Archive for August, 2012


September Release: Something Sweet

Aug 31, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Home decor/3-D items, My Time Made Easy

It’s September 1st and that means all our NEW! Products are available for you to purchase! We have all had such a great time working with all the new products, and will continue to share samples through the next few days.

Be sure you check out our NEW! Products <—HERE!

We have released:

NEW! Pretty Packaging Templates

NEW! Pretty Impressions Stamp Sets and 1 NEW! Digital Single

 NEW! Pretty Printable Digital Paper Collection

NEW! Pretty Pieces Cut Files

and we have an amazing variety Pretty Package Collections, where you will save 25%!

Please view our Gallery for project samples, and alternative ways to use all our amazing coordinating products!

You may also want to check out our blog for weekly challenges, and even more amazing ideas.

Today we have an amazing group post using our NEW! Products

As you may have come to know my company focuses on the “complete package”. We work hard to offer coordinating products that are easily interchanable with previously released products. We really enjoy being able to share the ideas and versatility each product holds.

So with the holidays on the horizon, our designers are sharing “Something Sweet” with each of you!

Mush-Room

Apothecary

Well, with Halloween on the horizon I decided to try some FUN using the NEW! Apothecary Jar template. I actually had MANY ideas, but thought today I would use the NEW Hauntingly Homemade set to create a SPOOKY Sweet Treat!

Witches Brew

When I had designed the Apothecary Jar template all I could think of was using it as a Witches Cauldron, to hold a special “Witches Brew” with a little trickery calling it the “Elixir of Life”, so that is exactly what I did here!

I packaged up some wine & chocolate truffles (and of course completed that with gummy worms for the GROSS factor) as this could be a fun Hostess gift for a costume party, or just a girlfriend who loves the contents and Halloween ♥

I made my “cauldron” from a textured black cardstock using just the bottom of the Apothecary Jar template.

Easy peasy!!

I then created my tags for both the Elixir of Life (which is actually a bottle of wine) and the Cauldron using several digital images. I love that about the digital sets! You can EASILY combine & create some amazing customized labels in not time, and SAVE them for future use!

The tag itself is from the Hauntingly Homemade set, and was cut out using the Hauntingly Homemade Labels cut file. Also from that set is the bat image, the “homemade” sentiment, and the “Witches Brew” sentiment.

The Stir, Sip & Enjoy, as well as the “contents in jar” and the following sentiment are from the Apothecary Labels Set

The Eat, Drink and be SCARY is from the A Spooky Surprise ©set.

Here is the Elixir of Life details

The tag itself is from the Hauntingly Homemadeset, and was enlarged to fit my project. It was created then cut out using the Hauntingly Homemade Labels cut file.

The witch is from another tag, but was cropped, enlarged, and moved to the left corner of the web tag.

The sentiment Elixir of Life, is from is from the Hauntingly Homemade set. The Open if you DARE sentiment is from the is from the A Spooky Surprise ©set, as is the spider. Lastly the Very Fragile and Handle with Care come from the the Apothecary Labels Set .

All packaged up in my spooky sweet cauldron-Seriously fun, isn’t it?

Just tie the cauldron off with some ribbon and a gorgeous glittery spider, and you have super spooky surprise!

You could also use this to hold candy for your Trick of Treaters too! Mix and match your own tags and sentiments for your very own spooky treat! You can add whatever message you choose.

So use a little imagination, and some mixin and matchin, and you too can create a seriously fun treat container of your own.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the projects we have to share so far, but we aren’t done yet!! Be sure you visit our design team.

We have several more days of projects to reveal, so come back again!

See you tomorrow

Welcome back for our second day of Previews before our official release on September 1st!

Today the designers and myself are featuring some more new products for you to check out and gain some inspiration from.

Let’s see what the team has done using a *NEW* template called Mush-Room House!

So without further ado….let me share with you another amazing & unique template…..

Mush-Room House $5

This is a whimsical three dimensional Mushroom shaped favor box! Designed at the request of my 7 year old daughter who is obsessed with the idea of making mushroom themed houses for her paper fairies, and garden gnomes!

