WOW - Mercantile is busting at the seams!!

With this. . .

(this month's very "Gypsy" Papercrafting Kit - loaded with exclusive stuff made just for this kit!! Find it here).

and this. . .

(our "spooky" Project Kit - in plenty of time for Halloween Crafting. Find it here).

and this. . .

(a Limited Edition Vintage "School Days" Crafting Kit. Find it here.)

and this. . .

(a Limited Edition Vintage Halloween Crafting Kit. Find it here.)

and these. . .

(vintage glove molds - great display pieces!! Find them here).

and these. . .

(more Patera adjustable rings, this time with a circle setting and in sterling silver. Find them here).

and this. . .

(another Limited Edition Kit just released last week. Find it here).

AND. . . all JBS CHA Summer releases are now available in the shop including our popular Memo Books in 6 colors, my favorite - Rub-On Singles in 6 styles, 2 colors each, new stickers, new chipboard buttons and the new Town Square Line!!

Everything shown here will be available (some in very limited quantities) beginning tonight, August 31st at 12:00 midnight central.

And don't miss this month's Add-On Kit too - see the Inspiration Blog for info and photo(s)!

Oh how love the first of the month!!

Flea Market Finds. . .

We had the most beautiful weekend here. Upper 70's and no humidity!! I spent all day Friday blissfully walking around the flea market finding treasures. Right off the bat I found 2 identical (although Jared had to point out that one was about 2" longer than the other) painted church pews that will be PERFECT on our new front porch on either side of the front door. I'm so excited (but of course forgot to take a picture). Here are some more great finds. . .

Still collecting things for Silver Bella (and another event or two I have up my sleeve)!!

Found a great Yo-Yo quilt and have been cutting the yo-yo's out and adding vintage buttons. . .

And finally a pile of fabric remnants for art quilts and other projects (I'm bundling them together in lots). . .

Also, check out Ali's blog today for my Tuesday Tutorial and information on a limited edition kit I just put up for sale at the site.

And. . .thanks to Mandi Johnson for my new blog look! I love it and I hope you do too! We are still working on side bar stuff, but you will see a link to her blog soon (she can give you a face lift too)!!

Happy Tuesday!

Morning Blogging

I have decided that blogging in the morning before I start my day is a much better scenario for getting it done on a regular basis! I think it is going to be my new policy which hopefully will mean more than once a week blogging is in my future.

So many things going on right now. We are still digging out from show orders (a blessing, not a complaint) and of course I am already starting development on our Fall release. Such is the way it goes! Also working on new classes to roll out this fall. More about that soon too!

After almost 3 months of being in our rental, they finally started on our house last week! It has been a 3 year process and I must say, until I saw movement and changes over there, I couldn't let myself believe it would really happen.

Hard to tell here, but they did a ton of clearing and have now dug out the foundation (ended up having to dig down a little in the back). Of course they hit rock - it is Tennessee afterall! That is why our basement is a "daylight" basement, basically just meaning we will have 3 levels. You don't have a basement in TN unless your on a cliff (exaggeration, but you get the picture)!

Jared has been over there almost every night moving rocks that we could use for something eventually (not sure what, but I'm sure it will be cool)!

We have worked on the plans for nearly 3 years and have a storage unit full of pieces and parts to "recycle" in the building process. And. . . the most exciting thing of all. . .

we just secured bricks from an old (early 1900's) tobacco barn in Greenville, TN where my inlaws are from. The barn sat next to Andrew Johnson's home right in downtown Greenville. I remember seeing it and admiring it when we toured the home more than a year ago. Sadly, vandals burned it down several months back (maybe a year ago now), almost taking the Andrew Johnson home with it. After several months of trying to figure out who actually "owned" the brick, we finally secured it and 60,000 of them will be on their way here soon!!! I'm so very excited to have that piece of history as part of our home (not to mention it's recycling at it's best)!!

Hopefully I won't bore you too much, but I plan to show updates here and there as we go (and ask for prayers that I make it through with my sanity still in tack)!

Happy Tuesday!!

A REALLY long week!

We had a great time in Orlando! The show was great and we stayed over two days to spend some time with the kids at Disney. All was well. . . until the day we were leaving (a week ago Sunday).

I woke up with a stomach bug! I was able to get enough medication in me to make it through the plane trip and was actually feeling a little better that night and into Monday. Just figured it was a 12 hour thing. It came back with a vengeance on Tuesday however and I was down (hard) until this weekend. Lost about 7 pounds. I have never been so happy to eat again - I can't even tell you! Thinking now it must have been bacterial (lab test is back tomorrow) as antibiotics are what seemed to do the trick finally. So glad to be back!!

