Archive for November, 2012


 It’s December 1st and that means two things!

1) All our NEW! Products are available for you to purchase! Be sure you check out our NEW! Products <—HERE!

2) We have another amazing group post that shares many ideas using those NEW! Products

Today you will want to visit the team to check out our ideas for Crazy for Creativity:

We have released:

NEW! Pretty Packaging Templates

NEW! Pretty Impressions Stamp Sets

 NEW! Pretty Printable Digital Paper Collections

NEW! Pretty Pieces Cut Files

This month we released 3 *NEW* 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.

Also if you haven’t already, you can follow us on Pinterest, as we have 16 pinboards full of ideas, we are also on Facebook-so LIKE US there, and follow us on Twitter!

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

Today we are each sharing some creative ways to use the *NEW* product for December.

My project today will show you some ways to use the Card Wrapper!

The *obvious* would be for it to hold a set of cards, but my gift today holds something a little more…..yummy!

Can you guess what it is?

Let’s unwrap it and take a peek!

Do you know now?

Yes, that’s right! Hershey’s Nuggets! These are the milk chocolate & toffee kind.

This idea came about because one of our designers, Tina Hale had asked me to consider a fun new way to wrap up the ever popular Hershey Nuggets, for those who like the “nugget tins”, but feel like those can end up being a more expensive option, when trying to keep costs DOWN in a tough economy, but still want to give something special.

 Now you can put these candies in just about *any* template we sell, but we DO have several viable options that would work that are in similar fashion to a tin.

You can use ie:

I printed the coordinating stripe pattern paper from the Christmas Patina Papers onto my sheet of my 8160 Avery Mailing Labels. I then wrapped the nuggets in the labels. They are adhered to a piece of cardstock using removable adhesive so they don’t fall out or slide around.

I used the images in the Christmas Swagset to create two different labels to adorn my nuggets. I resized them, then cut them out using my Cameo Silhouette.

Then they are wrapped up to perfection!

I had to use the *new* Christmas Patina Papers for the lid. I loved the postal mark from the Christmas Swagset. I put the reindeer, which were resized,  into the center of the post mark.

This is the back of my gift

Seriously SO quick and simple, and the cost of the wrapper itself is about 0.16 cents!! That is an INSANELY inexpensive way to wrap ANYTHING!

This would make a great gift to send off with guests at your holiday event, or just because, any time of year. A great standby to keep on hand in case you get a gift from someone you weren’t expecting and you want to be able to reciprocate!

Lastly let me share with you an Christmas party invite 😀

This was created using the You’re Invited cut file.

I love party planning made easy, and I personally have longed for elegant styled invitations.
Like the project above, this project used the Christmas Patina Papers for the invite base and them the invitation info and Christmas Swag Sentiment from the Christmas Swag set!
Here are the details, which you can edit to suit your own festivities!
There are so many great ideas wrapped up in this release that my own head is still spinning with things I want to do, and ideas to try.
 The projects are far from over, so come back and see what else we all have for inspiration tomorrow!

December Preview Day 2

Nov 29, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Home decor/3-D items, My Time Made Easy

Welcome back everyone!

The plethora of great gift ideas is just getting started as we prepare for our release tomorrow (December 1st).

You will not want to miss the many idea from our design team!

Wine & Dine

Lauren Meader (duplicate of this post)

Lori Hairston

Chair-ish You

Lori Kalus

Pattie Goldman

Card Wrapper

Tangii Crain

Tina Hale

I have longed for a simple, easy, and elegant way to quickly and easily wrap up the ever-large bottle of bubbly. Be it wine, champagne, or something tall and slender! I know I can BUY boxes, but that isn’t as heartfelt as making, and personalizing my own. I love making my own packaging and now I can finally dress up any bottle I buy for that someone special!

