Monday, August 31, 2009

DT Vintage Postcard Challenge, Prize Winner and News!

Hi Everyone!

Today is our Design Team Vintage Postcard Challenge and I’m so excited by the very cool samples all of our ladies have created! Plus I have the winner to announce for our Halloween Giveaway Prize Pack! There were 226 entries and I used http://www.random.org/ to pick the winner and congratulations goes to #35
True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max:226 Result: 35 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

leenda said...
Oh wow! These are brilliant projects! Very creative & so fun! No one does Halloween better!
August 26, 2009 11:26 AM

Onto the DT Postcard Samples!

Look at this precious layout DT leader Vicki Chrisman created using one of the Baby Girl Vintage Postcards! You can see more photos and get the details HERE on Vicki’s blog.



Next, DT member Anna Wight made this cute rustic style Halloween postcard and I want to know where Anna gets her perfectly rusted wire and stars from because I love it! You can see photos and get details HERE on Anna's Blog

DT member Pam Hooten added a postcard from the Story Time Kit to an old Bingo card and added some of little chipboard pieces with images - but I love the way Pam colored the little stamp of the sandman on the moon! You can see more photos and get details HERE on Pam's Blog.

Next, DT member Heidi Blankenship created a couple of different projects including this fun pot she decorated to hold treats. She hung her postcard to the front of the pot and used the little stamp set that comes with the Halloween Postcard Kit to stamp designs on twill ribbon to tie around the pot as well! You can see more photos and get all the details HERE on Heidi's blog.


Look at this wonderful sample DT member Vivian Peters created with the Story Time Postcard Kit! I love the beads and charms she hung from the bottom. The chipboard that come in the kits is soft enough to easily punch any extra holes. Vivian created a second postcard using the same kit and you can see all the photos and get the details HERE on Vivian's Blog.

I love this paper cone cornet that DT member Michele Kovack created to hold her Alice in Wonderland theme postcard from the Story Time Kit. Alice looks like she is standing in a nest and the colors all blend perfectly! I also like the way Michele stamped the back vertically. You can see more photos and get details HERE on Michele's blog.


Here is a super pretty Postcard that DT member Linda Duke designed using one of the images from the Baby Girl Postcard Kit. This would make a such a sweet baby gift! Linda decorated a second baby postcard and you can see more photos of both and read the details HERE on Linda's Blog.
I love how DT member Michelle van Etten came up with this great candle lantern idea, as you can see the front and back of the postcards and it looks so spooktacular! You can see more photos and read how she created the lantern HERE on Michelle's Blog.

I have to also tell you about 2 other fun challenges taking place right now that you can join in on!
Darlene Pavlick is hosting a challenge over at Papercraftplanet.com HERE to create a card using any of our products that is different than the regular A2 style card that opens on the side. So put your creative hats on and join in the fun! Here is Darlene's card and this little pumpkin head guy is one of my fav images in our Halloween Image & Journal Notes Booklet!

The other challenge is being hosted by Marcy over at Splitcoaststampers.com, click HERE to get info to use any of our products to create something with a 'fair style theme'. Here is an adorable page layout Marcy created using images from our Garden Creative Scraps and the 'Souvenir ticket' is from our Travel Creative Scraps. Check out these other great samples that others have posted HERE!
NOTE -We have a bunch of really Fun and Beautiful NEW PRODUCTS coming later in Sept and I will be posting pictures in my next blog post! Watch for...

2 New Christmas Creative Scraps titled:
Birds & Blossoms Creative Scraps
A new medium stamp set called Seasons Greetings

4 NEW Vintage Postcard Kits!
Baby Boy
Best Buds
Family
Kitchen Mail

Lastly, If you live anywhere close to Greenville, South Carolina I hope you will come see us
at the Heirloom Stamp & Paper Arts Festival Sept 12 & 13/09 at the Carolina First Center. You can get details HERE. Mention this post and ask us for your free gift! We've never been to SC so we are excited about this show - plus we will have some brand of the new products!


Wishing you lots of joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets - Heartwarming Vintage Co.

Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817

Head Office
15430 78 A Ave., Surrey, BC V3S 8R4

USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436Blaine, WA 98230

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Halloween Fun and Spooktacular Giveaway!

