Stacked Stones Studio!

Ok...so you probably are totally laughing at me - since Thanksgiving was LAST week...but perhaps you will still enjoy this video and find some techniques that you could use on some holiday gifts...(except for the quirky turkeys). I LOVED seeing Tim Holtz make those cute turkeys... you can check his blog out here ....I made a few modifications because my computer is off being fixed and I couldn't print his pattern out to make the heads...so I had to just "punt" and draw my own. I think they turned out cute. I also have an idea for a way to use the rosette die for some Christmas projects so I will be back with a tutorial on those soon. Also - I totally will be using this basic card design with some of Tim's Mover and Shaper Dies that are Christmas themed... Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving...and for those of you that reside outside of the US...I am sure that you have days (perhaps not a holiday specifically) where you stop and focus on all the blessings you have i...

Here is a video I did showing a gift I made for Dad a few years ago. He was a professional baseball player...and had quite a collection of pictures and news stories that I was able to use in making the mini. I used a medical file folder...it's construction is VERY sturdy...and I love the long fasteners that make it easy to add additional pages...I think I am going to have to create another project with a medical file folder as a base so I can do a tutorial for you guys. Hope you are all headed towards a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have so much to be grateful for...and know I count you as a huge blessing in my life! {{hugs}} Jann

I love this picture of my Dad. It was taken soon after he graduated from college...and around the time that he and my mother married. Dad finished his freshman year of college and then was drafted into the Army...and served in Korea. He finished up college when he returned...I think he looks so dapper! My Dad was always super healthy. He played professional baseball - and even as he got older he had the physique of an athlete. I think that is what has made the past 10 months so hard. At 84 he was totally embracing life...traveling, hunting with his brother and playing golf several times a week. Back in January he had a regular doctor's appointment and his bloodwork came back with a total surprise...Dad was diagnosed with leukemia. He was referred to an oncologist - but the doctor sent word to Dad's doctor that he didn't really need to see him - the leukemia was so advanced that he would not recommend any chemo therapy for someone as old as my Dad. Even today, that both mak...

 My very dear friend and co-worker lost her husband yesterday.  He was a young man (remember I think you are still "young" if you are within 5 years of my age...yes it is a sliding window - but I'm ok with that!)  - and full of life and love for his wife, his children, his grandbaby girl and his work. In fact, he was in the middle of a presentation at work - and collapsed.  Such a shock to everyone - and we will all miss him very much.  Jess played soccer on one of the teams in Spain when he was younger - and I enjoyed learning a lot about the sport during the World Cup - Jess was a very patient teacher (up until I met Jess and Carole - I only had a working knowledge of Football and Baseball and a willingness to watch Basketball with my nephew) - but Jess sucked me into this sport that was totally foreign to me.  I am sure I will be tuning in the next time the World Cup Tournament is being played - although it just won't be as fun since I ...

Ok...this post is long overdue...but I finally have taken all the pictures. It is going to be a bit long - so hang with me here.  When I was doing the BIG STUDIO overhaul - I found a few kits or collections that were left over from classes that I have taught over the past year.  As you all know, I teach at local scrapbook stores and scrapping retreats, and I almost always end up with an extra kit or tool because someone cancelled or I had to buy a certain number of a product.  I am getting ready for the fall and spring round of classes - and need to move these things  out to make room for the new inventory. I would love for them to go to a good home...could it possibly be yours? *smile*  I only have one or two oftmost of these kits... If you click on one of the Buy Now Buttons and I have already sold it, you will get a message that it is sold out - and you can come back to this post and keep shopping. (shipping will be added at check out) My Mind's Eye...

Hello sweet friends... Hope you have had a great weekend - and are looking forward to the week ahead! I just got a notice on my phone that middle Tennessee is likely to experience frost tonight!  Woo Hoo - I think that may mean that FALL is actually on its way here! YEAH! I was able to re-tape the video tutorial on the mini canvases - it was a little frustrating having to tape it with the camera off to the side - so I am really hoping to get back to using my computer and the overhead camera again soon! I apologize for the number of times I was demonstrating something out of frame or the goofiness of telling you to "look at something" that you clearly COULDN'T see because my left hand wasand was in the way! LOL.  Oh well - I learned a lot by doing this one and hopefully will do better on the next one. This afternoon, I got to start on the project I told you about in the video...the mini album that we want to send  to the family of the kidney donor Royce received ...

