April's Review	Chris' Review	Penny's Review	Tammy's Review	Pomaika`i's Review

Review by April

There are several great advantages to purchasing an instructional art DVD. The main advantage is that since you own the DVD, you are free to watch and learn on your own time, in the location of your choice, and at your own pace. Second, you don't have to worry about being lucky enough to get into a well known artist's class because you can watch and participate right along with everyone else. Third, you can pop the DVD in and re-watch the entire workshop or maybe just freshen up on a technique anytime you desire. This is why I love watching art instruction DVD's and also why I love reviewing Creative Catalyst's high quality productions!

For this review I received Creative Catalyst's Claudine Hellmuth Collage Textures and Techniques DVD. This collage DVD is approximately 120 mins long and is filled with projects and techniques for all skill levels. Claudine Hellmuth is well known for her eccentric artwork and has produced several other art instruction DVDs for Creative Catalyst that have received rave reviews! In this particular DVD workshop, Claudine demonstrates some of her favorite collage techniques like image transfers, and a variety of fabulous background techniques that can be used to enhance a variety of projects. Claudine explains each technique in a step by step series and then shows you how to combine those techniques to create unique works of art. After learning all of the techniques, you get to see how Claudine completes amazing projects from beginning to end. She walks the viewer through making a whimsical altered book collage, and a clever cigar box design that just screams fun. One of the best features of this workshop is the easy going approach Claudine has while teaching. I have watched several artist's workshops and Claudine's is by far one of my favorites! She is easy to relate to, very relaxed, funny, and makes you feel like you can easily create everything she has shown you no matter what skill level you are. The DVD makes it easy to jump back and forth from any project or technique and is easy to navigate.

For my first project, I decided to decorate a large round wood piece I had gotten several years ago at a hobby store. I knew someday I would figure out what to do with it and after watching Claudine's video I thought it would be perfect to try out several of her techniques on! I started by coating the entire surface with a coat of gesso. After it dried, I added a second coat of gesso and then tried out the textured paint background technique by using a hotel key card to create several different textures on the surface. Claudine had suggested using a hotel key or old credit card to add unique textures and it's definitely a technique I will continue to use from now on because I was thrilled with the results! I painted the textured surface using watered down acrylic paint and then came back with a paper towel and manipulated the paint so it was darker in certain areas and lighter in others. I tried Claudine's peeling paper technique on a black decorative patterned paper and then added some watered down paint to the areas that the tape had pulled off. I used gel medium to adhere this piece down to the wooden board and then added another sheet of patterned paper and my altered photo. To complete the project, I added a little bling, rub ons, flowers, and glitter glue.

Title: Our Favorite Vacation
Products used:
Inspiration for Project & Techniques (Creative Catalyst: Claudine Hellmuth Collage Textures and Techniques DVD)
Acrylic Paint (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Artist Brushes (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Gesso (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Gel Medium (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Patterned Paper (Fancy Pants, Carolee Creations)
Glitter Glue (Ranger Stickles)
Rhinestones (Prima)
Flowers (Prima)
Rub ons (7gypsies, & Luxe)
Stamps (Fancy Pants)
Ink Pad (Tsukineko: Staz On)
Oil Pastels (Sakura Cray Pas)
Button (Autumn Leaves)
Clip Board (Rob & Bob Studio)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

In the video, one of the projects Claudine focuses on is a shadow box, and she talks about different techniques she uses to decorate the inside of a cigar box. I loved the idea of this project and decided to use one of the many smoked salmon boxes that our relatives send us every year around the holidays. I covered the inside of the box with a layer of gesso and then after it dried, I painted the inside using a green acrylic paint and a red acrylic paint around the edges. Next I wanted to attempt Claudine's peeling paint technique so I rubbed small amounts of petroleum jelly around the inside of the box and then added a coat of white acrylic paint that had been watered down. I used a heat gun to dry the paint and then washed off all of the jelly. I printed out a cute clip art phrase from the web and transferred it on the inside of the box by using one of Claudine's Image transfer techniques! After adding several felt shapes and various embellishments, I cut out a picture of my nephew Logan, adhered it a sheet of watercolor paper and then gave it a coat of gel medium to make it sturdy. I placed some glittered chipboard wings behind his back and then used small pieces of wood to adhere him to the box and add extra dimension. Creating this shadow box was so much fun and I can't wait to give this to my sister for Christmas!

