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JBS April

Sorry for the long absence... I've been so tired lately! I get up at 4 am and leave for work at 5:30 every morning, return home at 4:00 pm and then it's homework, dinner, baths and bed by 8 pm. I am usually too exhausted to get on the computer at that point. I often wonder when life will slow down, <sigh>!

Here are my JBS shares from the April Kit. Have you seen the gallery this month? It's absolutely stunning! I only did one layout this month because I was itching to create cards, and lots of them, but there are plenty of gorgeous LO's from the rest of the team over in the gallery. I also loved working with the Project Kit, which has Jenni's new large chipboard banners. I used Tim Holtz Distress stains in Broken China, Spun Sugar and Antique Linen to create the mottled watercolor look on the vintage text papers that were in the kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was a little tricky and required some nimble fingers, mini glue dots followed by some quick stitches to hold it in place, but I loved the effect.

That's all for now ... I have lots more to share, just need a few hours alone with Photoshop and my computer. Much love,

 
 

 

 

March at JBS!

Lots to share...

A lovely new kit at JBS Mercantile... here are my contributions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An exciting online crop next weekend with tons of prizes... find information here....

 

and plenty more projects to share with you. Check out the rest of the DT's Gallery here...

 

 

Valentine Inspiration

 
Alekha and I will be spending part of the day today baking valentine cookies for her class party tomorrow. She's very excited - on Friday, her class decorated shoeboxes for the valentine exchange tomorrow. We've prepared treat bags for all the children. Definitely one of my favorite holidays of the year! Hope you have a little celebration of your own planned, and because I know I won't be able to get back in here to post tomorrow, a very happy valentine's day to you and yours. Just some random photos - ones I've taken, ones I've gathered from the web, and a little vintage postcard for you. Enjoy!

 

Made these for breakfast LAST weekend. She loves strawberry pancakes with powdered sugar on top - never maple syrup!

 

 

 
A couple JBS projects - loved making the kraft treat box with the silhouette shapes. The mini JBS papers work perfectly for little jewelry boxes that can be filled with small treats or chocolate.

 
via Julia Usher

 
via Julia Usher

 
via Julia Usher

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Jenni Bowlin CHA Winter 2011 Blog Hop & Prize Giveaway - Be Our Guest!

Welcome to Jenni Bowlin Studio's CHA Winter 2011 Blog Hop brougt to you by our newest release, "Be Our Guest!" This is our largest release ever filled with all sorts of pretties from the patterned paper, stickers, rub-ons, bingo cards, and unique embellishments you've come to know and love to a new foray into acrylic stamps and project foundations. You can see the entire release HERE (http://jennibowlinstudioinspiration.blogspot.com/2011/01/cha-winter-2011-index.html). To celebrate, we're offering you lots and lots of opportunities to win $15 gift cards to JBS Mercantile.

You can enter to win at the following locations:

Twitter (http://twitter.com/jbsmercantile): We will be giving away TWO $15 gift cards to one NEW follower on Twitter. These will be sent to the winner and to a friend of the winner's choosing, so if you're already a follower of @jbsmercantile then get some of your friends to follow us too! We will also be randomly choosing a winner from those who retweet the "CHA Winter 2011 Giveaway" post.

NEWSFLASH . . . Jenni now has a Twitter account! It's @jennibowlin and we will be choosing a random winner from her followers as well! Follow her on Twitter HERE (http://api.twitter.com/jennibowlin).

Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenni-Bowlin-Studio/114121281953129): Look for the post that mentions, "Be Our Guest Giveaway" and leave a comment to be entered into the first drawing. We will also be randomly choosing a second winner from our NEW Facebook followers, so tell all your friends!

JBS Mercantile Message Board (http://www.jbsmercantile.com/forum.asp): In the "Town Square," leave a comment on the thread entitled, "Be Our Guest Giveaway."

The JBS Inspiration Blog (http://www.jennibowlinstudioinspiration.blogspot.com/): Leave a comment on the "CHA Winter 2011 Blog Hop" post telling us which of our new products is your favorite.

The following design team members are also hosting giveaways on their blogs:

Doris Sander

Jenni Bowlin

Wilna Furstenburg

Dina Wakley

Kerry Lynn Yeary

Michelle McCord

Betsy Sammarco

Stephanie Howell

Shimelle Laine

Celeste Smith

Jill Sprott

Get to hopping! and Good Luck!

