Friday, October 30, 2009

Design Team Bird Challenge & Giveaway!

Today is our Crafty Secrets Design Team Bird Challenge plus I have a great giveaway filled with a bunch of our products with a bird theme! Please click these links to visit each of the our Design Team ladies BIRD projects!

· Vicki Chrisman

· Pam Hooten

· Heidi Blankenship

· Marisa Grosson * Marisa has a giveaway as well!

· Michele Kovack

· Linda Duke

· Michelle Van Etten

· Florence Teixeira New Design Team Member

· Guest Designer Melisa Waldorf October Guest Designer

Here is a photo of all the bird theme goodies we are giving away! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment here on this blog and tell me what your favorite bird is! Don't forget to leave your contact info. I will announce a winner this Wed, Nov 4/09.



I also wanted to show you some extra bird theme projects and searched around and found a great collection of extra samples by each of these talented ladies!


I love this altered frame DT member Vicki Chrisman created from a plastic frame she got at the dollar store. The image is from our Birds & Botanical Booklet



This is another favorite of mine that DT member Pam Hooten designed using a wood box she embellished with paper from our Classic Paper Pad and used our Bird Lover Stamps


I sign every time I look at the pretty scene Heidi Blankenship created using a mix of our Sweet Kids Stamps and the branch with the birdies is from our Cherish Stamp Set.


Marisa Grosson stamped this fabulous card using our Bird Lover Stamp set and I'm amazed at how she cut out the leaves and did them 3D like paper tole!
I love the birds nest cone DT member Michelle Kovack created last year adding the birds on the branch she stamped from our Bird Notes Stamp Set.


This is another one of my favorites by DT member Linda Duke when she used our Kewpie Stamp set to create this very sweet card


Look at this cute birthday card DT member Michelle van Etten made using our Radiant Paper Pad and the birds from our new Birds & Blossoms Scraps


I would like to introduce Florence Teixeira our new Design Team Member. She goes by Flo and lives in France and creates fabulous projects! Click HERE to see her blog in English (you can also click on the translator on the side). We met through email when she was trying to order some of our products recently and I was amazed at her work and I've really wanted to add an international designer to our team so it's worked out perfectly! Flo will be getting her box of Crafty Secrets goodies next week but I did find this adorable album she had made using a mix of our Bird Notes and French Mail Stamps - the only 2 items she owns of ours. Click HERE to see the rest of this album.

Melisa Waldorf is our guest designer for the month and I feel bad that I've been away so much I have done very many posts. In my next post I will show you some great projects Melisa has created. Look at this totally cute Thanksgiving card she did using the turkey from our Thanksgiving Stamp Set!


That's all for now. Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me your favorite bird to be entered to win our Big Birdy Gift Pack!
Plus - Don't forget DT member Marisa is doing a $30.00 gift certificate giveaway on her blog HERE!

Wishing you joy & creativity

Sandy Redburn
Owner Crafty Secrets



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

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

USA Warehouse250 H. Street, #436
Blaine, WA 98230
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Creative Ideas, Links and Reminder for Tomorrow!

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been bad at blog posting as we are working on NEW EXCITING PRODUCTS and I just finished doing back 2 back shows! I also have the CK Show coming up next week in Bellevue WA (Nov 6&7) and it’s a big popular show. I have some fun things to share today and you have to come back tomorrow for our Birdie DT Challenge and 2 blog candy giveaways!

Crackle technique Video by Beate Johns

Halloween Chandelier
MASKquerade Challenge Gallery
Give a Giggle, Send a Smile Challenge
Adorable Baby Boy Postcard Album
Free Thanksgiving Antique Postcard Link
Reminder – Tomorrow is Our DT Bird Challenge & Blog Candy!
My Backyard Fall Photo

Here is a link to a great little video that Beate Johns from Splitcoast created showing a crackle technique she used on the Santa from our Season's Greetings Stamp Set! Beate has other Crafty Secrets projects HERE on here blog

I know Halloween is only 2 days away but I had to share this fun Halloween chandelier that was featured on scrapscene today. Christy created it and used a bunch of images from our Halloween Cuts. This idea would be easy to change up and tie on Christmas images, baby or? To get more details click here to visit Christy's blog.

