Sunday, February 28, 2010

News, New Samples, Links & My Vancouver Photos!

Our Website Update
Lots of Fantastic New Samples
Spring Challenge at Splitcoast
Come See Us at These Shows
My Vancouver Photos During Olympics

Yes, our website is still down but Westhost tells me they have fixed 97% of the sites they lost, which I guess makes us in the 3% they are still trying to repair. It’s been 8 days now with no website and 2 of our main emails down! You can email me at:
craftysecrets@telus.net and stores can fax orders to 1-888 597-8898 or email: craftysecretsorders@hotmail.com

I have so many fabulous new samples to share created with our new stamps and images! I haven't posted much lately, so this is a long one! Between finishing off CHA orders, I've been suffering from Olympic mania! It was finally over tonight, so life can start to return to normal but it's been an incredible experience to have our city host the 2010 Winter Olympics here and I feel so proud that it all went so well! The weather was wonderful most of the time (it can rain for days here), the visiting athletes and tourists seemed to have fun and Canada won more gold medals than any country has ever won - so Canadians have been going NUTS as you can see HERE! I have more Vancouver photos at the end of this post.

Our head DT leader, Vicki Chrisman was away teaching classes this weekend at the Scrap for a Cure Crop in Coleridge, NE and one class was with her new 3D Shadow Box Die she has done with AccuCut. You can see on her sample the class got to use our new Altered Fairy Scraps and add a keepsake photo. I will be posting a list of stores that have ordered the AccuCut Shadowbox Dies hopefully this week. We also have Kits of 3 for sale in our Shopatron Store HERE and you can watch Vicki's step by step video HERE.

Look at this wonderful Shadowbox that DT member Julie Campbell created on her Saint Patrick's 'Wee-bit-of-Blarney post' She used images from our old Seasonal Booklet. The new revised Booklet only has one page of St Pats images, so if you order it from Shopatron specify if you want the old one. Several stores still have the old one. The new one still has the girl in the center and 2 smaller cute kids, plus it has some really great new seasonal images. I will also be posting a Free St Pats image & poem later this week.
Julie is our newest DT member and she is so enthusiastic she has been creating LOTS of samples you can see HERE on her blog. I love this tag she created with our new Message in a Bottle Clear Art Stamp Set. The ribbon part of the stamp looks so real!

Back to the 3D Shadowboxes, look at this incredible one Rita Barakat created using our Alice in Wonderland Clear Art Stamp Set! I love the way she stamped the 3 little card guys and stacked them. The cool mushrooms were her own design. Rita really helped us out st the Super Show in Florida, moving our booth over to to the CHA floor.

Rita also designed this wonderful Alice wall hanging for her daughter using the Alice image and ivory chipboard from our Story Time Vintage Postcard Kit. You can see more photos and read all about it HERE on Rita's blog and enter her Giveaway to win a great prize pack from Kaiser.

Look at this fabulous card DT member Michele Kovack designed using our new Mermaid Clear Art Stamp Set. I love the colors and sparkle! You can get all the details HERE on Michele's blog and click HERE to see Michele's Crafty Secrets Gallery with 132 samples she has created!

In case you missed it, here is another beautiful mermaid card that DT member Linda Duke created for our color challenge a few weeks ago, using our new Mermaid Clear Art Stamp Set.

Here is another pretty card Linda made using the 'nest girl image' from our Birds & Blossoms Creative Scraps. You can get all the details and see more photos HERE on Linda's blog.

I adore this fun card DT member Marissa Grosson created using the ladies from our new Ladies Hat Club Clear Art Stamp Set! The ladies look a little wacky but we decided they suited the words, so we didn't change the old 1908 artwork. Marissa also created very cute cards with our Party Cats Set and Message in a Bottle Stamps as well you can see HERE on her blog. Marissa also has a Crafty Secrets Gallery HERE with 117 samples!


This card DT member Melissa Phillips created is so adorable with the little bunny driving the convertible from our Easter Creative Scraps. The colors are delicious! You can read about it HERE on Melissa's blog and check out the pretty card she also made using our French Mail Clear Art Stamp Set.

The ladies over a Splitcoast have been busy creating as well and this last week Marcy (kiddielitter) hosted a Spring Challenge HERE on Splitcoast and 13 people have posted samples HERE. This is Marcy's pretty card, which she created using an image from our Birds & Botanical Booklet, the sentiment is from our Sweet Kids stamp set and the nest is from the Fairyland Clear Art Stamp Set.

