Jen Bowles Design

Trash to...Organizer: Washi Tape holder

Today I want to share a quick, cute and eco-friendly project from the studio:  a washi tape holder.

Ta-da:

Isn't it adorable?  Really, I'm quite smitten.

I started with an empty one of these:

First I removed the serated edge and the top/lid of the box.  I wanted to be able to see my tape. 

Next, using Mod Podge as my adhesive, I glued on the biggest piece of paper first.  I chose the teal dotted paper as my focal paper.  Though I suppose it doesn't matter, I started on the inside bottom of the box and basically wrapped the paper around. Initially I did a "dry run" and marked where I'd be folding the paper.  Tip: I used my scoring board to make the folding a bit easier.  Then I just put glue on the box, slapped the paper on top and glued and rotated until the whole sheet of paper was glued down.  I used the text paper on either end 1) because the dotted paper didn't cover the whole box and 2) for contrast.

After I glued the papers on, it still needed some embellishment.  I went to my ribbon stash and selected a piece of robin's egg blue grosgrain.  Mmmm, pretty.  I used my sewing machine to make a casual ruffle.  Very casual. 

I attached the ruffle with hot glue.

I purposely didn't make it long enough to go around the whole box.  Though maybe I should have...

I could've stopped there, but I've noticed that I do much better when things are labelled.  I rubber stamped 'WASHI TAPE' onto one of the Martha Stewart labels I got during my Staples shopping spree.  Perfect finishing touch.

And then I had to wait for the Mod Podge to dry.  Zzzzzzz.

The next day I was able to load up my new tape holder with all my paper tape rolls. 

Pattern, color, pretty!

With the extra layer of paper and Mod Podge it's really quite sturdy and looks right at home on my studio table.  Of course I can't believe that's all the washi tape I have--shameful!  We're almost out of Press n' Seal so I'm going to have another empty wrap box...

Hmmmm...

Thanks for stopping by,

MOM Vintage banner

Ah, happy, sunny Monday!

I've been hard at work with my online blog design class and as such haven't been doing much in the way of creating any new content.  One step at a time! 

In the meantime, these photos of the banner I made my mom for Mother's Day  a few years ago seemed appropriate.

Here are a few close ups...

Mother's Day 2012 is less than a week away, I guess I should get started on this year's gift!

Thanks for stopping by,

It's May!

And that means...
I'm excited for the month of May for so many reasons.  Among them...

• Yard & garden projects!  Everything is so green right now.  And manageable and full of promise.  I've been weeding, moving shrubs, planting new plants and even started on my first wine bottle garden border--a bit of a challenge as we are a "dry" household.  Luckily we know lots of lushes ;-)
• More trips to the beach!
• Blog & etsy shop refreshment!  I'm taking an online class on Typepad blog design offered by Elise Blaha--Blog 2.0.  Over the years I've figured out just enough coding and graphic design to make me dangerous but far from proficient.  I'm so looking forward to learning how to make my blog look online the way it does in my head.  While I'm at it, I'm rethinking my whole blog/work/shop strategy.  Look for some big, good changes--hopefully sooner rather than later!

Hoping your May Day is a basket full of wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by,

{May Basket pictured above made by me for Ebby...in 2007}

Bloom True painting update

We finished up Flora Bowley's Bloom True e-course back in March.  I'd been in a holding pattern with my paintings ever since. 

Then a couple of things happened.

First, I realized the colors on my canvas were throwing me off.  For the course, I bought and borrowed Golden fluid acrylics along with some heavy body acrylics from Dick Blick.  Long story short, I didn't have the variety or the hues I favor when working with plain old acrylic craft paint.  So, I finally made the decision to just use my crafty acrylics.  Flora had said that would be ok :).

Next, I kept seeing paintings that people had creating during a class with artist Jennifer Mercede.  I was somewhat familiar with Jennifer's licensed work, and I love her whimsical, doodle-filled, colorful style.  Abstract, colorful...my wheels started turning.

With brush in hand the other afternoon, I set about transforming my first canvas.

So. much. better!

I liked it so much, I decided to bring it up from my studio and hang it on the wall (!).  

I haven't signed it yet, which means I'm not quite done tweaking it.  I may add some text and a few more details.  We'll see. 

For now though, it's totally making me happy!

Thanks for stopping by,

 

 

First Day of Spring!

Hope it's a beauty where you are!

St. Patrick's Day sign

It was a wonderfully warm and sunny day here in coastal Massachusetts--which means Spring Fever is on!  Before I go full-on Spring and Easter decorating though, I have one more St. Patrick's Day project to share ☺.