I had something way more fun to post about, promise, but blogger is acting up at the moment and I can't move my pictures where they need to go. Will try again tomorrow or Wednesday I guess!

P.S. - check out the gallery over at Mercantile if you haven't already. The girls did some amazing things with the kits this month (including some cool takes on the Project Kit)!

Something to tide you over. . .

Be checking the Inspiration Blog for kit previews from Doris!! Since I will be at CHA, I won't be able to post here like I do the night before. I do have a quick tease however of the Project Kit (which I am in love with and am already planning a Christmas version) and a layout I did with some of the new JBS product that will be in the Papercrafting Kit!!

Here is the Project Kit tease:

And here is a fresh layout (I LOVE these new Rub-On Singles!!!!!!):

And. . . this was flea market weekend and I found some treasures!! Here are a few:

This is for our booth (shoving it in the suitcase!)

Cute little advertising notebooks (oh these make me so happy!)

An old paste necklace and small antique tintype album, still with it's working clasp.

Packing up, getting last minute things ready! We are taking the kids with us this time. My mom is going to meet us in Orlando and keep the kids busy at Disney while we are at show. My house is chaotic at the moment, but nobody knows anything else these days!

Have a great weekend!

Well it's about time!!

I have been home for a whole 4 days in a row! Really - I can't believe it!

Destin was fabulous. After shedding a tear or two the first day when they predicted rain all week (thank goodness meteorologists don't always get it right) and the pool was shut down (which never re-opened) I spent several blissful days with my toes in the white sand reading Twilight (yes I know - I'm so behind. And. . .I didn't even finish it. Everyone I talk to says they read it in one sitting. I am really not a reader, even though I want to be)!!

Here is a sweet photo I took one night of my cutie nephew and Christian and Noah. I could just eat them up - all 3! It was fun to get the dust off my camera.

For now though, it is back to reality as we are getting ready to head to the CHA show in Orlando in one week. We have more than 40 new products! I will post a full preview here soon (and Doris and the girls will be having some fun on the Inspiration Blog) but for now, see if you can spot the new product here:

(and its not the vegetable pill labels - those are truly old). . .

and here:

and if you want to see this layout in full check out the Fiskars site here. May was sweet enough to ask me to participate in Summer School!!

And, by the way, I have been meaning to post about a super cute magnet project Terri O did on her website. Click here.

More peeks coming soon! I'm so excited!!!

(oh- I put up a few more Project Kits this month MINUS the Prima Flowers. If you have a flower stash you can just use some of your own. There are only 8 of these available).

Off again- what a crazy summer!

Before I head out of town once more I wanted to give you a little inspiration! Here is one more hint towards my Big Picure Class that started this week (Tuesday is the last day to register)!! See the link to the right:

And. . . don't fall over, but I actually got something done for the gallery this month at Mercantile! Here is a preview (gallery is fully loaded at this moment with some awesome stuff! I keep pinching myself that this is MY design team! P.S. - there are only about 10 of these kits left)!

Have a great 4th of July (I can hear the sky booming as I type this)! And thank you to all of the military families out there who make sacrifices each day to keep us safe. God bless!!

New Kits Tonight!!!

12:00 midnight (central time) you will find the July Papercrafting Kit (with exclusive Mercantile Paper, Journaling Card, PhotoCard and Rub-On!!!!!) the July Project Kit and the July Add-On Kit (which includes one of the vintage green millinery flowers on Keisha's layout below). Also re-stocks on Junque Boxes, glass glitter and more! The girls have been doing some amazing things with this kit - keep watching the Inspiration Blog for sneak peeks on the gallery!

Back in town, at least for the moment!

Yes, we are back! Just in time to teach at the Scrap In Style event here in Nashville today. I had a great time - those were some talented girls! It felt more like playtime then work for sure.

Some quick Big Picture notes . . . you can still sign up for my class, Re-Purpose, Re-Think, Re-Invent. Registration closes July 8th (and class begins this week - July 2nd)!! Find out more here. Thanks to Cathy, Ali and Jeanette who gave away spots on their blog this week. So exciting - I can't believe it is here!

Please note - we are sending out another round of the Inspiration Packets for class tomorrow. We will send out the final round just after registration closes. We are not using anything from this packet until the 2nd/3rd week of class (and even then it is not a required deadline). If you do not have your packet by the end of the second week of class please let us know. Otherwise, keep checking the mailbox - it will come soon!

Meanwhile, here is a little inspiration from a recent trip to the flea market:

Check out that sweet, smiling face in the middle! Too cute. . .