Title: The Joyful Christmas Box
Inspiration for Project & Techniques (Creative Catalyst: Claudine Hellmuth Collage Textures and Techniques DVD)
Acrylic Paint (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Artist Brushes (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Gesso (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Gel Medium (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Glitter Glue (Ranger Stickles)
Felt Shapes (Fancy Pants)
Flowers (Prima)
Chipboard Wings (Maya Road)
Brad (7gypsies)
Patterned Paper (Flair)
Clip Art (Downloaded from Internet)
Box (Kasil of Fish Company: Smoked Salmon Box) Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

To create my third project, I started by using Claudine's peeling paper technique on a sheet of patterned paper. I then tried another technique Claudine demonstrated and used my pastels with a mixture of water to color in the peeled paper areas. This provided a very unique distressed look for my background and it was easy to do. I added my photo and other embellishments to complete this mini layout.

Title: Check out her ride!
Inspiration for Project & Techniques (Creative Catalyst: Claudine Hellmuth Collage Textures and Techniques DVD)
Gel Medium (Ranger: Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Glitter Glue (Ranger Stickles)
Oil Pastels (Sakura Cray Pas)
Patterned Paper (Daisy D's)
Clear Frame (Heidi Swapp)
Sticker (Heidi Swapp)
Die cut Ticket (Creative Imaginations)
Metal Clips (7gypsies, & Tim Holtz)
Pen (Sharpie)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I really enjoyed watching this DVD and this is definitely one of my favorite workshops so far. I thought Claudine was an excellent teacher and I enjoyed the way she presented her mini classes as I call them. After watching the DVD, I felt like I was capable of re-creating all of the techniques and projects I learned on this DVD, unlike other DVDs where some techniques take a lot of practice to master. All of the techniques taught on this video can be used over and over again on an assortment of projects. Since this DVD gives you the advantage of taking an amazing art class in your own home, I think the retail price of $29.95 is extremely reasonable, as most classes you might take at a studio or store usually run at a much higher price. I would recommend this DVD workshop to all crafters looking for an exciting new class that is sure to please!

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Review by Chris

I love a good instructional DVD, especially one that is enjoyable to watch and that teaches me techniques that are new to me. DVD’s, if well-produced, are a great advantage at a lower cost than in-person classes. You can stop, start and re-play them as often as you want, they cost less and you can view them in the comfort of your home with a bag of popcorn and soft drink at your side, if you wish. How can you beat that?

I recently had the chance to view Claudine Hellmuth’s Collage: Textures and Techniques DVD produced by Creative Catalyst Productions. Although not Claudine’s most recent foray into DVD instruction, it is a sure-fire hit, in my opinion. The background techniques taught in this DVD are ones that can be used in virtually any paper-based craft project, from card backgrounds, to ATC’s, scrapbook pages and altered art projects, to name just a few. Plus Claudine’s teaching personality is so easy-going with clear and precise instruction, that I can literally watch her for hours!

The DVD includes instructions for five different background techniques as well as step-outs for two projects: an altered book collage and a cigar box assemblage. The five different background techniques are peeled paper, peeling paint, textured paint, heat transfer and caulking image transfer.

For my first project, I used the peeled paper and peeling paint techniques to create the background for this card. Using Golden’s gel medium I adhered a piece of old sheet music to the canvas and when it was partially dried I peeled strips off using masking tape. Once the canvas was completely dry, I applied petroleum jelly to sections of the tag and added Golden acrylic paint. The petroleum jelly acts as a resist, keeping the paint from sticking in that area. I worked on watercolor canvas, trimming the final background piece to fit a large shipping tag. I love the depth and dimension of the peeled paper with the peeling paint on the top. Claudine explains and demonstrates the techniques with extreme clarity and it was easy to achieve a successful piece. I then used several techniques that have recently been demonstrated on Tim Holtz’s blog to finish off my holiday tag.

