The winner of our 2nd Annual Spring Blog “Hop” is:  Tamara Decoito

What a great hop sooooooo many talented artist..thanks for sharing
I hopped them all and left comments

Posted by: Tamara Decoito | April 23, 2011 at 10:17 AM

We have randomly chosen one of our designer’s blogs for a bonus prize.  That designer is: Suzanne Sergi!  Suzanne has randomly chosen a winner from the comments left on her blog.  The winner from Suzanne’s blog is:  Tulipscrapper

What an adorable LO! I love the clouds, the balloons, the colors; okay, I really adore everything about this! TFS.

Posted by: Tulipscrapper | April 23, 2011 at 09:39 PM

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!

Every month we are faced with a challenging decision – choosing winners from all the amazing entries!  You are all so talented.  Thank you for using our products to preserve your memories! 

After careful consideration, we present to you the Blog Challenge #22 winners!

Layout Winner: Tya Smith

Layout Honorable Mention: Samantha Young

Card Winner: Colleen B

Ladies, would you please email Amber (amber@mymindseye.com) with your mailing information and the prize you would like to receive!

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to share their talents with us.  We hope you have taken the time to look at ALL the amazing entries located in the challenge blog posts. 

Follow this link for layouts

and this link for cards

We hope you will all join us for our May Blog Challenges!

Our Easter blog hop will start today, April 22, 2011 at 11:00 am MDT.  We hope you will join us!

Are you ready for the 2nd Annual Spring blog "hop"?

We are! We hope you will join us:

• Start here, at the My Mind’s Eye blog, and visit every blog you are sent to.
• Each of our fabulous designers will share a WORD with you.  These words are their own personal word of the month and correspond with the layout they shared. 
• Leave a comment on each blog.
• At each blog, you will be directed to another blog. Be sure to comment on each blog to increase your chances of winning!

***IMPORTANT: Begin the blog hop at the My Mind's Eye blog and hop in order so you are sure you have visited each designers blog***

• When you have finished "hopping", return back to this blog, leave a comment saying that you are done and email each designer's word of the month to: amber@mymindseye.com.  (don't include the words in your blog comment)
• Our blog hop will close Thursday, April 28, 2011 at midnight.

By playing along with us, YOU could win our entire Lime Twist line! 

There are two ways to win: 

GRAND prize: After visiting every blog, email each designer's word of the month to Amber. 

BONUS entry: We will randomly draw one of our designer’s blogs and draw one winner from the comments on that designer’s blog.  This winner will receive the collection of their choice!

Do you have your "hopping" legs ready?  From here you’ll hop to … Kim Watson’s blog

How can something so simple be so exciting?  Is it the fact that it’s thicker?  Or that two colors are twisted together?  Whatever you like most, you are sure to LOVE our twine!

The fabulously talented Anam Stubbington shares three ways to use the fabulous twine.  Our twine comes in 12 colors and matches all four of our Lime Twist collections.

Crochet flowers:

Wrapped around elements:

Braided – brilliant!

is Samantha T!

Beautiful work! I can't wait to see more!

Posted by: Samantha T | April 05, 2011 at 06:44 AM

Samantha, please email your shipping address to: amber@mymindseye.com.

FINALLY!!! It seems like I have been waiting so long to create an Easter home décor project on Good Things Utah.   With Easter coming at the end of April, March was too early to start.  What a delightful day we had around here yesterday, it was warm and the sun was bright for most of the day.  It was a great way to come out of a week of snow storms.  (Alta Ski Resort had 43” of new snow just over the weekend!) 

So, the promise of renewal that spring and Easter offer is that much more appreciated by me today.

I had seen some cute yard stakes in one of my favorite home décor magazines and thought they needed to be “Amber-ized”.  With some scraps of wood I had in my basement (if you don’t have any, they are inexpensive at a lumber yard or home store), mod podge, Stella & Rose – Gertie paper, ribbon, rhinestones, buttons and brads… this is what I came up with:

You will be amazed at how simple this project really is!  I’ve even included instructions so it’s even easier!  It’s also easily adapted for any occasion.

Download 2011_04_12_Hoppy Easter Yard Stake (includes bunny pattern and bonus project)

We will be adding the video from the segment when it is available this afternoon.  We’ll also include pictures from a “bonus” Lime Twist project.  (Lime Twist is shipping April 18 – watch for it!)

Happy spring (or fall ~ depending upon which season it is where you are!)

The WINNER of Lime Twist - Fly a Kite and Out of the Blue is: Guiseppa Gubler

Ummmm...ya! Love all of these. I have so many unfinished projects that could use a little My Minds Eye!

Posted by: Guiseppa Gubler | April 02, 2011 at 08:24 AM

The WINNER of Lime Twist - Happy Go Lucky and Life of the Party is: Susan!

I cannot wait for this to hit the shelves! MME has been my favorite for a long time and you just put a huge gap between you and my second favorite paper co! LOVE ALL the new lines!

