Do It Yourself!!

That's a good thing to holler at the kids every once in a while...but I'm actually using it in conjunction w/ a fun night at the shop. Come on over to JB Knacker Wednesday, June 17th from 6-8pm for a fun evening of hanging out w/ the gals, munching on some healthy (such a subjective word, really) snacks and creating!
Last month at DIY night, Amy decoupaged a vintage suitcase w/ maps; Natalie made an awesome memo board from an old green chalkbord, a drill and some wire; and Kris created a whole bunch of altered tags. I talked a lot and then finally got down to business and created a photo holder from an old wood shoe form and wire. It was a fun night!!
So...grab any project you've been putting off forever or come empty handed w/ the hope of being inspired to create that great gift or vintage what-not. JB Knacker will have a bunch of ephemera, trinkets, old photos and stuff, stuff, stuff for you to enhance your project or create a totally new one. If you have the time and like to share, bring a little treat for others to nibble on.
The cost of the night is $10.00. Email me w/ any questions (jbknacker.brenda@gmail.com) or call the shop at 233-2600. And notice the new workshop for July is posted in the left column here of the blog. And oh yeah, June 27th, Saturday is the Breakfast Club from 8-10 am ~ bargains (20% off the whole shop), breakfast ( a little food to get you going) and barns (maps to area barn sales)! You don't want to miss that!

Thanks, Brenda

Plugging right along...and loving it!

Moving forward...it's a good thing. Momentum building and positive stuff around every corner. The shop is just that. Workshops are happening now every 2 weeks. Vintage finds are coming in and going out. Large primitive cupboards, fancy pants mirrors, lab ware beakers holding lily of the valley and now snowball bush flowers. Fantastic scents in hand-cut soap and new charm jewelry. It's all good and yes, exciting...well at least from a shop owner's perspective. But the comments from customers tell the same story..."it smells so good in here" (the soap)..."where do you get all this great stuff?" (all over the place...keep your eyes peeled)..."how long have you been here?" (3 1/2 years and at the barn 4 yrs prior)..."your prices are so good!" (it works for us)...I'll take it all!" (that would be nice and yes, I could fill 'er back up in a weekend)...I love your music (Tawnya, our hip shop employee helps w/ that).


i remembered my camera this time, but discovered i'm not very good at using it...sorry for the blurry pictures


Last week's soldered charm workshop was awesome! The shop was filled w/ 15 women ready to create & assemble a one-of-a-kind necklace.

They kept Penny hopping as they observed her technique w/ a soldering gun

and kept me busy helping w/ additions of typewriter key charms and other cute trinkety charms added to their chains. These participants came from as far away as Hampton, Ankeny and south of Cummings and as close as Ames and Nevada. They came in groups of friends, co workers and mothers and daughters. The next soldered charm workshop will be Thursday, June 11th from 6-8 pm (sorry for the recent changes in dates and times ~ I really need to be looking at a calender when I put dates out there for all to see). Email me or call the shop (515 233-2600) w/ questions and to preregister. ***update ~ as of 5/29, we have 4 spaces filled for the next charm workshop!




DIY Night is only a few days away! Next Wednesday, May 27th from 7-9pm at the shop, we will be hosting a Do It Yourself Night! This is the time for you to finish that project you've had at home all winter or begin a new project. We hope to create a guild of sorts ~ one that encompasses all different interests and uses all sorts of mediums in the creative process. JB Knacker will have an ephemera & trinket buffet set up for your use that night. Examples of new projects that could be started at the shop (just to get you all thinking...) would be an altered journal, fairy in a jar, wire projects such as picture holders and bird nests, decoupaging frame w/ old ephemera, altered art boxes and so on and so on. There will be beverages and some munchies so feel free to bring a snack to share (and the recipe if homemade). The cost for the night is $10.00 and no preregistration is required, just come!

