Meet Our February Guest Designer . . . Paula Gilarde!

Hi, I'm Paula :) What started as a simple wedding album has turned into a full-blown obsession. I do something scrap related every day e.g take photos, search for inspiration or actually scrap!. I'm so happy to have this hobby that has allowed me to do something creative every day and make so many friends while doing it.

@6 was my favorite layout - I love to be able to include some digital element on my pages, plus my daughter actually obliged and let me take her photo which is a rarity! Aren't those buttons the best though?
Here's a recent photo of Tommy, my son. It cracks me up - I want to always remember him like this. :)

Get Inspired

JBS design team member Doris Sander has a new class starting tomorrow at Get It Scrapped! Scraproom with a View is all about getting inspired one room at a time. The first lesson focuses on the kitchen and features innovative stamps discovered in the refrigerator, delightful ruffles created from cupcake papers, and four never before seen layouts. There are eight fun-filled lessons in all and each is packed with fabulous photos, tons of information and inspiration that will have you itching to get scrapping. Find out more HERE.

JBS March Goodness

Did you get these goodies in the mail?If you did, I hope you'll enter our first monthly contest!

If you didn't get the March kit, I believe there are still a few available here.

You won't be disappointed; it's a really fun kit to work with . . .

and then you can enter our first monthly contest!

Lovely Ranjini Projects

I loved the Kaiser frames so much I decided to split them into two different frames to use for two separate projects. On the first frame, I used the patterned dot paper around the edge of the frame. I then added some Basic Grey paper for the focal point of the frame.

I punched birds from the pink crepe paper and placed them on the birdcage paper. I then placed the vintage millinery as shown. I added a ruffled ribbon, a rosette flower at the top and a diecut at the bottom.

I added a photo of Alekha that I punched out with a circle punch. I placed the medallion and pearl from the kit at the bottom.

I wanted to use the frame horizontally this time, and decided to create a scene of Paris' famed Bois de Boulogne in the spring. I used the patterned paper to cut a house shape, the roof, as well as bushes. I also used the packaging of the American crafts rubons to cut the tree top.

I used the strip at the bottom of the My Mind's Eye patterned cardstock as a tree trunk. I used the vintage text from the project kits as my background. I added some other diecut embellishments (mostly from K&Company's new Madeline Collection) as well as a vintage button to embellish the roof of the house.

The bird at the top of the house was cut with a Quickutz die. I added a little ribbon and flower to her neck. I really loved how this turned out!

Melting Butterflies

This is what Michelle had to say about her lovely "Winter Blues" layout: For a 3 dimensional look, I decided to 'melt' the hand cut out butterflies. This is really very easy and trial and error as to how much you should melt your cut outs. I just used a candle lighter and held the cut out over the flame until the overlay started curling up. As soon as you think there is enough curl, then stop melting it. It is a very addictive technique to try! ;-)

I had to try butterfly melting right away! How about you? I'm now in love with this technique! It IS very addicting! Thanks Michelle for telling us about it!

A couple more tips: The plastic curls TOWARD the flame. The flame caused some black soot, but I was able to get most of it off the overlay by rubbing with a damp paper towel.

Try it! You'll like it!

Who Will Be Joining Us This Month?

Do you have any idea who this curly-haired cute is?

If you're an early bird, you'll find out first thing tomorrow morning, or if you're a night owl you'll find out late this evening. Take your eagle eyes over to the Jenni Bowlin Studio gallery at midnight tonight to view more of her lovely creations . . .

March Contest!!!

Here's another little peek at the March kit. It was SO much fun to play with . . . it practically sings "Happy Spring!" We'd love to see what YOU do with it, so we're hosting a little contest. Simply post a link here to something you've created using product mostly from any of the March JBS kits (main, add-on, project, lucky vintage). We'll choose a winner on March 31st and post their creation here on April 1st. The prize is April's add-on kit! Hope you'll all join in the fun!

Meet Our January Guest Designer . . . Leah Farquharson!

I live in the greater Ft. Lauderdale area with my hubby and our two boys. We homeschool {for now}. I most enjoy the "good, old-fashioned type" of fun with our family - flying a kite at the beach, building a fort in the living room, making cookies together. I get inspired by life. I love fantasy fiction, and just reading in general. Pretty fabric makes me happy. I scrap for fun, for creativity, and to remember.
I just love that my husband surprised me with the iphone for Christmas - you see, I sort of had a bad reaction to a surprise of his once {oh, nothing terrible, just flustered and maybe a little grumpy ;)} Anyway, ever since then, he's been really careful about what he gets for me, and I sort of have an idea beforehand. Not this time!! And I totally loved it! The title's sort of taken from him - he told me he'd recently noticed that I was "really liking the technical gadgets" HeeHee. Hooray for hubbys who notice! I love being a mom - I find it to be one of the toughest jobs out there, but totally worth it. I struggle against losing my identity in taking care of them, so instead of letting go of the things I enjoy, I pursue them that much harder. I'm so thankful I have a husband who loves and supports me in that!

A January February Merger

I still had lots of fun stuff leftover from my January and February kits, and since I love red and pink together I decided to blend the two. Delighted with the results. I must try it this again sometime. And here's a little fyi for you . . . Jenni just posted another March sneak plus a charming leprechaun kit that i think i NEED.