I also wanted to share one more sample with you. Look at this cute paper weight Marcy also made using the bunny and words from our Greetings & Wonderland Clear Art Stamp Set. She said she's always fretting about projects and deadlines, so she thought the sentiment was perfect.


Okay, now I have some photos to show you from Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. Vancouver is less than a 1/2 hour drive from here in Surrey but all of Canada lined their streets to cheer the torch across the country and everyone was so proud and enthusiastic to invite the world here for the games!
This is the Vancouver Art Gallery, which has a display of these huge fabric paintings decorating the front. There was lots of art, sculptures and wacky costumed people to look at. I hope it all stays!
People were carrying flags from every country and we stood on a street corner and heard at least 5 different languages being spoken around us. The weather was perfect, except maybe a little too warm on some of the mountains, so they brought in truckloads of snow and used snow machines for a few days. You couldn't go up the mountains unless you had event tickets.
My husband Scott retired last month and has been driving a bus with some of the NBC crew around for almost a month as they arrived early. He's only had 2 days off but loved every minute being involved.
We made our way down to Sunset Beach to see the Olympic monument. I love the big mittens someone knit. Sunset is one of the beaches along the seawall at Stanley Park in Vancouver.


This is English Bay and people are surprised to see the row of palm trees but more people seem to be growing them here now in the northwest. It doesn't get that cold, we have the same sort of weather as Seattle.
Right across the street from the palm trees, is one of my favorite pieces of art called A-Mazing Laughter by Yue Minjun. They are huge bronze statues set up in a bit of a maze and all laughing.

Here I am, I couldn't resist pulling on his ears for the camera.

We walked up Denman street after (in the West End) and went for dinner at a great Italian restaurant but I can't remember the name now. There are some neat little stores and lots of resturants because there are lots of hi rises down by the water.

I had to take a photo of the flowers at this little market on the corner. The pots went all the way up the other side of the store as well. It's been so warm everyone's bulbs are blooming.

After dinner we just walked around and took in all the sights and sounds. This was another new sculpture I discovered on Granville Street called In the Same Boat - by Chien Chun-Cheng. I really hope all the new outdoor art will stay.
I love their surf board and I would love a summer dress in the same design!

At Granville and Georgia Street they has all these Asian lanterns lining both sides of the street and they looked way cooler than this photo shows.
That's all my photos for now but here is the 2010 Flickr group link again to see the giant party it has been here!
Finally, we will be attending some upcoming shows and if you are in the area I would love to meet you!
Mar 12&13 The Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival Victoria, BC
March 20 & 21/10 Heirloom Stamp Show, Portland, OR
April 16 & 17/10 The Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival, Abbostford, BC http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca
June 3-6/10 Great American Scrapbook Convention Arlington TX.
Vicki will be coming and teaching 2 classes!
July 27-29/10 CHA Summer Trade Show , Rosemont, IL (wholesale only)
July 30-31/10 Craft Super Show, Rosemont, IL
Wishing joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets
Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com (when it's back up!)
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

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Website Still Down, Pam's Giveaway & Accucut Calendar Fan

Our website is still down – since Sat afternoon! I know it’s not our server Westhost’s fault and we were not the only website hit but it’s been so frustrating! We did manage to get craftysecrets.com directed here to this blog until they get it fixed. The worst part is we haven’t been able to get any of our emails and people probably think we’ve left the planet unless they visit or subscribe to this blog!

You can reach me at craftysecrets@telus.net or stores can fax or email orders to Jessica at: craftysecretsorders@hotmail.com or just call our toll free # 1-888 597-8898.

On to the good news – we’ve almost finished shipping all the CHA orders, we also have the 3D Shadow Boxes in Shopatron HERE! Look at this fabulous 3D Shadow Box frame DT member Pam Hooten created HERE using some of our new Clear Art Stamp Sets using one of the new images from our newly revised Girlfriends Booklet!


We had to re-print the Girlfriends and Homemade Booklets and Cindy, our graphic artist, changed a couple of images and added more fancy journal boxes instead of the more plain journal pages. Pam is also doing a GIVE AWAY HERE on her Blog! You can leave a comment on Pam’s blog to be entered to win and she will draw a random winner this Monday for our Little Dolls and Childhood Booklets, our Mouse Party Stamp Set and some great rolls of ribbon!

