Stacked Stones Studio!

Ok...perhaps they seem to have NOTHING in common but they do! SPRING. I always feel the need to reorganize SOMETHING in the spring -- and since my scraproom/office was so out of control that has been my focus. I'm not quite done yet -- but I thought I would give you a sneak peek at how things are going. I have been having a blast pulling some old vintagy stuff out from my mom's house -- some of them were my grandmother's things which totally inspire me to have around me when I am trying to be creative. I also added a garden pot stand next to my scrapping area that serves to keep my "favorites" at my fingertips...clothes pins with favorite ribbon...7 Gypsies and Heidi Swapp tapes, acrylic blocks etc. I also FINALLY got my stamp shelf painted/distressed and hung up. It is so fun to look over and be able to see my favorite stamps all on display...now I won't forget that I have them and will be able to use them more often. Any way -- there is still work to be done...

Just wanted to share that I feel like a very fortunate woman being involved with Royce -- and looking forward to being his wife. I was having my quiet time this morning and reading in Proverbs and came across the following words, "It is a wise man who listens and does not speak, for when he does speak others will listen and weigh his words as wisdom." I felt like I was reading a description of Royce. As you know, Royce has been through some troubling times with our business -- but he has mostly listened -- patiently I might add. When he has chosen to speak, I have marveled at the wisdom that has come out of his mouth. I caught this picture of him while he was in the middle of "one of THOSE" phone calls. You can tell from him face that he is very serious...but you will notice his mouth is closed...he is just listening -- not defending -- not arguing -- not trying to persuade...just listening. I love that about him. You see, I have a disease -- it is called ET...

Sometimes when you window shop you get more than you bargained for! Royce and I were in a little town near us called Watertown walking around the town square and saw this door sign. We couldn't stop laughing. It was like the owners questioned the sanity of anyone who might walk through their door. Great for a laugh...but we decided not to go in -- thought it might not be a "bright idea." Have a great weekend.

My sweet friend Dana made this wonderful shadow box for me. I think she should win a prize for the most creative use of scrap goods in a "non-album" application. (Yes, I am getting in the mood for the Oscars!) AND the same day she gave it to me, my order of "typographic cards" came from Pottery Barn. It was like they were meant to go together. I LOVE it...very inspiring -- love to have creative things around me when I am creating and this will be front and center in my scrap area. Then...I have been trying to get my studio/office under control. Between starting my business, teaching and traveling I have been doing lately, it is such a mess. Trying to both organize and make it a space that inspires me. One of my projects was to create these frames to sit on my desk...just cork and foam core covered in cloth...but I love the crystals and keys hanging from the pegs...beautiful inspiration. Hope your day tomorrow is filled with both beauty AND inspiration....

I am totally into card catalogs these days. In fact, I am looking for an old card catalog to place in my studio to keep my stamps in...Found one this week...but it was a little pricier than I wanted to pay -- so will keep looking, but if any of you find one, please let me know, I would love to stain it or decapouge it -- or something -- so it doesn't have to be perfect. Anyway, I found this site tonight that lets you make your own card catalog lists....REALLY cool. You can do you own here. I totally loved it and made one for today to document what I hav done and what I plan to do tomorrow...awesome awesome awesome. Might have to make a mini-book of a week of them...or something -- I don't know. Anyway -- a fun thing to play around with. So go enjoy! Hope your week turns out to be all that you need it to be...as you can see from my list -- in addition to getting work done that pays the bills, I also intend to embark on an organizational extravaganza (doesn't that s...

Ok....so I am not Annie...but I am JANNIE! And wanted to let you all know that I am feeling much better today. My arm still hurts -- but I am calmer and not so antsy about stuff. For those of you that prayed for me -- thank you so much. Sorry to give everyone a scare. I think the lesson learned is that dealing with the day to day "stuff" that comes our way is really important--cause it will just pile up and jump up and bite you in the butt at the worst time possible otherwise. *sigh* None of us like feeling weak or helpless and that was at the bottom of it all for me...I felt so helpless to make things better for Royce... The good news is that I am NOT really responsible for making things better for him...all of that rests in God's hands. I have placed it all back in the hands of God -- and that lifts a huge burden from my shoulders. I just am going to have to remember to NOT pick it up again. Easily said...harder to do -- especially when you love someone -- y...

