture to the page. And scattered some of the sweet enamel dots,brands,and doilies as a finishing touch.

I love the grin on my daughter's face, and all three of these collections helped to depict her bright personality!

Have a wonderful weekend, we will see you Monday!

Triangles+Tiny Word Stickers with Tina

Hi!  Tina here today and I want to ask you a question.  What is your favorite design element?  Hexagons? Circles? Squares?  Mine is triangles.  I LOVE triangles.  Triangles add such an artsy, creative, and totally different look and they are very trendy right now.

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Honey:Peppy patterned paper, 6x6 paper pad,decorative tape,tiny word stickers,chipboard elements,stickers;Misc:cardstock,American Crafts alphabet stickers,Crafters Workshop stencil,spray mist,adhesive,sewing machine and thread.

As I was thinking about a way to use triangles in a totally different and unique way, my eye caught a sheet of our new tiny word stickers laying on my desk. 

They were just sitting there begging to be used!  So I put my crafty cap on and thought about how I could use the tiny word stickers with my triangle theme.  Then it hit me...how about if I cut the sheet into a triangle shape.  Yes!

I adhered the sheet to a piece of cardstock (to add stability) and made several triangle templates with my die cut machine.  I stitched around the edge of each tiny word sticker triangle and added them to the page with several patterned paper triangles. 

Also, did you notice the photo?  The photo is of me and my grown boys, last year at Dead Horse State Park.  Did you notice that I used pink on my page? 

Yup, your eyes aren't  playing tricks on you.  I am loving the Honey line and had been wanting to use it, but having two boys, it is 'pretty pink'.  So, to tone down the pink so that only subtle hints of color appear, I used it with a lot of white and black.  Betcha didn't even notice there was pink on my layout until I said something.  ;)

So get out those Tiny Word stickers and cut them up in ways you never imagined!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happiness Right Here by Stephanie

Hey y'all, happy Friday!

This is Stephanie and today I'm going to share a scrapbook layout with you. I have to let you in on a little secret. I have four children six and under...and I really don't have time to scrapbook lately.

But I LOVE scrapbooking with all of my heart and I am not as happy when I can't create. That's why (well one of the MILLIONS of reasons why) working for MME has been such a dream come true.

You see, MME products take the guess work out of scrapbooking. No having to search for complimentary embellishments. No digging through my stash for things that work together. These papers and accessories simply shine.

It was so easy for me to put this page together. And even better? It was fun to make. Simply fun. I am in love with The Sweetest Thing and just cannot stop using it. Jen hit this one out of the park, to put it mildly.

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Wishes patterned paper,Woodsy patterned paper,decorative tape ;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell: 6x6 paper pad,Bouquet patterned paper,decorative brads;The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:crocheted doilies;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:wood and chip buttons;Kraft Funday-Everyday Fun:wood banners:Misc: Kelly Purkey stamp,ink,label sticker,doilies,sequins,Jenni Bowlin hexagon stickers,Martha Stewart envelope;pen,adhesives,Fiskars border punch

Another thing I can't get enough of? Layering My Mind's Eye embellishments. I love to do a combination of layered stickers, doilies, brads, and chipboard. It is such an easy way to make a beautiful and eye-catching embellishment cluster.

Thank you so much for reading today, have a beautiful and blessed weekend. I hope you find time to make something beautiful!