No matter the time of year, we can benefit from counting our blessings, but November in particular is a month devoted to memory and gratitude. Emblems of change surround us, as the leaves turn, the days become shorter, and the temperature shifts. We reflect on the past, look to the future, and cherish even more that which matters most to us. A gratitude journal can be the perfect way to say our thank-yous. At the end of each day this month, I will record three things for which I am grateful. They may be small things (the softness of my dog's belly as I rub her tummy) or significant things (the sixteen years that I have been blessed to have so far with my daughter). Jotting down three items a day takes only a few minutes -- and there is no pressure to add pictures (those can come later, if at all). Although I will add more items to the album as the month progresses, I created a basic foundation, starting with a JBS Hodge Podge book. I also incorporated papers and accents from the October and November JBS Mercantile kits, as well as some of my favorite JBS products. I love this transparency that comes with the JBS Hodge Podge book. I embellished it by adding gold foil leaves from this month's antiquarian kit and die-cut leaves from last month's papercrafting kit. Here you can see my first entry in the album. Listing three things for which I am grateful came easily on a Friday afternoon, following a long and busy week! I added some extra color to some of the pages by dripping mist over them. My most recent entry is above. My daughter just turned sixteen, and I am in that weepy, how-time-flies state of mind. Still, I kept it together, sticking to just three gratitudes (even though I could list hundreds when it comes to her). Here, I included a journaling card from a JBS Halloween accessory sheet as well as some of vintage labels from the October antiquarian kit and the November antiquarian kit. The labels are blank on the back, so I will add my journaling there. I will admit, I have a difficult time parting with some of the antiquarian kit contents, but I found the strength to fight my hoarding impulses when it came to this album. Often, the kits include cancelled checks, which look amazing on the front and on the back, making them difficult for me to adhere to a layout, since I love both sides. Problem solved! I folded a check to create a pocket, and I can still see the reverse when I turn the page. I tucked in a tag from this month's papercrafting kit. Among the items that I love to include in mini-albums are pockets and envelopes. The seed packet comes with the Hodge Podge book, and the kraft pocket is from JBS. One of the finds about which I am most excited is this card from this month's antiquarian kit. As I read its contents, my eyes grew wide -- it's from 1959, from the days of family fallout shelters, a reminder that we should all be grateful for safety and for those who work for peace. I almost want to leave this untouched -- but luckily, more than one comes in the kit. This vintage photo of an elementary school class is a favorite of mine. It reminds me of how thankful I am to be a teacher, to be able to positively impact the lives of children. The last page of the album is a calendar Bingo card from JBS. It is sturdy enough to serve as a back cover, and it peeks out from behind the compilation of pages at all times. Even though November has already begun, it is not too late to create a gratitude journal. Any time is a good time to count your blessings.
Hi everyone! This is Ashley here today, with my first JBS Inspiration blog post as a JBS Ambassador! I was very excited to see Jenni's ...
No matter the time of year, we can benefit from counting our blessings, but November in particular is a month devoted to memory and gratitude. Emblems of change surround us, as the leaves turn, the days become shorter, and the temperature shifts. We reflect on the past, look to the future, and cherish even more that which matters most to us. A gratitude journal can be the perfect way to say our thank-yous. At the end of each day this month, I will record three things for which I am grateful. They may be small things (the softness of my dog's belly as I rub her tummy) or significant things (the sixteen years that I have been blessed to have so far with my daughter). Jotting down three items a day takes only a few minutes -- and there is no pressure to add pictures (those can come later, if at all). Although I will add more items to the album as the month progresses, I created a basic foundation, starting with a JBS Hodge Podge book. I