Quick Check-In

We are headed to the airport here in CA shortly, headed back to TN. Thanks to everyone who came out to see us in San Diego at PaperTales and in Bakersfield at Simply Scrapbooks!! We enjoyed getting to meet everyone and really had a fun time here (although I have come to realize that my days of fast roller coasters may be over)! I will post a few photos when we get back in town again (to stay)!

We are headed towards Virginia tomorrow to teach at Scrapdoodles beginning Saturday morning. I did post the starting time wrong. Class starts at 9:30 instead of 10:00!! There are still a few spots left in each class.

More soon!! Back to my chaotic life!

Crazy Life. . .

I'm not sure it has been any crazier than right now! We sold our house and had to be out this weekend (less than 2 weeks to do it). Thankful we sold in this market but it has been crazy considering we are headed out of town for two weeks on Wednesday! We are renting a house down the street for now, awaiting for our construction project to start on our little farm! So sorry if I have been a little quiet. Once I get back in town I will try to get some fun posts up.

For now, here is some business to cover. . .

Registration is still open for my Big Picture Class! Read all about here.

And, just a reminder that I am headed to following places in the next 10 days. I think Paper Tales may be sold out but I'm not sure. The other two stores still have openings. I originally posted I would be at the Scrapbook Oasis while in CA as well, but I will not be now. I will try to get back there sometime soon!

I'm starting out in California at Paper Tales in San Diego on Thursday, June 11th at 6:00 p.m.

In Bakersfield, CA at Simply Scrapbooks on Wednesday, June 17th at 6:00 p.m.

I will then be in Fredricksburg, VA at Scrapdoodles on Saturday, June 20th starting at 10:00 a.m. (2 different classes)

Miss you all already- will be back soon I promise!!

Oh- Amy (Crafting by Candlelight). You are the yard sale swag winner! Please e-mail Ruth at jennibowlin@gmail.com with your shipping info. Yeah Amy!!

New retail site is up and running!!

www.jbsmercantile.com is officially launched!

New Kits are here - this is the Papercrafting Kit. . .

This is the Project Kit. . .

This is the Add -On Kit. . .

New Jewelry Kit. . .
Vintage Patriotic Crafting Kit (under Limited Edition). . .

New Junque Boxes. . .

New supplies. . .

and new handmade jewelry (at least 4 pieces anyway)!! . . .

So set aside sometime to sit with a cup of coffee and browse through the new menus, new galleries and new features! Our entire JBS May release is also now available for purchase. You can find it all under "New Products" in the general store.

All looks well at the moment. Orders are coming through but let us know if you have any issues we can help with. We still need to load the new FAQ section as well as How it works section tomorrow. A few other things need to be cleaned up as well, but I think overall you will like the new organization of the products for sure! Also - check out the new and improved Customer Gallery. You have a ton more options now when uploading, new search options and more posting options. The new June gallery is coming tomorrow as well.

I'm so excited the time is finally here!

Remember- the new site URL is http://www.jbsmercantile.com/ . The old site will take you there as well for the time being.

Post here and let me know what you think! I will pick a winner at random on Wednesday to win a box of yard sale goodies.

Have a great night -

Yard Sale!!

Those of you who have been following this blog for a while know that Ruth and I have an annual yard sale.

This year is a little special as we have a contract on our house, and should everything go smoothly, we need to be out fast!

So. . .I am purging. Furniture, decorative stuff, a few antiques, and of course tons of scrapbooking supplies.

I will do a little giveaway afterward as usual.

You can e-mail Ruth at jennibowlin@gmail.com and she can get you directions if interested.

More soon - my life is sooooo crazy as we are getting ready to travel, launch the new site, now this! AHHHH!! It's all good though!

Oops - forgot to say when! This weekend - May 29th and 30th (Friday and Saturday) from 8-2

June travel dates - come and see me!!

I never got this up on the side bar so here is my travel schedule for June. It's a big month - I hit 4 stores in 10 days!

I'm starting out in California at Paper Tales in San Diego on Thursday, June 11th at 6:00 p.m.

Then I'm headed to The Scrapbook Oasis in Irvine, CA on Sunday, June 14th (not sure on times yet)

Ending our CA tour in Bakersfield at Simply Scrapbooks on Wednesday, June 17th at 6:00 p.m.

I will then be in Fredricksburg, VA at Scrapdoodles on Saturday, June 20th starting at 10:00 a.m.

I'm teaching my "Simply The Best" mini book class at each store, but will also be offering "Pom Pom 101" at The Oasis and at Scrapdoodles. Here are some photos:

I linked each store's website so you can call for more information. Hope to meet you there!

And the new retail site/kit club name is. . .