I also wanted to show you this fun idea that Pammy Jo had for a challenge she recently hosted over at Splitcoast to create a 'mask' of some type and incorporate it into your project. I love the way she turned the coffee lady from our Homemade Booklet into a sassy little witch adding a hat, spider and webs from our Halloween Stamps, pumpkins and words from our Halloween Stickers and the mask she made. Check out her nail polish! Click here to see the 'mask gallery'


Marcy (kiddieltter) is hosting this weeks challenge to 'Give a Giggle, Send a Smile' and create a fun project using any of our products. Look at this cute 'I Hate Housework' card Marcy created using an image from our Domestic Goddess Scraps and stamps from our Kitchen Classics Clear Art Stamp Set. You can join in the fun and get the details HERE and click to see the other samples in the Gallery HERE!


I also wanted to show you this super adorable baby album that DT member Marisa Grosson created using 2 of the postcards from our Baby Boy Postcard Kit and some of our Baby Boy Vintage Stickers. This would make such an adorable keepsake for anyone with a new baby! Click HERE to see the other album pages on Marisa's blog and details on how she combined a Spellbinder's die to mat on her pages.



If you missed this free antique Thanksgiving Postcard we have, please click this link HERE to download it.


I had to run outside and snap a photo of my backyard and all the pretty Fall colors. I love Fall, if it would just not rain so much!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow to see our Design Team Birdie Challenge and see what the ladies create using any of our bird images and/or stamps. I will also be posting a great giveaway for a bunch of bird them products and include a link for a $30.00 Crafty Secrets Gift Certificate!

Wishing you joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets - Heartwarming Vintage Co.
Our website: www.craftysecrets.com
Sunday, October 11, 2009

Free Thanksgiving Postcard, Winner & 3 BC Classes!

Free Thanksgiving Vintage Postcard!
$25 Blog Winner
Layouts by Melisa Waldorf
3 Classes at BC Creative Expo
More Samples
When I did my last blog post I totally forgot that this weekend is Thanksgiving on Monday here in Canada! So I’m posting a free vintage postcard you can use to decorate a thanksgiving table, kitchen or quick card. Sorry I didn’t do it sooner but Happy Thanksgiving!

Click on the image with the left side of your mouse (you may have to click a couple of times to get it bigger) and then click on the image wiith the right side of your mouse to save it to a picture file. This image is for personal use only please.


I have the winner of our $25.00 Gift Certificate for the feedback POSTED HERE where I asked what future stamp images you all liked best. Thanks so much to all 96 people who left comments and so many helpful suggestions! Instead of doing a random draw I wrote the names of the 6 most helpful feedback posts on slips of paper and drew a random name and Cheryl Carey Bass, Congratulations - your name was on the slip I grabbed!

I want to introduce you to one of our guest designers this month in case you don’t know her - Melisa Waldorf from Jacksonville Florida! You can click HERE to visit the Crafty Secrets Gallery on Melisa’s blog and see 7 more of her projects including an adorable birthday layout she created using our Birthday Kids Clear Art Stamp Set.

This is such a nice Thanksgiving layout Melisa created using our Thanksgiving Stamp Set!


Here is a close up of the large stamp from the set she used with other pieces to create a frame.


Look at this adorable baby layout she created using our Baby Girl Stamp Set. The lace in the background and the ribbon looks perfect 'hanging' the stamped image.

I love the way she created a little collage of stamped baby toys, shoes and the buggy with the stamped image and sentiment.
Like this big pink flower with the stamped center!


Had to share this super pretty Christmas card Linda Duke designed for the challenge at Splitcoast using our new Seasons Greetings stamp set. The Fun Flock looks so cool on the little girls muff!

