My goal in creating this mini book was to have some of my favorite Halloween photos all in one place, especially since we try to make costumes last for more than one year and then do the hand-me-down routine. Fun to see the same costume year after year, sometimes on the same child, sometimes on a different one!

Supplies: Lost & Found Halloween: all papers, accessory sheet, chipboard elements, layered stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:decorative tapes;All is Bright:twine;Misc:kraft bags,kraft paper,adhesive,pop dots,binder rings,Crop-o-Dile,hole punch,manila shipping tags,sewing machine and thread,chipboard,die cutting machine

The opening spread has the Fairy Godmother greeting her precious babies on Halloween afternoon. Cute right? I added the journaling, "cuteness lurks within" to the spooky skeleton head layered sticker.

You'll notice that the Costume Crazy page above has a foldover. After adhering the paper to my chipboard, I noticed that the leftover would make a perfect little flap.

I scored it, folded it over, rounded the corners and punched a shape into the flap so that I could add a chipboard element in that negative space and added the date banner, which is adhered to the flap.

This next page shows my now almost 21-year old son as a 5 year old on the left side and as a high school Junior on the right.

I actually snapped a photo of the original photo of my little buckaroo {taken before the digital age} with my iPhone and printed it instead of scanning. And, because I printed it as a small photo, it's not a bad alternative.

As memory keepers, we all know how important it is to include the perspective of people other than ourselves.

I embellished some 4x6 index cards with decorative tape and goodies from the layered stickers, which will serve as pull tabs, so that the girls can draw or write their impressions in their own handwriting and there's still room to add more goodies inside the bag if we want to.

I have a photo of my husband applying make-up to my son's {Dracula} face that I'll be adding to the back of the kraft bag.

Here, I mitered the edges of the decorative tape to serve as a frame for the patterned paper. The right side waits for photos of future Halloween memories.

By adding twine to the BOO layered stickers, I created a pennant banner {left side} and using my Mom's old Singer, I sewed a pocket page and added some shipping tags with more twine and die cuts from the accessory sheet so the girls could write or draw here as well.

To form the pocket page, just fold over your cardstock and stitch around the three sides. If you don't own a machine, you can either hand stitch by punching holes first and then hand sewing... or merely use your favorite adhesive to form the pocket.

Here we have scary Uncle Chad and our cute little superheroes.

Yes, we recycle costumes and keep our fingers crossed that they fit for more than one year. Bonus of having two girls? One costume gets triple usage!

Good Witch | Bad Witch

Eldest Cinderella daughter was so not wanting her photo taken with her baby Cinderella sister, so I added the witch chipboard element. When she gets older, I'll explain why...you should just see the photos I haven't included here. And the right side has more space for me to add another Halloween memory.

If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them in the comments! So, have you ever made a Halloween mini book?

DESIGN NOTE | When creating a mini book, I don't discard scraps until the absolute end. It's with scraps that I created the cover of my mini book, adhering the strips to chipboard and then die cutting the scallop shaped page before adding my chipboard elements. Most of the pages in this mini book have cardstock adhered to chipboard because I knew that the weight of the chipboard and photos might be a bit bulky, especially when the kids start flipping the pages.

This month I gave the designers a challenge. How many of you could use three papers and two embellishments to make a page? How would you design the page? What would you use?

Tina accepted the challenge and today she is here today to share how she interpreted my idea.

Enjoy, and happy Thursday!

You Are by Tina Walker

Supplies: Nostalgia:6x6 paper pad,decorative brads,chipboard elements

Tina's thoughts on the challenge:  At first I thought this would be an easy challenge and I would be able to create a layout with these guidelines.  But, whew, It was harder than I thought.  I actually created a layout for this challenge, *thinking* I followed the challenge guidelines, but then had realized I used 4 patterned papers, instead of 3.  This challenge really makes you realize how you scrap and what supplies your always reach for.