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

6 Inches Tall

Here is has a sweet gnome candle, which will be packaged inside (yes-inside)! Keep reading!

4 Inches Around at Top

2 1/2 Inches Around at Bottom

 This template can be used for a variety of reasons, all year long, especially any fun occasion like a birthday party, packaging up some candy or homemade treats, seed packets, a forest fairy/friends party, and even a garden theme party.

Use this template to make your very own Mushroom Home! This template can also be used as a lamp, or the mushroom top can turn into a fun tea cup!

So from the top down…

I added a couple layers of Prima Flowers to the top, which I felt coordinated nicely.

The top of my Mush-Room House was made in a berry cardstock, and layered with the flower & bug pattern from the Flower Fusion © collection. I added windows to the top of the Mush-Room House using the Home Improvement ©set. The windows were done in a green ink, and I added the flowers from the Singing Silhouette © set. In addition to that I put some “grass” in the window box using some Flower Soft. I really love little details.

The scallop layer is part of the Mush-Room House  template, and was cut using the Trendy Forest © paper collection.
Now onto the bottom….

I chose to cut the bottom of the Mush-Room House from white cardstock, and layered a grid like pattern from the Trendy Forest © paper collection.

The sweet little girl – Gretchen Gnome, the Garden Gnome sentiment (cut out using the Fine Finish © tag cut file),

and the mushroom are from the *NEW* Gretchen & Gregory Gnome Set !! The door is from the Home Improvement ©set, just like the windows. There are MANY design possibilities for this fun template!

Here are the top and bottom pieces

The stem of the Mush-Room House template fit into the bottom panels of the Mush-Room House

Note: the pattern paper used in the underside is from the Mini Leafy Stripes © collection! It is always important that ALL sides of a project look complete. Plus most real mushrooms have that fun segmented pattern on the underside of the top.

This is a terrific file for using a variety of patterned papers 😀

You can place candies in the stem of the Mush-Room, as seen here (sorry for the blurry photo) and a variety of items in the Mush-Room top, or both!

Here I fit that *uber* cute gnome candle inside the top panel! As long as the stem can insert into the bottom of the top box, you are good to go!

With the addition of the super sweet Mush-Room House template, we have a few coordinating image files that you may just fall in love with!! Here are the details of those:

Gretchen & Gregory Gnome Set of 9 Images $10 (set used in my sample today)

Gretchen & Gregory Gnome are the perfect pair! They live in a secluded area of the forest in their little modest mushroom house. They have many adventures together, and are sure to be the perfect addition to any card, tag,  party favor, or gift!

Sentiments Include:

To Gnome you is to love you

From our Gnome to yours (round image)

Garden Gnome

Gnome Guardians of the Garden and all the treasure it holds (sign)

Do you Gnome how much I love you?

You may want to view our amazing collection of Pretty Packaging Templates that will allow you to make a wonderful gift for that someone special. The Mush-Room House is the perfect addition to this set!

First Kiss Set of 8 Digital Images $8

This is a simply sweet image of two Garden Gnomes, in love. They are getting ready to share love’s first kiss! This sweet image is accompanied by 6 sentiments that are sure to convey a message of love to that someone special.

Sentiments Include:

Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination- Voltaire

A kiss seals two souls for a moment in time.  ~Levende Waters

A kiss is a promise written upon the lips.

We can do no great things; only small things with great love- Mother Teresa

‘Twas not my lips you kissed But my soul – Judy Garland

To love someone is to be the only one to see a miracle invisible to others.- Francois Mauriac

Fiona Fairy Digital Single $2

Fiona is the sweetest Fairy! She spends her free time sitting upon her favorite mushroom in the forest.

So that is it for me today! I hope you come back tomorrow for our release day! We have a group post of amazing projects using *ALL NEW* products-

See you then!

Wow! it is almost September, and the kids just went back to school yesterday.

I now have a 3rd, 4th, and 6th grader! Where has the time gone???

Here are some photos (as a proud mom I have to share :D)

They have grown so fast!