So let me share this great new template called Wine & Dine

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

12 Inches Tall

3 X 3 Inches Wide

(Yes this template is made only using 8 1/2 X 11 Cardstock)

Want to bring the gift of “wine” when you “dine” at someones home, or for that special occasion? No need to buy an expensive box or even an expensive bottle, because this will dress up that bottle to perfection for any occasion.

This lid can tie to the box bottom making it an elegant presentation. You can of course omit the ribbon and design this to suit the person/family you are presenting it to. Dress it up for the holidays too!

I customized my label on my Wine & Dine box using the Vintage Vineyard set, cut out using the Un-Wined Labels cut file. You can easily mix and match the labels, images and sentiments, as I did here! You can also coordinate them with other sets too. More about the set later in this post.

The paper on the front and sides of my box are from the Un-Wined Paper Collection. I also used the same pattern that is on the sides of my wine box on my Over the Top Tag (which is on the actual wine bottle-sold separately) .

I think you will agree this is a much more stunning presentation than something you ran into a store to buy! With our amazing set of  Merriest Monograms there are limitless possibilities for customizing your own gifts!

This can become a snowman, Santa, reindeer, or elf! You can also use this to package up a plethora of other gift items. Just use your imagination!

You will want to check out the Vintage Vineyard, Merriest Monograms, and the Two for Dinner set to use in coordination with this template. We also have a Over the Top cut file that can accentuate your bottle of merriment to perfection. That is actually what we used to dress up the bottle of wine featured in today’s project.

I used the new Vintage Vineyard set to create a customized tag called Over the Top . This is a fabulous cut file that slips right over the top of any bottle!

About Vintage Vineyard $12

Designed By Sara Williams

This set has a coordinating label cut file called Un-Wined.

Raise your glass and CELEBRATE! Now you can dress up that fabulous bottle of cheer, and give it with style, and a personalized flair, like no other. This is a elegant, vintage style set of wine themed labels was created to help you spread the CHEER all year ’round. Now THAT in itself is reason to celebrate!

The circle sentiments within this set were designed to fit around the top circle of the Over the Top Tag. The many images and sentiments help you spread the most sentimental of messages in a way that is beyond compare.

There are 8 pre-designed labels, which you can alter, and several images to allow you to create your very own labels too.

Now about the tag-Over the Top Tag

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

2 3/4 Inch Wide

6 1/4 Inch Tall (Folded)

This is a great tag that goes “over the top” of any bottle, allowing you to create an customize a personalized label for any event! Now you can give gifts in a bottle, with style, even if you are tight on time.

The circle sentiments within the Vintage Vineyard set were designed to fit around the top circle of the Over the Top Tag!

I chose the “Cheer to good times and great friends!”for this project! I printed it directly on my tag using my Cameo Silhouette. Easy peasy.

This is the flat version of my decorated tag.

This is the best way to go when in a SUPER hurry! The best part about using digital project is you create ONCE then save, print and cut as many as you need, over and over again!

Simply change up the colors and you have a new gift each and every time.

Thanks for taking the time to visit!

See you back here tomorrow as we share our December Release ♥

 

December Preview Day 1!

Nov 28, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: family stuff, Home decor/3-D items, My Time Made Easy

Well I think its appropriate to say Happy Holidays!

I am really feeling the holiday spirit this year.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and have stayed healthy through the holidays.  I truly enjoyed the spirit of the holidays as my children, husband, and I celebrated our many blessings by feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving. It was the most enjoyable holiday I’ve had in a long time. It really felt like the holidays use to feel when I was a child. Pure joy! More on that further down!

First let me share with you what we have planned for the release on Decemeber first! We have some amazing new products that will allow you to whip up some holiday gifts in a jiffy! They are some really great products for hosting or attending that holiday party, or any event all year round. Sometimes we aren’t sure how to dress up that table, thank a hostess, welcome a guest, or set the tone for the event. This will really help you through those times, and in the most stylish way possible!

So here is what we have for you today, as we release 3 AMAZING New Pretty Packaging Templates, 5 New Pretty Impressions Stamp Sets, 4 New Pretty Pieces Cut Files, and 3 New Pretty Printable Paper Collections!