I used three patterned papers from the Nostalgia collection, using cardstock for my background.  This gave me more options when choosing my pattered paper.  I also added some spray mist to the background for more visual effect.

My embellishment(s) of choice are two of my favorite MME products:  chipboard elements and decorative brads.  Both embellishments are so versatile and you can create a variety of layouts using just these 2 types of embellishments. 

I layered chipboard elements over other chipboard elements and placed my brads down the right side of my page in a random fashion.  Using both chipboard elements and decorative brads from the same collection, you can mix and match them for a great look!

I would really love to see what you create using this challenge recipe!  Please share them on our Facebook page.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Happy Wednesday, friends of MME! Today it's time for the September edition of I Spy with MME.

You might be wondering what this feature is all about. Well...it's all about YOU. Our customers and fans!

If you upload your pages to our Facebook page, if you tag us on Twitter, or if you leave a link in the comments here, you might be pinned to our Pinterest "inspiring pages and cards" board. We also scour online galleries and message boards. Make sure to tag your projects so that we know you've used our products!

Every month we choose a handful of those projects to feature on our blog. We believe that all of you have so much creativity and talent. You use MME in ways we've never thought of, so we love to showcase you.

Here is what caught our eye this month.

Halloween Pennant Table Decor by Thienly Azim

Why it caught our eye: Easy. It's amazing. It is chic,elegant,and vintage all at once. This is not decor that would sit and gather dust. It would make an elegant Halloween decoration for any home.
 

Thienly says:I love how one can combine different MME collections together and looks amazing -  in this case, it was the Kraft Funday and Lost & Found Halloween that inspired me to create a vintage pennant table decor. It's perfect for Halloween parties!

Happiness by Felicity Wilson

Why it caught our eye: This layout is so intricate,we could look at it forever. It's a work of art! We loved the layering,texture,and attention to detail.

Felicity says:I knew once i saw the yellows and blue tones in The Sweetest Thing Bluebell range, I knew I had to do it all about my son's happiness!!

Alphabet Cards by Teresa Jaye

Why it caught our eye: What a smart and usable idea. We love the idea of using our cards in this way. And not only is it smart...it's adorable!

Teresa says: I just adore the MME Alphabet Soup collection and my granddaughter loves to play with the playing cards. I'm glad I purchased two packs of cards so I could make this fun set for her to use when she starts learning to write the alphabet.

What a Dear by Sandy Ang

Why it caught our eye: It literally caught Stephanie's eye when it arrived in her mailbox. The card was so pretty she had to hang it up instead of putting it with the other cards she's received. It's elegant and showcases our Nostalgia line beautifullly.

Sandy says: I created a card using the geometric patterns of Nostalgia 6x6 papers to define two concentric circles. I used a fall-inspired colour palette and embellished with a variety of hard and soft elements.

Popsicle Fever by  Jodi Wilton

Why it caught our eye: We know summer has just ended...and we LOVE fall, but this makes us long for summer. :) It's bright, happy,playful, and we love everything about it.

Jodi says:I created this layout by layering some of layered stickers on top of the row of houses from the chipboard pieces-  I love to create scenes on my layouts, and the On the Sunny Side collection made it super easy to accomplish a fun summery scene!

Silly Happy Sweet Fun by Angela Mansfield

Why it caught our eye: Angela shared this card and a link to her blog on our Facebook page. In the blog post , she showcased ELEVEN amazing cards she made using The Sweetest Thing. Each one was stunning. Romantic,sweet,delicate,and feminine. We wanted to share them all,but we settled for this one. :)

Angela says:There were so many beautiful patterned papers that I wanted to use them all at once, so I did! and was also able to combine the gorgeous doily stamp.

That's it for this month's I Spy with MME! Remember, share away (using the links and methods at the top of this post)  and maybe it will be you being featured next month!

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Chevron patterned paper,layered stickers,title,chipboard elements,enamel dots,buttons;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:layered stickers,label stickers,chipboard elements;The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:layered stickers;Lush:letter stickers;Misc-pen,adhesive,sewing machine and thread.