Check out this very cool Fan Calendar that Traci Armbrust from AccuCut created HERE using their Fan Die Cut with images from our newly revised Seasonal Booklet and the free printable calendar from our website. The only problem is we need our website back up – but they tell me it should be up by tomorrow.



I have lots more fantastic samples to share but no time as I need pick my parents up at airport. I will be back ASAP and hopefully our website will as a well!

Wishing you all joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Owner Crafty Secrets
Visit Our Online Store Here
This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com

Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com (when it's back up!)

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, February 22, 2010

Our Website & Email are Down!

Hi Everyone,

The company that hosts our website and some of our email had a meltdown Sat afternoon and our website has been down since!

You can send emails to craftysecrets@telus.net

You can still see all of our products and place retail orders here at our store with Shopatron:
http://www.shopatron.com/home/index/555.0

Hopefully it will be fixed quickly. I will post again today with an update.

So sorry for the inconvenience!

Sandy Redburn
Owner Crafty Secrets
Visit Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store Here

This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com (when they fix it!)

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, February 15, 2010

Our Design Team Color Challenge, Love Vintage Winners, Van

Hi Everyone,

Today is our Design Team Challenge and I'm so excited to see what the ladies have come up with! Our DT Leader Vicki Chrisman asked them to show ways to ADD COLOR to our Clear Art Stamps

Vicki Chrisman Team Leader

Pam Hooten

Heidi Blankenship

Marisa Grosson

Linda Duke

Michele Kovack

Melissa Phillips

Michelle Van Etten

Flo from France

Julie Campbell Check out all the fantstic samples on our newest member, Julie's blog
like these 3D Shadow Box Landscape Frames she created in Child's or 'Fairy & Bird theme!


All of the entries for our Love Vintage Contest are posted HERE and you can see the winners and get the 2 free printable images if you missed them! We ended up also picking a runner up for the puppy and cherub free image people used to create with because there were so many great samples. I wish everyone could win!

I'm going to post a bunch of photos this week from our adventure into Vancouver yesterday during the Winter Olympics. The city was jam packed with tourists, cool art and all sorts of fun things to see and do.

In the meantime I have this amazing, interesting, great aerial tour of Vancouver to share with you! Its done in a virtual tour, 360 degree shot, with variations of movement, by clicking on to the tab icons at the bottom right hand. Just click on HERE and when it loads try clicking on the different 'camera icon spots' to visit different places like my favorites - Stanley Park, West Vancouver and White Rock! It takes a little while for the color to load but it's worth it!

Wishing you all joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets

Visit Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store Here
This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
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, #436
Blaine, WA 98230

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Winners & All Entries for Valentine Love Contest!

Hi Everyone,

We had 16 entries for our Love Vintage Valentine Contest using either the vintage Valentine Puppy or the Cherub from the 2 free printable valentines you can get HERE on this blog. All of the entries were so wonderful I have to show you all of them! Even with help - it was really hard to pick the winners, so there is a runner up in both groups.

I hope all the samples get bigger when you click them on. I had to reduce a few they were so big.

Using the puppy dog image, Jan Hennings wins the first $25.00 prize with her fantastic idea to make the puppy larger and add a magnetic sheet to the back, so she could cut it into multiple pieces and turn it into a child's puzzle!

Here is the puzzle put together on a tin from the dollar store. I noticed our dollar store here sells the magnetic sheets and they are great for creating fridge photo magnets.

Runner up in the Puppy image category ($15.00 prize) is Rene Schweitzer for her adorable chocolate box. Rene added white Fun Flock to his spots and used the two candy heart stamps from our Feeling Yucky set to stamp her box and tissue paper.
The rest of the puppy cards are in random order and I've tried to include the details if they were provided.
Look at this cute 'dog house' Marlene Bender created! She said she made this treat holder with Cosmo Cricket paper and a slightly modified pattern from Splitcoast Stampers.

We loved this hanging heart Debbie Kaste created adding a red crepe paper ruffle, pom pom trim, embossed key and lock from our Hardware stamp set and letters stamped with our ABC Top Hat stamp set.


This pretty card was submitted by Synnove from Norway (who won for her cherub card). We loved her all her layers and embellishments!
Look at this adorable card Janice Knapp submitted as an easel card. She says she attached a pack of gum wrapped in cellophane, added red heart trim and the paper heart doily. She sewed the black rick-rack on, so the card will stand up and added a blue satin bow. She sent it to her nephew.
We loved this card Thanh Vo submitted using matching hearts paper and great contrast with the black & white paper and scallop circle.
Jan Hennings also submitted this cute candy holder and shrunk the puppy image down small and used him on a pick
For the cherub cards, first place ($25.00) goes to Synnove Dolven from Norway who printed the image in 2 sizes to create this beautiful matching tin gift holder and card! The 'Thinking of You' stamp if from our Sweet Kids set. The paper, large flowers and butterflies on the card are cut from our Earthy Paper Pad. On the tin, 'You Make my Heart Sing' is from our Bird Lovers Stamp set. The color combo and layers won us over!
Janice Knapp wins runner up ($15.00) We loved the way she used the image without color here and adhered it to a metal tin. She added vintage buttons (from her grandmother's button jar) a feather to the angel wing, a white distressed leaf sprig. On the bottom, she used her grandma's lace, topped with a strand of pearls, 2 layers of tulle and a black button attached with a hat pin. She distressed the photo edges with Colorbox chalk pad. For the handle, she added all sorts of ivory colored trims

Thanh Vo also submitted this pretty cherub card and we loved the colors, flowers and the way she popped up the her cherub on a thicker heart shape.

Turid Hurlen from Norway this pretty card using a combination of red and white papers and printed twill ribbon. The swirls have small black jewels glued on them.


Polly Zastawnik entered this pretty card and the red paper heart doilie make the image pop and it looks great against the gold paper.


Lana Edwards says she loves 'Vintage Everything' and this is her first try entering one of our contests. Her card turned out lovely with the perfect ribbon and paper lace punched border.

We were amazed at this wonderful double sided card accordion notes keeper and box that Haydee Davidson submitted. She said she plans to add notes to it every year. Love the vellum pocket!
Helene Huber shrunk the cherub image down so she could create this very pretty ATC card. We loved the gold glitter she added to the cherubs wings, whatever medium she used on the flowers and hearts and gold metallic pen used around the edge of her card.

Karen McAlpine submitted this wonderful card and says she used a dark rose texture cardstock and decorative paper and layered on an embossed piece distressed with ink. She added a crocheted vintage doily and bumped up the heart using the old 'paper tole' method, tucking a ribbon around it. And added some Stickles and pearls to finish the card off.

Whew - that took longer than I thought to add every sample submitted here!
NOw come back and see all of the fantastic samples from our Design Team Color Challenge - Mon, Feb 15 at 10:00 AM central time.
Wishing you all 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 Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine, WA 98230

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Free Vintage Valentine Printables & Contest!

Hi Everyone,

Here is our Valentine gift to you in two vintage images for your own personal use to create projects! Just click on each image with your mouse and they should get larger. Then you can right click each with your mouse and save them to a picture file on your computer. You can open them with most photo programs to print in whatever size works for your project.

Please enter our Love Vintage Contest and email us your creations by 6 PM Feb 14/10. I will announce two $25.00 gift certificate winners (one for each image) on Feb 15. Email entries to: info@craftysecrets.com


Here is a cute little puppy valentine with a more retro style. He's so adorable, he may become one of our Clear Art Stamps.

I asked our DT leader Vicki Chrisman to create a sample to inspire you and then got the idea to turn it into a contest when I saw her adorable card. I always seem to get last minute ideas. Sorry, I should have posted earlier but I bet I wouldn't have thought of the contest. So come on and get creative and play!
Vicki matted the image and put it up on foam squares. She added light blue Flower Soft to the bow and "Crystal Ice" Stickles to the hearts, feet and around large heart. Blue check paper is from our Pastel Paper Pad. Vicki also has a link HERE to win $100.00 worth of adhesives from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L™!


For our Love Vintage Contest, you don't have to make a valentine or a card. You can cut off the lettering, use any printable surface and create any project you like. Just email me your photo by 6 PM on Feb 14th and I will post two winners on Monday morning Feb 15 when we have our Design Team Challenge. Yes - this Monday our DT ladies will be showing you ways to ADD COLOR to your stamped designs. I know there will be lots of wonderful samples and great ideas, so please come back and join us!

Wishing you all joy & creativity and Happy Valentines Day!

Sandy Redburn
Owner Crafty Secrets

Visit Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store Here

This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com

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, #436Blaine, WA 98230

LINK To: Vintage Printable Valentine Gifts & Contest!

Hi Everyone,

I posted ealier here and when I edited it the images wouldn't enlarge, so I had to re-do everything and re-post the images and info HERE!

Wishing you all joy, creativity & Happy Valentines Day!

Sandy Redburn

Owner Crafty Secrets

Visit Our Store Locator

Visit Our Online Store Here
This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com

Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com

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, February 8, 2010

Winner, News, Samples & Free Valentines Tomorrow!

Winner of 3D Shadow Box Kits & Altered Fairy Scraps
Link to Vicki Chrisman's Tutorial
Heidi's 3D Shadow Box Card
News on Party & Greetings From Wonderland Sets
Splitcoast Challenges & Samples
Olympic Games Coming Here

Sorry, for the delay, I started this post yesterday but just finished it. We have a random winner for the Landscape and Portrait 3D Shadow Box Frames & 3 sheets of Fairy Scraps. Congratulations goes to # 48 Patty Jo. That made me happy as she has been a long time regular visitor and appears to love Vicki Chrisman's Shadow Box Cards!

Pattyjo said...
I love Vickie and all her creations! I want to get some of the shadow box die kits...both styles.Pattyjo
February 8, 2010 8:59 AM



Vicki recently created a step by step video HERE showing how to put these Shadow Box Die Cuts together. They are easy, fun and we are madly getting Class Kits made up for every CHA store order. They will be available in sets of 3 frames in our Shopatron Store next week!

Look at this beautiful portrait shadow box card DT member Heidi Blankenship created using paper from our Classic Paper Pad, Flourish Stamps, the script stamp from our Journal set, the Altered fairy Scraps, Gold Glimmer Mist and some sparkly embellishments. Plus, go see Heidi's fabulous Mermaid card HERE!



When Cindy tried adding our Alice in Wonderland Stamp set to the Shopatron store yesterday it wouldn't load but it's fixed now and has been added as well as Party Cats HERE! When I tested Party Cats it seemed like there was a problem with the piano stamp but I think it was the bad table I stamped on at the warehouse as the same set stamped great here at the office. When using larger stamps, remember to apply firm pressure over the center of the stamp.

You have to check out the challenges using our products over at Splitcoast. There is a wonderful group of regular ladies that love to participate and take turns hosting the challenges. Anyone can join in the challenges, so come play!
Lori Lynn Washburn hosted the last challenge to 'create a card for men' and her is the cute one she made using an image from our Joys of Life Booklet.
You can see the Men's Card Gallery HERE.




Marcy Talbert hosted the challenge before that for 'Something Old & Something NEW' and this is the adorable card she made using our Couple of Cuties stamp set! You can see the entire gallery of cards people created HERE.

The challenge before that one was hosted by Pammy Jo for a 'Piggy Back Card' (a card on a card) and she created this pretty card using our Friends & Flowers Vintage Cuts. You have to check out all the other wonderful cards you can see HERE in the piggy back gallery.


The Winter Olympics are taking place here and the Olympic torch passed through Surrey yesterday on it way to Vancouver and eventually up the mountain to light the torch to start off the games next week! We drove up the street at 6 pm to see the torch pass by and this older lady was taking her turn jogging with it (see photo below). I don't know how you get picked but it would be fun! Our side of the street was lined with people cheering her on.
The city has gone into full celebration mode and the traffic is crazy as 1000's of athletes and tourists arrive. I hope the weather gets colder as they have been trucking in snow daily to Cypress Mountain where some of the games will take place. Whistler still has lots of snow. Scott (my honey) retired 2 weeks ago but is driving a big fancy bus with NBC crew to all the events.
I will fill you in on the excitement during the next couple of weeks.



Come back and visit tomorrow so you can print the free printable Valentines images I will post. I have a retro and old fashioned style for you!
Wishing you all joy & creativity!
Sandy Redburn
Owner Crafty Secrets

Visit Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store Here
Our Website: www.craftysecrets.com
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