As September approaches, and I try to juggle getting back into the swing of things I have much to share with you all for our September 1st Release!! We have a truly amazing line up of products for you this month, and I hope you will get inspired to try them out for yourself at some point.

While our September Release won’t be available until September 1st, once our products are in store, they are available for instant download. If you want to know HOW to download any of our products please read instructions HERE!

Our files are formatted to fit over 18 cutting systems on the market! But you DON’T need a personal cutting system to use our products! If you have a home printer you are good to go!

All our products are designed to be user friendly and fun. Whether you are a new crafter, or a well seasoned one, I think you will enjoy our products. We have a lot of information on our ABOUT Page, loads of amazing projects using our products in OUR GALLERY, we also offer many challenges on OUR BLOG if you are looking for new ways to get creative. You may also want to check out some of our tutorials too 😀

So that all that being said….let’s see what the design team has been up to!

I am quite excited by this release, and think you will be too!! We have all enjoyed using the products this month, and really have some unique items to share.

This project I have today was fashioned after something near and dear to me….the apothecary jar.

Apothecary Jar $5

 

How amazing to have a cardstock version of this amazing item!

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

6 Inches Tall

4 Inches Around

I love vintage apothecary jars, and have collected them for many years, so it is only natural for me to want to be able to replicate my favorite shaped jar in a cardstock version. I think we can all use a fun jar like template to package up the simplest of gifts! Think of all the fun items you can package in this jar like template. Design it to coordinate with any room of your home!

You can gift kitchen or bath products, baked goods, candy, flowers, seed packets, tea or coffee themed gifts, mixes and other handmade or store bought concoctions!

This template was so fun and easy to use (yes, EASY!). I created the template from white cardstock, and layered it with the stunning Blossoming Cherries © patterned paper collection along the bottom.

I chose a different pattern on the lid, but from the same collection. I love having the various patterns that coordinate!

The center tag here was created using the *NEW* Apothecary Labels set, which was cut out using the Fabulous Frames Cut File. The label featured is a completed tag design within the set, that perfect accentuates the Apothecary Jar Template.

You could package up some floral scented soaps, or candles using this tag. Maybe some potpourri, tea’s, seed packets, gift card to local flower shoppe….to name a few ideas.

Here are some alternate views of the jar…..

I added some acrylic flowers what I had purchased, and put them in the flower centers of the paper on the Apothecary Jar.

As you can see the flowers look really nice, and I of course had to add a paper one that I created using the Rambling Rose © cut file.

The rose is truly stunning on the side of this!

————–♥————–

To further accent the usability

 I have included a handle and spout for this template, so your jar can be easily turned into a tea pot! So many possibilities!

So using the SAME design, and the tea pot elements I created a teapot version using the Apothecary Jar template.

The labels are also made using the *NEW* Apothecary Labels set, which was cut out using the Fabulous Frames Cut File.

I think it is just as stunning as a teapot, as it is an apothecary jar!! This template truly has ENDLESS possibilities.

It can become a pumpkin, a apple, a gumball machine, a Witch’s Cauldron…to name a few more ideas!!

By adding the tea element and changing the tag you have a totally new look!

This is yet another tag that is included in the Apothecary Labels set. I just colored the frames to coordinate with my paper.

Tag reads Hot Tea-Herbal Blends-Limited Edition 8 0z, and has a tea cup! I love it. I spent MUCH time designing this set with gift-giving in mind.

I added a hanging tag to the teapot to further accentuate the design of the teapot.

This is the detail of the tea tag I made using the images from the Apothecary Labels set, which was cut out using the Fabulous Frames Cut File. I love combining several images onto one customized tag!

The flag at the top is included in the set, and I added the sentiment to it. The tea pot was created using the jar image, and the handle/spout. I layered the pot with that floral pattern, also in the set. The sentiment along the bottom speaks for itself 😀

About the Apothecary Labels Set of 20 Digital Images $12

You can never have too many options when making cards and gift for those you care about. This set of  labels was created to help you accent any card, tag or Pretty Packaging Template with that little bit of creative flair, in no time flat! This set was designed to coordinate with the Apothecary Jar Template, but can be used anywhere!