Hi Everyone,

I have some fun Halloween Ideas and a super FREE Halloween Giveaway! To enter, just leave a comment! I also want to tell you about our Design Team Vintage Postcard Challenge next Monday, Aug 31st at 10 am - which is when I will also announce the winner of our Halloween Prize Pack!
We have lots of Halloween stuff, so the winner will receive all these goodies!

1 Vintage Postcard Kit
1 Halloween Treats Sticker Sheet
1 Halloween Fun Clear Art Stamp Set
1 Halloween Time Vintage Cuts (forgot to add to photo)
1 Halloween Image & Journal Notes Booklet

I will start off with a Halloween Postcard project but come back to see the other postcard projects next Monday! DT member Pam Hooten created this special treat box using 2 chipboard postcards and images from the Halloween Postcard Kit. See more photos and the details HERE on Pam’s blog.
I'm sorry I didn't have time to link every project project today but you can visit all our Design Team Member blogs through the links on our blog.
I wanted to show you how fun and versatile the Halloween Fun stamp set is. I like the way Lisa Zappa masked the little witch here and stamped her over the text stamp from our Booklovers stamp.

On this adorable card, DT member Heidi Blankenship used a bunch of the stamps from the same set to build a frame, adding the spider, bats, cat and little witch. I like the way Heidi matted and 'hung' the Halloween image from our Halloween Cuts.


On this card that Splitcoast member Darlene Pavlick created a cool scene for her witch and stamped the shoe and bats from the same set.


DT member Michelle Kovack colored the cute little monsters, the bat and pumpkin stamps (for the top) from the Halloween set and cut them out to create a sweet little treat box here.


Little craft wood blocks are fun to dress with images and DT member Vicki Chrisman created these for a class last year using Halloween images from our Halloween Cuts and from our Seasonal Booklet. The best part about the wood is you can use a serrated tracing wheel (from your sewing box) to go around the outside edges and you will get the great faux stitching detail you can see Vicki created here.


I love the way DT member Anna Wight stitched up this fun card on her sewing machine using the pumpkin cake from our Halloween Image & Journal Notes Booklet. Then she added some glitter, which really lights it up!

In case you missed it, on the last post I showed an adorable Halloween card HERE that DT member Linda Duke created. I've showed this calendar before but we have so many new visitors I wanted to show it again because it's so beautiful! Linda used our calendar stamps, a Halloween image from our Seasonal Booklet and flourish stamps from our Cherubs stamp set. The blank calendar was from Stampin Up.


This is a great idea that ST member Pam Hooten had to decorate a door hanger and include a little pocket for treats. The image is from our Halloween Cuts and paper is from our Earthy Paper Pad.

Past DT member Michelle Wooderson dressed up one of our little Girls Chipboard Outfits Halloween style using the diamond paper from the Earthy Paper Pad and dot paper from the Radiant Pad. She used the Halloween stickers to across the bottom. I love the glitter she added to the collar and bow. It would be super cute to add a Halloween photo when you flip the apron up. I'm happy to say we did get more of the vintage Mini Hangers back in stock also!


Here is another great example of how you can create a frame using the corners and border from the Halloween Fun stamp set as DT member Marisa Grosson did here on the super cute card. The image is from the Halloween Image & Journal Notes Booklet.

Lastly, I have a Halloween Fun House to show you that DT member Vivian Peters decorated using our Chipboard Folding House. Diamond paper is from the Earthy Pad. She painted the roof black, used our Halloween Stickers behind the chipboard windows and door and added pom poms trim and buttons. The nice part is you can also add photos and journaling inside and they fold up flat for storage. You can see more photo HERE on Vivian's Blog


If you are looking for any of our Halloween products, several of our retail stores have stocked up. You can visit our online store to find a store in your area but please call first to make sure they have what you want in stock. We should have our fancy new website ready late next month and and the store locator will be fully updated.
Don't forget to leave a comment here on the blog to enter our Halloween Prize Pack Giveaway!
A random winner will be annouced Mon, Aug 31/09. Good luck!
Wishing you lots of joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets - Heartwarming Vintage Co.

Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817

Head Office
15430 78 A Ave., Surrey, BC V3S 8R4

USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine, WA 98230

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fun Samples, Memories & News

Hi Everyone,

Okay, I have to do the sad stuff first, then onto the happy. Two of our wonderful design team members, Lisa Zappa and Melissa Phillips are going to take a break from design team work and from their blogs but they are both hoping to return when they have more time. We will miss them dearly and look forward to having them come back and play in any aspect!