Card Wrapper

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Farida Rone

Wine & Dine

Kimberly Morrow

Lisa Kind

Chair-ish You

Lauren Meader

I’m quite excited about today’s project I’m sharing.

Chair-ish You

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

Chair Seat Box

3 X 3 Inches Wide

1 1/4 Inch Deep

Chair

9 Inches Tall

3 X 3 Inches Around

Who’d of thought a three dimensional chair could be so whimsical, fun and functional!

It is certain to make the perfect table setting, seating card, and favor for any party, wedding, or gifts for the hostess. You will find it especially fun for gifts from the kitchen like home baked goods, spices, recipes, and gift cards for a new home.

I chose the stripe pattern in the Table for Two paper collection. It is a great neutral color, and it matches the Hostess’ dining room 😀 I think that type of attention to detail is always appreciated and never goes unnoticed.

I used mine for a hostess gift. We often get invited to numerous holiday parties, so I made this one for my brother’s mother in law Annis, hence the framed monogram A on the chair back, which was printed direct onto my template.

The frame and monogram A is from the *NEW* Merriest Monograms set. I think this set is beyond fabulous! I colored the frame to match the grey in the Table for Two  paper, and I colored in the center of the frame in the same color green as in the Table for Two paper collection. The A is colored in white.

The Thank you for being a lovely hostess sentiment is from the *NEW* Table for Two Sentiments Set . I simply tied around a grey ribbon and added a white Prima flower. So simple and understated, but so pretty too!

 Now, what to put inside? There are SO MANY options! I know that Annis has an amazing jet tub and loves organic Bath Bombs! I found this one themed as a cupcake 😀

 It is perfectly perfect!

Whomever you gift this to, for whatever reason, it is certain to be chair-ished!

These tall chairs would be perfect for any shower, or especially on a table for a Wedding! Great for sending your guests home with a little treat. Wrap up some homemade cookies, truffles, brownies, maybe some drink mixers…..truly endless possibilities.

You will want to check out the Two for Dinner, Two for Dinner Sentiments, Homemade Holidays/Sentiments, Hauntingly Homemade Labels and the Apothecary Labels set for some great additions to this template!

Now onto the thank you note I created to match 😀 I love matchy, matchy stuff.

I used the Perfect Place Card cut file for my thank you note. This is a elegant letter style invitation card, with a coordinating mat layer, so you can quickly and easily create your own customized invitation for any event, or compose a letter of gratitude in style!

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

4 3/4 Inch Tall

5 3/4 Inch Wide

If you are looking for the perfect place card to dress up any table, be it for that special dinner, the holiday’s, a wedding, shower, or other event, then this is the card file for you. You can easily make any table look stunning and elegant for any event with our amazing coordinating products.

The leaf “plate” print is from the Table for Two Set and the sentiment is the same one from the Chair-ish You project.

The Thank you sentiment is from the Merriest Monograms set. The vintage woman is so pretty, and she is from the *NEW* Vintage Vineyard set.

I decorated the bottom part of the card digitally by clipping the polka dot pattern, that matches the chair from the Table for Two paper collection.

The sentiment on teh bottom of the card is the same sentiment I used in the *NEW* Table for Two Sentiments Set

You can create this to become a thank you card, or an invitation too!

Place the persons name, initials or table number at the top.

This is just the start of the MANY ideas for uses of our latest products! So keep checking in and see what our team has in store!

Now onto our Thanksgiving adventure!

We were all excited to help out with our new endevour to help feed the local homeless families, and ended up serving over 200 people! We  know we are truly blessed to have our health, love of family, and friends, and a warm place to live.

Here the kids are getting ready to head out to the Fire Station where we were going to serve the meals.