We will have 4 booths at the BC Creative Expo this coming Fri & Sat (Oct 14 & 15) in Langley BC and Vicki Chrisman is coming to teach 3 classes!

Class 118, Tricks & Treats The queen of Halloween, Vicki Chrisman will be teaching you her best tips & tricks for using Glimmer Mist and our Halloween Clear Art Stamps with her favorite vintage images to create a Spooktacular Mini Album and 2 wall hangings from our Halloween Vintage Postcard Kit! Get great ideas to dress up all kinds of Halloween projects! Halloween Class Kit includes a Vintage Halloween Postcard Kits (with a mini stamp set), assorted Halloween images from Vintage Halloween Booklet, Halloween Stickers, a bottle of Glimmer Mist and fun embellishments!


Class 120, Fairy Girls Shadow Box & Keepsakes - Journey to fairyland with designer Vicki Chrisman and decorate an altered wood shadow box to house your fairy girl, a fairy stamped wood postcard and a pixie spool fairy! Participants of this class will receive a whimsical sheet of vintage fairy girls, butterfly wings, hats and crowns (not publicly published yet) and our Fairy Enchanting Stickers, lrg wood spool, ribbons and pretty embellishments!


Class #119 Christmas Card Class – SORRY SOLD OUT
Learn an array of tips & techniques for stamping and embellishing your cards with heartwarming vintage charm! Designer, Vicki Chrisman will help you create 4 stunning Christmas cards and a keepsake card box. Plus, you get to keep 24 more vintage Christmas images you can use later!

I wanted to show you this great idea here that Julie Campbell thought of to use the little mini images shown on the packaging of the Postcard Kits. Each kit has little sample thumbnail images showing the larger images inside and rather than tossing them, she started cutting them out and using Glossy Accents and foil tape to create mini charms!


I get excited when I see people get creative and mix up stamps from our different stamp sets and I was looking through our gallery at Splitcoast and spotted this cute french postcard Sophie La Fontaine here created using a combo of Garden Girls, French Mail and Mouse Party. She drew the tiny flag and is sending this to a friend in France.

That's all for now. I've been busy getting ready for our show this weekend as we have 4 booths and I'm having a flea market area to clear out a pile of old stock, craft supplies, magazines, antique postcards and more!

Also, we have started working on new stamp sets and the feedback was so helpful! It was fun reading the suggestions, which were mixed but the 2 images that got a giant yes were 9 & 10, the little kids at the soda fountain and in the car, so Cindy our graphic artist is working on a new set with them! Plus there are more sets in the works!

PS - I checked and the Dick & Jane Books (asked for in stamps) are a registered trademark owed by Addison-Wesley - but I'm working the idea!

Wishing you joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets

Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com
Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817

Crafty Secrets
Head Office15430 78 A Ave.,
Surrey, BC V3S 8R4

USA Warehouse
250 H. Street,
#436Blaine, WA 98230
Friday, October 9, 2009

New Samples, Links, See Us Next Weekend in BC!

2 Spots to Win Reminder
DT Samples
Splitcoast Shimmer Challenge
Come See Us in Langley BC Next Week!
Funny Photos and Link!


Hi Everyone,

First I want to remind you if you submitted a card to our WCMD Challenge using any of our products and you didn't contact us for your free gift - today is the deadline to email your choice and all the details to office@craftysecrets.com. Also, if you didn't enter my 'What's your fav designs' blog contest you still can HERE (until Oct 11) and be entered to win a $25.00 gift certificate. So far, 88 people have left great suggestions and feedback!

I realized I forgot to add the link in the last post to DT member Pam Hootens Christmas Giveaway to win one of our Christmas Vintage Postcard Kits, a Image & Journal Notes Booklet and our new Merry Christmas Creative Scraps! Look at this wonderful holiday planner Pam designed using one of the chipboard postcards! You can get all the details and enter on Pam's blog HERE!