Joy Tag
Products used: Inspired by Claudine Hellmuth’s Collage: Textures and Techniques DVD published by Creative Catalyst Productions
Background techniques: Torn paper; Peeled paint
Watercolor Canvas (Fredrix)
Tag (Avery)
Grungeboard (Tim Holtz)
Stickers (Magenta, Martha Stewart)
Paint (Ranger Crackle; Golden acrylic)
Rub ons (Recollections, Royal Langnickel)
Tag inspired by Tim Holtz

Next I decided to try the textured paint background. Again, working on canvas, I used Golden’s titanium white acrylic paint to create a textured background. I created texture in the paint using an old credit card and a bottle cap. Once the paint was dried, I colored it with Golden’s teal acrylic paint and added a wash of Golden’s gold metallic (fine) paint. I then used several techniques from Tim Holtz’s blog to finish off my tag. The textured background looks fantastic and added a depth to the background that would otherwise be difficult to achieve.

Fly Tag
Products used: Inspired by Claudine Hellmuth’s Collage: Textures and Techniques DVD published by Creative Catalyst Productions
Background technique, Textured paint
Paint (Golden)
Watercolor canvas (Fredrix)
Tag (Avery)
Grungeboard (Tim Holtz)
Stamp (Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous)
Music paper (original sheet music)
Flowers (Prima)
Rhinestone (MAMBI)
Ink (Stewart Superior, Memories black)
Rhinestone crown (Heidi Swapp)
Perfect Pearls (Ranger, Copper)
Tag inspired by Tim Holtz

For my final project, I created another tag, this time using an image transfer technique. Although Claudine demonstrates this with caulking, I used Golden’s gel medium. After painting my tag with the gel medium, I layered on a piece of patterned paper, print side down. Once the paper was dry, I used water to wet the back of the patterned paper, and rubbed it away, leaving only the patterned image. I then used several techniques from Tim Holtz’s blog to complete my tag.

Noel tag
Products used: Inspired by Claudine Hellmuth’s Collage: Textures and Techniques DVD published by Creative Catalyst Productions
Background technique, Image Transfer with Gel Medium
Watercolor canvas (Fredrix)
Tag (Avery)
Stamps (Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous)
Acrylic Tags (Tim Holtz, Idealogy fragments)
Embossing powder (Judikins, clear)
Embossing Ink (Ranger)
Rhinestones (Prima)
Brads (Tim Holtz, Idealogy)
Alcohol Ink (Tim Holtz, Metallic Pearl)
Ink (Ranger, Distress; Stewart Superior, Memories black)
Tag inspired by Tim Holtz

I cannot heap enough praise on this DVD by Claudine Hellmuth. Not only is the material well-delivered, produced in a professional manner and faultless in presentation, the techniques are timeless and well-presented. I am constantly in search of ways to improve my projects and creating dimensional backgrounds is certainly a technique that I will use over and over again. Thank you Claudine and Creative Catalyst Productions for this inspiration-packed video!

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Review by Penny

If you haven't heard about Claudine Hellmuth then you are seriously missing out. Claudine is a master collage artist who is a bit quirky, innovative and lots of fun!

My most recent exposure to Claudine's teachings was through her "Mixed Media - Collage - Textures and Techniques" DVD ($29.95 retail). The 120 minute video workshop walks through many of Claudine's favorite image transfer methods and background techniques that you can use to enhance your art.

One of the greatest aspects of this DVD is its clear step-by-step instruction. Claudine gives a supply list at the start of each demonstration and goes through each step of five different techniques: (1) peeled paper background; (2) peeling paint background; (3) textured paint background; (4) heat transfer and (5) caulking image transfer.

After the techniques are explained and demonstrated, Claudine creates two whimsical projects using these techniques. One is an altered book collage and the other is a cigar box assemblage with Plexiglass cover.

My first project uses the peeled paper technique. I painted my cardstock with gesso and paint and applied some magazine scraps in random places. Once dry, I peeled some of the paper away to give this great effect. It is a slight variation from the full-coverage paper example shown on the DVD.