Noah was especially social while serving his items. He smiled ear to ear, greeted people, and made sure to ask everyone “So are you having a great Thanksgiving, because I am so glad you’re here!”
While Alexa just served pie, and a shy smile. She didn’t understand WHY some people DIDN’T want pie!…

LOL! She would say “You don’t want pie? Pie is so GOOD!” Them put her head down and smile.
Amber took it ALL in emotionall, and immediately after all was said and done, she noted that it was sad these people were going back to no home, and not even having a way to heat up the extra food they were given to take with them.

It was by far the best thing I have experienced in a long time. Pure joy. It actually felt so amazing that I have to say that last time it “felt” like Thanksgiving like that and what life is all about I was probably a child.

The kids were beyond my expectations. They sat with everyone while they ate, and made conversation. They really enjoyed it too and immediately asked if we could do it again next year. That was so great to hear. I was just so happy that they “got it”! They got how good it feels to help others and give back. They felt the joy of bringing a smile to someones face. They saw how much we actually have and were genuinely grateful. I am thankful that they let us all help and participate as a family because everyone there left with something more than a full tummy and a plate of food 😀

I felt so humbled I couldn’t even bare to go out on Black Friday (as I usually do) and fight crowds for the latest and greatest “things”. It seems so hypocritical. Plus I want the feelings of this day to last as long as possible because this feeling CANNOT be bought for any price 😀

 
I encourage you to give the gift of giving back this holiday season! It doesn’t have to be “big”, just a little piece of yourself to brighten the day of someone who needs it. Making your own gifts really shows how much you care ♥

 

Shop our SALE Today!

Nov 26, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Uncategorized

Celebrate Cyber Monday!

Don’t miss our annual 25% OFF (Storewide) SALE!

Beat the crowds, save money, and shop from home for gifts made from the ♥

Sale Ends 11:59 pm EST

Don’t forget  to spread the holiday cheer to your friends!

Cyber Monday SALE!

Nov 20, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: My Time Made Easy

Celebrate Cyber Monday!

Don’t miss our annual 25% OFF (Storewide) SALE!

Beat the crowds, save money, and shop from home for gifts made from the ♥

Monday November 26th! Sale Ends 11:59 pm EST

Don’t forget  to spread the holiday cheer to your friends!

A Year in Review: Lil’ Reindeer

Nov 4, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Home decor/3-D items, My Time Made Easy

Today we wrap up the latest and great samples for our November Release.

We always save the best for last.

Please take a moment and check out all our designers as they get together and make some NEW! projects using OLD(er) products! It’s a WIN! WIN! You truly can never, ever have enough ideas for the products you already own, or may have never noticed before.

Here is who you need to visit, for a surprise project:

We would all love for you to share your own creations on our Facebook Page, if and when you can, or share them on Pinterest, and link us up.

So, it’s my turn to share something new, with something old. I try to always combine the two because new products are exciting, and I think showing you how older items can be used in combination with them is fun and exciting 😀

You can save a ton of money MAKING gifts this holiday. So here is a FAVORITE project of mine!

My Deer Friend

Nothing like packaging up some homemade trail mix! AKA: Reindeer Snacks

The bag is tied closed with a snowflake from the It’s Snowing © cut file. It made a super simple closure.

This is great for everyone. I think the packaging will steal the show anyway 😀

I am in love with how this sweet project turned out.

I LOVE reindeer. LOVE! When we get them in our yard I just sit and quietly watch them. Reindeer are just so sweet and gentle to me. They also symbolize Christmas to me. I just cannot have Christmas without the iconic images in at least one project!

So here’s how it all came together….I cut my Crazy for Candy Template from Kraft cardstock.

I made the head of my reindeer using the Heart Stealer Raccoon © cut file, which was enlarged to suit my project. Instead of the heart shaped ears from the raccoon,  I used the ears from the My Deer Friend © cut file. I had enlarged them, and then welded them to the head of the “raccoon”, so it became a deer head instead 😀 I sponged on some white craft ink, onto the ears.