The title and journaling reads: I am learning that being your mom means I have to be brave. thank you for teaching me so much.

This morning, we went to the park and there was this closed slide where I couldn't see you slide down. You both loved it but it made me super anxious. What if you got stuck? How would I save you?

Your daddy explained that part of being a mom is learning to let you do it and be brave. And that I had to be brave, too. It's so hard not to protect you all the time. I love you so very much my sons.

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.

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

 

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!

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

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

Have a wonderful weekend, we will see you Monday!

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!

With recent changes in my life, I was inspired to create a mini journal all about me!

I had these petite journal covers in my stash, and thought they were perfect paired with The Sweetest Thing Bluebell 6x6 Paper Pad.

I wanted a small journal that I could include snippets of things I love, and small photos of me.

I am so busy taking photographs of my children, I sometimes forget to get out from behind the camera! These photos were taken about two years ago, but they still are a good representation of me, today. Well, there may or may not be a few added wrinkles. Ha!

I used a bit of this, and that from every color palette in The Sweetest Thing Collection. The Bluebell 6x6 Paper Pad began as my inspiration, and I built upon this with added chipboard, brads, stickers etc.

I even pulled in stickers from the All Is Bright Christmas collection. It all works together. One of the papers had the title of my book, so it was perfect to cover the outside.

I added a crocheted doily layered with a chipboard butterfly, and banner strips. I am in love with the stitched stamp found in the Lavender Cutie Pie Set, and used this on the cover.

You can also see it stamped on the twill ribbon, and on some of the inside pages, too. Once I fall in love with a stamp, you will begin to find it on many of my paper crafts. I think it will be perfect for the Halloween Mini Book I am currently working on!

The inside of the book is filled with pretty papers, and I used many of the graph sheets, too. These are perfect to add journaling, thoughts, dreams, and wishes. A simple little book to remind me of the things I love...about ME!

I used the preprinted titles found throughout my collection as the main embellishment on some of the pages. A simple way to convey my personality! It also added fun interest as you turn each page in my petite journal.

I cannot create a mini book without flowers and vellum. The crochet flowers were layered with punched flowers from vellum. It adds a bit of softness to my pretty book. Inside are full pages of embossed vellum, too.

I hope you enjoyed some of the pages found inside this mini. Love the small size of it, and the ability to grab it each day, as I record the special moments in my life!

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:6x6 paper pad,wood and chip buttons,decorative brads,chipboard elements;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:decorative brads,label stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:crocheted doilies;The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:crocheted doilies,decorative brads,chipboard elements, enamel dots,stamps;All is Bright-layered stickers

Hi everyone!

This is Karen, back for the September Mixed Media page. This month, I wanted to have fun with color and the first product I think of when I think color is our wonderful tapes.

So, my first step was to cover the page with stripes of color:


Doesn't it look so yummy?

I decided it was too bright and I wanted to give it more of a unified feel, so I washed it all out with a little gesso and a lot of water. I then put different colors of acrylic paint randomly in the areas where the tapes meet.

I then created a pink border to unify the page even further and here's what I was left with:


The next thing I did was to think of my message. What did I want the page to say? I've been thinking a lot of being comfortable in your own skin. Being okay being who you are. Showing the world your true colors.
I think magic comes from each of us truly being who we are and bringing our whole selvesinto our everyday interactions.

Anyhow, that's what was on my mind so I added my title:

I loved the contrast of black against all that color. So I decided to add more. I picked the stamp that said "just be you" and decided it was perfect for my theme. And stamped it again and again on the right side.

I purposefully left a little hole and there I stamped the one that said "perfect just the way you are" which also seemed to magically align with my message. I added my frame and some more random stamping and I ended up with this:


Here's a closer look at the right side:


See how imperfect those stamp impressions are? It doesn't matter. You read one and you know what all the others say. The power is in its repetition not in its perfection.