also incorporated papers and accents from the October and November JBS Mercantile kits, as well as some of my favorite JBS products. I love this transparency that comes with the JBS Hodge Podge book. I embellished it by adding gold foil leaves from this month's antiquarian kit and die-cut leaves from last month's papercrafting kit. Here you can see my first entry in the album. Listing three things for which I am grateful came easily on a Friday afternoon, following a long and busy week! I added some extra color to some of the pages by dripping mist over them. My most recent entry is above. My daughter just turned sixteen, and I am in that weepy, how-time-flies state of mind. Still, I kept it together, sticking to just three gratitudes (even though I could list hundreds when it comes to her). Here, I included a journaling card from a JBS Halloween accessory sheet as well as some of vintage labels from the October antiquarian kit and the November antiquarian kit. The labels are blank on the back, so I will add my journaling there. I will admit, I have a difficult time parting with some of the antiquarian kit contents, but I found the strength to fight my hoarding impulses when it came to this album. Often, the kits include cancelled checks, which look amazing on the front and on the back, making them difficult for me to adhere to a layout, since I love both sides. Problem solved! I folded a check to create a pocket, and I can still see the reverse when I turn the page. I tucked in a tag from this month's papercrafting kit. Among the items that I love to include in mini-albums are pockets and envelopes. The seed packet comes with the Hodge Podge book, and the kraft pocket is from JBS. One of the finds about which I am most excited is this card from this month's antiquarian kit. As I read its contents, my eyes grew wide -- it's from 1959, from the days of family fallout shelters, a reminder that we should all be grateful for safety and for those who work for peace. I almost want to leave this untouched -- but luckily, more than one comes in the kit. This vintage photo of an elementary school class is a favorite of mine. It reminds me of how thankful I am to be a teacher, to be able to positively impact the lives of children. The last page of the album is a calendar Bingo card from JBS. It is sturdy enough to serve as a back cover, and it peeks out from behind the compilation of pages at all times. Even though November has already begun, it is not too late to create a gratitude journal. Any time is a good time to count your blessings.
Leah created an amazing layout full of energy. Doesn't it just seem to burst off the page? When I saw my husband sharing the t...
Have you seen the vintage thread cones new to our Flea Market? These cones were used in factories to wind thread around. They can...
I must confess I find it hard to use vintage items and ephemera in my creating, not because I cant, it is more a case of not wanting to ruin some thing that is pretty amazing in its own right! So I could be accused of being a hoarder of all things vintage, and old! ....that includes all the wonderful items that Jenni finds and includes in the amazing Antiquarian Kits! So I have [grudgingly ....joke :)] used mostly vintage and found items from past Jenni Bowlin Studio Antiquarian kits, with the odd fabulous new release embellishment and quite possible you might spy an embellishment from an older range :) :) :) For this particular layout I have used a vintage photo [credit The Whatevers] and used a fun mix of both vintage findings and old and new release embellishments. the black ground splash of green was made using the delicious paint Seed Packet. Again I have used a vintage photo [credit The Whatevers], but kept it light and fresh with using the fabulous Die-cut Bank Statement paper as a background and a fresh color palette; the paint is the divine Chilli Powder. This final layout is created using a contemporary photo and a play on words from the actual book page background. I thought it was a fabulous contrast with using the title 'A little field, I'd like to have a little field', with a photo representing me living in the 'concrete jungle'. The picture of a little cottage under a tree completes the contrast perfectly. Sooooo as you can see I have well and truly overcome my fear of using wonderful vintage items and ephemera in my creativity, I do hope you have as much fun as I did! :) Cheers Louise :) xxx
I'd like to show you the process I used to create one of my favorite types of mini books. If you use a selection of Jenni Bowlin clear ...
