From Pinterest to Scrapbook Page | Circle Inspired

My Pinterest boards are overflowing with inspiration for fashion, cooking, home decor, and of course, scrapbooking! But it's not just layouts and sketches that provide starting points for my page designs. Recently I cam across this pin, featuring a giclee print available on Etsy:

I was drawn to the series of circles, each with their own unique texture. And since I am a huge fan of grid designs, the 3x4 arrangement of elements was a composition I knew I could replicate on a page.

Using the  October Papercrafting Kit, I cut circles slightly smaller than 3 inches in diameter from the kit papers, as well as two photos of my kids in the pumpkin patch. To mimic the texture in the inspiration piece, I added simple twine stitching to some of the circles.

So what is inspiring you on Pinterest on lately? How could you translate it to a scrapbook page? We'd love to see what you create! And don't forget to check out the JBS Pinterest Boards for lots of inspiring layouts, cards, projects, and more!

Spotlight on Vintage: August Kits

I'm such a fan of mixing old and new...modern with vintage...rustic with contemporary! So I was excited to see the classic vintage elements in this month's JBS Mercantile Papercrafting Kits.  The August kit contains a sheet of vintage numbered graph paper, 2 strips of vintage cigar box labels, 4 vintage butter pat squares and 1 cotton twine spool.

To show how perfectly these historic ephemera coordinate with new papers and embellishments, I created this page to document our summer:

I used a white-washed wood pattern as my backdrop, since its light and airy feel was perfect for a fresh summer page.  I cut my papers to 1-inch high to match the cigar labels, and varied the lengths to form a staggered stripe background.  A bit of stitching to each stripe adds dimension and texture. I also tucked in a few of the Kit Cuts, a staggered diamond design, for an added layer of interest.

The gold epoxy stickers included in the kit were perfect embellishments, adding sparkle to the page and tying in with the gold accents on the cigar labels.

I love how the old cigar labels and graph paper add a richness and patina to this design, while still mixing wonderfully with the brighter, more modern patterns. So don't be afraid to blend in some vintage to your next design! And if you're looking for even more antique-inspired pieces to incorporate into your scrapping, be sure to check out the Antiquarian Add-On.  It's full of treasures that will take your next project over the top!

July Kit Video with Lisa Dickinson

The July kits are in the store and ready for your summer scrapping! To give you a peek at the kits and get you motivated to start creating, I've put together this video that features the contents of the Papercrafting Kit and my process for creating a layout with it.  Enjoy!

      

For more kit inspiration, check out the Design Team Gallery and don't forget to grab your kit and add-ons in the Mercantile Store!

Summer Scrapping: Circles & Squares

We're celebrating all things summer this month at JBS, and I couldn't be happier! I love the bright colors and fun themes that accompany warm weather scrapping. Today I'm mixing some pieces from the June Mercantile Kits (Papercrafting and Historian - both of which are still available!) with Modern Mercantile papers and wood veneer. In addition, I'm combining rectangles and circles for a fun, energetic look.

I snapped this shot of Riely and her best friend Cassidy a few weeks ago on the last day of school. They were excitedly discussing all their big plans for summer, which included lots of playdates, sleepovers, and attending theater camp together.

S U P P L I E S :

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For the base layer, I used the Plus One stencil and some acrylic paint to add a bit of color and texture to my cardstock.  Then I layered some paper scraps and journaling cards to form a loose grid around the photo.

The heart on one of the journaling cards was a perfect place to type in a bit of journaling. Then, to add a sense of motion and energy to the page, I cut some thin circles from coordinating cardstock as well as cutting out a circular title for my page. I arranged these three circular elements in a triangle around my photo. Both the circles and the rounded corners on the papers and photo help to soften all the straight lines and add a "flow" to the page.

A few simple embellishments - a sticker, a vintage ticket, and wooden buttons (that also relate to the circles!) are all I needed to finish this page.

The combination of circles and squares can work with so many summer page themes, from baseball to beach balls, bike riding to frisbee games, pizza parties to road trips! Together they can help you create a dynamic, lively page to tell all your summer stories.

Happy Scrapping!

New Product Focus: Wood Veneer & Sequins

I am loving all the new wood veneer designs and sparkly sequins in the newest JBS release! I knew they'd be the perfect embellishments for a page about our recent trip to Mexico, so I gathered up my favorites and got to work!

To create a beachy feel on the background, I lightly brushed it with Speckled Egg ink that I watered down.  Once it was dry, I used the Plus One Stencil with aqua acrylic paint and added some of the cross-hatch texture over the top.  I then cleaned out the stencil and used it again with a teal fine-tip marker to trace additional plus-signs around the painted areas.

