Jen Bowles Design

Mosaic Monday

Latest flickr faves, with touches o' the green...

1. Pretty Vintage Seam Binding, 2. Watering Can, 3. for a little friend of a friend, 4. Vintage price tags, spice jars, muffin tin, 5. home inspiration from smile and wave, 6. Day Seventy, 7. Untitled, 8. vintage french green glass, 9. Vintage tin dolls, 10. felt starfish, 11. Ribbon Honors Brooch, 12. .1861

WOOF collage

This collage is something I was working on before Valentine's Day.  For a long time I couldn't decide if it was finished.  I'm still not totally sure, but I'm going to share it anyway ;-)

 I did boost the colors a bit as they got washed out when I scanned, but most of this is fairly accurate. The overall size is 5x7.  The cut strip look once again influenced by some of the Sarah Ahearn pieces I have--including the one pictured below, entitled One Cherry. 

I have 2 more dog related vintage flash cards like the one used in the center of this collage.  I was thinking of making a small WOOF series to either list in my long neglected etsy shop or just hang on our wall of WOOF here in the house.  At the rate I'm going, for now I'd better just stick to figuring out if the first one is finished.

{Materials: canvas board, vintage flashcard & label, text cut from thrifted books, paper scraps, acrylic star jewel}

Image & Inspiration Book

After looking at several 'clip out collage' pages (Kari at Artsy Mama, Lobster & Swan, my own books from an art class in grad school), I finally started putting some of my  clippings into a book.

Um, hello. So. Much. Fun!

  For this first batch of collages, I went through a bunch of magazines & catalogs I'd been saving.  I ripped out images that I liked (pictures, rooms, patterns, lettering) and put them in a big pile.  Because there were a lot of home decorating magazines,  I also created a pile for 'complete rooms'.   I might put those in a 3 ring binder or an accordion file.  In the meantime, it's great to have a book I can flip through and see some of my favorite ideas and images.

Who knew paint swatches and thread samples could be so much useful ;-)

{Sources include, but not limited too: Pottery Barn & Pottery Barn Kids catalogs, Serena & Lily catalog, BHG, Domino, Country Living, Country Home, & Hallmark magazines}        

Mosaic Monday

More Spring wishes (and Summer too!)...

1. 2 more- fresh fish, 2. number the tea cups, 3. 3 ring circus, 4. Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away, 5. DG MINI: Coastal Collection Sailboat East and Sailboat West, 6. united colors of wood & wool stool, 7. Fabric Bird Collage, 8. artwork done today, 9. Day Sixty Six, 10. ok?, 11. black and white windows, 12. HBM!

Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer: Vote for Alison!

As some of you that know me in real life may know, our friend Alison was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago at age 23.  I've know Ali since, well, before she was born and I can tell you that she is a fighter with a wonderful,  supportive family and a positive, upbeat attitude.  Ali is also a huge Red Sox fan.  Ali has signed up to be an honorary bat girl on Mother's Day at Fenway.  Here's where you (and I) come in.  Alison needs your votes.  Please take a moment to read her story and place your vote.  Then vote again.  As many times as you can, every day until April.  Thank you so very much!

Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer, MLB Honorary Bat Girl: Vote for Alison

Ali's fighting cancer.  With the click of a mouse, we can support her.

{photo:  L-R, Sisters Chrissy, Maura, and Alison--I used to babysit for the 3 of them. I must've been barely older than they were;-)}

Let it Snow...not!

Welcome to March!

Here on the South Shore of Massachusetts, we awoke to snow.

Of course we did.  It's March. In New England.

Luckily it turned to rain, and now it seems to have stopped completely.

Phew.

We've been dodging snow bullets once or twice a week around here.

And, at this point in the winter, that's the way I like it.

{Let it Snow yarn wreath by  me, more pictures on my flickr}

Monday Mosaic

I think I may be ready for spring...

1. GROW, 2. vintage kitchen things, 3. Untitled, 4. paintbox, 5. Egg Love, 6. Beach chair= Strandkorb, 7. Little House By The Water, 8. A spring gathering, 9. Jump....., 10. Hello Weekend!, 11. scalloped fabric garland, 12. English Rose Bouquet; Vintage Chair, 13. o´happy birthday to me!, 14. Green Fabric Inchies, 15. DSC_5208

{Happy} ♥ Friday!

I wanted to make special Valentine cards for several of my special friends.  Unfortunately, I only got as far as making two of these fabric prize brooches.

Using instructions found on Banana Frog as a guide, I gathered a few fabrics, some interfacing and my sewing machine.  After assembling the brooch, I used a vintage letter stamp inked with craft paint to make the monogram letter.  I then glued on the ribbon tails and secured the pinback. Obviously this didn't take long enough, so I got out a thrifted book and started cutting out letters ;-).  I attached the letters and the chipboard heart with Claudine Hellmuth multi-media.  Finally I made a quick card with a thrifted book page and heart stamp and attached the brooch.  After loading the cards into small padded envelopes, they were ready to spread the love up and down the East Coast. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Handmade for Me (!)

Leave it to my mom to make me a beautiful gift for Valentine's Day~handcrafted right in her little studio room.  Actually, I'm pretty sure it was handcrafted in her comfy leopard print television watching chair.  She's not into being idle ;-).

She made me a lovely mixed-media soft heart banner in my favorite blue & green color palette.  She used many of her {tres} dear goodies to embellish the hearts including velvet leaves, lovely fibers, vintage buttons, and beautiful flowers.  Each heart also has an inspirational word sewed on, I love the frayed edge on these.   My mom is so good with the tiny detail work--talk about patience!   

I think the 'love' heart is my favorite.  Or maybe it's the 'be happy' heart.   Who am I kidding, I love them all!

My new banner looks great in my {dining room} studio space~fits right in with the color scheme.

I just love my new heart banner, and I just love my mom :-)

Valentine Tuesday

Though Valentine's Day may be over, does the season of love really ever end?

I made a quick 'hugs & kisses' banner to decorate my new studio space for Valentine's Day. 

It came together fairly quickly, aside from an incident with the glue pad.  Let's just say I learned that sometimes it takes a bit more work to make things right.  I used a leftover piece of scrapbook paper, old book pages and sheet music along with some doilies from the dollar store.  The hearts are from a K&Co. Valentine themed chipbox I picked up at AC Moore last year. 

{note how the glitter is looking a little sketchy on the 'o', that's where I used the glue pad}  

While I've been enjoying this banner for the past few weeks, I may have to put 'make spring banner for studio' on my to do list for this week :-)