I am beyond thrilled to share that i was asked to guest design over at Jenni Bowlin this month! I got an email from Lisa a few weeks ago asking if I would be interested. it took me about half a second to respond back, and I think i actually wrote something along the lines of "UM YES!!!" :) Last September I had the opportunity to hang out with Jenni in Greece, she is so inspiring, sweet, and genuine. Just loved every minute with her!! Anyway, yesterday the post went up, so i thought i would share my layouts here as well. They sent me their gorgeous new line, Haven. I really enjoyed working with the colors and patterns - Jenni did such a fabulous job designing this line- so beautiful. Here is my first layout: I actually used my X-ACTO circle cutter to create the various circle sizes. In addition to the Haven papers, I also used various JBS products such as Bingo Cards, Banner Alpha Stickers, Chipboard Buttons, Printed Tickets, Label Stickers, and the large ledger stickers. Oh, and don't forget the JBS trademark Butterflies. LOVE. I made this layout to document the sweet helpful spirit of our Jonah. Right now he is all about helping around the house and in the yard. The journaling says: "Jonah, God has given you such a sweet and tender heart. At five years old you have developed such a helpful heart. You love to be involved and help around the house. From feeding Kinja every morning, to helping Daddy do yard work, you are right there taking ownership and enjoying the responsibility. I pray you carry this trait into adulthood and continue to have a servants heart. So proud of you." Here is my second layout, one of Miss Jor: I love this entire line, but if I had to pick a favorite paper from the Haven Line, it would be the 12x12 Accessories Sheet. There are so many fun things you could do with this paper, don't you think? For this layout I cut a portion of the paper and used the journal spots for extra embellishments and my title. I layered it on top of pattern paper and label stickers. And of course a butterfly :) Journaling says: "With Jonah in school every afternoon until 4pm, we have had plenty of time together just you and I. I truly enjoy our "alone time" where we can just play, bake cookies, watch movies, and nap. We look forward to Jonah getting back, but it's nice to have our girl time together." I love how these layouts turned out and i really had a blast playing with Haven. Thank you Jenni and everyone at JBS for the opportunity!!
... one more gorgeous project that Connie Mercer made with our Jenni Bowlin digital kits and her JBS stash? Another beautiful mini! Connie combined the Homespun and Chalkboard Alphas Printables and Punchables with a Hodge Podge book! and how creative is this?! The album base is a vintage cheese grater! I love the title of this mini "Walking Marcie". Looking at the photos, I'm thinking that Marcie may be a goat?! We'll have to ask Connie to fill us in! Thank you Connie for inspiring us this week! Supply List: JBS Hodge Podge kit JBS Homespun (hybrid) printables, punchables. JBS Ink/Brown Sugar JBS-Stickers JBS-Doilie flowers, bow, buttons. JBS-Tags JBS-Chipboard / labels, banner Miscellaneous: seem binding trim, twine, brass clip, old cheese grater Tools: JBS-Butterfly punch JBS- Banner punch JBS-Label punch
I really believe this was wishful thinking on my part. But, be that as it may, I did enjoy that drink. And documenting a bit about how I’m relearning to seek inspiration in the everyday. And I’m carrying my camera more. Be sure to stop by and check out the April JBS Mercantile kits! They […]
They are up for grabs! Get ready for a very photo HEAVY post! This month's main kit is full of the new Jenni Bowlin line that JUST came out called Haven! You must see it in person. Gorgeous, I tell ya! The first thing to show you today is a little "Grade 5 autograph book" I made for my daughter to take to school and have all of her friends sign. She could also add their photos in as well... I was inspired by the "autographs" piece of paper. What is SO fun this time around is that Jenni put the journaling cards and mini cards on one big sheet of 12 x 12" cardstock, so you can cut them out however you'd like! I mixed and matched all of the papers and cut different sized pieces for my book. Page 1. LOVE these large tags that come in the kit. And the pleats. Which come like that! No work necessary to make them. I added a creme paint around the edges with Jenni's Malted Milk paint dabber. Page 2. This is the back of some of the journaling cards I needed for page 3. (Ooh yes, the papers are double sided! You'll want 2 of each, trust me.) I wanted to add more white space for the kids to write their messages, thus the punched circles added to the black paper. Page 3. Hello, my name is.... I couldn't make it too serious, had to add something fun! Page 4. When choosing your papers and embellishments, pick coordinating items for pages that go together like I did here by extending the butterflies over to the polkadot page as well. It's also great to have repeating items in your mini, like the circles with the paint around the edges. Page 5. These are some of the 4x4" mini papers, but they are all printed on one sheet now, so I cut it larger than 4x4". The reason being that I wanted to highlight more of the patterns, so I added just a bit of the diamonds at the top when cutting! Page 6. Added some vellum butterflies and a Papertrey Ink stamped sentiment. This is the same label paper that I used on page 3, but I mixed it up by turning it vertical instead of horizontal. Makes the book a little more exciting and unique. Lots of room for autographs here. Page 7. Here I used the other half of the June bingo card from the front cover. This frame stamp is new by JB and is in the kit. I stamped it twice and cut it out, putting one upside down and one right side up. It looked too white, so I added more creme paint. Back cover. Used the notebook paper stamp again on one of the text papers in the kit. Next, I made a quick birthday card with one of Jenni's new stamps, the little silhouette. She's so cute, love her. A LOT. I wish I could put her on my daughter's wall in her bedroom! The stamping didn't come out exactly perfect, but I chose to leave it that way, because I liked how it looked. I thought about filling it in with black marker, but decided not to. Embracing the imperfect! I made an extra star balloon for her to hold and left the tail dangling to add dimension and bring the card to life. If you want to make your floss curly, just wet it a bit and wrap it around a pencil. Let dry. I added some creme paint to hightlight the sentiment before stitching. Last is a teacher thank you card. Will be needing lots of those in a couple of weeks! I made a little tag out of one of the images on the paper. The ruler is a new stamp also by JBS. I added the wooden frame by Studio Calico from one of the older kits. Sentiment is Mat Stack 4 by Papertrey Ink and the notebook die is Spiral Notebook Page by Papertrey Ink also. Wow ~ I think that's it for now! Thanks for reading today! Let me know if you have any questions about these projects.