The face…I drew on the eyebrows. The eyes are from the Crazy Cat file that is contained in the Crazy for Candy Template. I just drew the blue iris onto the white layer, and cut an additional circle layer in Kraft, cut it half, and drew eyelashes on it, to create my eyelid.  The white layer for the nose, is from the Bouncing Bunny © cut file. You can really mix and match whatever you have to get a similar effect. The nose is also from the Crazy Cat file, in the Crazy for Candy Template. Sponged on the pink for the cheeks. I think she looks so sweet.

So I tired a red gingham ribbon around the “neck” (aka lid rim) of my deer, and tied it off with a button and 2 pretty festive silver bells. You have to have bells when making a reindeer!

I knew I wanted to package up the trail mix, so I then customized my tag.FYI we have a lot of images/sentiments that could suit may ideas for a reindeer gift, so check it all out.

The tag was made using the Homemade Holiday Labels © set, and it was cut out using the Homemade Holiday Labels © cut file. I used the reindeer silhouette image and the holly berry from the Homemade Holiday © set. On the deer I added a nose, eye and a bow around the neck, which was from the Homemade Holiday Labels  set, which I colored in red.

The Homemade Reindeer Snacks sentiment is from the Homemade Holiday Sentiments © set. The additional sentiment “Made with only the finest ingredients and lot’s of love” is from the Apothecary Labels ©set.

For the spots along the back I just punched some holes into a piece of scrap cardstock, and sponged on some white Kraft ink, so it looked more realistic.

 I have to say I was pretty successful with that 😀 It’s always the littlest of details that tend to matter.

The tail is the raccoon tail from the Heart Stealer Raccoon © cut file, sponged with white craft ink as well.

The idea was to make this little fawn look like is was sitting or had fallen down. My (4) legs/hooves were cut using the My Deer Friend © cut file, which were enlarged to be more proportionate to the completed template.

I think this turned out as good as I could’ve hoped! She came together really quick too for having NO IDEA what I was going to do! LOL! I think this is a perfect example that with just a little imagination you can do almost anything you want. The Crazy for Candy Template is pretty amazing, and as you can see definitely versatile. I’m big on making character’s, if you can’t tell, and when it is easy and the possibilities are endless I’m on happy girl!

The hardest part for creating this is WHO to give it to. I don’t want to part with it-EVER!

Well with that, it’s a wrap!

I really hope you’ve found some inspiring ideas that you will try for your next gift! The response you are sure to get from your HOMEMADE gift, will far outweigh that you’ve received from anything you’ve ever actually BOUGHT.

So, give it a try and let us know how it went.

Mend the broken…

Nov 2, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Cards, Home decor/3-D items

We are almost done sharing new prjects for this release, but you can always get ideas 24/7 by viewing our Gallery!

Be sure you visit the team today:

No Bones About It

Crazy for Candy

 I cannot tell you how many people in my life have broken a bone or two at one time or another. It can be hard to think of what you can make for someone when that happens. Recently (like a week ago) my Sister-In Law’s dad fell off a ROOF while cleaning the gutters! Yes, a roof!

 Thankfully he is OK but he broke a few bones, cracked some ribs, punctured a lung… but in the grand scheme of things, he is lucky to be alive. I wanted to make something for him to say I’m sorry, and I think this fit the bill.

I made the No Bones About It © box in black cardstock, and the “bone” in white, which I cut to be jagged, so it looked broken. I thought it looked like a view on an x-ray! LOL!

I love it. It’s super simple, yet thoughtful and it fits the “cause”.

I wanted it to be masculine, so I used this argyle ribbon. It looks like it is literally tying the broken bone together, in my opinion 😀

 My sentiment is from the Sensational Sentiments © set. I couldn’t resist adding a flower, but it IS black 😀 The flower center is from the flower center in the Be Dazzled © set, which was printed on acetate, then cut out and layered onto a mini bottlecap.