Title: Remember This
Products Used: Collage Textures and Techniques with Claudine Hellmuth DVD (Creative Catalyst Productions)
Gesso, Studio Paint (Claudine Hellmuth)
Artist's Paintbrushes (Claudine Hellmuth)
Cardstock (Prism-Suede Brown Medium, Island Mist Dark)
Patterned Paper (Theresa Collins)
Grungeboard (Tim Holtz for Advantus)
Rub Ons (Stampin Up)
Adhesive (Ad Tech Glue Runner)
Other: magazine advertisements

I began my second collage project with an image transfer using gel medium and a magazine advertisement to transfer onto the canvas. I found that transferring from a magazine was a bit tricky and pieces of the image came off as I was rubbing the paper pulp away. I just went with the look and created a more distressed background for my collage. The great canvas texture combined with the distressed background and colors create a very interesting collage.

Title: You Better Not Pout Collage Frame
Products Used: Collage Textures and Techniques by Claudine Hellmuth DVD (Creative Catalyst Productions)
Sticky Back Canvas (Claudine Hellmuth)
Chipboard (American Crafts)
Stickers (Making Memories)
Adhesive (Claudine Hellmuth Gel Medium, Stampin Up Foam Adhesive and Liquid Adhesive)
Rub Ons (GCD Studios)
Other: frame, magazine advertisement

My final project uses the peeling paint background technique. This technique utilizes petroleum jelly as a resist for your paint. I simply dabbed and swiped the petroleum jelly onto my ART cards and then covered them with slightly watered down acrylic paint. After the paint was applied, I used my heat gun to dry it. This also softens the jelly. You can remove the jelly with a baby wipe or soft soapy cloth. The delicacy of your background will determine how best to remove the jelly. Any traces of jelly left will continue to act as a resist so it will need to be removed completely if you are adhering or transferring anything else on top. Since my cards were finished with this technique, I just wiped them down really well with a paper towel.

Title: Everyday Memories 2009
Products Used: Claudine Hellmuth's Collage Textures and Techniquesj DVD (Creative Catalyst Productions)
Studio Paints, Brushes (Claudine Hellmuth)
Artists Paper (Stampington)
Alpha Tag (Jenni Bowlin)
Die Cut Tag (Making Memories)
Rub Ons (Pink Paislee)
Stickers (Creative Imaginations)
Adhesive (Ad Tech Glue Runner)
Other: ribbon, petroleum jelly, magazine ad

I am not typically a collage artist but, as you can see, this DVD is so inspiring that I couldn't wait to give it a try. Each project turned out with that little extra flair that they wouldn't have had without incorporating these great techniques. I find this DVD to be an extremely valuable addition to my crafting library and can't wait to check out the sequel to this DVD - "More Textures and Techniques." Oh my!

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Review by Tammy

Claudine Hellmuth’s Textures and Techniques DVD produced by Creative Catalyst Productions will have you creating fun backgrounds that you never thought possible.

Claudine Hellmuth’s style of teaching is always fun and imaginative which is totally captivating. At the end of this 2 hour DVD I found myself saying, “It’s over already?” The 5 projects that Claudine teaches in the Textures and Techniques DVD are easily recreated with only a few supplies which you can find listed on the back cover of the DVD.

The DVD is broken up into 3 main sections; Techniques & Projects, Special Features, and Help with this DVD. In the Techniques & Projects you will be able to view all of the techniques and projects individually or as a whole. You will find things like Bloopers, Other projects, Introduction, and Look What’s Coming in the Special Features section. Navigation Tips can be found under Help with this DVD. One of the other very nice features of this DVD are the Hot Links. You will occasionally see a small hand icon pointing to the words ‘Technique Menu’. Clicking on that button will take you directly to that technique or project which is very helpful when you need a quick review.

While viewing the DVD, Claudine makes you feel like it is just you and her in the classroom and this is what made me want to get started on my first project right away. While keeping the DVD player close by, I used her Cigar Box project as the starting point for my project. Instead of a cigar box though, I used a wooden box that some Prima flowers came packaged in. I painted a base coat on my box to start with then used the Peeling Paint technique on the inside and outside of the box. On the frame of the box I decided I wanted it to look very worn so I repeated the Peeling Paint technique several times while using a different color paint each time. This gave the frame a look which I felt reflected the style of the collage.

On the inside bottom of the collage I used some word paper with the Peeling Paper technique which not only gave me a horizon line but continued to solidify the distressed look of my collage.

