Product Inspiration: Amanda Johnson

Greetings! This is Mandi here to share with you some Jenni Bowlin product inspiration. One of my favorite specialty items that Jenni Bowlin offers is any of the chipboard shapes. Particularly, the sun shapes.

The sun shapes can be used as templates to trace over a patterned paper you want to trim and then use to embellish your page, while still keeping the chipboard sun for later use. You can also trace the sun directly onto your page with a boldly colored pen.

I think my favorite way to use the chipboard suns is to lay then down onto cardstock and spray ink over them, creating a base for my entire layout design.

Another option is to trim the shape and simply staple it onto your layout, as Betsy Sammarco has done here: Both ideas are really simple and add a lot of pizazz to your layouts. What kind of ideas do you have for using the chipboard sun shapes?

Summer CHA 2009: Getting the Goods

If you were lucky enough to get to go to CHA then you might be hanging out with this crafty chica. Melissa is our favorite local artisan cause she makes us cool wearable JBS creations and super yummy snacks. She rocks! To make your own vintage tee you will need a dark t-shirt, stickers and/or chipboard with adhesive, a spray bottle of vinegar, a spray bottle of bleach, and a large piece of cardboard.

1. place cardboard inside tee to prevent bleach from bleeding to the back.

2. lightly adhere the stickers and/or chipboard

3. lightly spray with vinegar

4. lightly spray with bleach

5. watch the shirt closely; when the desired color is attained rinse with cold water

If you weren't lucky enough to go to CHA this summer, you can still order all the product NOW! Wholesalers log in HERE to view the catalog and place orders online (you can also fax in the orders). The Town Square patterned paper line and a few other treats will be in the August Mercantile kit that goes on sale at midnight on July 31st. Retail orders will be taken on the site at the beginning of September.

All rub-ons available in both silver and gold.

Memo pads available in green, orange, red, black, brown, and grey.


All stickers available in brown, black, red, and blue.

Inspired by Town Square

I'm in love with Jenni's New Town Square line. It's just so perfect for this time of year. It's perfect for those end of summer photos . . .

Perfect for back to school photos . . .

And I'm sure it will be perfect for my fall photos as well. In fact, I think that will be my next project!

Inspiration Overload!

We still have several more CHA preview layouts to share with you on top of all our regularly scheduled inspiration, so I thought I'd better keep on posting over the weekend! Here's another Jenni creation PLUS she's got another new one posted on her blog! Go Jenni!

Tag Tip from Lisa Dickinson!

Lisa Says: Do you collect the cute tags and cards that accompany gifts like I do? I think they make great page embellishments! For this page, I wanted to include the card & message that came along with my gift (a coffee machine from my hubby!). The Crate & Barrel card was just a simple black & white folded card, so I spruced it up a bit with some of the JBS chipboard buttons & twine. I created the title block with a scrap of mini paper, a die cut journal tag, and alphabet stickers. I arranged everything on the red JBS ledger paper, added a few journal strips and a JBS tickets, and voila! A simple page to remind me of a special gift.

And for today's CHA Summer Peek, how about a Jenni Bowlin Special? Yep! Jenni's been scrapping! This layout features New Town Square patterned paper and New Border Stickers!

July Mercantile Contest!

Another Summer CHA peek from Ranjini! This one features Town Square plus the new tiny circles alpha stickers and sticker borders.

Link your JULY MERCANTILE LAYOUTS HERE for a chance to WIN our monthly contest!!! You'll have your layout showcased on our blog and this month's prize is the new bingo cards! Halloween and Back to School in both Jumbo and Mini sizes!!! Contest ends August 12th!

And on a side note, the Halloween bingo cards are not in the August kit. Sorry for the confusion there! I'll mention how much you love them to Jenni though and perhaps they will find their way into a September add-on kit. We are looking into getting those witches printed, but sadly we're having trouble locating the copyright owner. I'll keep you posted!

August Mercantile Exclusives! Boo!

The August JBS Mercantile reveal will be here before you know it. Here is the exclusive paper, rub-on, journaling card, and vintage photo that you can look forward to this month! Only available in the kit!

And now for more Summer CHA sneak peeks! Eeek! Jenni's classic bingo cards are now available in a Halloween version. Ranjini has created a couple frightfully fabulous peeks for you. First is a delightfully spooky treat bag featuring the jumbo cards.

And here we have a boo!tiful collage hanging showcasing the mini version. Happy Halloween!

Inspiration Jackpot!!!

This week's Designer Inspiration is brought to you by Keisha Campbell.

Keisha says: I am always inspired by buttons. I love to use them on my pages. I am always on the hunt for pretty, sparkly and unique buttons. These I grabbed up from Joann's by LaMode. I love to stock up on my fave buttons when they are on sale. I bought these a couple months ago and have been hoarding them in my special button box. I love that they are black with delicate details and a bit of sparkle-plus, they have a vintage look that works so well with JBS products. I have been so reluctant about trying to use this JBS green die cut pp-because it is so far from my usual girly colors. But it was perfect for me to use with my buttons. Although, this paper has navy-it looks like it has some black. I just added more black products to play that theme up. And the soft JBS floral paper gives it that girly touch!! All this inspiration from a couple of black buttons!!

Friday's Tutorial is from Amanda Johnson. (Sorry it's a little late. Doris had four days of jury duty last week and then her sister came for a visit). Click HERE to see step by step instructions for creating the gorgeous gesso butterfly on this layout. You really don't want to miss it as there are lots of great tips on covering chipboard, using gesso and spray ink, and machine stitching.

