Tag Archives: 7 Gypsies

Jan 2

It takes a village….of seven gypsies.

Happy New Year!! To start off my year, I have several projects in mind. I have my 2012 One Little Word and Journey to Happiness: What Matters Most (both at Big Picture Classes); A Photo-A-Day (from Studio Calico) and Project Life. I also want to learn some more book-binding techniques (stitching), and I have been wanting to make a village like the one I saw on 7Gypsies’ blog. I am rather behind on most everything already, but I did manage to create my village this weekend. I love it. It is faaaaaar from perfect, or even good, but I still like it’s quaint charm, and it does wonders for one of our bookshelves.

I kindly thank my dear husband for his help in cutting the davey board to make the houses; that was not an easy task. I used left-over book boards (aka “davey board”) from when I made books earlier in the year, and I purchased most of the products from Blue Moon Scrapbooking, and this is what I used:

  • All papers from the Off The Wall collection by 7 Gypsies
  • 7 Gypsies Artist Printer’s Tray Display trim loops and hooks in antique silver
  • 7 Gypsies antique silver ring book knob
  • A 7 Gypsies antique silver key
  • 7 Gypsies scrapbook hardware, Gypsy
  • 7 Gypsies scrapbook hardware gears, Gems
  • 7 Gypsies scrapbook hardware gears, Industrial
  • 7 Gypsies display trim school rulers, Wood
  • 7 Gypsies metal page edges in antique silver, straight
  • 7 Gypsies metal page edges in antique brass, scallop (I had these already)
  • Maya Road chipboard windows
  • Tim Holtz distress ink, Walnut Stain
  • davey board (book board, but thick chipboard will also work)

I used Tacky Glue, and matte medium gel as adhesives, cardstock scraps and a really good industrial strength utility knife. I chose my own sizes and shapes, and  the instructions are here.

See you later for more updates on more projects!

May 16

The Let’s Go travel journal kit is now here!

Just in time for vacation and travel season, I have a new product available on Etsy today: my “Let’s Go” travel journal kit. This kit is for the scrapbook lover who wants to put together a keepsake journal of their vacation without having to fuss with all the cutting, punching, and trying to figure out what papers to use. It’s all here for you; 30 unique pages, 3 tags, 1 vintage card piece, a sheet of airmail stickers, 5 Jenni Bowlin chipboard buttons, and 2+ yards of baker’s twine. It all comes in a white cigar box for you to decorate to your heart’s content! The size of the journal is approximately 4×6″, so it’s small enough to put in your bag and tote along with you. Add photos, journaling and mementos of your special trip, and you have a unique and special remembrance to last you a lifetime! To get yours and see more photos of what’s inside, click on my Etsy badge to get to my shop, and get yours before they run out. Free gift with purchase, too! Happy travels!

May 15

Gypsy for a day!

Yesterday, I had the awesome privilege to attend a 7 Gypsies class at my local scrapbook store, Pocketful of Treasures. What a great day it was, creating wonderful keepsakes with Paula and Debbie, of the 7 Gypsies team. We made portfolios, and tags for their new, small library drawer. Although we spent 3.5-4 hours on each project, the time flew for me, and it felt like we only spent 1 hour on each! I will do classes with 7 Gypsies again, any day!

library drawer

portfolio

I can’t wait to add my own journaling and photos to both of these; I know these will be treasured keepsakes I will enjoy for a long time. Who knows, perhaps I can make these for you, too.

Friday night we met Paula and Debbie at the store, and had a make-n-take…I cheekily call this the “hors d’oeuvre” before the good stuff! This what we made (for free!)

mini journal

Check out the 7 Gypsies site for more ideas and great products! Please let me know if you have any questions or ideas, and have a scrappin’ good day!

Mar 20

Rethinking my direction on this journey…

I have discovered lately, some really wonderful blogs, and some really fantastic creative ideas. Evalicious is a shop and blog by Eve Johnson,  a woman I have heard of before, but hadn’t visited her site in quite some time. I’m glad I rediscovered her. She makes some really nice art journals, which I love. I am tempted to buy her newest one, the mini Destination art journal, but I am also tempted to make one of my own. Her embellishments and art journals really got me thinking about all of the scrapbook things I can create, but just never had the impulse to sit down and really get busy with. So, I am thinking in new directions for Retrospect, and what I truly would like to accomplish with this endeavor.

 

felt cut-outs
envelopes, paper cut-outs

 

My heart belongs to scrapbooking, so that is where I need to concentrate my creative efforts. The jewelry I’ve made has not been what interests people, and I feel like I’ve reached the end of my creative rope with notebooks. I have been hearing people say “I don’t really use notebooks…” I got the picture. So, I am going to slowly divert my attention to a new direction more related to scrapbooks. I love mini journals, and I can make them, too.

I also have a 7 Gypsies library drawer which I am dying to put photos and ephemera into. It’s perfect for someone like me: I have a plethora of photos, notes, and little doo-dads here and there that haven’t been put into a layout (some of the photos are originals and very old), and have no real home at the moment. Voila- I will tuck them into my drawer.

Decorating the index cards will be fun. Be on the lookout for more photos of the finished drawer, as well as new art journal kits. Happy scrapping!