I layered a few paper scraps down the center of the page and then arranged my wood frames vertically as well. I sized my four photos to fit inside the Insta-Frames, which will perfectly hold 2x2-inch prints. Adhering them with foam dots helps to pop them up off the wood a bit.

I used the Speech Bubbles stencil to trace shapes onto white cardstock. Then I cut them out with small scissors and used them to hold my journaling strips (also brushed with water down Speckled Egg ink.)

Finally, I sprinkled several of the wood veneer clouds, clear sequins, and flower sequins around the page. They add the ideal finishing touch to this vacation page!

The wood veneers, stencils, and sequins are now available online and in scrapbook stores. We'd love to see what your create with them!

Happy Scrapping!

White + Ivory + Gold

I recently challenged myself to try the elegant color combo of white, ivory and gold. I've seen beautiful layouts using this color scheme but haven't had quite the right photos to use with it. So when I saw these shots of our new tortoiseshell cat, Scout, I knew I had no excuse not to try it out!

I found the perfect supplies in this month's Mercantile Kits and several of the new JBS releases. On the ivory background, I used the new Scattered Stars and Pennant Rub-Ons.  These go on so smoothly and easily - just like butter!

I mounted my photos on a set of the wood veneer Book Covers, which provided a great matte that coordinated with my colors and provided a little dimension. I also layered several generic shipping tags and a Printed Kraft Tag, along with one of the Studio Calico acrylic overlays.  I love how they add a subtle touch of white but let my background show through. I used machine stitching to hold everything down and to form some subtle frames around my two photos. All of these supplies are from this month's Mini Album Kit !

 

For a finishing touch, I tucked in several pairs of the Crystal Clear sequins around the page (also in the Mini Album Kit ).  I really love their iridescent shimmer and shine!

So if you're inspired to try out the ivory + white + gold color combo, the new JBS projects are a great place to start! Several of this month's Mercantile Kits contain the new releases, and they are now available at several online retailers.

Happy Scrapping!

One Little Word: Balance

The new year is always a chance to begin anew - setting goals and resolutions, planning for new ventures, and plotting just how to get it all accomplished. This year I decided to make one word my mantra:  BALANCE.  I documented this on my blog in early January and decided that it also deserved a scrapbook page as well.  The February JBS Mercantile Kits were the perfect inspiration for getting my One Little Word down on paper.  Here's the layout that resulted!

Using the contents of the Papercrafting Kit (which goes on sale tomorrow at midnight!) I created this layout that features the text from my blog post along with a photo of the bracelet I bought, which is stamped with letters spelling out balance.

I used the kit stencil to trace the small heart pattern with colored pencils. The three circles of stitching help give the design balance and reinforce my theme.

 

Do you have a word/mantra/theme for 2014? Document it with a special scrapbook page that will help remind you of your goal throughout the year.

Happy Scrapping!

Gratitude Cards

This is the time of year when we all reflect on our many blessings and gratitudes, and gatherings with friends and family are frequent. I always like to keep a few cards on hand to accompany last-minute hostess gifts or to jot a quick thank you to someone deserving! So I've assembled a festive card set using the November Papercrafting and Historian kits, as well as some classic JBS supplies:

The colorful feathers were cut from this month's exclusive Feather Stencil Cut (available with purchase of the Papercrafting Kit) using the autumnal papers in the kits. I layered them with the bare JBS chipboard (hearts, butterflies and stars) for a modern and clean look. The Echo Park stickers (in the Historian add-on) made perfect sentiments for each card, and a bit of twine ties everything together.  Finally, I added just a bit of sparkle with and several doily sequins, butterfly sequins, and pot of gold sequins, as well a few pearl buttons.

Hope you are enjoying this season of thanks and giving! Happy Scrapping!

October Kits | Papercrafting + Historian

The October kits are packed with everything you'd need for documenting your fall and Halloween, but they are also versatile enough to use for lots of other page themes as well! I've used the pie chart Kit Cut (free with purchase of the Papercrafting Kit) to make a layout about a typical day in the life of our dog, Shinerbock:

The bulk of the supplies on this page are from the Papercrafting Kit, but I've added in a label and die cut from the BasicGrey waterfall set in the Historian Add-On. These waterfall packs have a seemingly endless supply of die cuts, journaling cards, labels, and mini alphas (and everything coordinates perfectly!)

The pie chart was a great way to incorporate several of the fun patterned papers and bright cardstock in the kit. You could use this graph concept to illustrate your favorite things about autumn, the different types of Halloween candy your kids got trick-or-treating, or the variety of leaves that have fallen in your yard...the possibilities are endless!

 Happy October!