Guest Blogging at Echo Park Paper

***Please Scroll Down for the My Mind's Eye 12 Designer's of Christmas Blog Hop***

I am so excited to be Guest Blogging at Echo Park Paper Blog today! I love their cute collections and was excited to play with their "Everybody Loves Christmas" collection. Don't the happy colors remind you of "visions of sugar plums?" :D

Here is the scrapbook page I created.









Patterned Papers & Sticker Elements: Echo Park Paper
Cricut Cartridge: Christmas Solutions Cartridge
Chipboard Letters: Making Memories
Buttons: Basic Grey

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I also wanted to share with you a project that I did for the My Mind's Eye blog recently.










Each year we like to make an ornament for each of our kids, and if possible, we love to add a current picture to their ornament. This ornament was created using the My Mind’s Eye Colorful Christmas collection from last year. I purchased the plastic ornaments at the craft store along with the clear filler beads (snow). These are quite easy to put together!


First, I opened the ornament and traced the diameter of the circle onto patterned paper. I then cut two pieces of patterned paper and adhered them back-to-back. On one side I added a photo of my child and the year. On the other side I added a chipboard character and chipboard snowflakes.

Before gluing the ornament shut I added white bead filler for the snow on each side of the ornament.

Add ribbons and a button finish the ornament off.

Thanks for stopping by today! I wanted to share this project for those of you who may still have Colorful Christmas in your stash, but it is really easy to switch out the current collections, too!

Hope you are enjoying your holiday!
Jana

My Mind's Eye 12 Designers of Christmas BLOG HOP

Welcome to the My Mind's Eye 12 Designers of Christmas BLOG HOP! If you are just joining us along the blog hop, be sure to begin at the My Mind's Eye Blog to make sure you don't miss a thing! :)



There are TWO ways to win:

1. Email Amber Packer with all 12 words you have collected from each of the blogs with the secret phrase.

2. We will randomly draw one of our designer’s blogs and choose a winner from their blog comments. So, the more comments you leave, the greater your chances of winning! The blog hop will be open for comments until Wednesday, December 29th, 2010. The winners will be announced on Thursday, December 30th. Good luck!
 
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The word that you need to collect from me is . . .
 
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Your next stop along the blog hop is SONIA THOMASON . . . click here to hop to Sonia's blog.
 
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I have a quick Christmas project to share with you today for the My Mind's Eye blog hop.

I found this snowflake on sale in the Christmas section at Lowe's Home Improvement store last year. I used My Mind's Eye patterned papers, red chipboard letters, and brads to add a festive greeting to the front of it. I finished the top of it off by adding faux berries, a ribbon, and a jewel and now it decorates the glass door leading into my scrap room. I love that I can take my scrappy supplies and make an adorable decoration for my home!

Shop the end of season sales for items that you can alter to add a bit of holiday sparkle to your home! Have fun!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Jana Eubank

November Top 10 with My Mind's Eye

I was seriously shocked at myself when I opened up my November Picture Folder on my desktop to scrapbook my November Top 10 Page for My Mind's Eye. The only pictures I took that month were a few snapshots I captured of a gorgeous November sunset and my dad and brother on their motorcycles. WHAT?! And I call myself a scrapbooker?! Where were the Thanksgiving photos of family gathered together? Where were the pictures of the first snowfall and the kids excitedly exploring the wintry yard? Hmmmmph! I guess I will just have to do better this month. :)

So, I went to my cell phone. The only November photos in there was this one that my son snapped of me while I was cooking for Thanksgiving. "That will have to do," I said to myself. So while this shot isn't of my best side (eh hmmm. My backside. YIKES!) it was the one picture that could help me document my November Top 10 . . . Our Favorite Thanksgiving dishes. :)

NOVEMBER TEN by Jana Eubank







The papers are from the My Mind's Eye So Sophie Graceful Collection. I used a few diecuts layered together with a Hambly rubon and punched flowers to anchor my title (My Mind's Eye Green Lush Chipboard Letters). The punches are by Martha Stewart Crafts. The brad is by Making Memories. The banner shape was handcut by me from some patterned papers. To add some detail to the top of the page, I added a few wax seals that came in a Back Porch Memories kit from a year or two ago.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jana

My Mind's Eye Shares

There is lots of fun going on at My Mind's Eye this month! Announcing the 12 Designers of Christmas Event!

We hope you will visit the My Mind's Eye blog every weekday from now until December 24th. We will have 12 ideas from 12 designers . . . AND 12 giveaways!

I feel lucky to be one of the designers featured. Along with myself you will also discover ideas from Trisha Ladouceur, Anam Stubbington, Suzanne Sergi, Amber Packer, Tamara Jensen, Tiffani Smith, Karen Grunberg, Vicki Boutin, Sonia Thomason, Gretchen McElveen, and Bethany Kartchner.

At the end of the month be prepared to participate in a 12 Designers of Christmas Blog Hop complete with a GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY! You won't want to miss thi event!

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The Monthly Blog Challenge has also been announced over at the My Mind's Eye blog along with another super fun sketch from Anam Stubbington. Here is my take on Anam's sketch using the Monthly Theme of "It's a ____________ Thing!"