Once I completed all of the techniques on the box, I then used foam tape to mount the smaller helicopters and a piece of wood was placed behind the larger helicopter to give it the greatest amount of depth and also make it the focal point in my collage. In the Cigar Box project, Claudine shows how to make a plexi glass cover for her collage, but since I was using this old flower box, it already had a plexi glass cover that I was able to simply slide into place.

My son has been wanting me to make a collage from these pictures we took earlier this year, and I think he is going to be very pleased with the look that I was able to achieve using the Peeling Paint and Peeling Paper techniques that Claudine demonstrated in this DVD.

Title: Helicopters Collage
Products used: Patterned Paper (Karen Foster)
Claudine Hellmuth Textures & Techniques DVD (Creative Catalyst Productions)
Acrylic Paint (Golden & Liquitex)
Wooden Box (Prima)
Petroleum Jelly
Foam Mounting Tape (Scotch)

Ever have an idea but it doesn’t turn out exactly how you wanted? Well, that is sort of what happened with this next project. For the background of my collage I used the Peeling Paper technique on Sticky Back canvas. The paper I used was some music out of an old song book and once the technique was finished I proceeded with the Peeling Paint technique. Claudine suggested that a coat of Gel Medium be used on my Peeling Paper background prior to the doing the Peeling Paint technique since paper is very porous. Once these two techniques were completed I was looking forward to trying the Caulking Transfer technique. It seems all image transfer techniques that I have seen require the use of laser copies. Since we do not own a laser printer and the closest office supply store is over 25 miles away, it has not been convenient for me to try this type of a technique. When Claudine mentioned that magazine clippings and ink jet copies could be used for her Caulking Transfer technique, I was all ears! I wanted to add a bit of color to my background so I used an ink jet copy of a holly leaf for my transfer image. Since I did not have the caulking I used Gel Medium as an alternative as suggested in the DVD. Once you have placed the image, face down, into the caulking (gel medium), Claudine strongly suggests that you let it dry overnight, but, if you just cannot wait, a heat tool can be used to dry it. Of course I couldn’t wait and used the heat tool on my image. It peeled off nicely except that it blended into my background a little more than what I had wanted. (Caulking Transfer image is in bottom left corner behind the black flourish image). I think this was a two-fold problem; 1) my background was too dark for the image, and 2) I should have let the image dry overnight and possibly gotten a brighter transfer. Either way, I was still thrilled with my results and the fact that now I can easily do image transfers using basic household items!

Claudine also demonstrates how to do a Heat Transfer onto plexi glass using a laser image. Since I did happen to have this sheet of images printed with a laser printer I decided to try this technique on the front of my transparency. The image transferred exactly how it was demonstrated in the DVD. I was very pleased with the end result of my card even though my caulking transfer was not as vibrant as I had hoped. Now I just have to figure out who I will send it to this holiday season.

Title: Gift of Christmas card
Products used: Claudine Hellmuth Textures & Techniques DVD (Creative Catalyst Productions)
Sticky Back Canvas (Claudine Hellmuth)
Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Patterned Paper (Flair)
Acrylic Paint (Golden & Liquitex)
Gel Medium (Liquitex)
Stamp (TAC)
Ink (Encore)
Embossing Powder (Stampendous)
Petroleum Jelly
Transparency
Ribbon
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

Using all of these textures was so much fun, but there was one more that I really wanted to try – Textured Paint. Claudine suggests using Titanium White in the tube or jar because of its thickness, but all I had was White Gesso which I used for this technique. I used a piece of Prism cardstock for the base and once I had my cardstock painted with the Gesso I used a spatula to create swirls in the paint and finished by writing, “With this ring, I thee wed” in the background.

After my Textured Paint background was dry, I went over it with diluted acrylic paint to give the background some added color. Once that was dry I used Distress Inks around the edges to add a more aged look to the paper. I also created another background using the Peeling Paper and Peeling Paint techniques on a piece of Canvas pad. Once all of my elements were completely dry, I assembled my layout. I love how all of the elements worked so well together to create this layout of my grandmother and grandfather’s wedding.