Lisa Zappa has been on our design team since early in 2007 and has created hundreds of fantastic samples! Here is one of her fab Christmas creations using one of her old Bingo cards and our Vintage Christmas Stamp Set. You can see LOTS more of Lisa's awesome creations HERE in our online Gallery!

The wonderful Melissa Phillips came on board early this year and she such incredible talent for combining colors and images into a symphony of vintage shabby loveliness! As soon as we get our new website and gallery finished (coming next month) I will add all of the beautiful samples Melissa created using our images. For now, here are a few beauties!
On this card she used the February part of our Calendar Creative Scraps
I love this card Melissa stitched up using an image from our Domestic Goddess Scraps.

On this card Melissa added an old Burpee catalog image from our Garden Creative Scraps


I am so grateful to have such a talented Design Team! Many of the ladies have been on the team for years! We have to get the new Gallery finished as some of Design Team are having trouble loading samples into our old Online Gallery HERE. I think it has just gotten too big.

I have more FUN samples to share!
Look at this super cute Halloween card DT member Linda Duke designed using an image from our Halloween Image & Journal Notes Booklet, diamond paper from our Earthy Paper Pad, stamp is from our Halloween Clear Art Stamp Set and you can learn more about how she created the card HERE on her blog using the new Halloween Die from Spellbinders.

How about this adorable Halloween garland that Splitcoast member Julie Campbell created with our Halloween Postcard Kit! Look at all these other great samples that a host of creative people have posted HERE in our Splitcoast Gallery! The new Vintage Postcard Kits are so popular and I will be posting images of the next for kits available in September soon

I was on vacation and missed some of the challenges but I found this very cool Halloween card that Melisa Waldorf created for the Frame It challenge Darlene Pavlick hosted HERE over at Splitcoast recently. I love the way Melisa used our Halloween Fun stamps with the frame on this card. This is one of our hottest selling sets and I'm sure it's partly due the cute little witch and the set is so versatile. I still amazed that Cindy, our graphic designer, managed to fit all 24 designs I wanted on this set!

Here is one of the Christmas cards DT member Vicki Chrisman designed for here Quick & Easy Christmas Cards and Box using our Christmas Image & Journal Notes Booklet. You can see all the Christmas cards and CD box HERE on Vicki's blog. Vicki's will be teaching 3 great classes for us this Oct 16 - 17/09 at the BC Creative Expo, you can see HERE!
We are also hosting the Girlfriends Go Vintage Crop Party on Sat night - Details HERE!


Currently, Pammy Jo is hosting a 'Go Yellow' challenge HERE on Spiltcoast Stampers using any of our products. I love Pammy's card she stamp with our Glamour Girls Stamp set! Plus, look at this very cute stacked cheese card Marcy created using our new Mouse Party Stamp Set!
I'm totally impressed with the way she colored the cheese and mouse. I got certified for Copic Markers last year but I need to practice way more!


I also want to share this cute image I have from an old magazine cover. As soon as I saw it I had to buy it for our DT member Anna Wight and her partner Alan, who own the Lauhoff farm in Texas. Anna is an incredible photographer and is always snapping fabulous, funny and beautiful photos of their life on the on the farm - the birth of a new calf (see below). Her sense of humor and love for animals is also captured in the artwork she draws for her own line of stamps for Whipper Snapper.
Anna grabbed her camera recently when one of their cows went into labor giving birth to this cutie. I was in awe of the photos she posted HERE of the birth on her blog - but I will warn you the miracle of birth can get a bit slimy! You can also buy her prints of her photos and even our products in her online store.


Lastly I have a few photos to share from a little family outing we did last weekend to finish off my hubby Scott's vacation. We drove into Vancouver (30-40 mins) to meet our daughters Katie and Chelsea and Katie's boyfriend Ryan for Dim Sum lunch at the Pink Pearl in Vancouver. Too bad Holly (3rd daughter) couldn't make it because it super yummy and fun.
If you have never been for Dim sum (literally means "a bit of heart") it's the name for a Chinese cuisine usually served in the mornings until noon time at some Chinese restaurants and specialty dim sum eateries. It’s a very popular weekend Asian family tradition and Vancouver, BC has the 2nd largest Chinatown after San Francisco. The Pink Pearl isn’t right in Chinatown but it was fun and tasty!

