True Scrap Winner!

And the winner of the True Scrap giveaway is . . . Nancy L said... This is so exciting. I'm so glad I saw this post. I'd love a chance to win a spot in the class. March 30, 2011 9:35 PM Congratulations Nancy! Email me at doris.sander@gmail.com and I'll forward your name to the True Scrap headquarters! :)

Welcome Briana Johnson our April Guest Designer!

I started scrapbooking when I was 16 and my future mother-in-law invited me to a Creative Memories party. I am 31 now so I suppose I've been at this about 15 years. I scrap partly to preserve memories and to see the expression on my kids' faces when they look at their pages but it's mostly just because I love to mess with paper. And well, to collect and pet scrapbook stuff. Being the guest designer for April is a HUGE honor for me! Huge.

I was born and raised in rural Oklahoma. I graduated from OSU, we went back to our hometown for 5 years, then we decided to move to the big city : ) Oklahoma City that is, specifically Edmond, a suburb of OKC. I've been married to my high school sweetheart, Adam, for 10 years and we have two children, Zane who is 5, and Ava who is 3. We also have two cats. I am a stay at home mama. My hubs buys and sells mineral rights. This is a photo of our family at my daughter's third birthday a few days ago. Adam and I look happy enough but the kids - not so much : )

I really enjoyed working with this kit and "Tiny Dancer" is just one of my favorite layouts. The Sassafras paper was so easy to work with since most of the work has been done for you. I used all the squares and columns as a base for adding my photos and embellishments. I punched squares from the paper and ran some plain cardstock through my Cuttlebug to get the embossed polka dots. I adhered those with pop dots. I misted the fabric banner with white mist and stenciled pink polka dots. I cut the title with my Cricut.

The best two places I have traveled have been Italy on my honeymoon and Hawaii on my 10th Anniversary. One of my favorite photos is of my husband testing the water at Secret Beach in Kauai. When I look at that photo I feel like I'm about to witness an accident (not really just kinda). The waves were too big to go any farther and that current was major but the expanse of ocean and sky and the white foamy water are so beautiful. They all just blend in to each other.

This is a photo of my scrapbook room. My room is what I call "the attic room" as you can see by the strong eaves. That created a challenge when it came to storage. My husband and I installed floating shelves from Lowe's to fit the short but long wall and I loved the way it turned out. I know what you're thinking, you can't see what I'm talking about for looking at all those Martha punches! Scrapbook girls love that part. The punches are arranged on two tier chrome stands from Lowe's as are my wood mounted stamps and other punches.

Wow! What an inspiration you are Briana! We are so excited to share more of your amazing work tomorrow at midnight in the JBS Mercantile Gallery! In the meantime, be sure to check out her creations on her blog, "Paper*Lust." P.S. There's still a little time to enter our big True Scrap Giveaway!

deLovely : bonus project + layout

hey everyone, it's kL. I just posted a mini book and a layout on my blog that i created with the items i had left after creating the deLovely banner. there was too much of that lovely kit remaining to simply call it a day.



doris had a chance to take a pic of the contents this weekend and just look at what you get! and remember, if you've been holding off on purchasing it, you can always add it to your april mercantile kit that comes out on the first and save on shipping fees.

and note, there's also a 12x12 alpha sheet from echo park which you can't see in the pic. seriously, the kit is huge!

happy wednesday!

Guest Star Jen Gallacher!

Today we havea treat from Jen Gallacher. Jen is a master at getting the story down on the page and her detail work is just so gorgeous. Look what she has done with our new charms and butterfly stamps (both will be available at Mercantile in April). Stunning! Thanks for the inspiration Jen! P.S. The True Scrap giveaway is still open . . .

True Scrap Giveaway!

True Scrap is fast approaching and it's going to be a scraptacular event that you won't want to miss! It features a class segment by Shimelle Laine and a make-and-take by Jenni Bowlin! Guess what?! Were giving away a spot at True Scrap . . . a $97 value! Simply leave a comment on this post and we'll randomly draw a winner Thursday evening, 3/31, at 9pm CST.

Guest Star Clouds Shadler!

We like to spotlight up and coming talent too here on the inspiration blog. Today we welcome the fabulous Clouds Shadler! You're going to want to keep your eye on her! Her work is amazing! First we have this sylish self-portrait of which she writes, "I used the butterfly stamp packaging for a quick background and it fit so nicely!"

Next a set of cards . . . her specialty! She says, "oh my, red and embossed butterfly, I really like the card. :)"

and another little tip, "Gift card envelope, simply layered and quick to assemble. Tip: Use a standard sized-sealed envelope, simply cut in half, and you have 2 mini gift card size envelopes to decorate! Voila :)" Voila! Indeed! Thanks for the inspiration Clouds!

A Mini Crop! A Warehouse Sale! Hooray! Hooray!

