Jen Bowles Design

(Another) Good Mail Day!

I mean, how could it not be when my mailbox looks like this:
I love what 40 cents worth of seeds in May turns into by September.
Now actually in the mail today was my prize package from Nikki at Whimsy Love !
Check out my loot...
I was lucky enough to win a beautiful  and very cool fork easel, along with a vintage button ring and a sweet cupcake tag, all from Ms. Whimsy herself (check out her wares here ).    I also received a fun cupcake sticker (love the glitter) and an adorable  pair of flowery bobby pins (they're silver--how neat is that??) from Little Daisy Chains . 

The weekend is definitely off to a good start.

Thanks again to Nikki for having her Ugly Biz Card contest and thank you for the great prizes!

ESCAPE banner

Sure, there are 599 other Escape banners out there from the other participants at CE.  But hey, this one is mine.  We completed about half of the work at the Technique Boutique at the event and the rest was homework.  What is significant for me is that this project represents the first time I've actually finished a class project from an art/scrapbooking event. 
{Ok, I do have my Sally Jean tiara but that was completed in class so that's different.}
This project is also notable because I foll0wed the directions.  Exactly.  Who ever does that??  But I decided I wanted to get it done and  I liked the project a lot so-poof-my banner.
It was also fun because it's very different from the JBD banners I've been making over the last several months.  The basis of this banner is large, thick chipboard shapes.  They are connected with split rings and have the ribbon on either end.
So, there you have it.  My first completed Creative Escape project.  It's hanging in my studio as a happy reminder of a wonderful trip.    

Endless Summer

Even though the calendar says fall, it still feels like summer around here.
And in some ways, that's ok.  I'm not a huge fan of fall.  It's fine but summer is definitely my favorite season.
So when the October issue of Coastal Living arrived today and I came across this:
I decided that I'd put off posting pictures of a few of my Creative Escape projects.  I love the colors in this photo.  The shapes, the textures. I only wish that my sea glass collection looked as cool as this.

But I've got the rest of my days to keep searching...

Festival Art

On Saturday we took the whole hot, sweaty family, braved the 95 degree heat and visited  the Festival in the Park in Charlotte.  The (only) part Ebby liked was eating a giant funnel cake for lunch.  Will & Cuyler saved their enthusiasm for the inflatable slide/climbing wall.  My favorite part was checking out the art and artisans. 

There was a juried section and a non-juried section.  While  I saw things I liked all over, my favorites were these three:  Wing Ding Constructions, My Little Creations , and Daphne Covington.
Unfortunately I don't have as many pictures as I'd like of the artwork.  In fact, this photo of the "bird houses with personality" at the Wing Ding booth is the only one I took.  I am usually very good about asking the artist if it's ok if I take pictures of their work.  I tell them it's for my blog.  Most people are more than happy to agree.  However, back in April when I was at the Farmer's Market in Charleston I was admiring some jewelry in an unattended booth.  I was about to take a picture (for the blog, because I liked it, not because I want to knock it off in my North Carolina sweatshop--I have no idea how to make beads from canes of glass...) when an irate, pregnant woman came rushing over yelling at me not to take pictures, it was her work, she didn't want anyone to copy it, etc. etc.  I tried to explain but she wasn't having it so we just walked away.  I blame it on the hormones.  The ironic part--I hadn't even taken a picture.
At any rate, now I am sometimes afraid to ask people if I can take pictures, so I just don't take them.  The items at the My Little Creations booth were so happy and cheerful, so sweet.  I was eyeing a pet feeder stand for Jake.  I absolutely loved Daphne Covington's work.  Abstract art hasn't traditionally been my thing, but I seem to be moving in that direction just a bit.  Her colors were wonderful and I loved the playful, kinetic quality of her paintings.  I would've lingered longer at all 3 booths and probably been able to snap plenty of pictures but the rest of the family was determined to keep a steady pace to the exit.
However, there was a group of artwork on display that was easily photographed:  the student artwork from Charlotte-Mecklenburg and other area schools.  Check out this goodness...
The flowers in the vase paintings were done by kindergarteners!  The flowers were actually painted (watercolored), outlined, and then cut out and glued on to the page.  So cool.  I love the eyes and the expression on the cat too.  And the owl, what a hoot!  It was all wonderful.  How can you not love the exuberance and  expression of children's art??  Great stuff!