Normally, there is a wide range of small share plates and dishes offered such as steamed or fried dumplings, buns and eggrolls filled with meat, seafood and vegetables, noodles and desserts you can buy off the little carts brought to your table. When you are done feasting they tally up all your little plates. Our lunch came to about $10.00 each. The spicy beans were amazing!

I wish we could have gone the next day when they were hosting their annual Spring Roll Eating Contest. Okay, I could eat this dish of garlic honey pork right now!

Afterwards, we went down to Fourth Avenue to a annual street parade and it was packed with people as you can see in this photo of Katie, Chelsea and George. The festival was in honor of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock concert and I should have snapped photos of some of the hilarious outfits people wore! There were all sorts of old vintage cars parked for 3 blocks down the middle of the street but this was my favorite one. It was made from an old French airplane and very cool!

That's all I have to share for now. Between vacation time and filling CHA orders, we have been super busy working on new products which I will be sharing ASAP! Big hint: more Creative Scraps - including Christmas and more Clear Art Stamps!

Wishing you all joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Co.
Owner


Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817

Head Office
15430 78 A Ave., Surrey, BC V3S 8R4

USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine, WA 98230

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

CHA Photos and Vintage Postcard Kits Online!

Hi Everyone,

I'm back from a crazy week at the CHA Trade Show and the Craft Super Show in Florida! Both shows were a big success, although the trade show floor was much smaller than usual it was busy and we met lots of new stores who placed orders and met many current retailers for the first time. The retail show that followed was a huge surprise because it was SO BUSY!!! Seriously - it was crazy - but in a good way!

Now, for all of you asking about the new Vintage Postcard Kits, we have some available in our Shopatron Store HERE tomorrow, Aug 6/09 and they will start shipping to stores next week! Ask your favorite store to order the Vintage Postcard Kits in for you!
Here is a photo of the logo sign we had at the show. The postcard kits were a huge hit and there will be 4 new kits next month


Here is a photo of our booth and little sales order table. I wasn't able to take all my big fancy vintage display frames to this show (boo-hoo) but it all worked out okay thanks to Lisa Zappa and Vicki Chrisman from our design team who worked so hard to help set up, demo, sell and take down the booth.
We made a trellis from metal gridwall to go over the front of the booth to hang samples


Everyone loves our cushy hardwood foam floor. It feels so good on your feet I could make a hefty commission selling it! But after a week our feet did get sore.

Here's a little Halloween display and all of our Halloween theme products were a hit, including Halloween Stickers, the Vintage Creative Scraps, the Cuts, the Image & Journal Notes Booklets, Homespun Cotton Scraps and Halloween Clear Art Stamps!


After the wholesale show finished our booth ended up being in the very last aisle at the retail show facing a curtain and even with a lousy spot our booth was busy and crowded


I'm so lucky to have such a talented Design Team of ladies who have created so many inspiring samples. Everyone was in awe of all the great ideas and beautiful projects!


Here is Lisa Zappa running the Make-n-Take table. Lisa and Vicki took turns and did a fantastic job teaching everyone lots of little tips and tricks for adding vintage charm and getting to take a sample vintage postcard or card home. We charged $1.00 for the make-n-takes at the retail show and raised almost $200.00 for charity!
Here are some more great Vintage Postcard samples. These Christmas ones were from the Make-n-take. I love the little pom pom ear muffs Lisa added to the snowman.

Here are 2 postcards created from the Story Time Vintage Postcard Kit



Here is a pretty postcard our graphic designer Cindy van Koll made using pink satin ribbon and pretty glass beads and charms she tied on the bottom.

Here is the back of Cindy's Baby Postcard which she stamped with some of the stamps from the little Clear Art stamp set included with the kit. TIP - To stamp the postmark stamp, first stamp on your postcard and then stamp on the corner of one of the images you glue on one of the little chipboard faux stamps. This adds a great 3D look to the postcard.


Okay, that's all for now. I will post more photos from CHA once Vicki gets her computer back up and running. She has all the good photos but lost her internet while she was away.
Wishing you joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets - Heartwarming Vintage Co.
Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604-597-8817
Head Office15430 78 A Ave.,
Surrey, BC V3S 8R4