This set includes 4 completed labels, and 3 ready to build labels.

Sentiments Include:

Contents in Jar

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Very Fragile

Handle With Care

Fresh Picked Just For You

Packaged to promote rest, relaxation and joy!

Packaged to be shared.

Contents are not intended to be consumed while alone.

Packed special with you in mind.

May this brighten your day, as you always brighten mine

Will bring you a cheerful feeling

Too delicious to resist opening immediately!

Homemade especially for you!

Please Join Us for a time of family & friendship

Made with only the finest ingredients and lot’s of love

Curved Label Sentiments:

Deliciously Homemade

You’re Invited

Made Especially For You

A Little Something Sweet

Stir, Sip, & Enjoy!

Happiest Birthday Wishes

There really is no limit to what these labels can be added to! Don’t miss out on the Fabulous Frames Cut File, as it is an amazing set of 8 labels that were designed to coordinate with this set!

WHEW! Are you still with me here?! Lot’s of information to share, and still to come even MORE products and projects!! So with that being said I hope you will return tomorrow for even more, as we get ready to celebrate the release on September 1st.

SAVE from 10 to 25% off your next order!

Aug 26, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: FOR SALE, My Time Made Easy

Do you have any favorite My Time Made Easy ™ LLC products?! Share the news with others by writing a product review. We’ll use that information to help our customers, and in turn, help you SAVE anywhere from 10% to 25% off your next purchase!

Simply click on any of your favorite products and you will see a tab “write a review”. Click on the tab, and there you can share your experience with others ♥ You can also link a project too, if you choose!

Write 10 Reviews and receive 10% off your next order
Write 15 Reviews and receive 15% off your next order
Write 20 Reviews and receive 20% off your next order
Write 25 Reviews and receive 25% off your next order

Once you have written your choice number of reviews, contact [email protected]! Once your reviews have been reviewed, you will receive your coupon code to SAVE!

August: Year in Review

Aug 3, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Cards, Home decor/3-D items, My Time Made Easy

It’s that time again! Our monthly Year in Review post.

This is when the designers find NEW uses for OLD products. Always fun and so inspiring.

Be sure you check out what the entire team has made anew.

I know it is ONLY August, and Christmas seems far away, but it really does come quick.

That being said, I could NOT resist taking the 3-Tier © template, and turning it into Jolly Ole’ Saint Nicholas!!

I mean what a super cute gift idea for wrapping up some homemade treats or just as some fun decor!

Now just to make replicating this EASIER for YOU I will list what I used for colors on the 3-Tier © template layers:

Small Lid-Red Top, White Top (bottom panel), White Sides

Small Box-White with White Scallop Layer

Medium Lid-All Red

Medium Box-All Red with White scallop layer

Large Lid-Red Top, Black Lid Sides

Large Box-All Red with White Scallop Bottom

The Small Box Layer:  I trimmed Santa’s hat with some yarn stuff I have had forever! I used that same yarn to make a pom pom for the top of his hat.

I then used the Mr. Claus © set for Santa’s face. I enlarged it, and printed, colored, cut, and layered it onto my box top. It looks awesome!

For the Medium Layer: I proceeded to weld two of the scallop layers from the Border Builders Open Scallop cut file to create the white “trim” on Santa’s “coat”.
I simply used some elongated rounded rectangles as his “arms” and then used the
Frost Bitten © cut file (size decreased to be about 40% smaller than original size-so sized to 60%) to make his mittens! I hung a mini Christmas ornament from his hand. Too cute!
Large Layer: I glued on a metal piece from a Hodgepodge Hardware Kit for his belt!
I then used the Fine Finish © label, cut from the green pattern in the Vintage Flourishes – Bright © paper collection, to frame my sentiment from the Beautiful Baubles ©set.
The ornament in the sentiment is similar to that ornament hanging from his hand. A few more embellishments, and I was DONE!
This would look adorable on a mantle, side table or given to teachers or a co-worker.
Maybe fill the small layer with cocoa, the medium layer with marshmallows, candy cane pieces, or chocolates to put IN the cocoa, and the large layer can be filled with chocolate chip cookies! YUM!! An inexpensive yet thoughtful gift. Great for kids too.
You can use this template to make similar gifts like a toy soldier, nutcracker, snowman, penguin, or an elf to name a few ideas 😀 Just use a little imagination, and the possibilities are LIMITLESS!
Thanks for stopping by during our release.
See you next time

A little info…

Aug 2, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Home decor/3-D items, My Time Made Easy

Welcome back everyone!