Drumroll please...

And the winner of the Jen Bowles Design 100th Post Blog Giveaway is...
Linda Sonia!!

I printed out all the comments, cut them apart and then folded them individually into 'bitty bits' so they were all about the same size.  Ebby went and got her (giant) Moon Shoes box and we put all the comments in.  I tossed the comments around and shook the box several times and then, just for good measure, I spun Ebby around twice before she reached in and picked the winning comment.  Phew.
As the winner,  LindaSonia will receive  a JBD original Bitty Boo Banner delivered straight to her mailbox by the US Postal Service.  Congratulations!
Thank you again to everyone for entering and reading the blog.  I love reading the comments and it really has given me a creative (and self esteem) boost!  And I'm looking forward to exploring some new blogs now too : D

And lest I leave without posting a photo of something creative, here's another peek at a piece I made for the Sweet and Sinister Swap.  I'm just about done with everything, once I mail it off to Julie I'll post pictures of everything.
Have a great weekend

Paper Pretties

{There's still time to enter the 100th post giveaway.  Scroll down to leave a comment on Tuesday's post}

This weekend while taking a walk in the park across the street from our house, we stumbled into a lovely wedding by the lake.  Ok, we didn't literally stumble, but I did have to tug on Jake to keep him from sniffing up the bride as she walked by after the ceremony.  It was a beautiful sight, both my cousin Laura and I approved of even the bridesmaids' ensembles (peachy chiffon with a plunging neck, nice sash and strappy silver sandals).  But the thing I was most enthralled with was the paper parasols. 
It was sunny and here in North Carolina the sun is still pretty hot in September, even though the air temperature is much more comfortable.  At any rate, the guests were provided with white paper parasols and several of them were in use.  The lake, the sun, the parasols.  Oh swoon...
So in honor of my new found admiration of parasols, I present my Pretty, Pretty Parasols  mosaic of flickr favorites.  Enjoy and stay cool.
I wonder if there is a city in NC that has a Chinatown...

Swap Swag!

This morning at approximately 9am I took my giant Sweet & Sinister Swap box out onto the deck.  I made sure I had scissors to score the packing tape and my camera to take pictures.  And then I began to unearth my treasures.
As soon as I opened the box I literally felt like it was my birthday.  Julie did such a wonderful job picking out and crafting items that I just love!  Of course it was different than my birthday because on my birthday a.  I never get this many gifts (certainly not from one person--ok, maybe a few times from my mom) and b.  it's never this warm on my birthday (it's in December).  If my neighbors were watching me they were probably wondering what the heck I was doing.  Tissue paper was flying, I was snapping pictures and ooohing and aaahing repeatedly.  I love swap day!
Here's a look at what Julie sent me all the way from New Mexico...

Yep, all that is for 'lil ol me!  And note the beautiful calligraphy on the envelope--my name never looked so good.  Julie certainly outdid herself--especially according to Ebby who wants to personally thank her for the peanut butter M&Ms (her favorite!).  It was so much fun opening my swap box and setting up all my new decorations for Halloween.  Thank you so much Julie, I can't wait for you to get your package!

{which will of course be directly after I finish it and mail it...}

Another thank you to everyone who's commented on the last post--so cool!  I love reading them and your kind words having me blushing to my computer screen.  I'll have Ebby draw the winning name Friday at 5pm (EST) so there's still plenty of time to enter if you haven't already!

{unless you are my husband, then you must keep all comments to yourself.  I'll make you a banner for goodness sake if you really want one...Love you BGD}