I won't tell you what my boys called a "big one" when they were little. . . I assure you this is much better!! Re...
... one more gorgeous project that Connie Mercer made with our Jenni Bowlin digital kits and her JBS stash? Another beautiful mini! Connie combined the Homespun and Chalkboard Alphas Printables and Punchables with a Hodge Podge book! and how creative is this?! The album base is a vintage cheese grater! I love the title of this mini "Walking Marcie". Looking at the photos, I'm thinking that Marcie may be a goat?! We'll have to ask Connie to fill us in! Thank you Connie for inspiring us this week! Supply List: JBS Hodge Podge kit JBS Homespun (hybrid) printables, punchables. JBS Ink/Brown Sugar JBS-Stickers JBS-Doilie flowers, bow, buttons. JBS-Tags JBS-Chipboard / labels, banner Miscellaneous: seem binding trim, twine, brass clip, old cheese grater Tools: JBS-Butterfly punch JBS- Banner punch JBS-Label punch
Hi all! It is that time of the year again. The latest installment of Card Creations from Paper Crafts magazine is here. Volume 8 to be exact. And I am thrilled today to be tvaking part in the Top T…
I just learned there are only 2 spots left for our fun Saturday full of classes at Petticoat Junction in July! Considering I haven't even s...
Today we are excited to announce a swap & give-away with Prima and Fiskars! Fiskars makes amazing paper trimmers, punches, straight and decorative scissors, along with other very cool products (like their hand drill!) that work perfectly with our products. So...let's get the party started!...
Today designer May Flaum brings us a charming 9x12 Christmas canvas with folk art appeal. How sweet would this little tree be sitting on your mantel? We are getting into the spirit of the season here at Jenni Bowlin Studio! The background is a fun mix of inking including some stamping with the Harlequin Clear Stamp. Then the tree itself is a mixture of patterned paper strips from our 2012 Vintage Christmas line along with a variety of JBS and vintage buttons plus some rhinestone stars and sparkley trim. Polish it off with a December Banner Sticker and a tidy "Be Merry" Title. So festive! Thanks for the inspiration May!