So they are a GREAT place to spend a little Creative Play time. These first two tiny canvases ended up being small thank you gifts for two sweet friends.  I found several of these small canvases (they are approximately 2.5 - 3.5 inches) back in the art department at JoAnn's - I think they were no more than $1.  They are wood framed and are basically square or ATC (artist trading card) sized. Small...and totally un-intimidating. I used Distress Stain (yeah - I can't seem to stop playing with that stuff) on the blue one and on the autumnal version, I used acrylic paint and acrylic washes.  The dandelions were stamped and then I used Sakura gel pens to add some dimension to the canvas.  I stamped the pumpkins with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored them with Copics  - but you could use colored pencils or Bic pens - hey - you might even try crayons...remember we're just playing so anything goes! I cut the pumpkins out and popped them up ...

Happy Saturday... I had a great time seeing many of my scrappy friends here in Nashville today.  Once a year, I do a scrapbook yard sale to help me clean out my studio and guest room (affectionatly named "the warehouse!" *smile*). Because I teach classes throughout the year and at retreats, I often end up with an extra kit or two...from someone who cancelled at the last minute or I just ended up with more product than I needed. It was a gorgeous day! I even ended up with a bit of a sunburn...I didn't notice the time passing - you know how it is when you are hanging out with other creative people...you just start sharing ideas and before you know it an hour has passed.  What a great way to spend a Saturday. One of the ladies that came out to the yard sale challenged me to do some digi scrapping. I love a challenge...so I decided to work on a project I think is going to be part of our next series after we complete the Creative Play Series. So many times, those of us...

Happy Friday! I am super excited to be sharing this post with you today... because it is an opportunity for me to be totally TRANSPARENT and show you that I am on this journey to creative freedom right along with you! Today's video is about learning to BE BRAVE and try the things that you think you can't do -- or can't do as well as others!  Success is in the trying!  And I clearly will show you that if you watch the video.  The thing I chose - was painting faces...because that is something that I see other people do and do WELL and I just KNOW that mine wouldn't come out that cute.  So having said that...and because I can't encourage YOU to do something I am not willing to do myself...I decided to share my VERY FIRST attempt at painting a face.  Ok...so I am not even going for a Mona Lisa - kind of face...I just want to make one of those whimsical - mixed media kinds of faces....and I am even going to give myself a boost by using a STENCIL as a starting p...

Hello Friends... I am really glad to be back with another installment for our Creative Play series. If you are just now joining us...skip down a few posts and  catch up with us...or just jump in where we are...it is all good! *smile* Last time we talked about overcoming the paralysis of perfection by asking the question - "What if...?" and letting your natural curiosity take over. Today's method for helping you find that 5 year old that is hiding inside of you that just wants to CREATE is to spend some time "Creating for No Apparent Reason."  Sometimes the pressure of having an end product in mind shuts down our freedom...and when that gets shut down, we are less likely to create our best art.  So one of my ways of keeping myself "playful" is to take a few minutes when I may not have time to create a whole project - and use it to just make some backgrounds that I might use on another project....or not! Have fun watching the video...and then G...

Hello friends... Are you enjoying the long weekend? I am for sure. I can feel that I am getting stronger every day - so am hoping that this third round of antibiotics will be the ticket to no more pneumonia for me! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers...I sure appreciate them! So wanted to share this fun mini-album that I created for a friend of mine. I have been saving these gorgeous papers and embellies from Webster's Pages (seaside retreat) for just the right album - and this was the PERFECT use for them. The idea behind it is to make a mini that can hold lots of pictures - simply by putting two 4 x 6 pictures back to back and punching holes in them...and using the pages of the mini as a place to do the journaling. All the decorating is done - you don't have to wait until you have added the pictures to finish it up...put the pictures in and add your journaling, and you're done! I make quite a few of these...here are some of the kinds of albums I have...