We didn't want to leave our non-locals out of the festivities, so we're planning an online mini-crop for the evening of April 9th. We're still in the planning stages, so more details to follow but we wanted you to be able to go ahead and mark your calendars. We'll have two or three challenges, two or three giveaways, and chat for a bit. Looking forward to spending time with you again! * And for the locals, here are the JBS Warehouse Sale deets once more . . . We are going to have a one day sale next month on April 9th from 9:00a.m. - 5p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Mt. Juliet, TN just off of interstate 40. We have double the space then we normally have and here's what we plan to bring with us: the super cool vintage and antique items you are used to finding at our Vintagefest shopping events (displays, knick knacks, ephemera, trinkets and treasures). I have been shopping for months and this will be our first sales event of the year, discounted past kits from the Mercantile site of all kinds, discounted individual products leftover from Mercantile kits, and NEW to this sale, many discontinued JBS stickers, rub-ons and papers at reduced prices!

Guest Star Kelli Crowe!

You're in for a delight today as we welcome Kelli Crowe to the JBS Inspiration Blog! Now when I think of Kelli Crowe, I think three things: creative genius, great sense of humor, and Pride & Prejudice connoisseur. Kelli has dropped off five of her scrappy stylings here with us and we are so inspired! Yes we are! Which is your favorite? Tell us please. I am particularly partial to "Text Messages." So clever! If you'd like to spend more time with Kelli, she's teaching at True Scrap next month! You can read all about it and her bonus class offering HERE. Thanks so much for the inspiration Kelli!

Sunday Star Winner!

Our Sunday Star Sketch Winner is Helen Tilbury! Great interpretation of the sketch Helen! I just love the detail work on your banner! Email me at doris.sander@gmail.com and I'll get your gift card sent. Thanks for playing with us!

Vintage Inspo Challenge!

Our challenge this week is to get inspired by this vintage Lotto box. How does this old game inspire you? Are you excited about the primary color scheme? Will you use it as the foundation for a sketch with that great grid and diagonal title? How about using the font graphics as a springboard for some handcut titlework? Does your family host a weekly game night you could scrap about? Please share your inspiration with us in the customer gallery! Put "Sunday Star: Vintage Inspo Challenge" in the comments section! We'll pick a winner on Sunday, April 10th and that winner will receive a $10 gift card to spend at JBS Mercantile. Happy Scrapping!

And don't forget about our Thank You Cards for the Troops Challenge that ends April 3rd!

April Peek!

We are in for an exciting month ahead! Here is a little peek from Michelle McCord showcasing some of the pretties in April's Papercrafting Kit. And here are some sunshine yellow exclusives to bring on spring thaws! You can find more April Hints design team chatter on our new forum. The gallery and all the new stuff will go live Thursday at midnight CST! It's going to be a big release! All the usuals, plus an extra add-on, an extra Easter project kit from Jenni, extra spring papercrafting items, and the entire "Be Our Guest" line!

Guest Star Alissa Fast!

I am always delighted by the mini-album stylings of Alissa Fast. She never disappoints! Love the sweet Hodge Podge Mini-Album rendering she provided us. And how about these awesome layouts too?! Goodness . . . I just think the stamped tag background on this first one is so amazingly clever! Thanks so much for the inspiration Alissa!

May With May Winner!

And the winner of May With May is:

NanaBeth said...
I love May's work.It is always unique,fresh, and imaginative.I just took one of her classes and it was a pure joy!
March 16, 2011 10:30 PM

Congratulations Nana Beth! Email me at doris.sander@gmail.com and I'll get you hooked up with a great class! :)

Book Inspiration: Pride and Prejudice

Welcome to Word for Word Wednesday, and to another book inspiration post, in which we focus on how some of our favorite literary works can spark creativity -- and today's selection is all about sparks flying.

   "You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it."

   Again his astonishment was obvious; and he looked at her with an expression of mingled incredulity and mortification. She went on --

   "From the very beginning -- from the first moment, I may almost say -- of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."

It's moments like this that make me fall into Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice over and over, whether in book or movie form.  Published in 1813, it just may be one of the most quotable, enduring, and swoon-worthy classics ever written.  A recent version of the book, with cover art by the amazing Ruben Toledo, definitely speaks to the spirit of the novel (as well as my newfound love of silhouettes).

When it comes to Pride and Prejudice on film, there is no question that certain images resonate.  Doris and I shared a laugh the other day after watching this interview with screenwriter Andrew Davies (see #9 especially), in which he addresses Colin Firth's "wet, ruffled shirt scene" in the BBC version.  Davies claims that he "was very surprised when it seemed like half the women in England had posters of Colin Firth in his wet shirt in the kitchen to cheer themselves up when doing their domestic chores."  Talk about inspiration, hmm?  


Drawing from Toledo's silhouettes and my own inclination toward all things Darcy, I created the following page as a kind of homage to one of my favorite books ever:

This page, like the book, observes certain conventions while also applauding the spirit of true romance.  The first time I saw the Be My Guest silhouette journaling cards and rub-ons, I was immediately reminded of Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice (and I know I'm not alone in making that comparison).  These ended up becoming the foundation for this page, which may be a photo-less layout, but it still has a clear focal point.  

To create the garland, I printed excerpts from Pride and Prejudice (which is readily available online) over a few of the Be My Guest papers, and punched circles from the text, honing in on particularly telling words such as "civility," "marrying," "courted," "daughters", "single", "beauty," and of course, "pride."  I then added accents, such as JBS rhinestone buttons, pearl charms, stick pins, and rhinestone bows.  

I reread Pride and Prejudice at least once a year, and watch the movie version(s) several times yearly.  It continually inspires!