And we have another Summer CHA sneak peek! This one's from Ranjini Malhotra. It features the new patterned paper line Town Square plus new stickers, rub-ons, and chipboard buttons. Just lovely!

Product Spotlight: Michelle McCord

Michelle says: I chose to highlight the JBS patterned paper. I just love how I can mix the shades of red on a page to make it all pop. I'm sure by now you all know I am a big fan of the layering and distressing, so layering the three different patterned papers on my layout was easy since they all mesh so well together.

I also used some of the JBS cardstock letter stickers for my title on the photo. To make the heart, I just cut one of the # 8's in half and used the letter V for the bottom part of the heart, placed it on some coordinating JBS patterned paper, machine sewed over the top, and cut it out.

. . . and here is another tiny CHA summer release peek. Doris (that would be me) is still working on that newsletter; she is every so slightly behind schedule due to a four day stint of jury duty . . .

Summer CHA Sneak Peek!

You can find a few glimpses of new product on this layout by Doris. The wholesale newsletter will go out tomorrow afternoon with the summer CHA release and ordering details, so tomorrow night we will be able to share more peeks right here! Yay!

Summer CHA Peeks Start Tomorrow!

Until then, another pretty from Dina to tide you over. :D

Ink Inspiration

No doubt Dina finds inspiration in her inks. Read a little more about how she does it here.

June Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Lisa Newding our June contest winner! I've seen her layout Poker Face in the gallery several times and I always have to stop and laugh. That photo is hilarious and the title is a classic. Thanks for sharing your fun layout and sense of humor with us Lisa! Email me at doris.sander@gmail.com and I'll get your prize in the mail!

Customer Spotlight

So Sorry! This was supposed to go up yesterday. All this vacationing and lack of a real schedule is getting to me. Let's pretend for just a moment that it's still Wednesday, shall we?

Wednesday is now customer appreciation day! On Wednesdays we'll be sharing gallery favorites, hosting our monthly mercantile contest (don't forget to post you June entries HERE! contest ends this Friday!), interviewing YOU, and even having a drive-by now and then. Our very first customer interview will go up on 7/22. We'll be looking here and in the gallery for someone to spotlight. It could be your time to shine!

So today we're sharing some gallery favorites. As always, there was some great stuff in there. I decided to focus on the adorable animal layouts this month.

The Hitchhiker by Amy A was created using the JBS Mercantile June Kit. Darling photos, great layering, and I especially love the journaling in the sun.

Puppy Prozac by Cupcake features the JBS Apothecary stickers. So clever and delightful, and such perfect details.

I just love Gus by Jaylynn. That little face is just irresistible (and it totally gives me the giggles that my brother's name is Gus). Totally awesome hand-cutting of the birdie patterned paper.

As always, thanks for sharing your gorgeous work with us! I look forward to checking for more soon!

Jenni July!

Jenni got this layout loaded to her July gallery a few days ago and I wanted to make sure you all knew it was there. I would hate for anyone to miss out on a Jenni original! You can read what she had to say about it here.

Designer Inspiration - Ranjini Malhotra

Monday's are now Designer Inspiration. We want to share a little of what inspires us as designers. Today's thoughts are from Ranjini . . .
I have been a collector of objects for as long as I can remember. It started early, with Charlie's Angels and Star Wars trading cards and Cracker Jack prizes. By the time I was an adult, I had graduated to objects with a bit more grown up taste, but just as fun. Some of my current obsessions are vintage trophy cups and old photos. The photos I buy usually speak to me in some way or another. I bought this one long before I had my first child, while I grappled with infertility. It comforted me to see the love between the young mother in this photo and her sweet baby, and gave me something to wish for and hope for during my struggle.

The trophy cups are something I collect purely because I love their faded appearance, the tarnished silver and their elegant shapes. I also have been picking up flower frogs which are great for display. I try to group items in a similar color palette within a collection together. I have a bookshelf that is filled with objects in tones of tarnished silver, ivory, cream, sepia and espresso.

I often look to my collections for color inspiration and the palette inspires me in my work, such as in this palette card that was inspired by the neutral tones of collections on my bookshelf. I simply traced a paint palette from my collection of tools onto chipboard, cut it out and covered it in JBS papers and added one of Jenni's crepe trims around the edge, along with some silver trim and a rubon. It doesn't matter what you collect, as long as it is something that holds meaning or beauty for you personally. I'd love to hear what you collect, and how you use your collections to inspire you.

Butterfly Mobile

This mobile is very quick and easy and would make a perfect addition any any room in your home.

The supplies you will need are as follows: Chipboard shapes* I used the JBS chipboard butterflies for my mobile, JBS patterned paper, sewing thread, small hole punch or awl, buttons of various sizes, any other embellishments you would like to use.

To start off, decide how long you want your mobile to hang down. I used three JBS chipboard butterflies for mine. Decorate them as you wish. Take your hole punch or awl and punch small holes at the TOP and the BOTTOM of the chipboard shapes. Your sewing thread will be going through this.

Next, put the sewing thread through the top hole in the piece of chipboard that will hang at the top of your mobile and tape the thread into place on the back.

After the string is attached to the first piece of chipboard, thread some buttons onto the string. Doesn't matter what size or color, just choose to your liking! After threading your number of choice of buttons, thread on the next piece of chipboard to be hanging in the mobile, and continue in the same process adding buttons and chipboard.

When you come to the end of the string, you can just tie on another button or embellishment of your choice and you have just created your very own mobile.

Today's Inspiration Brought to You by Dina!