Posted by: Susan | April 03, 2011 at 06:57 AM

The WINNER of American Made is: Liane C

What a great patriotic collection! I have so many photos I could scrap using this line not to mention all the seasonal home decor I could make with it... Would love to win! Thanks!

Posted by: Liane C | April 01, 2011 at 11:31 PM

The WINNER of hip-hooray is: Nicole Lindbeck

I Love the Happy colors of this collection. I can just imagine all the scrappin’ I could do with it.

Posted by: Nicole Lindbeck | April 03, 2011 at 04:45 PM

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

Along with the sketch, you must use this theme: "April Showers"

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: Add a link to your project to the bottom of this post using inlinkz by Thursday, April 21, 2011 (midnight, MST).  Please include your first and last name and project name when uploading.  (a photo of your layout or project will show directly in the post)

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

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

See how our designers each interpreted the “April Showers theme:

Kim Watson: Buddies

Kim added the feel of April showers by adding using misting spray to her layout.

Featured Collection: Stella & Rose – Hattie

Trisha Ladouceur: Happy

Aren’t Trisha and her husband so cute enjoying a rainy day together?

Featured Collection: Stella & Rose – Hattie

Amber Packer: Have you ever seen the rain?

Do you recognize this layout from our newsletter?

Featured Collection: Fine and Dandy – True Blue

Post your entries here: 

The challenge:  Design a card based on this sketch (by Anam Stubbington).

Along with the sketch, you must use this theme:  "April Showers"

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: Add a link to your project to the bottom of this post using inlinkz by Thursday, April 21, 2011 (midnight, MST).  Please include your first and last name and project name when uploading.  (a photo of your card will show directly in the post)

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

The PRIZE: The winner will be announced on the blog Monday, April 25, 2011 and receive one collection of their choice!

Some samples to get your creative juices going!

Kim Watson: Best of Friends

Featured Collection: Stella & Rose - Hattie

Trisha Ladouceur: Joy

Featured Collection: Stella & Rose – Mabel

Post your entries here: 

With anticipation of Easter, I wanted colorful decor for our Easter table and to celebrate spring. I used the Stella & Rose Mabel Collection to create this fun, and beautiful paper cake. I love the colors of the Mabel collection, and wanted the orange to take center stage in the following paper projects.

Spring Decor
 

I used two, round plain boxes I found at my local craft store. I used Mabel's play silly stripe paper to cover the outside of both tiers. On the tops, I used the Little Lady Poises Paper cut into a circle.

I have been eyeing the beautiful cakes on Pintrest that have been decorated with banners. I decided to create one too.  On my paper version, however, I opted for simply twisting a delicate ribbon anchored by the two white lollipop sticks. 

Of course, my projects are not complete without a touch of glitter. I covered the outside of the lids with white paint, and dusted diamond dust, to give instant sparkle.

To add a touch of Easter decor, I added three tiny eggs from a spring sprig I found at a craft store. I added green moss to nestle the eggs. I wanted to create a border around both tiers, so I created these easy rosettes with my sizzix die.

I also added just a bit of detail to this store bought bunny. He adds a cheerful touch to our kitchen. I added more of that vibrant orange ribbon, and hung a small tag with string.



I am originally from Texas, so during most holidays I am not able to be with my family. I decided to create this spring card for my parents, so I can send them our Easter blessings.

Here are details of the different layers on this card.


I used my diecut machine to create the bloom. I then used my scissors to create a fringe look on the petals. I also used the orange chipboard frame from the Mabel Play Layered Chipboard. Underneath the frame, I layered the Love letters paper. I love the script font on this paper! It adds a bit of vintage charm to your projects! The orange twill ribbon is the finishing touch around the frame. Adding one of the new trinkets, gives it instant charm!

I hope these projects, have inspired you to create a little extra something for your Spring Table. 
Happy Spring! 

Hi there I'm Kim Watson, I am so thrilled to be guesting for My Mind's Eye this month. I live in Cape Town, South Africa, which is all the way down south on the tip of Africa. It is a city of great contrast, not only in it's colorful people but in setting too. In one day I can dangle my toes in the cold Atlantic, go for swim in the warm Indian ocean, then climb Table Mountain without having to travel too far. If you are ever here on vacation.... look me up, OK!

I have the best little family, with an amazing husband and two kiddlets Max who is 6, and Cassidy who is 12. They fill my life with joy and are all very tolerant of a Mama who perpetually has a camera stuck to her face. I don't work any more having given up my career as a Fashion designer to be a full time Mama, which allows me the flexibility to the things I like doing best on a daily basis. My faith & family come first, then scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, singing, if we get a gap my Hubby I love to watch series' on DVD or be outdoors.

As you probably have guessed...I scrapbook & I love it! My passion for scrapbooking started in 2002 when I got my first digital camera and I have been nuts about it ever since. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to create for various design teams over the years and have been published in a variety of magazines. I currently design for a couple of great companies but being a member of the Creating Keepsakes Dream Team for 2010 and 2011 has been the highlight of my scrapbooking career, working with them keeps me busy & out of mischief.