And here's the left side:

And there it is. Thank you for letting me share my page and I hope you take some time this week to play with tapes, paint, and stamps. Remember to be who you are and keep it imperfect. I hope you share your creations with me in the comments. I look forward to seeing them!

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing:stamps and tapes;Miss Caroline:stamps;Follow Your Heart:stamps;All is Bright:decorative tapes

is Jennie McGarvey!

Congratulations,Jennie! Please email stephanie(at)mymindseye(dot)com with your address and collection of choice. If you choose The Sweetest Thing, please specify the color scheme. :)

Thank you so much to all of you for playing!

Welcome to our last September challenge! Today we are taking an idea from Project Runway. We want you to create a layout and then create a card that goes along with the layout.

In other words, your card must be clearly inspired by the layout. Whether you use the same design elements, or the same products...they must be a pair.

The name of this challenge? Make It Work. Yes. I'm channeling Tim Gunn. :)

Here is what two of our designers came up with.

Tamara:

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Sunny patterned paper,Woodsy patterned paper,Round patterned paper,Chevron patterned paper,Dandy patterned paper,Greetings patterned paper,Beam patterned paper,decorative brads,title,wood buttons,tiny word stickers,enamel dots,label stickers,decorative tape;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:wood buttons;Miss Caroline:Twine;Misc:brown ink,pen,blue and white machine thread,adhesive

 Tamara says:What a great challenge - I had so much fun creating this layout.  I love how the fresh, summery colors of The Sweetest Thing Tangerine line coordinated perfectly with this photo of my daughter and even matched her shirt! 

The banners perfectly described all of the things I love about her unique personality - I added stitching and the enamel dots to accent each word.  I cut out the chevron pattern and layered the papers, curling the edges to give a dimensional look to the page.  The wood buttons are fabulous!  I used a group of 3 to anchor the photo and create a focal point.

Now to create a card inspired from my layout!  I really liked the banners down the right side of the page.  So I cut out my own and stitched around them. 

I also wanted to echo the group of 3 circles from the bottom left side of the layout.  So I layered chipboard and wood buttons,brads,and enamel dots.  My layout was so bright and cheerful – so I knew I also wanted to mirror that in my card with the “You are my Sunshine” title (the edges of the yellow title also look like the zig zag of yellow chevron papers on my layout).

Shelly

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Honey:Notable patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Lavender:Adorable patterned paper,Delicate patterned paper,Swatch patterned paper,label stickers,layered stickers,decorative brads,crocheted doilies;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Round patterned paper,stamps;Lime Twist:twine;Misc:Girls' Paperie chipboard letters,Maya Road mist, Prima Vintage Pink chalk ink

Shelly says: 

For this layout I pulled out Tangerine’s Together Round paper. Perfect colors and I loved all the circle bursts that could be accessorized. I filled them up with a mix of decorative brads, die-cut shapes, and the crocheted doilies. For the larger one, I added a touch more color to it by stitching it down with some yellow floss.

It was easy to use each of the pedals as a guide to loop my floss through the doily. I topped it off by adding a brad with one of the paper doily die-cuts that are on decorative brad cards. I really like the look of the different layers and textures it adds to my layout.  

Now, for the card. When I make a card after a finishing a layout, I use the layout as inspiration. This time around, I used the same supplies and even used my layout "sketch" as a starting point. I sectioned off the card just like I had done with the layout, just scaling it down to size.

The rules are the same as always, and here they are:

1. The submission must look like a MME layout. In other words, use MME product. Enough to make it look like it is predomindantly MME.

2. The project must be created new for this challenge.

3. The winner will be announced on the day of the October Challenge (October).

4. The winner will win the MME collection of their choice.

5. Link your submission through the InLinkz tool at the end of this post. Submissions are open through October 7.

Can't wait to see what all of you come up with! Oh- and the last challenge winner will be announced at 2 p.m. EST today. Thanks!