WANTED: It's An Outlaw Thing
Featuring the My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy Collection

Dress-ups aren't just for girls around our house. My son has just as much fun as they do dressing up as a pirate, storm trooper, or, in this case, an outlaw. (Don't try and call him a cowboy . . . he wants to be the bad guy. LOL!) I just HAD to use the cute Cowboy accent from the Blackbird collection. Using papers from the Fine & Dandy True Blue collection keep this page from feeling like a Halloween layout.











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CHRISTMAS PLAY
Featuring the My Mind's Eye "I Believe" Collection

Did you know that My Mind's Eye has a Monthly Newsletter? You didn't?! Well, now you do! :D Be sure to sign up for the Newsletter on the My Mind's Eye Blog in the left column. Each isssue is packed with great ideas to keep your feeling inspired. One of the things you will find inside each month is a sketch from ME! :)


The December issue was released yesterday. You can find the Newsletters HERE on the My Mind's Eye website. Don't miss a single issue, sign up for them on the My Mind's Eye blog in the left column.











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BEAUTIFUL DAY
Featuring the My Mind's Eye "Union Square" Collection
Cricut Cartridges - Martha Stewart Crafts All Occasions Cake Art Cartridge and Heritage Cartridge








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HALLOWEEN NIGHT
Featuring the My Mind's Eye "Blackbird" Collection






Thanks for stopping by today!
I hope you are having a great week!

Jana

Thankful with True Blue

I am in love with the Fine & Dandy "True Blue" collection by My Mind's Eye. The colors and patterns just speak to me . . . I can see myself using this collection over and over, so don't be surprised if you see it some more. ;)

Thankful 2010







I typically do not add a large amount of journaling to my pages, but this time I decided to make it the focal point of my design. I wrote out what I wanted to say in a notebook beforehand so that I had an idea of how much space to plan for my journaling. Next, I created a design leaving lots of writing space, the notebook patterned paper in the Fine & Dandy "Tickled Pink" collection was perfect for this! I used chalks to emphasize the words in my paragraph that went along with the Thankful theme of my page.

I used my Cricut Expression machine and the Thanksgiving Cartridge for my title. I cut out the "Thankful Heart" phrase and trimmed out the word "Thankful" adding the oak leaf from the "Heart" phrase. I LOVE the images on the Thanksgiving Cartridge . . . definitely a favorite that I can see myself using over and over.


Supplies: My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy "Tickled Pink" Patterned Paper (Wonderful #FAD112), Fine & Dandy "True Blue" Patterned Papers (Dapper #FAD123, Snazzy #FAD132) , 6 X 6 Paper Pad #FAD135, Chipboard Accessories # FAD140, Layered Stickers #FAD142, Stamps #FAD143, Buttons #FAD139, orange patterned paper (MME Kaleidoscope collection), brown cardstock, Cricut Thanksgiving cartridge (title) and brown embroidery floss.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jana

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Morning! The house is filled with the smells of yummy food cooking in the oven, the kids are chilling on the couch watching cartoons, the sun is shining on freshly fallen snow, and we are cozied up together in a warm house . . . Life is beautiful! :D :D :D

I just wanted to say how thankful I am today. Thankful for friends and family, for the beauty of this earth, for the spirit of Christ that is in all things. For the joy of creating and making something and the friends and fun I have found through this hobby. For health, safety, and life. :D My heart is full today! :D

And since Christmas is on our doorstep, I thought I would a couple of Christmas projects to my blog today. :)

Growing up, my mom had a felt Christmas Countdown Calendar that she would hang on the back of a door in our home. It was a happy Christmas tree decorated with gold ric rack and colorful beads lovingly stitched to it. Below the tree was 24 pockets that contained felt ornaments (with more colorful seed beads stitched to them) that we could attach to the tree to countdown the days to Christmas.

My siblings and I fought over that tree . . . we would wake up early just so WE could be the ones to place the next ornament on the tree. My mom didn't like that we were "fighting" over this countdown because . . . you know . . . the whole "good will towards men" attitude wasn't being fostered. LOL! Finally, she solved this little problem by making another Countdown Calendar. This one was Mary riding a donkey with Joseph by her side. Each day we moved Mary closer to Bethlehem. We loved that calendar, too!

To this day I LOVE Countdown Calendars! I can't get enough of them! The excitement of seeing the progression towards a special day still makes my heart skip a beat.

And just in case you share this same infatuation with countdowns, I thought that today I would share with you two Countdown Calendars that I made using My Mind's Eye papers.