Inspiration Board Workshop

Inspiration board by Erin

Our first Inspiration Board Workshop is now history. I really should hand out evaluations after the completion of these workshops, but I don't because I know how I hate to fill them out. I love JB Knacker customers. Last Wednesday evening 11 of these sweet ladies filled the shop with talking, laughter, eating, drinking and creating. A typical JB Knacker customer tends to be a gentle creative soul with a large capacity for sharing and with just the right amount of sarcasm for a good dose of humor!

Now 2 of these ladies, Lillian & Rita, came to teach and lend a helping hand. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Lillian & Rita know their way around all things creative. Lillian brought several of her inspiration boards to share. I would love to show you Lillian's works of art, but once again I forgot my camera in all the schlepping of stuff into the shop that evening! So a big thank you goes out to Kris for jumping in and offering to use her camera and take all of the pictures that night ~ as I said...very good at sharing! The other 9 participants: Kris, Cynthia, Laurie, Joanie, Erin, Carol, Maureen, Martha & Susan came to get inspired.

Rita helping to find ephemera in an antique book


We got right to work after a little shopping and drinking and eating and talking and laughing...oh yeah, the work part...have to give it to these gals for just finding or making a clear spot whether it be table or floor. OK...that's another attribute of JB Knacker enthusiasts ~ good workers with a penchant to make-do! This project took a little room and due to rainy, windy weather, the outside was pretty much off limits. Although, we did spray the adhesive outside so as not to send anyone into an asthmatic attack. Tools included carpet knife and other assorted sharp tools, lots of different kinds of adhesives depending on your gluing needs, and a few good hammers.

Joanie & Laurie collaborating on best placement

Cynthia (background) & Erin placing trinkets inside frames to visualize the "look"


Joanie creating her pushpins from old typewriter keys ~ fabric for inspiration board a combo of old linen luncheon cloth and black velvet from turn-of-the-century dress


Laurie, Susan and Martha carefully choosing ephemera to embellish their inspiration boards


Maureen and I adhering craft paper backing to her masterpiece

The workshop ran a little over (note to self...have backing already cut to fit assorted frames) but no complaining to be heard (another attribute). I was blown away by all of the different boards that were being inspired that night. From soft romantic style to farmhouse chic, it was a true testament of the love of good old ephemera and linens and frames and such taken to a new level.

Inspiring...my sincere hope is that these wonderful women will use these boards for tacking up that quote that makes their heart melt or that picture of their mom as a child or that perfect color for their dining room walls or that swatch of fabric for their dream sofa.... I think each of us knows deep down what makes us tick, and what we need to visualize to bring our dreams to fruition (that's kind of deep for me), but I was looking at my inspiration board as I typed this.

Maureen's inspiration board ~ white gesso frame, vintage blue/white ticking fabric and clever zipper addition to hold pictures and postcards, cabinet card picture holder and letter tiles


Kris' gold ornate oval frame with antique embroidered linen folded in such a way to create an envelope/pocket for antique pictures


Carol's large painted frame w/ vintage baby blue feed sack w/ floral pushpin


Erin's antique painted gesso frame w/ soft rose fabric, game piece pushpins, millinery flower and cabinet card


Next workshop is Wednesday, May 13th 6-8pm ~ Soldered Charm Workshop

*create your own soldered charm necklace w/ typewriter key embellishment
*call shop at (515)233-2600 to sign up or email Brenda at jbknacker.brenda@gmail.com

Inspiration Board Workshop at JB Knacker

Our Inspiration Board Workshop is Wednesday, April 29th from 6-8pm.. Much of the inspiration for this workshop came all the way from Montreal. If you haven't checked out Zita's blog at www.mllemagpie.typepad.com, you are missing some fun! This unique blog, which is better than most of our design and decorating magazines out there, has so many pretty pictures and creative ideas. One of these ideas was the inspiration board you see above. Zita chose a beautifully aged frame and a very earthy muslin-type fabric to give her board an almost old world flair and then posted some of those items that inspire her.
JB Knacker is excited to host our first Inspiration Board Workshop!! Our inspiration boards will be a beautiful place to put those pieces of our lives we need to see on a daily basis to keep the creative "juices" flowing and a skip in our step...hope you can come along!!