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!

Hi! Tina here today to share a simple and fun new way to use your MME label stickers.

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Woodsy patterned paper,label stickers;On the Sunny Side-6x6 paper pad, Sweet Chevron patterned paper,accessory sheet,layered stickers;Misc:alpha stickers, EK Success and Martha Stewart punches,adhesive,sewing machine and thread

MME Label Stickers are always one of my 'go to' products. They work on almost any type of layout or card, and they are always the perfect little embellishment.

I kept my layout fairly free of embellishments except for my custom-made label sticker flower (yes, that is me and some fellow CHA friends stuffing our faces with ice cream!).

Using one LARGE glue dot, I assembled the circles and the stickers together to make the flower.

Easy peasy, huh? We would love to see how you use your label stickers. Be sure and share them on our Facebook page.

That's all for today! Thanks for stopping by!!

Good morning, sweet MME fans! Today we are back with the rest of Davinie's guest designer projects. They are simply beautiful and we know you will love them and find them just as inspiring as we do. Enjoy!

Sometimes

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Woodsy patterned paper,Best patterned paper,Cheerful patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:Blossom patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:Flawless patterned paper,chipboard elements,label stickers,buttons;All is Bright:12x12 chipboard accessories

Davinie says: This layout started with the "Best" patterned paper.  I liked all  of the design on the left and thought it would be fun to use that section somewhere on my page.

I couldn't quite decide where I wanted it and trimmed it a few times, but then decided to go back where I started from, which is one reason the sectioned pieces were reattached and stitched back.  I love how much texture this technique ended up doing for my project.

Best Friends Card

Supplies: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Dandy patterned paper,Beam patterned paper,stickers;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:buttons;Misc-Carta Bella kraft cardstock,sewing machine,SIlhouette

Davinie says:I have been having a lot of fun with this arrow shape I've trimmed with my Silhouette so I used the negative pieces to embellish this card.

I have a pile of these shapes.  It's been fun to use some of the small scraps on my craft desk for other projects.

Davinie, we want to thank you for taking time out of your busy back to school schedule to join us this month. We love what you came up with and it was a joy having you as our guest. Thank you!

Good morning! A quick note...due to a technical difficulty, Davinie will be sharing the rest of her guest designer work with us tomorrow. Not to worry...we can't wait to share then! Make sure to come back by!

Instead, Suzanne is here to share a layout and a few quick words. Enjoy!

Hello everyone! This is Suzanne, and I am here today to share a back to school layout.

Supplies:Nostalgia:designer papers,accessories;The Sweetest Thing:Lavender:Motif patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine:Dandy patterned paper,Sunny patterned paper,stamps ;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:Lively patterned paper,die cut title,layered stickers,decorative brads;All is Bright:accessory pad

We are so happy to announce that Davinie Fiero is our September guest designer! We have been noticing (and loving) Davinie's work with our products for quite some time...and we couldn't be more excited that she agreed to be our September guest designer! Here's a little bit about Davinie:

Davinie Fiero has been part of the scrapbooking industry for many years.  She has been published in all major scrapbook publications and is currently on the team for Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine and Echo Park Paper.  She blogs at http://davinie.blogspot.com when she isn't chasing after her two sweet girls and her firefighter hubby.  She's currently in Grad school for Elementary education and if she can keep her head on straight, will be walking down the aisle in a cap and gown in May of 2013.

Q: What did you have the most fun working with?

A: This is a difficult question to answer because I adore MME products so much! I would probably have to say the wood and chip buttons. I am hoarding them and it was a tough choice whether to actually use them or not. Second would be the layered die cuts.

Q: What is your favorite MME line of all time and why? 

A: I refuse to choose one of the color schemes in The Sweetest Thing collection. The different color palettes are so versatile and so "me". It's hard to choose a favorite, but the Tangerine color cheme (specifically the Chevron patterned paper) is my favorite product from the entire summer show at CHA. I will have to say, though, that second would be the All is Bright collection. Rhonna hit that one out of the park!

