jenni bowlin studio design team call!

very exciting!

jbs mercantile: tennis anyone?

one . . .

plus one . . .

equals two!

we're having a friendly weekend tennis tourney over on the jbs inspiration blog!  there is such fun inspiration going on there.  and you still have a week to get your entries in to be in contention for the medals.

this layout is of several instagrams i tool while on one of our greenway walks.  i love snapping pics of interesting or pretty things i see as we're walking.  it makes the time go by faster.

a bonus pic of the back of one of the sides.  ha.  it just cracked me up how i pieced the layout together to make the patterned paper stretch and then cut a hunk out of the middle to hoard it.  it was too pretty to waste!

get it scrapped!: on critique

i contributed to another article at get it scrapped!  this isn't quite the same page you'll see there though.  i kinda redid it.  i know!  right?  i never do that!  i don't know what came over me.  i just wasn't at all happy with the original.  and i guess the original was just fine.  jenni liked it and tammy liked it and debbie liked it.  and their likes were all unsolicited, so they must have been sincere.  right?  i don't know.  i'm just a silly girl sometimes.  anyhoo, so this is version two.  you can see version one in a fabulous article over at get it scrapped! entitled, "your scrapbook page focal point doesn't have to be a photo."

i also wanted to mention a new critique group that debbie is forming.  i was in one of these back in the day and it was just an invaluable experience.  i'm way excited she's bringing the idea to get it scrapped!

oh!  and i have this project in another article entitled, "9 embellishing perk-ups for your scrapbook page titles."

and check out "scrapbooking with the color yellow" while you're there too.  you know i love me some yellow. ;)

get it scrapped!: design scraplifting video

this page i am super happy with.  three years from now i will still be super happy with it.  i just know.  do you have pages like that?  or do you love all your pages equally?  i tend to go in spurts.  i'll make a rash of pages i love with a couple super happy with it ones sprinkled in.  then i'll have a borderline dud.  the ebb and flow of the mojo.  ha.  but yes . . . what i love about this super happy page is the misting mess page from a previous layout that i actually ended up using here, the long meaningful title complete with a tangle of dangling threads, and the quirkiness of the color dance and element placement.  and this one says something important too.  it's all about g conquering his fears and the wonderful community of friends we have to help us in our life journey.  yes.  i love this page.

i originally made it for debbie's new site, easy scrapbook pages.  while my pages aren't exactly simple, they can be easy, especially when there's a great website like this with instructions, a supply list, and a brief explanation of the driving design element.  do check it out.  it's a great place for a page jumpstart if you're stuck for an idea to get you going in your design process.

debbie has also used this page as the design inspiration for one of her own fabulous pages.  and she even made a video of the process!  i gotta say, i was mesmerized.  the video is so polished and debbie is so smart.  debbie's page and process are digitally driven, but her explanations of the design at work are so very informative.  mesmerizing.  truly.

get it scrapped!: repoussoir

this is a layout i made for an article on repoussoir at get it scrapped!  i know!  i had no idea what repoussoir was either!  debbie is really awesome that way . . . she's discovering new nuggets of inspiration all the time.
 

if you love learning as much as i do or if you're on the hunt for a bit of unique inspiration do head on over there to check it out!

i wanted to give you a little background information on the background of this layout.  i believe i was playing with my watercolor crayons and colored in some of the circles on that paper by studio calico.  i liked the look, but felt it was too busy for the photo, so i toned it down by stitching a sheet of white tissue paper over the top and then misting it a tiny bit.  good save doris!  ha!

here's a peek at the other page i did for the repoussoir article.  you can see the entire piece over at get it scrapped!  for the grass on this page i cut the green dotted tissue paper into oh an inch and a half or so, folded it in half the longway and stitched it to my page on the folded side.  i then went back and snipped the strips and fluffed them to make the grass.  fun.

and this is a peek of a page i did for a feather article over there.  another good read definitely.  the articles have always been great over there, but since debbie added the design team, she's really stepped it up a notch.  articles delivered every weekday and they're always so relevant, inspiring, and trendy.  i don't know how she stays so on top of things, but i'm sure glad she does!

some of my recent favorite reads there are:
ideas for composing the 3-photo scrapbook page
5 liftable ideas from one scrapbook page by betsy sammarco
ideas for using short titles on scrapbook pages
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10 on the 12th: good reads

this photo is in no way related to the content of this blog post (ok maybe slightly to stephanie's but only because it's an instagram).  it just cracks me up and who doesn't love a good laugh.  ha.

i'm bummered that i missed yet another of shimelle's "ten on the tenth" days, so what the heck i'm posting on the 12th.  better late than never is the procrastinators motto!

blogs are still my absolute favorite social media.  i love the depth they have.  the spin of getting to know someone through the written word.  i noticed this morning that i have a whole slew of great blog posts opened at the bottom of my computer screen just waiting for me to have a minute or two to enjoy them properly.  i thought i'd share those with you this morning so you could enjoy them too if you haven't already.