JBS Mercantile

The site will have more of "general store" feel. Isn't this the cutest!! Doris will begin a countdown over at the inspiration blog beginning today so be sure to check there every day between now and June 1st to see a new feature tease (and giveaways to come!!)

The new site URL will be www.jbsmercantile.com but until June 1st it will just take you to our current home page (where you choose to go the Wholesale or Retail site). Please update this. You will be directed here from the old site for about 2 months while everyone gets used to it.

And, just to better communicate, we are basically trying to define our wholesale and retail sides as two different entities. So, Jenni Bowlin Studio products and the wholesale website will go unchanged. Everything will keep chugging along and the sweet little girl logo hasn't gone anywhere!

The retail side (our kit club side) will just have a new separate URL, new look, new features, new logo and new name!

Hope that helps a little.

I'm so very excited!!!!

It's time! It's time!

Registration just opened for my Big Picture class! (if the link doesn't work for you, go to www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com and click on "workshops" to purchase).

I am so very excited - my heart is racing as I type this! I really tried to price it to be a good value for what you get, I know times are tough for some of you. You do get a small packet of vintage pieces with sign up that we use for Creativity Challenges during the course, otherwise you get 12 weeks worth of lessons, videos, photos and projects, live chats and direct access to me on the message boards each week!

If you love to "hunt" treasures (or just want to know more about incorporating unique finds and ephemera in your crafting projects) then this is the class for you!

I will tease more about it here and there between now and July 2nd when the class starts!

Just wanted to let you know registration is up!!

WOW!!!

Really, I'm speechless! I can't believe the gallery this month. To say I am proud is an UNDERSTATEMENT. The talent just floors me (and makes want to go into my studio to play)!!

We actually sold out of all of the kits BUT, as of this moment (7:30 p.m. central time) I put up a handful more of the Papercrafting Kit and the Project Kits. We had a few duplicate memberships, unresolved billings so I went ahead and added this.

First come first serve here - sorry for the shortage!

You can still sign up to begin a membership starting next month. We will begin having previews for this kit early next week.

Remember- check back on Friday for the reveal on both blogs of our new retail site name and logo!!

A peace offering. . .

Just a little inspirational post until I can get my "big" post ready! I have been a little busy as you can see!

Check back later this weekend to find out where I will be teaching in June (5 stores!), my Big Picture Class info. and info on our new retail site countdown beginning May 15th (on that date we will reveal the new logo and new name)!!

I have so many cool things in the works. Exciting stuff, but it has been keeping me so busy and away from here! I promise it will be worth it!!

(P.S. - had a great time at Inspired this past weekend. So good to meet so many new people and see some old friends too)!!

May is here!!

Some quick sneaks below - Doris has taken over the picture taking and did a MARVELOUS job!! Makes me want to grab a kit and its already sitting on my desk!!

Here are the Papercrafting Kit sneaks. . .

And the Project Kit (we will be making these adorable birthday hats out of the new Birthday Bingo Card set)!!
And the mouth-watering Add-On kit (some really wonderful vintage goodies in here) . . .

12:00 midnight tonight (central time)!!

I am bursting at the seams with secrets!! We are going to start a countdown to the new retail site in mid-May (a top 10 changes countdown) that will begin with the reveal of our new retail name and logo!

Check out the Inspiration Blog if you haven't been already. Some AWESOME stuff over there. You will see that we have added Keisha Campbell and Lisa Dickinson to our Design Team and I couldn't be happier. They will both bring a unique twist to the gallery each month (and to JBS wholesale).

Looking forward to meeting many of you this weekend in Atlanta at the Scrap Etc. event and at Inspired next week. We are packing kits and getting ready to head out!

A new workspace

For months now I have been working on the tiny vanity in the guest bedroom with a computer screen meant for an occasional e-mail check or websurf, not the everyday Photoshop rituals and proofing that this girl has reluctantly found to be part of the everyday. I have finally come to the realization that our timing to sell this house may not be "the right time" and thus have decided it's time to "live" in my own house again! I moved to the sitting room in our bedroom to the roomy old principals desk that has become one of my most favorite pieces and added a new large screen where I can actually see the details in the papers and such that I proof everyday!

Of course I had to make it comfortable which for me meant bringing in the "old" along with the new.

An old transferware toothpick holder holds my pencils and these are soooo cool! They are by Zebra. I got them at Staples. They are made to look like a pencil - have the #2 and everything on it, but they are black instead AND mechanical!! A tarnished silver trophy cup holds my pens and the paper holder came from Target. The old photo of my mom and piece of coral were already on the desk. I really am loving it but have decided that I need a new chair (going to look at the flea market this weekend).

Hope you are having a great week! Here is a little peek by the way of our new line coming May 1st - Front Porch!