(n). A place of refuge. The new Haven line by Jenni Bowlin is just that! It's so cozy like a worn quilt! These are more cards that I made with June's kits, which is full of this new line. On this card, I cut the paper so that several of the patterns would show, then I stitched along the edges where the patterns meet to make it look like patchwork! Wishes card: STAMPS: none INK: none PAPER: Jenni Bowlin - Haven, Bazzill Perfectly Pleated edges DIES: none OTHER: bird - Webster's Pages, seam binding made by me, machine stitching. ---------------- On the next one, I punched some scalloped circles from the patterned paper, taped them onto the back of the twine and hung them with a staple. Made a little seam binding flower and added a JBS Garnet charm in the center. The "For You" stamp is Papertrey Ink's Mat Stack 4 Collection. I wanted the rectangle to resemble a present. For You card: STAMPS: Mat Stack 4 by Papertrey Ink INK: black - StazOn PAPER: Jenni Bowlin - Haven DIES: 1" scallop circle - Martha Stewart OTHER: seam binding made by me, twine - Twinery, charm - Jenni Bowlin, staple. ----------------- Here I added a new Jenni Bowlin stamp, the Lace Doily border, on the green polkadot background. It's subtle, but adds a nice place to ground the journaling card, so it doesn't look like it's just floating on the card. I made my own gem banner with embroidery floss. After sliding on the first gem, I tied the floss in a knot, then added the next gem and tied it in a knot again, and so on. This way the gems didn't all fall together in the center and stayed put where I wanted them. Wishing You Happiness card: STAMPS: Lace Doily Border - Jenni Bowlin, Mat Stack 4 - Papertrey Ink (sentiment) INK: Cough Syrup - Jenni Bowlin, black - StazOn PAPER: Jenni Bowlin - Haven, cardstock from main kit DIES: corner rounder OTHER: gems - Jenni Bowlin, white embroidery floss, machine stitching. ----------------- On the last card, I added another new Jenni Bowlin stamp, the ruler, with red Cough Syrup ink, then folded it up to resemble a measuring tape. The "You're Invited" stamp is from the Mat Stack 4 Collection stamp set again. The little 15 embellishment was in one of the add-ons and is made by Tim Holtz. (There were several numbers in the package.) The card base is light pink (and brushed with Jenni's Malted Milk paint)....for a "Sweet 15" birthday party. I like adding pinks and greens to this line! Stop back again soon, I have so much so share with you. :) You're Invited card: STAMPS: Mat Stack 4 - Papertrey Ink, ruler - Jenni Bowlin INK: red- Cough Syrup by Jenni Bowlin, black - StazOn PAPER: Jenni Bowlin - Haven, pink cardstock DIES: 2" circle punch, star punch, corner rounder OTHER: 15 embellishment - Tim Holtz, gems - Jenni Bowlin, white floss, lace, machine stitching. --------------
Hello! Jenni is on the road this week, but she wanted to make sure we shared the latest JBS Mercantile offerings with you! This month's...
Hello Hello :) I want to update you on some fab creative fun and deals with Jenni Bowlin Studios and Scrap Friends . Check the post ou...
I made these cones, also known as paper cornucopias or May Day baskets, for my kids to give to their teachers for Valentine's Day. You can tuck a little wrapped gift inside or put the gift inside wrapped with tissue paper or for a very special presentation you could wrap the gift in a vintage hankie. Another option is to use shredded paper and fill the cone with candy and treats. They also look so pretty to use as decorations. In the top photo I strung them on a ribbon and hung them over my mirror and in the photo above I hung them on my white feather tree. The cones were made using 3D Scalloped Cone from Silhouette. I have a Cameo so I was able to cut them from full sheets of 12 x 12 paper for the largest cones. If you have a Silhouette SD they'll be smaller, closer in size to the diamond patterned cone I made. If you don't have electronic die cutting capabilities there are tons of cone templates online, like here and here. After the cones were cut I glued them together and used a long reach stapler to add a little reinforcement along the back seam, probably not completely necessary but I didn't have to wait as long for the glue to dry. I cut the silhouette girls from Jenni's papers. The older girl is from Be My Guest and the little girl is from Haven. I layered the Haven girl on a JBS oval label sticker to match the other one, as seen on the diamond patterned cone. I made full, loopy bows with seam binding. For a few of the cones I used two colors on each bow. I added the teachers' initials using JBS alterable alphas in the middle of the bows. I attached ric rac handles and the bows with hot glue. They look cute on the inside too!Supplies: Be Our Guest - Hers Haven - Common Objects Red/Black Line Extension IV - Letter Chart Red/Black Line Extension IV - Multiplication Red/Black Line Extension IV - Pen Nibs Alterable Alphas - Micro Dot Haven - Betty's House Red label stickers Red/Black Extension IV - School Dress Other supplies: Gold oval doily - Martha Stewart Crafts Alternative ways to get an oval doily via Silhouette: Oval Doily, Doily Border Frame Oval Vintage seam binding and ric rac - Ebay
It's been almost three years since I last attended CHA, so I'm excited to spend a few days in Anaheim, reconnect with some of my scrapping friends, see the new releases, and experience the excitement that always accompanies this event....