100th Post Giveaway(!!!!) and a Swap Peek

Technically it is still today, just because it's nearly 9:30pm and no one will read this until tomorrow...well I was trying to be timely...
But hey, regardless of what time it is, THIS IS MY 100th POST on my JBD blog!!  How cool!  And since I see so many giveaways on other blogs (which usually I just miss the deadline for, am too shy to de-lurk for, or leave comment #12 out of 386...) I thought I'd join in the fun as a way of saying thank you for reading and giving me a place to share my creative side, I very much appreciate it. 
I started this blog as a place to post eye candy and inspiration, share my flea market finds and pictures of cool shops that I like to visit, and as a way to connect with other creative types.  Back in January, I "discovered" flickr and nothing's been the same since.  In a good way!  I was instantly enthralled with all the wonderful artwork and images and how the flickr web is woven once you started reading/leaving comments, clicking on profiles and then linking to blogs.  Suddenly my blog bookmark folder went from 50 to 150 (or so it seems!).  Love the connections, and love the inspiration!
Sooooo, let me do some giving away to you my blogworld friends.  And just what will I be giving away, what will be my 100th  post prize, you ask?  Well, let's see what's behind door #1...
Oh look Johnny, it's a Bitty Boo Banner!  Just in time for fall decorating, this JBD original was handcrafted by me just a few weeks ago.  The pennants measure a mere 8 inches in length and 4 inches across.  I've used vintage ledger paper, scrapbook paper, ball fringe, crepe paper, glitter and other assorted goodies to whip up this cute as a button banner.  And readers, it could be yours!  Please just leave a comment on this post,  don't be shy just type away, and I will have my spokesmodel-in-training daughter Ebby draw a number out of a hat on Friday (9/21) to pick the lucky winner.  Seeing I usually only get 1-2 comments per post, the odds of winning are, in a word, excellent : D   
Don't delay, leave a comment today for your chance to win your very own bitty banner along with another as yet  to be determined bonus goodie.
And now for that swap peek I mentioned in the title.  I joined my first swap in June.  The Sweet and Sinister Swap is my 4th swap so far.  I just love the idea of making and selecting things for someone else who is as creativity crazed as you are .  I'm still working on gathering items for my partner Julie but her box for me arrived today!!  Too much craziness around here today for me to savor, so I put off opening it until tomorrow when I can really enjoy it.  I don't think she reads my blog (though if you do Julie, leave a comment but don't look at this next pictures ; )  )
Here it is..
Any guesses as to what it could be?....
Stay tuned and once again, thanks for reading!!
 

Happy Monday!

And indeed it is! 
This morning I am actually wearing (cropped) pants and long sleeves--it's 54 degrees with a bit of crisp fall chill in the air instead of a wall of humidity.  I think that beast may have finally departed--hurray!  Of course after months of trying to convince Cuyler to wear shorts this summer, I'm not sure he's going to want to go back to pants.  Oh well.
I popped over to Nikki's blog this morning.  In July she announced she was having an "Ugly Biz Card Contest".  She got something like 1000 business cards for $2.  I entered and she sent me 10 business cards to decorate.  I had a great time with my colored pencils, using whimsical colors and motifs befitting Nikki's Whimsy Love theme.  She posted them on her blog and had people vote for their favorite.  Well, when I went over to check her blog this morning she had posted the winner.  And guess what??  It was me! {insert big grin here}.  That's right, I won the Ugly Biz Card Contest!  I'm so excited!  It really is a great way to start off your day.  Nikki makes the cutest things and I won some adorable goodies  from Nikki and 2 other artists who donated prizes.  Links and pictures coming soon--it'll be like Christmas in September for me : ).  Oh, and  here are a couple of pictures of the cards I did for Nikki.  Such fun, thanks Nikki!
Speaking of prizes and fun stuff, I noticed the other day that my post count on this blog is getting up there.  In fact, this is my 99th post.  Which of course means that my next post will be a milestone.  A milestone worthy of a blog giveaway in fact!  So do be sure to check back tomorrow, I'll be scouring my creations today for a fun giveaway--heck, I may even make something brand new!
Have a great Monday!

Melrose Vintage

Melrose Vintage was our most favorite shop in Phoenix.  Possibly my most favorite shop ever.  Definitely on my all time eye candy list!  The store is owned by a mother & daughter (so sweet and generous!) and they have the most wonderfully appealing mix of merchandise:  Shabby Chic linens & fabrics, Bethany Lowe, Barbara Schreiber banners, shabbified flea market finds including several metal flower chandliers, a luscious assortment of ribbons, German glass glitter, luxury bath and body items, adorable baby goods, and oh--a complete scrapbook store in one of the rooms!  Just incredible!  Oh, and I almost forgot about the crowns.  Goldbug Studio , who is a woman named Ashely Carter from (funny enough) Raleigh, NC, makes the most beautiful crowns from all vintage finds.  We tried a few on and felt like royalty.  A visit to this store alone is reason for a return trip to the Valley of the Sun!
(check here for more photos )