Today will wrap up the samples using our *NEW* products, but tomorrow we have another group post making new projects with older products. You won’t want to miss it!

Please stop by today and visit the following designers:

 

  • Lauren Meader <— You are here!
  • Lori Hairston

     

  • Lori Kalus
  • Mara Campbell
  • Pattie Goldman
  • Tangii Crain
  • Today I have a quick and simple project to share and then I want to discuss the value in the actual products we provide. I still receive many questions, and while we have an about page on our site, sometimes it is easier to address some of the common information here, where people tend to find products and ideas.

    Ribbon Card ©

    Here is a super simple project using the *NEW* Ribbon Card © cut file.

    I personally have purchased several cardstock versions in the past, and they generally aren’t big enough, so I designed my own! I love that I can re-size it, and make them pretty by printing them in a patterned paper first, like I did here!

    I used the lace pattern from Grammy’s Pretty Patterns © for my Ribbon Card ©, tghen wrapped my ribbon of choice around it. If you want to gift some ribbon or you sell it, this can be a great way to present it! I used some of the images from Grammy’s Sewing Kit © to simply embellish it.

    ABOUT THE PRODUCTS

    The best part about  our products is the versatility. You can really take one product and use it over and over again, and each time it looks new! There is significant value in the fact you get unlimited use by ALL our products, and with them being a download, there is NO WAIT to receive them! You can begin creating your own projects instantly.

    You don’t need much to get started. All you need is a home printer, and photo editing software. There is a link to FREE software on our website called GIMP. So no purchase neccessary!

    We offer our cut files, and templates in a printer friendly version (PDF) but we also have formats that work with over 18 cutting systems on the market too! This allows you to quickly and easily resize your projects too! My personal favorite is the Silhouette Cameo. You can print your images onto your templates, and have it places exactly where you need it to be, you can cut out your digital images using your machine, and you can clip your digital papers to your projects too! SO MANY POSSIBILITES! Plus it is very user friendly 😀 Just my opinion.

    There is innumerable value in our templates and cut files. For a one-time purchase you get unlimited use and endless possibilities. You can’t get a decent giftbag for that, let alone re-use it, and/or customize it!

    Our Digital Images are fabulous because you can mix and match, make certain images or sentiments work together, whereas if they were acrylic they would be a fixed size! Now there are no limits! Use the dropper tool in your photo editing software and pick the colors up from your digital paper and you now have an EXACT match for your images, to your paper!

    Our Digital Papers are fabulous because you can re-size them, re-color them (so they can suit any project,  or occasion) and they never RUN OUT on you! I personally use to covet certain patterns for fear I would use it up! Not anymore.

    If you are new to crafting or don’t feel like you have any good ideas we have a GALLERY for our store, in which you can view ideas in numerous way, including by specific products!

    All our designers samples are in one place 24/7 so you don’t need to search around. This is an invaluable resource!

    So please feel free to poke around

     

     

    Sewn with Love

    Aug 1, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Cards, My Time Made Easy

    So we are at day 1 after our August Release, and as always we love to follow up our releases with several days of ideas for ways to use our new products! You can never get too many gift ideas or inspiration. We have developed a team of talented crafters who each have a unique style that is sure to get you motivated!!

    So here is who you will want to visit today:

  • Lauren Meader <—you are here!
  • Debbie Marcinkiewicz

  • Farida Rone
  • Kimberly Morrow
  • Lisa Kind
  • Tina Hale
  • Well as you all have read this release is near and dear to my heart.