Title: With This Ring, I Thee Wed
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Patterned Paper (Tinkering Ink)
Claudine Hellmuth Textures & Techniques DVD (Creative Catalyst Productions)
White Gesso (Liquitex)
Canvas Pad (Fredrix)
Acrylic Paint (Golden & Liquitex)
Petroleum Jelly
Distress Ink (Ranger)
Heart Button (Dove of the East)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

What more can I say? The projects were clear and concise and very easy to understand. The production of the DVD was of the highest quality making you feel like you were sitting right there with Claudine while she was teaching. The Hot Buttons are a fantastic addition to the DVD, making it easy to review techniques without having to stop and start the DVD numerous times.

Whether you are a collage artist, scrapbooker, altered artist, or crafter, you are sure to find inspiration in the Textures and Techniques DVD by Claudine Hellmuth, produced by Creative Catalyst Productions.

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Review by Pomaika`i

Creative Catalyst Productions is known for their professional quality art teaching videos by a variety of Artists. Claudine Hellmuth is a very well known name in mixed media collage circles. I have long admired her Poppet pieces. Mix these two ingredients together and you get Collage Textures & Techniques, a workshop on DVD.

I have never had the experience of taking a workshop from Claudine Hellmuth, but I have been familiar with her work for years. I was excited to review this DVD. I received a DVD in a conventional case which is excellent for storage purposes. The full color label on the DVD package gives an acurate overview of the DVD content. The DVD itself is gorgeous. It features two photos of the projects found on the disc with the title clearly marked for easy identification.

Collage Textures and Techniques is recommended for all levels, and is approximately two hours long. It is copyrighted 2005, but don't let that worry you, the information shared is timeless. The DVD menu is organized and easy to use. There are two main sections in the informational portion of this disc; Techniques and Projects. Claudine demonstrates five techniques, Peeling Paper, Petroleum Jelly, Textured paint, Heat Transfer and Caulking Transfer. In addition to these techniques, she demonstrates an Altered Book Project and a Cigar Box Project.

I found the Creative Catalyst Productions camera work and editing to be of professional quality. Claudine Hellmuth is a good teacher, able to organize and demonstrate material in a manner clear to viewers. Her explanations were clear and relevant and her tips informative. I enjoyed the Claudine's use of black and white photocopies, simple drawing and whimsy in her techniques and projects.

I appreciated very much that the disc is organized into sections. If I want to review the Peeling Paper Technique, I can go directly to that section with no wasted time. A supply list is given in written form on the screen and verbally at the start of each segment. <\P>

My first project was an experiment. I usually cover my tins in decoupage and paper, but am always looking for a quicker way to complete my projects. I also wanted to try the Petroleum Jelly Technique demonstrated in the Creative Catalyst Collage Textures and Techniques DVD, so I chose to decorate my last heart shaped tin from Valentines' Day. I sanded my tin and prepared it with two coats of gesso. After it dried, I painted a thin coat of watered down Purple Palette acrylic paint, let it dry, then added a thin coat of Gel-Matte Medium to seal it. Next, I smoothed a little Aquaphor (equivalent to petroleum jelly) onto my box as a resist (where the paint will not stick) for my next layer of paint. I painted a thin coat of Sky Blue over my box and resist medium, let it dry, then wiped off the resist to reveal a mottled surface. Wow! Totally cool! I love the look of this technique, and it was really very easy. I washed the petroleum jelly off with soap and water as instructed in the video, and I was ready for embellishing.

The next step was to transfer an image onto the cover. I found a cupcake clip art image that I loved. I enlarged it in Adobe Illustrator and copied it in a printer that uses toner. Now, Claudine gives excellent directions for both a Heat Transfer Technique and a Calking Transfer technique for transferring images onto your project. What I should have done was go back and review the DVD before I started working, that would have saved me some time and I would probably have had a better image than I ended up with. That said, I was still very pleased with the results of my experimentation, and will not make the same mistake again. Here's what happened...

I ended up doing a combination of the two techniques. I do not have a flat attachment for my wood burning tool, so I had to use the base without any tips attached for transfer. I chose to do a large transfer with thick lines, so my first attempt was not very successful. I was able to place my second image (duplicate) directly on the first image, and this time I had more success in the transfer. Unfortunately, I did not peel off the transfer as I went (as Claudine helpfully tell us to do in the DVD), so I ended up using the last step in the Calking Technique (water and rubbing) to get the paper off of the tin to reveal the image. I think that the image transferred really well except for some fuzziness on my image (from the paper residue). I wanted an image that was crisp and not weathered looking, so I took black acrylic paint and painted over the outlines. I am sure that had I chosen a smaller image and followed the Claudine's instructions of peeling off the paper as you heat the image, my image it would have transfered much cleaner. I consider this attempt at heat transfer a success because I was able to transfer my image well enough to create a beautiful embellishment for my tin box.