Fittingly, this St. Patrick's Day sign is "green", as in eco-friendly. For the base of the sign I used an old game box, Scrabble I think.  I had to cut three pieces because the box alone wasn't long enough and we were all out of extra large pizza boxes in the recycling bin.  I taped everything together and then glued on old book pages.  After the glue dried, I painted a wash of spring green paint to the book pages.

The lettering was originally going to be glittery but I didn't have the patience.  Instead I used a combination of green paint and green Sharpie. 

I wanted to do something a little bit different than shamrocks, thus the rainbow.

You can't have a rainbow without a pot of gold, right?  I outlined the coins with a gold glitter pen to help them stand out.

And there you have it, a green, eco-friendly decoration for St. Patrick's Day! 

Thanks for stopping by,

Anthropologie Inspired Berry Basket Storage

I don't visit Anthropologie very often.  In fact the last time was in November when Ebby and I were in NYC.  I'm still enjoying (in photos) the visual feast that was the Rockefeller Center store. 

There's very little at Anthro that I don't love, but there's also very little at Anthro that's in my budget.  However, the kitchen section is my weakness.  Great colors, fun & functional pieces, and relatively affordable prices.  One of my recent favorites is this Farmer's Market Basket ($14, comes in 4 different colors) :

As much as I loved it, I wasn't about to lug a breakable ceramic basket around Manhattan, no matter how small it is.  Maybe next time.  In the meantime,  I do have a stack of these:
Yep, wooden berry baskets.  Picked up by my dad at the swap pile no less.  You just never know what you're going to find at the dump--luckily I have people on the lookout on my behalf ☺. 

These little baskets have been begging for some crafty attention and this week I finally obliged...

Ooooh, aaaah, behold the transformed polka dot wooden berry basket!

I used the cheapest (thinnest) craft paint ever and didn't gesso, so it took 3 coats.  No big deal, the basket is pretty small.  When the final coat was dry I couldn't resist adding the white polka dots.
I pretty much declared it adorable at this point.  However, my studio table is cluttered enough so this basket needed some function.  It's obviously not food safe, but it is paper safe..Hello, stash of Martha Stewart labels from Staples.
I bought 5 or 6 different kinds.  I just noticed there's a $5 off $20 MS Home Office printable coupon on the Staples website valid in-store thru 3/3~I could've used that when I shopped a few weeks ago...
I do have a whole stack of free storage baskets...maybe I should stock up on a few more Martha office supplies.  Hmmm...

Thanks for stopping by,

Linking up to these fun parties:

St. Patrick's Day Door Decoration

When I took down my Valentine's door decoration the other day all of a sudden my apple green door looked awfully bare.

Green door, St. Patrick's Day approaching?  How could I not put something up??

I didn't have anything in my holiday decorating inventory so I decided to make something.  I was thinking some kind of wreath but my materials instead led me to a door canvas.

Inspired by Lisa Kaus' new gift collection, particularly this banner, I got to work.

Here's what I came up with:

Materials:  18x24 studio canvas, canvas paper, book pages, watercolor paper, ball fringe, acrylic paints, gouache, gel medium, charcoal pencil

Some highlights of how I did it:

• painted the background of the canvas
• used gouache to paint book pages, cut out heart shapes
• attach everything to canvas with gel medium
• cut out bottom banner shape from canvas paper
• paint stripes with acrylic paints
• add trim (ball fringe, ribbon on sides to cover up staples)

I thought about adding '17' somewhere on the bottom right but decided against it.  After everything dried overnight tonight I hung it on our front door this morning.

After all, everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day ☺.

Linking up to these fun parties:

 

Hello and...

Happy Valentine's Day ♥

Handmade Valentine Projects: Day 14, Love Monster

Hard to believe, but today is the final day of my '14 Days of Handmade Valentine Projects' series!  Thanks so much for checking in, hope you're enjoying the projects and gleaning some inspiration as well!

One of my kids' favorite sayings is 'Save the best for last'.  While I'm not sure this is my best project, it is the softest, cuddliest and maybe the cutest~a Valentine Love Monster ♥.

And yes, there was plenty of Pin-spiration for this project including these adorable softies:

Source: etsy.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: emmallamb.blogspot.com via Jen on Pinterest

 

It took me about an hour to put together, using my usual hand-cut, no pattern, learn as you go method.  I had all the fabrics on hand including the pink chenille, the super soft dotted pink minky, and the assorted pink and red fabric scraps.

I meant to stuff the ears but when I turned things inside out I realized I had sewn a seam right along the opening.  Oh well, at least they are right side out and in the right place!  They stick up on their own anyway...

I also used several different attachment methods including fast grab glue, hot glue, straight and zig zag machine stiching along with hand stitching.

I must say, he's awfully endearing, sitting around on the hot pink pom-pom throw, looking all sweet.  He might just need some friends...

Thanks for stopping by and do let me know if you have any questions about any of the projects!