    Between my design team and I we all agreed that in coordination with the templates we had we’d need to have a Ribbon Spool/Fabric Bolt shaped card, and a simple sweet, easy to assemble button box would be perfect. So here is my idea of the two, given as a gift!

    Sewn with Love

    This gift set uses the *NEW* All Buttoned Up © box, and the Spool of Thread Card ©.

    They are quite the perfect pair don’t you think?!

    I used the Buttons-N-Bits © paper collection, and then Grammy’s Sewing Kit © to embellish both items.

    For the box I cut it from a coordinating pink cardstock, then used the quilting patchwork pattern for the decorative layers.

    On the top interlocking “button” closure I used a dark pink so it would really stand out.

    Note: you can choose to not use the button holes in this box for a round top closure instead!

    My ribbon is strung through the button holes, and tied into a bow, which I accentuated with some acrylic flowers I bought in the jewelry section of a local craft store. I also added a heart topped stick pin.

    I printed my sentiment, which was perfect for my paper choice, from the Grammys Sewing Kit © , and cut it out using the Fine Finish © tag. I used a pale pink marker to highlight the word “love”.

    The tag is tied in with some embroidery floss.

    Speaking of that, we now get to the card!

    I love how this turned out. The pattern in the Buttons-N-Bits © paper collection makes this look like it is a spool of thread!! So that was EASY!! You can wrap real twine, embroidery floss, yarn, or ribbon around this too if you want. This can also be a bolt of fabric too 😀 So any pretty patterned paper would be perfect!

    For the top of my spool I just took some of the sentiments from Grammy’s Sewing Kit © and printed then cut them out onto my spool top. My Cameo Silhouette makes that super easy for me 😀 I love how vintage spools of thread look, and while I’m not one who can go “all authentic “vintage” like many of my talented designers, I love that I was able to channel that here. No matter what your style you can make the products work for you!

    Now towards the bottom…

    I used one of the buttons in the Grammy’s Sewing Kit © to create my own coordinating button. I added a page pebble over it to make it more 3 dimensional! Stuck in some pearl topped stick pins so it looked like they were stuck into the spool. The very first craft my Grammy taught me was cross stitch. I loved it!! I spent that Summer making several pillowcases. My mom has a similar rose patterned pillow case I made when I was like 8 years old, so the embroidery hoop, and cross stitched rose pattern was so important to me.

    So I added the embroidery hoop, with the rose pattern, and the needle & thread to the hoop, and layered it onto my card.

    That is one thing that I love about paper crafting! You can really create and customize gifts for anyone, and when they know you made it for them it is all that much more special.

    As I said this release is a true tribute to my grandmother, who would have had a birthday this month. She taught me so much from a young age. I hope to pass that love onto my children, and hope that my work inspires them someday to eventually carry on what I teach them to their children’s children.

    My grandmother and I didn’t just craft together, we built a strong bond and memories that will last a lifetime. I also learned an appreciation for people, as well as any artist who can tap into a creative part of their soul and share their heart through their work. Artist of all mediums are special people.

    One thing I know is that my grandmother was so proud of me and where I have been able to take my love for crafting. I owe that to her.

    Love you and miss you Grammy-May you finally be at peace.

    My Etsy

    My Time Made Easy © LLC

    My Time Made Easy

    Who I Designed For

    Owner/Designer of My Time Made Easy* My Timeless Templates © by Lauren Meader for Papertrey Ink* SCS Dirty Dozen-past* A Chemistry With Paper-past* All That Scraps-Senior Designer - past* Green Grass Stamps-past* Gina K -Stamps for a Cause guest designer* Lizzie Anne Designs - past* My Favorite Things-Senior Designer -past* Our Daily Bread Guest Designer-past* Papertrey Ink - past* Pink Cat Studio- past* Reporter for Craft Critque-past* Say it with Letter Guest Designer* Stampavie -past* Storage Ink & More Guest Designer* Team Member for Scor-Pal*Su Ink & More-Past* Unity Stamps-past* Smile Box Avaitor-past*Numerous guest designer positions

    MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch Team

    Lauren Meader


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