I finished off my image with some Paper Glaze and glitter. What a sweet box! I am totally excited about my new image transfer knowledge and I am addicted to the peeling paint technique as you will see in the next project!

Title: Cupcake Box
Products used: Inspired by Collage Textures and Techniques DVD(Creative Catalyst Productions)
Gesso (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Acrylic Paint (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Gel-Medium (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Bling Sticker (Me and My Big Ideas)
Glitter (PK Glitz, Hero Arts)
Paper Glaze (Aleene's)
Bling Sticker (Me and My Big Ideas)
Ribbon (Offray)
Other (heart shaped tin)

My second project was done on a small piece of chipboard coated with gesso. I used the peeling paint technique (I love it!) for my background. To create the weathered text on the bottom of this piece, I used the Peeling Paper Technique from the Collage Textures & Techniques DVD. Once again, the instructions are clear and Claudine's demonstrations are easy to follow. I appreciated the tips and anecdotes she shared as she showed us the technique. This technique uses masking tape to pull off a pieces of text to create a weathered look for your collage. It is a very simple technique, and I love the look it creates. I know that I will use it a lot in my future work.

In the project section of the DVD, Claudine shares her technique for making her famous Poppets. I think they are the cutest things. I followed her instructions by copying a photo of my son for the Poppet head, created a body, arms and legs following her instructions, and I love the way he looks! I really appreciated the demonstrations and instructions Claudine shares on her Collage Textures & Techniques DVD. If I can create this, anyone can! I can see that creating these little Poppets is going to be addicting for me!

Title: Kai Scream
Products used: Inspired by Collage Textures and Techniques DVD(Creative Catalyst Productions)
Gesso (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Acrylic Paint (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Gel-Medium (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Patterned Paper (Basic Grey)
Die Cut (Tinkering Ink)
Pen (Bic Mark-it, Sakura Micron)
Bling Sticker (Me and My Big Ideas)
Tab and brad (Scrapworks)
Other (Chipboard, mini scrabble letters)

For my last project, I used old style wooden clothes pegs that I found at a garage sale. I covered them with gesso, then painted them with water thinned paint. Again I used the Peeling Paper Technique, this time with cookbook magazines as well as old book text. I embellished each little angel with different odds and ends like metal words, wooden pieces, mini-buttons and lace. The wings are made from transparency stamped, colored and cut out. Stickles help to create the glitter effect for bling.

Title: Clothes Pin Angels
Products used: Inspired by Collage Textures and Techniques DVD(Creative Catalyst Productions)
Gesso (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Acrylic Paint (Claudine Hellmuth Studio)
Flowers (Prima)
Stamps (Queen Kat)
Ink (Staz-on)
Pen (Bic Mark-it)
Stickles (Ranger)
Beads (Blue Moon Beads)
Other (mini buttons, silk, ric rak, charms, metal words, eyelets, misc embellishments)
Adhesive (Lisa Pavelka Poly Bonder, Joann's Tacky Glue)

I highly recommend Creative Catalyst Productions' DVD Collage Textures and Techniques with Claudine Hellmuth. The content is excellent, like having a workshop at your fingertips for the cost of a DVD ($29.99). Save yourself some room, board and travel expenses! The best part of this is that you can view the workshop as many times as you like so that you can master each of the techniques taught. Though I was familiar with most of these techniques, I found Claudine's demonstrations and tips illuminating. I was pleased with the success I had re-creating the looks Claudine Hellmuth created in her projects with no problems.

I think that newcomers and experts alike would find this DVD useful. In addition to the techniques presented, the Altered Book project and Cigar Box Assemblage tutorials are thorough enough to inspire crafters of all skill levels to new heights of creativity. Should you choose to purchase Creative Catalyst Production Collage Textures and Techniques with Claudine Hellmuth, you won't be disappointed. Happy Creating!

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