M&M Countdown
This first one was created using a bead organizer from the craft store. How awesome that it comes with 24 little containers to fill with goodies! PERFECT! The containers are quite small, so you would need to choose small candies to go inside. Or how about including a clue to a hiding place of a treat or even a slip of paper listing a family Christmas activity you are going to do for that day. This one can be used in several ways. :)


The black numbers and title were created using my Wishblade, but you could just as easily use stickers that you have on hand. :)








Christmas Bead Countdown
The idea behind this countdown is that a bead is moved across the wire arch for each day until Christmas. By the time Christmas is here the gold star will be ready to place on the top of the tree. :) I used a wooden shape that I found in the Dollar Section bins at Michael's last year. The base is a oval wooden plaque. The wire and wooden beads are also found at Michael's. I simply spraypainted the pieces red and green, then added decorated them with paper. :)






For more ideas for Countdown Calendars that I have made check out these links.
Christmas Cookie Sheet Countdown
Halloween Countdown (this one could easily be adapted for Christmas)

I hope you enjoyed these projects! After today, I will be spending the rest of my weekend decorating our house for Christmas and spending time with my family . . . so you may not just see me until next week.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday!

Hugs,
Jana

Fall

Fall is such a fun time for our family . . . we take Fall Drives, visit local pumpkin patches, roast hot dogs and marshmallows in the backyard, bake fall treats together in the kitchen, and more! We love it!






I adore the new Fine & Dandy collections by My Mind's Eye! The gold, orange, brown and aqua colors in the Fine & Dandy "True Blue" collection  were perfect for scrapping these pictures of my kids posing at the pumpkin patch. I used the patterned papers, 6 X 6 paper pad (leaves), trims, gems, chipboard, dimensional stickers and decorative brads for this 2-pager.



I created faux stitching on my page by using a paper piercer to punch holes along the edges of my page and the tree shape. Next I used a black gel pen to connect the pierced dots. I love to use this technique when I have curvy shapes (the tree) and want them to appear as though they have a perfectly stitched edge . . something that can be difficult to a achieve on a sewing machine. This is also a great technique to use if you don't have access to a sewing machine.

Supplies: My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy "True Blue Collection, Cricut Expression, Cricut Straight from the Nest cartridge (Fall), Cricut Simply Charmed Cartridge (tree).

Have a great week!
Jana

Happy Veteran's Day!

Supplies:
My Mind's Eye Union Square patterned paper, decorative brads, and trims. My Mind's Eye Portobello Road Clear Stamps. Bazzill Basics Cardstock. Cricut Expression. Gypsy. Cricut Cartridges: Wild Card (card base), Graphically Speaking (Independence Circle), Plantin Schoolbook (circle, small star).

Have a great day!
Jana

My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy and a Card

I absolutely love the latest collection from My Mind's Eye called Fine & Dandy. I used the Fine & Dandy "Tickled Pink" collection to scrap this picture of Camryn on her first day of school this year.









My sister-in-law is sweet enough to make us a batch of strawberry jam each year. I couldn't resist the opportunity to make her a strawberry-shaped thank you note using My Mind's Eye papers and my Cricut Expression. I used an image from the Paisley Cartridge and my Gypsy to make my own card. Very fun! I can't wait to try this again!



Thanks for stopping by!
Jana

Halloween Recap

I figured it was time to add a Halloween recap to my blog (better late than never, right?!) when we woke up to SNOW this morning! Nooooooooo! Not yet! Holidays . . . here you come!




Halloween was quite interesting this year. We had RAIN . . . which equals lots of soggy trick-or-treaters. Thank heavens I captured pictures of the kids before it hit hard. :)




Jensyn was Little Red Riding Hood (the most modest costume we could find in the catalog for her age group . . . *sigh!*). Owen went with the Orange Pilot Star Wars costume, Maryn was a Magical Fairy, and Camryn was Jasmine from Aladdin. :)








Can you tell Maryn was NOT in the mood to take pictures . . . I think she was mad at me for delaying their "trick-or-treating" with our traditional Hallween photoshoot. LOL! I'll give her credit for mustering up her best fake smile. :)







The organizing and opening of the new Cricut Circle Blog has been quite the task these past few months, but believe it or not . . . I *think* I am starting to get in a routine and am working on creating regularly again! YIPPEEEEE!!!! :D I've missed my craft table!

I know Halloween is old news by now. ;) But I still thought I would share with you a few things I made for the holiday.

SPIDEY TREATS - Oh, my gosh! I found the cutest little kraft bags at Michael's Craft store one day. They measure approximately 2.5" wide by 3.5" tall. I embossed them with the Cuttlebug Argyle Embossing Folder, added a simple orange circle, and then topped them off with the spider from the Doodlecharms cartridge. I LOVE that little spider! He especially looks cute with wacky googly eyes! :) I stapled the bags closed using the Fastenator. Remember that tool?! This project made me love it all over again and now I'm on the hunt for some refills. :)



GHOST CARD - This card was made using the Mini Monsters cartridge. Love all the cute playful images included on this cartridge!


And . . . don't be too shocked now . . . I made a scrapbook page!

THE LOOT - This picture was actually from last Halloween (trying to catch up!), but shows the typical morning after Halloween at our household. :) Kids sorting candy and getting ready to exercise their trading power. Is this a tradition at your house, too? Page created with the adorable Blackbird collection by My Mind's Eye.





THANK YOU for stopping by! I know it's been awhile, but I promise I am working on getting back to regularly blogging. ;) I appreciate you taking the time to visit me.

Have a great week!
Jana