Well...today wasn't my favorite day I have ever had in my life. I did wake up looking forward to it -- afterall...tonight is the favorite scrappy girls' get together and slumber party (not that I anticipated tons of sleep) -- but fun and frivolity was sure to abound. I even had new jammies (sleep pants and a top) for cruising the crop in . I had agreed with Royce to come home before the crack of dawn because he needed to to attend a seminar with him on Saturday -- but still -- there were HOURS for un to be had by all. I also received an email from my wedding coordinator in Maui about a few details (see picture of beach...this is the location Royce and I want for our wedding...and then the reception at Mama's Fish House). Good possibilities...few open dates -- some that potentially could work...some that may not have what we need....so at least making progess on all of that. Then the bomb-shell. Our company has been in negotiation or a really big deal -- (hear Ed Sul...

I can't believe that I complete 10 layouts/ projects in a week. ... but the big race was on . . . 7 days to create as many layouts/projects from Jenni Bowlin Studio kits as we could . . . "we" being the jbs packers . . . i think we all fought valiantly . . . but in the end youth won out . . . yes . . . uber amber created SEVENTEEN los in SEVEN days . . . no contest . . . yay amber! Doris did 10....3-4 in the last couple of hours. I had nine done and with the encouragement did of Doris and Sherry went and put one more toegether and got it in...fastest layout in the west, I will give a prize (to anyone other than the JBS girls cause they already know) which one I did in less than 18 minutes. Challenges move us outside our comfort zone and into a crazy creative zone....ths was awesome...in all of my scrapbooking, I have NEVER done 10 pages in less than 7 days. Now I know I can.

To be his woman! I swear I didn't photoshop his head on him...he really dressed like this to bring me my flowers! He looks like a bobble head doll! *laughing* You gotta love his creativity...no "taking it for granted" here -- makes me love him even more for his goofiness. Happy Valentines Day everyone!

As if one challenge was not enough (JBS Chicki's Challenge), I had to combine it with Ali Edward's AEZine challenge this week. Ali's challenge was to write your Creative Manifesto . I loved this...it made me think about why I spend the time I do on scrapbooking and creative things. It made me think beyond "why I scrapbook" -- to why do I put the hours into creative things that I do in addition to scrapbooking. My answers showed me that being creative isn't "just a fun hobby" but rather something that I feel passionately about -- mostly that it is an expression of who God made me to be and it is a form of legacy to leave to my loved ones that will remain after I am gone. Here is my Creative Manifesto . I CREATE as an expression of the gifts and talents God gave me. I CREATE to remember the past and to document the present. I CREATE to discover new things and continue learning. I CREATE art, document life, and record things that might ot...

Who needs to watch The Sopranos when I have "The Tenors" in my future family! We had a little spontaneous photoshoot yesterday afternoon. The guys were dressed up in suits because they had a memorial service to attend. Afterwards they stopped by the house, and I couldn't resist grabbing my camera because they both looked so handsome! Of course, the price you pay when you want pictures is putting up with the goofing around the guys will do. It was a little scary how much they looked like a couple of mafiosos....fortunately, they are both sweet, gentle, good hearted men -- and they sing TENOR...not Soprano!

A couple of weeks ago, Ali Edwards challenge was to figure out what you HAD to have to scrapbook...as in -- if all of your supplies were going to be taken away except for a few what would they be. I thought about it a while and came up with this list (in no particular order)...because whenever I start a page I pull these out automatically. 1. Cardstock 2. Double sided tape 3. Pens in .03, .05 & .005 points in black 4. Rubber/Acrylic stamps 5. Paper trimmer 6. Great scissors 7. Brads 8. Patterned paper 9. Ink 10. Paint I think I could create some great pages with just these 10 items. (I have even thought of challenging myself to use just these 10 items on a number of pages and see what I come up with -- any one want to take this challenge?) Then this week, the challenge was to come up with what are those things that you return to again and again -- to the point that they almost FEEL essential -- even if they aren't really. I took a picture of some of my favorites... they a...