I figured while he is laid up in bed he can listen to some music and munch on some homemade trail mix 😀
I really believe it is all about the thought that counts, and I am pretty certain you couldn’t find something more fitting in ANY store. I think he’ll enjoy this. I’m just glad he is OK. What a scare.

Tomorrow we share our Year in Review group post. This is one day that you will not want to miss what the team has whipped up. We all offer NEW ideas with OLD products 😀 You can never have too many ways to use what you have, or maybe something you didn’t think twice about will be on your must have list.

See you tommorrow.

Cold Winter, Warm Their Heart

Nov 1, 2012 Author: mytime | Filed under: Cards, Home decor/3-D items

Welcome back everyone 😀

I hope you have really enjoyed all the samples you’ve seen so far by the team using our *NEW* products. We each have so much fun coming up with new ideas to help inspired you and hope will kick start your own creative ideas for party favors, and homemade gifts this year!

So please pay a visit to the following designers:

No Bones About It

Crazy for Candy

Of course I always make samples for each day of the release week. It’s something I really love to do and look forward to sharing the ideas I think of as each product is created. When I created this company I was really focused on being able to share what I love to do, and making it easy for ANYONE to replicate. I love the fact that our products are user friendly for all skill levels, and that you don’t need a ton of craft supplies to create some amazing gifts. If you have a printer, some cardstock, scissors and glue, you can create almost everything we share! Even better is that we always offer products that not only coordinate together, for those of you not knowing what to put together or don’t want to think too much, but also that all these products can be mixed and matched together, and each template offers much versatility. I love to share the ways each product can be used in a different way, and I hope you all enjoy that as well.

That being said, let me share my project for today! It used a mix of older products to create a new gift ♥

Cold Winter, Warm Heart

If you want to really WOW people with a super simple project this Winter, then you will love this one.

I love giving Rafaello’s! They are these white chocolate truffle like treats, with crispy wafer-like shell, rolled in coconut, with an Almond in the center. They look like yummy snowballs.

Hence my snowman creation.

I created the Crazy for Candy © template from white cardstock. Then I took the snowman pieces from the Topped Off © template. to make my candy jar just like a snowman. Obviously the pieces were enlarged to fit, but this is an idea that can be used even if you don’t have that template. I used the eyes from the Crazy for Candy © template, and hand-drew my mouth. Sponged on some rosey cheeks 😀

You can use some simple shapes to make your own snowman, or don’t forget that you can use *ANY* of the characters from our Pretty Impressions Setsto make your own character such as a penguin, snowman, Santa, Elf, fairy, gnome, woodland creature….to name just a few possibilities.

The hat was cut from the strip pattern in the Candy Claus © collection. I added a 3 D snowball to the top of the hat, and some glitter to the hat trim.

NOTE: The tag actually DOES match the hat in person. I don’t know if its my photo software or the shadow from the template, but it doesn’t match in photos. WEIRD! Its red, green and blue. Just had to point that out because it’s making me CRAZY!! I took a million photos with the SAME result. I’m over it.

I tied some pretty glittery green ribbon around the “neck” of my snowman, to be like a scarf. For my tag I used the Well Rounded © set for my tag, and clipped some ornament patterned paper along the bottom from the Candy Claus © collection . The mittens on the tag were from the Homemade Holiday © set, and the sentiment is from the Warm Sentiments © set. It was just perfect for my snowy sweet treat-box.  The tag was cut out using the Well Rounded Tag © cut file. I added a heart sticker to the lower right hand corner too!

You can see the mittens from the Topped Off © template were also used.  You could use some twigs, or make your own mittems from felt as well. It’s all about creativity. There is NO right or wrong way to create something, There are NO limitations either. Use what you want, to make something into your own creation. These are great projects for kids to do too. They could DRAW on the face and mittens! Just have FUN with it.

We will return with more tomorrow, so please come back, as we share more projects! You never know when you just might find the perfect idea for something you’ve been wanting to give.

See you then.

My Etsy

My Time Made Easy © LLC

My Time Made Easy

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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

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