1. stephanie howell has a lovely layout and post on using what you have on hand. http://www.stephaniehowell.com/my_weblog/2012/08/scrappy-sundaygetting-creative.html

2. and she has a great post on using instagram, my second favorite social media.  http://www.stephaniehowell.com/my_weblog/2012/08/instagram.html

3. ania maria is a new blogger i've found recently.  i just love her style.  her latest post is about using a manly scrapbooking line to make a feminine layout.  http://annamariawolniak.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/feminine-side-of-the-craftsman/

4. julie balzer has a post up about mr. rogers!  good stuff!  http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2012/08/what-mister-rogers-taught-me.html

5. one from elsie and emma:  good ideas take time  http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/08/trade-secrets-good-ideas-take-time.html

6. ashley calder is back to scrapbooking again (i know! swoon!).  everything she posts is either delightfully whimsical and out of the box or heartbreakingly beautiful.  http://ashleycalder.blogspot.com/

7. are you one who enjoys super dry humor?  yes?  julie kirk is for you.  she has a new post up this morning, stitching on paper.  i'm going to enjoy reading that one after i finish this blog post.  http://notesonpaper.blogspot.com/

8. loving natalie's blog lately (you know i have a thing for clouds).  her layouts are just so charming and she's developed a great flair for incorporating her life thoughts and scrappy thoughts all in the same spot.  http://onescrappydoctor.blogspot.com.au/

9. jill sprott's 10 on the 10th posts are always packed with inspiration, deep thoughts, and fabulously fun fluff.  http://wordplaywordwork.blogspot.com/2012/08/pnoticed-10-on-10th.html

10.  and don't forget shimelle's 10 on the 10th post!!!  sj (another fab read) has hijacked it this month with her favorite ten posts from shimelle (all good reads) because shimelle is dancing in the olympics!  go shimelle!  http://www.shimelle.com/paper/1534/10-things-aug-10-reasons-hijack/

happy sunday friends!

jbs mercantile august updates!

the lovely thing about being an auntie is when you see your too baby girl neices getting into a catfight over a yellow beach basket you can snap snap snap away with your camera knowing the mommies will rush in to deal with the brawl.  funny though, they just kinda watched me take my pics before dealing with these two.  i thought while i was scrapping them yesterday how delighted i was that i had an excuse to scrap them again as you know both mommies will want a page.  :)

so this page was made with bits from all the august kits.  i try to be good and focus on individual kits for the reveal on the last day of the month, but when we do updates on the 10th it's a free for all.  i actually might have to have my own personal update next week since i still haven't used the awesome alpha stencil and mod dot stamp from the main kit.  i mean really.  how can that be?

public service announcement . . . those tiny pink flowers are from martha stewarts small hydrangeas punch.  i have the full size hydrangea punch as well.  i have to say that those two punches are hands down the all-time most used in my stash.  they are indeed a good thing.

p.s. the second leg of the jbs swim medley challenge has been posted!  i'm hoping to do laps this afternoon when we get back from the cub scout picnic.  won't you join me?

jbs mercantile: prizes and pages

newsflash!!!  the mega prize packages for the gold, silver, and bronze level winners were announced today on the inspiration blog!  they are HUGE!  you're going to want in on that action!

and tomorrow are jbs mercantile august updates!  i was lucky enough to catch a peek at what the design team has prepared for you.  major eye candy!  yes indeed!  these are two layouts i had already finished for the gallery.  the first is our main kit only challenge.  this month we added dimensional papercrafting.  i of course used the new cameo to make those tiny leaves and let them pop off the page.

and then this one was made with scraps leftover from the august mini-album kit.  literally scraps.  i trimmed none of them, just used them at the size they were already cut to.  ok, well, i did cut that heart, lol.

ok!  go back to your regular programming while i frantically finish my page for tomorrow's updates!

jbs mercantile: summer games

all month long the jbs design team is being inspired by the summer games in london.  it's been so interesting for me to hear and see where that inspiration is leading my friends.  amazing places for sure!

i chose archery for my event inspiration as i immediately thought of this bull's eye paper from jenni's playdate release.  such a fun line that is.  you can read more about my inspiration and see my supply list on the jbs blog.

i have to tell you a little funny though.  i came home from school monday afternoon and set to work on this layout right away.  imagine my delight when i finished it in an hour.  i'm not a speedy scrapper!  and i loved it!  my mojo has been playing hide and seek this summer.  ha.  we went to a friend's house for dinner after i made the layout, but i brought my laptop along to upload the images and get them ready to post.  oh dear.  imagine my dismay wheni uploaded the images and i realized i'd spelled pierce wrong (pearce - nice doris).  and it was already 7:30.  gah.  i had to run home and take less than stellar photos.  i rephotographed it yesterday before sharing it with you here.  lesson learned: sub par spellers shouldn't procrastinate.  ha.

jbs mercantile banner/mini-album

i was in charge of the august mini-album kit.  i found this cute little bunting set from punky sprouts and fell in love with the new baby line from my mind's eye, so i decided to have a baby focus theme.

i designed the banner to be reversible.  one side for boys and one side for girls.  this would be super awesome if you have children of both genders.  if you're part of a dating pair it would be way cute to showcase baby pics of you and your special someone.  flashback to your youth and use photos of you and your siblings when you were babies.  or how about a mother and son mini-book?  his baby pics on one side and yours on the other?  those were all thoughts that went through my head when i was choosing pics. 

i ended up making mine a birthday banner.  g has his birthday at grandma's house every fall, so i made one side with photos from his last birthday and the other side is of baby riley who lives in england, but comes home for her birthday when she can.  i think this will make a great display piece at their next birthday parties!

 here is the girl side . . .

 and here is the boy side . . .

and look!  when not in use in stores so neat and tidy as an adorable mini-album!  happy birthday!