From 6-8pm Lillian Kruse and Rita Wheeler (creative souls extraordinaire who also helped to inspire this workshop) will be guiding us in creating this beautiful framed masterpiece w/ vintage and ephemeral elements. Our ingredients will consist of any number of vintage frames (all sizes...antique gesso frames, old window panes and chunky wood frames), fabric (cutter cottage quilts, velvety crazy quilts, old linen feed sack, fresh vibrant prints...the sky's the limit) and a few needed elements (backing, adhesive, hardware...) from Home Depot and ephemera from JB Knacker. Embellishment of our inspiration boards will be the really fun part...tattered love letters, rusty crusty tokens, sweet millinery flowers, vintage jewels, words, letters and phrases as well as b/w pics and old negatives will be on hand to build upon. I urge the participants in this workshop to bring a little token from their stash to really make this inspiration board their own.

So do what you can to free up the evening of Wed., April 29th from 6-8pm, and we at JB Knacker promise to keep the inspiration flowing! And just to add to the fun, all workshop participants will get to shop JB Knacker at 20% off the entire store!! Can't wait to hear from you!

*Cost $40.00
*All materials provided, but bring Basic Craft Kit if able (scissors, pencil, gluestick, ruler)
*Yummy dessert & refreshments served
*Added bonus ~ the entire shop is discounted 20% for our workshop participants from 6-8pm
*Call 515 233-2600 to preregister or stop by the shop at 123 Main Street, Gilbert
*Or email Brenda at jbknacker.brenda@gmail.com
*Only 8 spaces available ***Update as of 4/17, we have 4 spaces available***

**Next workshop ~ Soldered charm workshop on Wednesday, May 13th
**Used the word inspire/inspiration 11 times in this post if you don't count just now

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Inspire Me

now this is inspiring...brother-in-law, husband & son risking life & limb to retrieve an old wasp nest from tree all in the name of...well, I just wanted a little nature at the shop.

Wednesday, April 29th is our Inspiration Board Workshop. From 6-8pm Lillian Kruse and Rita Wheeler will be guiding us in creating a beautiful framed masterpiece w/ ephemeral elements. Our ingredients will consist of any number of vintage frames (all sizes...antique gesso frames, old window panes, chunky wood frames...whatever I can get my hands on to use as the frame for our boards, fabric (cutter cottage quilts, velvety crazy quilts, old linen feedsack, fresh vibrant prints...the sky's the limit) and a few needed elements from Home Depot. Embellishment of our inspiration boards will be the really fun part...tattered love letters, rusty crusty tokens, sweet millinery flowers, vintage jewels, words, letters and phrases as well as b/w pics and old negatives will be on hand to build upon. I urge the participants in this workshop to bring a little token from their own stash to really make this board their own.

*Cost $40.00
*All materials provided, but bring Basic Craft Kit if able (scissors, pencil, gluestick, ruler)
*Yummy dessert & refreshments served
*Added bonus ~ the entire shop is discounted 20% for our workshop participants from 6-8pm
*Call 515 233-2600 to preregister or stop by the shop at 123 Main Street, Gilbert
*Please use comment portion of this blog if you have any questions
*Or email me at jbknacker.brenda@gmail.com
*Only 8 spaces available

I am currently working out the finer points of the best backing to use for these beauties, so stay tuned as I will have examples of JB Knacker's idea of an inspiration board in about 2 days. In the meantime, a pic of my newest inspiration!

p.s. The next workshop on the schedule is the ever popular soldered charm workshop ~ Wednesday, May 13th 6-8pm!

Shaking out the Rugs...

April...hmmm...April showers bring May....that's been done...Ahh, April ~ a time of renewal and rebirth and shaking out the dirty old rugs! So on with a little of this and that... It's been a busy, busy last few weeks as I take a few minutes to look back.