My Mind's Eye...were do I start...? Admittedly I am a newbie to their collections but I have to say in all honesty I LOVE everything about their products. The quality of the papers, the gorgeous designs, the subtle colors, well co-ordinated embellishments..... I'm gushing aren't I? LOL! Yes... I'm a HUGE fan of everything they do!

Here are some of my fave pages done using My Minds Eye products:

I am excited to work alongside the incredibly talented MME design team members for April. There are some amazing things lined up, so make sure you stop back here soon.

Happy scrappy Monday ya'll!

Kim

Leave a few kind words on this blog post by midnight, April 15, 2011 for Kim and you can win Stella & Rose – Gertie and Hazel!

Looking for a bright, colorful extremely versatile collection?  I am!  And, you know what, I’ll take mine with a twist of lime!

Have we got the collection for you!  Meet…

Designer: Amber Packer; Featured Collection: Lime Twist – Fly a Kite

Lime Twist has FOUR bright, beautiful collections!  Each collection has:

• 2 double-sided die-cut papers
• 8 double-sided patterned papers
• 6x6 pad
• 1 Transparency
• 5 Titles
• Journaling spots
• Accessories Sheets
• Alphabet stickers
• Sweet, sweet twine

Fly a Kite: blues, oranges, greens, whites and reds!

Happy Go Lucky: purples, greens, blues and whites!

Life of the Party: light pinks, dark pinks, blues, greens, browns and whites!

Out of the Blue: blues, reads, greens, whites and yellows!

Baseball, apple pies, red, white and blue are all classic icons of things that are American Made.  This classic collection is about to join them.  The colors and patterns are inherently perfect for patriotic celebrations, but are perfect for so much more! 

You’ll fall in love with all 9 double-sided patterned papers and the versatile Accessory sheet!

Want to be one of the first to own this beautiful collection?  Leave a comment on this post by the end of the day on April 10, 2011.  We will announce the winner of our American Made collection on Monday, April 11, 2011!

Good luck!

Some of you may have snuck a peek on our website today or read the announcement in our newsletter – how smart you are!  *wink*  We are thrilled to introduce our three newest collections!

We’ll start the party off with a collection that truly calls for a celebration!

Hip-hooray comes in two color schemes: boy and girl!

Soft pinks, blues, oranges, greens and whites – what a fabulous colors for the girls in your life!

The boy collection is combines reds, blues, yellows and whites, an eye-catching combination!

Each collection also has an Accessory sheet to add the finishing touches to your projects!

We would like one of our blog readers to win hip-hooray before you can buy it!  Simply leave a comment on this blog post by the end of the day on April 10, 2011.  We will announce the winner on April 11, 2010.

As some of you know, I've recently relocated back to the UK from Canada and while the transition and settling has been tiring, I timed it right as I'm back in the UK just as Mothering Sunday as Mothers Day is known here arrives.

In the UK and Ireland, the annual day to celebrate motherhood is on the 4th sunday in Lent so that is why it is different to the rest of the world.

Being a mother is one of the things that has changed my life so much - some days are awesome and some days are terrible but I would not swap it for the moon.

As I've just moved, all my belongings are stuck on a ship in a port somewhere so I am very limited for supplies so I took up a challenge based on space and supplies. Currently, I have to work on a kitchen table, so I had to have my layouts made and cleared up between dinnertime and bedtime - 4 hours. I decided to only use one of the gorgeous 6x6 Stella & Rose paper pads, 3 of the metal charm packs, a pair of scissors & a trimmer and some adhesive and 3 sheets of cardstock.

This meant that I had no flowers and no ribbon so I had to be creative and these are the results.

these are your standard hand cut circles, i distressed the edges by hand and used some foam adhesive to layer them up. I made sure the photo overlapped the seam of the two 6 x 6 sheets so it looks like one continuous piece.

This is a layout that I had an idea and went for it but the end result while nice is not like it was in my head. I cut strips and curled them to make the spirals. I then made paper bows and used one as the center.  This is the layout for Ian's Mum so I have all 3 grandchildren on it but only can show my children hence the blurring.

This one is about how some parts of motherhood are hidden and treated as invisible - the exhaustion, the depression, the constant balancing act, possible lack of support or understanding.  But most of all the fact that motherhood is a tough job but for most of us we wouldn't trade it for anything. 

I made the flower by starting the same way as the spirals but them I flattened them and stuck them to a circle of paper in a spiral to make paper versions of those popular fabric rosette flowers.  I used the backing of the charms - the 'trinkets' one has some hidden journaling on it and then I used the 'bits & pieces' one I used as part of the title as as a visible journal tag.

Here are some of the flower details:

I made a quick and easy multi-use card with what was left over. I hand folded the strips, and tore the edges to give it some dimension. the twine is actually the thread used to hold the charms to the backing card.

At the end of the night, I ended up 3 layouts and a card with 4 sheets of paper and 3 charms which I will make into a card soon. So I hope I have inspired you to create with the minimum of supplies to make pages to celebrate and commemorate motherhood.