 Note to Self layout:

Supplies: All is Bright:Joy patterned paper, Noel Banner,12x12 chipboard,buttons;The Sweetest Thing-Honey:Damask patterned paper,crocheted doilies;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:buttons,stamps,enamel dots,decorative tape;Misc:doily,chipboard alphas,corrugated alphas,journaling pen,sewing machine,adhesive

Davinie says:I am not a fan of taking self-portraits, but I often find that it's the only way to document me in my life as I'm always the one behind the camera anyway.  I am at a key point in my life right now and wanted to do a layout to document my progress so far and give myself a little pep talk and encouragement to finish.  

I like the look of misting but am too particular to do it often because you can't control where mist lands.

 With the enamel dots, you get a pop of color and the same effect.  I should probably have listed these as my favorite product.  I adore them to bits!  

I also love the decorative tape in the Sweetest Thing Collection, in particular this label tape.

I used it in a strip across my layout but you could also tear off one label at a time and add some interest to your project without a lot of bulk.

Such a Happy Day Card:

Supplies:The Sweetest Thing-Honey:6x6 paper pad,layered stickers,buttons;All is Bright-twine;Misc-Carta Bella cardstock,Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Davinie says: The layered embellishments for the sentiment made this card come together really quickly.  

To mimic the same dimension, I used paper punches to trim circles and a scallop to layer additional papers, topped it with a button and twine, and added some butterflies.

Wow, Davinie...we think you are wonderful and we can't wait to see what you share with us tomorrow! Thank you so much for joining us this month.

Happy Friday, dear readers! Thanks for stopping by today.

We happen to think that we have the perfect paper pad for your back to school projects, and our designers agree.

Introducing the School Daze paper pad from our Six by Six 2 collection.

Today we are sharing what Jana and Danni came up with when they were asked to use this versatile little pad.

Enjoy!

Back to School Cards by Danni Reid

Danni says: As I listen to my kids many stories about their days back in school, it reminds me of all the individuals in their daily routine who have a direct impact on not only their learning, but love of learning.  It is with a grateful heart, that I created a couple of cards for them to give to their teacher and bus driver, a card to say "thank you" for not only keeping them safe, but making them love learning every day. 

To begin my cards,  I pulled out my MME School Daze 6 x 6 pad which includes not only the cutest patterned papers, but also the most adorable little die-cuts and tags.  I had 6 cards in no time at all (3 of each design) because all the die cuts are self-contained in the pad.

I love all the variety of papers from polka dots to pencils, to alphabets to Crayolas, there are so many patterns to choose from.  It's easy find just the right embellies too because they are all inside,school buses,apples,and even owls! It makes creating these cards so easy and so much fun.  I think their bus driver and teacher will like these fun, festive patterns don't you?

My little "back to school" flag, sticking out of the bus, was created by cutting a little sentiment die-cut and adhering it to a sewing stick pin, then sticking the pin behind the bus and adhering.  And the cute pencil was another die-cut cut straight from the pad, I just cut adhered the "teacher" sentiment and heart.

I love back to school papers for not only documenting my kids' school years but to thank the teachers and support staff upon the return, Christmas time and Teacher Appreciation time and this will make it so much fun!

Back to School Layout by Jana Eubank

Jana says: Whenever I think of Back to School I think of primary colors and traditional school icons like apples, books, crayons, pencils, and more. The new School Daze Six by Six Two paper pad is full of adorable patterns and icons that are perfect for your Back to School projects. I combined this paper pad with the On the Bright Side One collection to create this scrapbook page of my son's first day back to school.

I added a die cut title and some stitching with my sewing machine and my page was complete. Here's to a great year!

Well, it’s that time of year again... the days are getting shorter and nights are getting cooler.  It must be time to go back to school.