One of the best ways I have learned to get over the paralysis of perfection is to ask "What If...?" The key to it working is to just let your natural curiosity come out to play. The purpose for asking the question is not a perfect answer...it is knowledge....finding out what happens IF you try something. To begin with try asking one of these questions: 1. What would happen if I used watercolors on different types of paper? 2. What happens if I tear an edge on my paper by hand, with a straight ruler or a deckle edge ruler? 3. What would happen if I put this kind of ink on acrylic paint? 4. What happens if I mix this color with that color? You just turn your desk into a Creative Learning Lab. And later, you can start asking more complicated "What If " questions... just by following your natural curiosity. As you will see in this video, I started with a simple comparison question. I am new to working with Distress Stains, so I began with a simple question ...

I want to invite you to come into my "virtual classroom" where we will throw off the things that keep us from creating with abandon and just have some FUN! Here is a quick introduction to the series: And here are some of the things that I will be using in the first Creative Play Series: Tags Artist Trading Cards (ATC - 3.5 x 2.5) Collage Stamps Sticky Back Canvas Tim Holtz Tag Die Tim Holtz Distress Stains Tim Holtz Distress Ink Perfect Pearls Mini Mister Plain Muslin I-top Brad Maker Archival Ink Claudine Helmuth Multi-Medium Gel Claudine Helmuth Foam Stamps Claudine Helmuth Clear Stamps Please know you don't have to have all of these things...I am just giving you a heads up in case you want to play along with me. I have the first class taped - but since I am still on strict doctors orders to limit my time out of bed (while I am working on getting rid of this pneumonia) I will hopefully get that edited tomorrow....So until then, I will tease you with the t...

I did finally get the video edited for the tutorial on how I made the storage boards. I broke it up into two videos so will post both of them here. Part One: Part Two: Materials used: Metal Board: You can purchase one on this post on my blog 7 Gypsies Kraft Preprinted Tissue Paper Claudine Hellmuth Matte Medium Stazon Ink Movers and Shapers Dies Hope you all enjoy this tutorial...and please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Have a great week!

Hello Friends... Hope you are having a great weekend! I have been working my way through a "to do" list that is clearly longer than the weekend will allow for me to get done - but it is still very satisfying to put a check in the box next to an item. Even though I am a great fan of technology - my "to do" lists are still old school...a handwritten list with little boxes next to them - stuck up on my refrigerator for easy review! Three of the items on my list were to 1) Finish shooting the tutorial on how I made my magnetic storage boards, 2) Get the tutorials edited and posted on YouTube and 3) Figure out a way for you to purchase a blank magnetic board or order one that is already made. I have finished taping the tutorial...and will get it edited and posted tomorrow - actually it will be two videos...I wanted to give you a LOT of detail on the techniques that I used...even if you don't want to make one for yourself, the techniques are FUN to play with...

Do you consider yourself an artist? When I first started getting interested in scrapbooking, cardmaking and other paper crafts...I thought of myself as a CRAFTER....not an artist. And when I think back on it - it really seemed like there was a difference...a crafter was someone who just likes to MAKE stuff....and an artist was someone with SKILLS! I so don't believe that anymore! I think almost everyone I come in contact with is a CREATIVE person...and most are ARTISTS. My definition of an artist is anyone who gives free expression to that part of themselves that is creative. Maybe you are an ARTIST who makes music. Maybe you are an ARTIST who bakes cakes. Maybe you are an ARTIST that paints pictures. Maybe you are an ARTIST that paints pictures with words...or a camera...or with paper and glue. The biggest hurdle I had to get over in order to see myself as an artist was fighting the paralysis of perfectionism. Everytime I sat down to create, I found myself worrying th...

You may remember my post a few days ago where I showed you how I have been storing my Sizzix Movers & Shapers Dies...and there they are in one of my FAVORITE enamelware dishes...but that dish slides onto a shelf...and well....out of sight really is out of mind with me...and I LOVE these dies and want to use them more. So I have been working on a solution...and I now have the "prototype" completed. Because the Movers and Shapers Dies are magnetic...I realized that I could make a metalic board for them that can hang on the wall beside my desk...totally in view when I am working. Here s what it looks like. This really is just a sneak peek....because I am working on a tutorial...and after showing it to a couple of friends, they have said they would like to buy one...so I am working on how to do that in case you want one too. The trick is that your "board" has to be metallic with enough iron in it to allow the magnets to stick to it...and I have a few of them le...