Our spring open house held on March 7th was a great start for a new season at the shop! After that, things turned a corner to a nice easy pace of stuff going out, stuff coming in...reshuffling and redoing displays as sets of dishes, accent pieces, architecture, furniture and garden ware left for new homes and new old stuff appeared to replace.

Julie and I readied ourselves for a fun workshop called Simple Pleasures on the 28th. It had been a while since we had been "on stage." The darn sore throat, no voice bug got me the day before the workshop and oh, how I suffered the night before as we set up...when did concrete birdbaths get so heavy?! But loaded w/ 30 or so cough drops and lots of hot liquid in a thermos helped to get me through the day...it was really fun getting to talk about our passion and the women at this workshop were the best! Julie and I had a blast! We actually had time between workshop sessions to grab a bite to eat and talk about the future! The future has been hard for either of us to talk about lately...just one day at a time is all we can digest. And that's OK because life is just that way sometimes.

I feel a restlessness that I have felt many times before...it's time to shake things up a bit at the shop. So...new jewelry and hand-cut soaps will be making their way in very soon and maybe some other new vintage inspired case goods. I have been drooling over some fun and beautiful little inspirational books from a small company in Washington state...maybe? With the sun and the flora and fauna appearing daily, how can I not get excited for all the new that will come into our shop and lives this month!

Thanks for reading my choppy little ramblings...Brenda
ps ~ stay tuned for the date of JB's inspiration board workshop

Brimming Over

My husband informed me (after the blog post had been up a week or so & the newspaper ad was printed) that you can't be "filled to the brim." The grammatically correct way to use this phrase would be JB Knacker is brimming over w/ all things spring...or JB Knacker is filled to the rim w/.... My grammatical error was out there for all to witness. I tried to brush it off and pretend I didn't care, I mean who's that fussy. But secretly, I was a little nervous thinking I might receive a wise-crack comment on the blog about my horrendous phraseology or have a customer wander in for our Spring Fever Event not to shop, but just to gawk at the moron who wrote "filled to the brim!" So now it is my turn to catch the husband using a verb in the wrong tense or mispronouncing a big word...I can't wait.

Just to let you know, Spring Fever was unbelievable!! First of all, I would like to thank the weather as it was drizzly and overcast all day. I do believe this helps as it cuts down on a lot of activities one could be doing if it were a beautiful day. I would like to think that our wonderful customers couldn't have cared less (or is it could have cared less?) about the weather and were going to make it to JB no matter what! Thank you husband who helped me carry, clean, fix, haul, hang and all other sorts of action words until 11:00 pm Friday night...then he got tired and left (in his defense, we did have a teenage daughter who was very tired of babysitting the other kids). Thank you Tawnya & Rob who also did many of the action words that husband did on a Friday night when they could have been doing something way more fun and couple-like! Thank you Mom, Janice and Robyn for bringing splendid little spring-inspired goodies in for our customers to enjoy!! And thank you teenage daughter, Clare for babysitting and making the best carrot cake cupcakes! And thanks to my old out-of-shape body for pulling an all-nighter w/ grace & courage (I say this because in the past, little noises in the 120yr old shop have made me run very fast out of the shop never to return until the sun has emerged). But I knew this wasn't an option as so many things had to be done before the doors opened at 10 am.

It was magic. Customers loved the old scales and metal adjustable stools, chandeliers and primitive turquoise drawers, gingerbread from old porches and galvanized seed sifters, old metal greeting card displays and bouquets of flowers, homemade grapevine & rosemary bird nests, lace panels and cutter quilts, Blessed Mother statuary and typewriter key charms....

So my final and very heart-felt thank you goes out to our customers who came out in droves and from near & far with encouraging words & hugs & excited chatter & the will and the want to purchase to freshen their homes for spring!! Spring fever is alive & well in central Iowa and elsewhere...don't let anyone tell you differently (or is it "different?").

Brenda