You may have a child starting kindergarten, going to their first day of preschool, their first year of high school, beginning college, or you might be the one going to school.  Wherever you are in life, it is a great time to take a moment and document that special day.

Supplies:Indie Chic-Nutmeg:Zig Zag patterned paper, Rainbow patterned paper, 6x6 pad;Indie Chic- Ginger:Spice patterned paper;Nostalgia:decorative brads;On the Bright Side-One:Polka patterned paper,White Wood patterned paper;The Sweetest Thing-Bluebell:stickers,title,label stickers,wood button,decorative brads; Six by Six 2-School Daze:6x6 pad,Lush: black chipboard letters;Misc:circle metal tag rims, stapler, black machine thread, ink and pen.

Instead of the typical “Back to School” title, I thought it would be fun to use the new “Sweetest Thing” Bluebell title – “Good for One Free Smile”. 

I don’t know about yours, but my kids are getting to the age where they literally think it is painful to pose and smile for photos. 

These photos were no different, AND they were worried about being late on their first day of school.  So, I coaxed them along and they were kind enough to cooperate and let me get a few shots.  We also did a silly group shot, as you can see. 

So, needless to say, I LOVED this title ticket – I think need a bunch of these to whip out at our next family photo shoot!!

Tip: Instead of using expensive foam pop dots (if you are like me – I always run out of them because they are used so often) – use the leftover chipboard after you’ve punched out your chipboard stickers.  Simply cut it to the desired shape, peel off the backing, and stick it on the back of the embellishment or sticker you want to pop off the page.

Our family, like every family, has birthday’s that are milestones.  My youngest son has one coming up this month.  I sort of feel that he gets gypped a little when it comes to birthday parties (my fault) and I want to make this birthday extra special for him.  We will have family and friends coming to our house to celebrate this special occasion.  So I have to get going on invitations, décor an party planning!

Like many of you, I love The Sweetest Thing collection and the patterns and colors in “Bluebell” will be perfect decorations for the party!

For this type of invitation, I think it’s important to have pictures.  Since a lot of growth may have occurred it is fun for those family and friends who may not have seen the birthday person in a while. 

When Riley came home from school and saw his invitation, he was thrilled!  He is dying to eat the donuts, too!  I have a few more surprises up my sleeve.  You’ll have to watch the segment live or when it is posted here to see!  

I have also typed up instructions so that you can create your own!   Download 2012_09_05_MME_Birthday Celebration Instructions

Be sure to check out my blog (www.amberpacker.com) at the very end of the month to see how it all comes together!

Have a great day!

www.amberpacker.com 

Holiday product for a non-holiday project winner:

Kristi

Cathy Zielske class winners:

Amy Voorthuis

Hester

Congratulations! Please email me at stephanie(at)mymindseye(dot)com.

Thanks!

Happy September, friends of MME! We are so glad you are here today and we hope you all join in on September's first challenge!

The challenge is this. Document the end of summer.

Whether it be a layout, a card, a project, a mini, or another item...show us your thoughts on summer ending.

Shelly joined in this month and she chose to approach this challenge by doing a summary/glimpse of the past few months.


Supplies:Indie Chic-Ginger:pearls, Spice patterned paper,Damask patterned paper,Flourish patterned paper,twine;Indie Chic-Nutmeg:Checker patterned paper,Blooms patterned paper,Rainbow patterned paper,decorative tape;Indie Chic-Citron:Hibiscus patterned paper,Forest patterned paper,decorative tape;Indie Chic-Saffron:Daisy patterned paper

Close- up of left page:

Close-up of right page:

The rules are the same as always, and here they are:

1. The submission must look like a MME layout. In other words, use MME product. Enough to make it look like it is predomindantly MME.

2. The project must be created new for this challenge.

3. The winner will be announced on the day of the second September challenge (September 17).

4. The winner will win the MME collection of their choice.

5. Link your submission through the InLinkz tool at the end of this post.

Note: I will announce the BPC winner and the August challenge winner later today.

Have fun and good luck!