Here is the card DT member Linda Duke created for our WCMD challenge at Splitcoast using an image from our Merry Christmas Creative Scraps. Details are HERE on Linda's blog.
Here is the card DT member Heidi Blankenship created for our WCMD challenge at Splitcoast using an image from our Christmas Image Booklet and paper from our Earthy Paper Pad. Details are HERE on Heidi's blog.

Here is the adorable card DT member Michelle Kovack created for our WCMD challenge at Splitcoast using a cute image from the Christmas Scraps and details are HERE on Michele's blog.


Here is the card DT member Marisa Grosson created for our WCMD challenge at Splitcoast using our new Season's Greetings Stamp Set. Details are HERE on Marisa's blog.



Michelle Van Etten has been busy making some very pretty samples! I love this layout of her that she created using the butterflies, lady and butterfly boy she cut out of the back of our Earthy Paper Pad and she used the 'mother' postcard from the Family Postcard Kit. You can see the cute cake and card she also created HERE in our Sample Gallery.


Lori Lynn Washburn has been hosting the last 2 weekly challenges over at Splitcoast and there lots of great samples and inspiration! This is a card Lori created for the Handmade Embellishments challenge she hosted last week and you can see every one's embellished cards HERE. This week she has a Make it Shine Challenge HERE and anyone can join in the fun and post a card!


Look at this pretty little postcard DT member Vicki Chrisman created using an image from our new Postcard Kits! This one is from the Family set. You can see more postcards she made from the Baby Boy, the Best Buds and Kitchen Mail Kits HERE in our Sample Gallery and there are some other great samples other people have submitted that you have to check out!


I had to share these next photos that I made for Vicki's birthday Oct 7 because they are so fun and easy to make using a free program over at www.photofunia.com and they have so many samples you can choose from and then add a personal photo of anyone you pick and places their face in the right spot! So yes, this is Vicki's face on this angel and I thought that was so appropriate as Vicki is coming here to Langley BC, Canada next week (Oct 16 & 17/09) to teach 3 classes at the BC Creative Expo Show and one is a Fairy class! You can get all the details about the classes HERE and on Vicki's blog HERE. Plus we are hosting the Girlfriends Go Vintage Crop Sat night! Here is another photo I did for Vicki's birthday and emailed to her. I amazed at how it can take the photo and place it in all the right spots, here on the sidewalk and in the picture next to it! I think this one looks cool and artsy and they also have one of old vintage stamps that puts faces on the stamps.


I saved the best for the last! Here is a photo of Vicki tattooed on Beckhams bare chest and it also put the photo on his phone! Hilarious, fun, free and you can save the pictures to email to friends.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! If you can make it to the BC Creative Expo - please come see us! We have 4 booths at the show, 3 classes, make-n-takes, a free gift with every purchase - plus I'm doing a flea market table and clearing out all sorts of older product, supplies, vintage postcard and more!
Wishing you joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Crafty Secrets
Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817
Crafty Secrets Head Office
15430 78 A Ave.,
Surrey, BC V3S 8R4
USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine, WA 98230
Monday, October 5, 2009

Our WCMD Challenge Winners, Discount Offer & More!

It was SO hard to pick the winners as everything was fantastic! First I want to thank everyone and and let you know I just got a 25% discount that will apply to every single person who entered our challenge (156 people) who may have fallen in love with something and want to place an order in our Shopatron Store. It’s good until midnight tonight only and you must enter this code: CRAFTYWCMD (in the little code box) and you must order from our Shopatron Store HERE.

Also, as I promised everyone who submitted a sample USING OUR PRODUCTS (and didn’t win) they would still get a prize, so please pick a free vintage booklet or a small stamp set! You must email me your choice and address to: office@craftysecrets.com and state what free booklet or stamp set you pick. We will pay and ship by reg. mail. Sorry I can’t offer this to everyone, as there were 156 entries! 3 Booklet choices: Little Dolls , Summer Time or Childhood or choose from 1 of these Small Stamp Sets: Altered Art, Mini Memories, Serenity Prayer, or Story of Me.