 

And if that isn't enough to convince you, here are a few lovelies I got to create with my box of new Be Our Guest goodies...

 

 

 

JBS February Gallery

I was working from home all day today due to school being closed because of the icy roads here in Ohio, and now it's raining even more and making the road conditions icier and we're expecting snow tomorrow. Spring, where are you?? <sigh>! Hope you all are safe and warm wherever you are. In the meantime, you can dream of spring with JBS Mercantile's February kit -- it really is gorgeous and full of warm, springlike color. The DT did an amazing job with it. Here's a link to the gallery - I spent atleast an hour poring over everyone's gorgeous contributions. Here are my offerings for the month. I'll be back later this week with another post. I can't do much this evening because the lights are flickering, and I fear the electricity may go out any minute, so I am rushing to get this one posted. This first one was my favorite, but I also loved creating a bunch of little cards and tags. I had a hard time stopping with this kit, lol!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The test of faith

 

Apparently, the universe heard me, in my last post. A few short days after posting, Bobby lost his job in a layoff. I was devastated at first, as we were coming off of an exeptionally tough year in 2010 anyway. But I can't help but feel at times that it is the universe's message to both of us, to push us in a different direction, and to help me to strengthen my faith, to find courage in tough times. He wasn't happy where he was and I knew in my heart it wasn't the right place for him. Once we got over the initial shock, I began to see that it might be a message from the universe telling us that it was not where he was meant to be. I've done a lot of soul searching since it happened and through my sorrow have realized that when one door closes, it is because another is meant to open, somewhere, somehow. Thank you all for your very insightful comments. I read them all and am comforted knowing that I am not alone on this journey. I'll try to post more but am swamped in CHA projects just now. So in the meantime, here's a valentine card I created for the JBS Inspiration blog.

 

 

 

A brand new year.

 

Wishing all of my readers a very happy, prosperous and healthy new year! 2010 proved to be an exceptionally stressful and tough year for many people, me included. I am so glad to be saying goodbye to 2010 and ready for a fresh beginning. I wish you all the very best in the coming year!

Here are my contributions to the January Gallery at JBS Mercantile, and a vintage image for you as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mercantile Gallery Updates

Busy fall weekend here. I carved Alekha's pumpkin from her trip to the pumpkin patch on Monday with her dad. She had an inservice day on Friday so we got to hang out and went to the science museum and then to see Nanny McPhee Returns at the dollar cinema. I cleaned the house and did a ton of laundry today, and now Bob and Alekha are across the street at a Bucks football game/tailgate party and I am enjoying a bit of peace and quiet for a change!

Just a few updates to the Mercantile mid-month gallery. Here are my contributions, make sure you check out the rest from the DT - these women just know how to bring it, month after month after month! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JBS October Kits

Here is my contribution to the gallery at JBS this month. This month's kit features the Restoration Collection from Crate Paper, which I was so excited to receive. This kit was so lovely, versatile and easy to work with, it practically scrapped itself! Grab the kit here if you haven't already, and check out the other designers' work in the Mercantile Gallery.

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

Such a versatile kit that I was able to do a halloween card with it too!

 

Jenni has new Thanksgiving themed bingo cards available in the project kit. I used them to create this little mini. It's all ready for me to add photos and journaling. More tomorrow!

 

 

JBS Holiday Projects

I am still at play with some of the add-on kit goodies from last month's JBS, plus I wanted to start doing a little holiday crafting - I know it's only September but December gets here so fast and I never have enough handmade cards ready so I am doing them earlier this year. The first one is a handglittered halloween card, using the vintage page from last month's JBS kit. I ran the sheet right through the printer and then added glass glitter by outlining the shadowed part of the font with Ranger Inkssentials Matte Accents - the fine tip applicator is perfect for detail work. The font I used is Shadowed Germanica.

Next, a few holiday cards using JBS Bingo cards. I love the versatility of Jenni's bingo cards. They're so easy to dress up and look great plain too!

The sunburst effect was done with a stencil from a past JBS kit and Jenni's new Ranger Dabber Inks in stick candy and cough syrup, plus her new Christmas themed chipboard buttons. The vintage holly leaves and jingle bells are from Papier Valise.

And finally, this sweet little minibook which I covered in burlap and lace trim.