Jenni Bowlin Mercantile Kits are filled with hand picked products based on the gorgeous style of Jenni Bowlin. She has a sophisticated chic style and a knack for putting together some incredible ensembles of products that can be delivered right...
Happy 2012, everyone! We had a quiet evening last night for New Year's Eve, stayed home and watched a movie. I'm glad we stayed home now, because our 15 month old dog ended up getting very sick, and I had to take her to the emergency clinic early this morning. She's been resting all day. We're hoping it was just a food she ate that irritated her stomach. If she has to have surgery, I don't know what I'll do. We'll see how she does with the medicines he gave her today. I truly hope it's nothing serious. I'm so worried about her! How about another reflection today of my "favorite 11 projects from 2011", this time I'll share some cards and things for you non-layout lovers! 1. This is a little baby mini album made with the Postmarks set by Papertrey Ink. I used a Melissa Frances frame as the front cover and love how it turned out... 2. For my "mix it up" post on the Pink Paislee blog, I made some spring egg wraps, combining several of the collections. They were really easy and quick to make! I set them on some Pink Paislee Sweetness stickers, added spanish moss and put them on a cake plate. 3. I had a lot of fun with the "Fruit Fusion" stamps and dies by Papertrey Ink when they came out in May for this gift wrap and pin cushion...they're so cheery and fun! 4. I looove how this little vellum mini album turned out with the Garden Variety stamps and dies by Papertrey Ink. You can slide photos and such in the pockets and they peek through the vellum. 5. These were little glassine bags I made for Kati's 6th birthday party invitations... 6. On the Grateful for You card, I had fun with layers on this one with the Half & Half dies by Papertrey Ink... 7. Love these background stamps on the thank you card... 8. This was a little birthday mini album cover made with the Tranquility Trilogy set... 9. The Write Type mini album was a little inspirational quotes book made with a Jenni Bowlin kit, which included some Studio Calico products and Pink Paislee Daily Junque cards and ephemera. 10. Nut'n Better than a cute little shaped card for a good friend... :) This one cracks me up. No pun intended! lol And last but not least, a pocket full of coordinating cards made with Studio Calico kits. I used Papertrey Ink's Wine Bottle Tag (2 of them sewn together) to form the pocket. Which one is your personal fave? I also have some news to share -- the new 2012 Pink Paislee team is up! I will be heading up the team this year as the Design Team Coodinator, and I can't wait to get to know the new team members and work with Pink Paislee on a deeper level. Lots of new faces and new inspiration for 2012! Be looking for some exciting new themes on their blog!
Have you tried art journaling in a vintage ledger yet? They are really awesome! They have a lovely aged look about them and often have g...
If you haven't tried the new Jenni Bowlin punches by Fiskars, what are you waiting for? They are perfect for card making (and pretty much everything)! I used both the Picture Frame Medium Lever Punch and the Blue Ribbon Large Squeeze Punch to create this Valentine's card. I punched small picture frame shapes from a variety of JBS patterned papers and Coredinations cardstock. Then I arranged the shapes within a small grid sewn on the front of the card. To set off the JBS pink pearl buttons, I layered them on top of pinked circles made with the Blue Ribbon punch. While I kept the sentiment simple, I love the dimension of the JBS vintage shadow alpha stickers. Here's a list of the patterned papers I used: Be Our Guest Sewing Room Be Our Guest Tea Towel Red & Black Extension IV Inkwell Red & Black Extension IV Letter Chart Happy Crafting! Mindy
Kudos to Tracey, winner of the Jenni Bowlin Mercantile sketch contest! Tracey, please email [email protected] with your shipping details a...
Did you have a chance to check out the beautiful layouts that the Jenni Bowlin Merchantile DT created for the July PageMaps? Such great eye candy! To kick off July, JBM has generously donated one of their popular monthly kits for this sketch challenge! To enter this challenge, create a layout based on the sketch below using any products you'd like. Then leave a comment on this post with a link to your layout. This challenge starts today and ends at midnight MST on Sunday, July 20, 2014 and is open to everyone, everywhere! Good luck! Becky