Now to the big winners who I will also contact by email - but I hope they read this now, as I have to go to the gym (my butt got wider this weekend!)

Best Card Using Crafty Secrets Products goes to: TXGrandmax6 wins the $50.00 gift certificate for her fantastic Halloween diorama card

The 3 Runner Up Winners Using Crafty Secrets each winning a $25.00 Gift Certificate:

Laadeedaa for her Enjoy the Journey Card

PapierGirl for her pretty Pansy Card (can't find the Spiltcoast link)


Saffivort for her Birthday Girls Card


From the group that played BUT DIDN'T USE any of our products, the 3 Winners of ANY MEDIUM STAMP SET are:




Tolecookie, for her great You Rock Card

Then there were sooo many fantastic cards created using our products and I want to post them all but I promised my daughter we would go to the gym and she will be here to get me in 30 mins, so I'm posting some people emailed me and I don't have time to do links BUT you can see them all HERE at Splitcoast! I was just so excited I had to put them here and we have so many international people who have slow computers and it will be way faster for them to scroll through these, get inspired and go visit the splitcoast gallery.

Texasgrandma sent me this fab card last night way past the deadline but I love it! Ooops, I accidentally linked her photo as the grand prize winner (the names are so close, TXgrandmax6)
and had to go back and change it but she still wins a booklet or small stamp set for submitting!


LOVE this inside of this card by Tlady, created with our Bird Lovers Stamp Set


This card by Badsherry is so pretty using an image from our Girlfriends Creative Scraps!


Look at this pretty baby card by oh_Kat and how she used images from our Baby Memories Vintage Cuts


Randi Wall (craftybc) created this adorable card using stamps from our Fairyland and Halloween sets


This Halloween card by LindseyRickett is so cute using the little monster from our Halloween stamp set

I thought this card created by CAKath using our Bird Note Stamp Set was so pretty! There's also some another great ones, including one by Beate with these birds all done in browns and orange fall colors and one by avonlea!


I love how cute this Christmas card turned out by harrahx2 using the Santa boy from our Little Dolls Booklet!

This one is so beautiful by Angelnorth using an image from our Christmas Image Booklet and you have to read her cool techniques (no time to find the link)


How about this ornament card created with our Christmas Joy Stamp Set by a_place_for_ink
It looks so 3D I think you could hang it on a tree!


Another fantastic Halloween card (there were so many) this one by ChristieTully using iamges from our Halloween Booklet
I still can't get over the chocolate box that ILoveLucy created for this card, they look so real they made me hungry last night! The lady is from our Coffee & Tea Stamp Set (not the expression).

Here is a very lovely card with fabulous colors that caardvark7 created using our Sweet Kids Stamp Set.
Ohhh, I want to post more but don't have time, and I'm sorry I didn't get everyones 'real names' credited but you can see the entire gallery all 157 HERE (with and without Crafty Secrets).
You can also enter to WIN Some Great Christmas Crafty Secrets Stuff HERE on DT member Pam Hooten's Blog and see her fabulous Christmas Journal!
I will be back later this week with more great samples from our Design Team!
I also need to give a GIANT THANKS to good ol' Vicki Chrisman, our DT leader and with me scince I turned 'vintage' 6 years ago! She did such a fantastic job hosting this event and considering we were both first timers to this, it worked out great!
Also, if you haven't left feedback on my last post on your favorite possible future stamp designs, you still can HERE and we will draw a winner next Sunday. I've really enjoyed reading your suggestions! Great Ideas - Thanks so much!
PS - If you are looking for our products and can't find them please ask you fav store to call us! Also, they may order off Notions who carries most of our products and sells to stores.
Okay, off to the gym!
Wishing you all joy & creativity!

Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets