Sunday, October 30, 2011

CD # 2 Giveaway, Facebook Winners, Great SC Tutorial by Beate, New Samples and a SALE!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for the delay with this post (technical headaches). The good news is we’ve almost finished CD #2 and I’m so excited about how fantastic it turned out I’m celebrating and giving a draft to each of the 5 ladies who submitted envelope gift bags on our Facebook page – plus  3 more random.org winners will be picked this Wed from the comments left on this post!  We are also having a great SALE on some discontinued Clear Art Stamp Sets! See details below

CS_CD2_Draft_CreatingWithVintageIllust

It was so hard picking a winner but we felt Sylvia Cink Hildman’s Halloween Treat bag (below) was so cute and we loved all the photos & details she posted on her blog.  You can see the other cool submissions here on our Facebook page.

Rita Barakat - Altered Fairy and Birds & Blossoms Scraps
Cynthia Olheiser - Girlfriend Creative Scraps
Michelle Hodges - Birds & Blossoms Creative Scraps
Michele Sanders Ciola - Halloween Creative Scraps

Gift_Bag_Sylvia_Cink_Hildman

Look at this adorable card that Beate Johns created using a technique called a ‘Suspension Card’ with our Winter Wishes Clear Art Stamp Set. You can see a step by step by step previous tutorial on Splitcoast she did using this same technique.

CraftySWinterWishesHYCCT110_BeateJ

I love the colors Beate used and the sentiment she stamped from our Winter Wishes Stamp Set.  She makes fantastic tutorials and videos!

CraftySWinterWishesHYCCTtur_BeateJ

Elizabeth (I love Rubber on Splitcoast) has also been creating some fabulous cards with our new Winter Wishes set like this pretty snowflake card. Look how she added Glossy Accents to the snowflake, sentiment and the snowball. I love how she designed it so you can untie the snowflake and use it as an ornament.

IMG_4335_by_I_love_rubber-ElizabethLincoln

Here is another card Elizabeth created using the same Winter Wishes stamps and she added small black rhinestones for lumps of coal large flakes of glitter snow. She doesn’t have a blog but you can visit ‘I love rubber’ Splitcoast Gallery and check out some of her unique card creations.

Christmas-Card-Elizabeth-Lincoln

I like the way DT Member Heidi Blankenship created her own paper by printing roses on our CD #1 layered over the sheet music. Then see the sentiment charms she made using our Mini Frames stamp set with sentiments from Grand Greetings.

RoseMusicNotes-1

Okay, here is the low down on our SALE!  We are discontinuing 9 of our Clear Art Stamp Sets to make space. There are 3 large, 3 medium and 3 small sets.  This is the first time have discontinued any stamp sets but with over 200 sets and all the other products we need more space.   We will also discount the wholesale price for stores, so you can let your favorite retailer know.

The 3 large sets are $14.99 each, saving $10.00 and include Thanksgiving .  This is an amazingly detailed set but we’ve had 3 sets in the last 2 months with an issue with the large top left stamp so I’m going to discontinue it. Please know if you ever have a problem with any set not stamping great – please contact us and we will replace it!  Great quality is one of our trademarks!

ThanksgivingStamps

I love the elegant style of this Cupcake Party Set but it bugs me that you have to stamp the cupcake wrapper twice to create a full cupcake wrapper. It’s on sale for $14.99 and it’s a large 6 x 8” set.

CupcakeParty

This is an older set and it’s never been a big seller.  I think maybe people prefer to have ready to stamp frames but this is a versatile set and Frame It is on sale for $14.99

Frame_It

Rosy Wishes has never been a big seller  yet it has some really pretty stamps. It’s on sale for $7.50.

RosyWishes 
There are several alphabet stamps sets in the industry and Adore Alphabet has never been a big seller but it’s a deal for $7.50 while supplies last.

SM06_AdoreAlphabet

Party Queen is a older medium size set and it’s cute and fun but I would like to have a more funky party queen set, so it is on sale for $7.50

PartyQueen

Twinkle Stars hasn’t been a big seller so it’s on sale for $4.50 while supplies last

SS14_TwinkleStars

I love this design on Floral Vines but we had to reduce the artwork to fit on a small set making it harder to color.  It’s on sale for $4.50

SS16_FloralVines

I love this little bashful pig but a few people said she or he looks like a weird naked pig – so Wonderful Pig is on sale for $4.50. If we gave her a little ruffle skirt would you like her more?

SS21_WonderfulPig

Lastly, I bought too many of these cute Apple and Pear Mini Notepads (like over 700) so I'm are putting them ON SALE for $1.50 – PLUS we will include a free Apple with every order we send out for the next month (unless you specify Pear on the memo section in our Shopatron Store).  If you want to buy a 20 or more I can sell them for $1.00 each.

Red-Apple-Notepad

They each come with a paper clip (mixed clip colors) and a little mesh fruit bag and I think they look like a little piece of art on my telephone desk.
PearNotepad

They look cute displayed in this little fruit box but  come packed flat in a bag for easier shipping. Some of the wood stems may break off but you can easily fix it with a drop of glue.

kudamemo-notepad-6-pack

Don’t forget to leave a comment here on this post to be entered to win a draft copy of our new CD #2, Creating With Vintage Illustrations. They just won’t have the fancy label or sample ideas. We will have the fancy packaged ‘real’ CD’s in about 2 weeks.  I will show more sample pages in my next post as I ran out of room here.

Wishing you joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Crafty Secrets      

Check Our Store Locator Visit Our Online Store Join Us on Facebook!

This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
Our Website:
http://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, October 24, 2011

Our Gift Bag/Envelope DT Challenge, Invite & a Free Printable Envelope!

Hi Everyone,

Today is our Design Team Gift Bag/Envelope Challenge and I’m excited to see what everyone created from this cool DIY video I found at incrediblethings.com for turning any envelope into a gift bag with pleated sides!  Just click on each of the links below to visit each DT ladies blog and see their project. 

I came back and added this: We would love to have you join in and create a envelope-gift bag using any of our products! You can post your creation on our Facebook page and we will draw a $40.00 Gift Certificate winner this Friday, Oct 28/11
I also wanted to have a free printable for you today and decided an envelope template would be fitting. It’s posted below

Please click each of our Design Team Member Links

Vicki Chrisman Team Leader

Pam Hooten

Heidi Blankenship

Linda Duke  (includes a video)

Michele Kovack

Julie Campbell (also having a giveaway)

Amy Teets

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Fauve van Maanen

Gini Cagle

Jan Hennings

Tammy Roberts

Victoria Warren Mears  

Viola Mahr

Below is the free envelope template and you just need to left click it to make it as large as possible and right click the image to save it to your computer.  Then you can print your own envelopes on on white or color  8.5 x 11" paper or cardstock (personal use only please).
Your envelopes will have a decorative pattern on the inside and you can stamp and embellish the outside.  

If you have our CD and want to get really fancy, you can print on cardstock and run it through your printer again and print one of our pattern papers (imagine pastel flowers or polka dots) on the other side. None of the other DT ladies have seen this envelope, so they used envelopes they had - except for DT Member Julie Campbell who used the 3D envelope template we have on our CD #1. 

NOTE:  You don't have to use this printable envelope to participate, you can use any envelope with any of our products to make a gift bag. Post it on our Facebook Page & you will be entered to win $40 Gift Certificate.


I will be back later this week with some fabulous new samples and a preview of our new CD #2, Creating With Vintage Illustrations!

Wishing you joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Owner
Crafty Secrets

Check Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store
Join Us on Facebook!

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

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Fun Halloween Food, Vintage Printable, Samples, Links, 2 Challenges & Gift Certificate!

Have you seen all the Top Halloween Treats over at www.allrecipes.com ? The witch finger cookies with almonds for fingernails, mummy hotdogs and frozen hand in the punch bowl (freeze water in a latex glove) are 3 of my favs.

With Halloween 11 days away I wanted to share a few more inspiring ideas for décor, cards, treats, costumes and a link to our past Free Halloween Party Printable HERE & 1893 Décor Ideas in case you missed out! 

Also, look at these super cute Halloween Chipboard Houses DT Leader Vicki Chrisman made with her art group ladies party she hosted.  Vic has a bunch of photos HERE on her Blog and check out how cool the damask designs on our CD look printed on orange cardstock!

Halloween-HOUSES-Vics-ArtGroup

I love seeing our products used in fun novel ways and laughed when I spotted this past card Pammyjo designed using a mix of our stamps, stickers, paper and retro lady from Homemade Booklet. The hat, mask and orange glitter fingernails transform her!

HalloweenMaskGirl_by_Pammyjo

How about this cute chandelier Christy made in 2009 using some of our Halloween Vintage Cuts and other supplies. She painted a giant used tape roll silver to use as her rim.

Halloween-Chandelier-ChristysCloset

The trick is to think outside the box for ways you can re-vamp and make something useful to fit your needs.  Look at how DT Member Tammy Roberts changed the word BEAUTIFUL to BOOTIFUL from our Grand Greetings Clear Art Stamp Set. If you don’t have an orange flower, make one from orange ribbon like hers below.

Bootiful-Tammy-H-Booklet-SL46GG

Look around at all of the stamps and supplies you have and brainstorm different ways and combinations. See how Melisa Waldorf used our Flourish set and a mix of our Halloween Stamps on this fun yet classy Halloween card.
Halloween_Swirls-MelissaWaldorf

Click this link you are looking for 25 Really Cute Handmade Budget Halloween Costumes like the baby Moose below posted on blogsbabble.com
HalloweenCostume-25

Lastly I wanted to tell you about 2 Challenges including our DT Gift Bag Envi Challenge this Mon, Oct 24. You can watch the video HERE from IncredibleThings.com on how to turn any envelope from small to jumbo size into a cute gift bag! Our DT Ladies are using this idea and will be posting all sorts of fabulous projects in a variety of themes! If you want to play using any of our products you can post on our Facebook page

Joanne Allison is hosting this weeks Crafty Secrets Challenge on Splitcoast to create ABC – Anything But a Card and look how she used our Queen Bee Stamp Set to decorate this lovely lavender bag! Why not join in & post a creation? Check out Darlene’s Nature Challenge last week

ABC-LavenderBeeSachet_by_Angelnorth

I hope you will come back Mon, Oct 24 to see (and hopefully participate) in Gift Bag Envi Challenge. We will draw at least 1 Gift $25.00 Certificate depending on how many people post bags on Facebook decorated with any of our products!

PLUS – I will be showing a PEEK of Our NEW CD #2, Creating With Vintage Illustrations! I don’t mean to brag but oh my goodness – it’s amazing!
Wishing you joy & creativity

Sandy Redburn    
Crafty Secrets
Check Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store    
Join Us on Facebook!

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

Friday, October 14, 2011

Altered Spoon Album Tutorial, Heart Album, Layouts and Vintage Card Samples - Oh My!

Hi Everyone,
Ooops, I’m a day late with this post due to ‘unforseen obstacles’ but I have some great samples to share!   Check out this fantastic Altered Wood Spoon Mini Halloween Album Tutorial  that DT Member Michele Kovack designed.  She also did a Christmas Spoon Mini Album HERE last month using a Spellbinders oval die, which come in many sizes. On my next post I will add a printable project sheet that Cindy our graphic designer is making.
halloween spoon album by MicheleK

We just got these heart albums back in stock and DT Leader Vicki Chrisman designed this gorgeous album using papers from the CD , our Love Mail Scraps and Flourishes Stamps

Heart Album cover-Vic

The albums come unassembled in an ivory chipboard and include 4 mini frames . You can see all of the other pages HERE on Vicki’s Blog
Heart Album 2

Look at this fabulous card fellow internet pal Marlene Bender was so sweet to sent to Vicki’s mom for her 90th birthday!  Vicki sent me photos so I could see how pretty it was and I had to share and show you. All of the images & sentiment she used are from our Girlfriends Creative Scraps. Click her link to see other great projects.
Card by Marlene Bender for Vickis Mom

Marlene used our Glamour Girls Clear Art Stamp set to stamp the corners and lady on the inside adding to the nostalgia. I got the lady on the swing in a portfolio I bought by an artist who drew ads for a furniture store in the late 1920’s. The original is over 18” tall and so pretty we are adding her to paper on our CD #2.
Card by Marlene Bender inside

I thought this was such a cute idea they way DT Member Gini Cagle added a pennant banner to her layout with the matching twine. The image is from our Homemade Booklet and spoon is from the Kitchen Classics Stamp Set. Details HERE on Gini’s Blog.
More-Chocolate-LO-Gini-Williams

When I first saw this cute Halloween layout DT Victoria DT Member Victoria Warren Mears did HERE of her son I didn’t notice she used our Pattern CD to create the entire page.  The faux ‘white studs’ look so 3D and she cut the leaves and pennants from different papers, enlarged the page pattern across the top and used one of the journal pages.
Halloween-Layout-Victoria

DT Member Michele Kovack also made this fun rooster card and I love the way she added the small treat bag (stamped with our chicken wire) behind the rooster from our Farm Chicks Stamp Set and how the bag holds a tag (but could also hold a custom coupon, movie tickets, birthday money, etc.), eliminating the need to wrap a gift!
Rooster--MicheleKovack

DT Member Debbie Marcinkiewicz sent me these next 3 fantastic cards using a combo of our images, stamps and CD papers. I loved each so much I couldn’t pick a favorite!  Just click Debbie’s name above to see a bunch more fun cards she made for our last Retro Challenge.  Image below is from our Homemade Booklet, label frame from Vintage Label Stamps.
Kitchen-Clapsaddle-Kids-DebbieM







I love how Deb mixed 2 stamp sets with postmarks off Artsy Banners and ‘sweet BIRTHAY wishes’ is from the Born to Fly Stamp Set. The adorable image is from our Little Blessings Scraps. 
Blessing Card - Debbie M

She also used our Artsy Banner Stamps for the banner and a combo of Happy Birthday stamps off our various various stamp sets. Ticket is off our Love Scraps and our CD paper was used on form, but I’m not sure where the form is from?  Geez, I’ve seen this shape many times – can anyone tell me where/who?
Debbie

DT Member Gini Cagle explains HERE on her blog how she used Sakura Crystal Lacquer with an image from our Mini Scraps to create a 3D image.
sakuracharm-Gini-Cagle

DT Member Viola Mahr HERE created this very pretty card tucking the pansy image from our Garden Scraps behind her ‘fence’, with details on her blog when you click on her name.
Viola-Pansy-Card
In Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving the 2nd Monday in October and it always feels too early to me. I don’t want Fall to start, I still want Summer to hang around!  No choice – we had Thanksgiving this past weekend here, but it was a wonderful sunny day and there were several goofy but helpful participants! From left: my sis Wendy, my dad Russ, daughters Chelsea & Katie, hubby Scott and B-in-law Ron.
Thanksgiving-2011-Kitchen

All 3 of our daughters adore Martha Stewart and her recipes and this year our youngest, Chelsea 24, asked if she could use Martha’s Brine Recipe and cook the turkey.  Brine…weird?  It was the most delicious turkey I ever eaten! Hmmm… I have to ask her; did she use the whole bottle of wine?  Too bad, DD #2, Holly was away. I love big family dinners! We added all 3 leaves and christened our ‘new but old’ oak table but I need better matchy chairs.
Thanksgiving-2011-Family@Table2

I leave you with one of our happiest guests, sweet Arissa, my niece who loved the fruit punch her Grandma made!
Arissa-14

Wishing you joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Crafty Secrets
Check Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store
Join Us on Facebook!

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

Saturday, October 8, 2011

New Christmas Stamps & Giveaway, Halloween, Friendship and France Trip!

Hi Everyone,

We got back from vacation last week but it’s taken me a few days to get back to reality.  I took over 500 photos in France but I will just share a few at the end as I have a bunch of projects to show you and our NEW Christmas stamp set arrived called SL46 Winter Wishes.  

To celebrate, I’m going to give this stamp set away with one of our Christmas Booklets and Christmas Scraps!  Just leave a comment on this post to be entered. A Random.org winner announced this Tues, Oct 11/11.

Winter-wishes

There are 19 separate stamps on this set with adorable children, snowmen and some great vintage lettering! You can stamp the gift, the pie or the turkey for the 3 children at the bottom to create a Thanksgiving or Christmas card or gift tag. There are 2 snowflakes, swirly lines and holly you can use as accents and a little glitter snow will add some holiday sparkle.

DT member Linda Duke was very sweet to color this sheet of the stamp set to give you some ideas.  You also have to check out the stunning floral cards on her blog she created for a class!

Winter Wishes 2

Okay, now for some fun Halloween ideas! Past DT member Lisa Zappa decided to decorate a Halloween tree and created a bunch of fun ornaments to decorate it with.

Halloween-medallions-LisaZ-use

She used images from our Halloween Creative Scraps and Halloween Image Booklet

Halloween-medallions5

Lisa said she just spray painted some old bare branches black she found in her backyard and folded paper to create medallion's, used some glitter and vintage tin cups to add the images.

Halloween-medallion-Tree


How about these cute Halloween Cards Elizabeth Droege posted on our Facebook page she made with our Halloween Creative Scraps.
HalloweenCards-Elizabeth-Droege

Look at this cute Halloween card Lisa Hensley posted on our website using our Costume Cuties Stamps and tickets from our Halloween Scraps.  You can see more Halloween ideas HERE in our Online Gallery.


I am in LOVE with the 2 shadow boxes that DT Member Jan Hennings revamped and decorated using papers from our CD, images from our Mini Scraps and our new Mini Frames Clear Art Stamp Set.  The details she added are what make them both so special. 

Jan-MiniScraps&Frames

There are great close up photos of both rooms HERE on Jan’s Blog and check out the little books she made using scraps of paper for her 2nd shadow box the ‘reading room’. The angel is from our Cherub stamp set.

Jan-Reading-room-Close-up

I adore this beautiful chipboard album that DT Leader Vicki Chrisman created HERE for a friend and the Friendship Challenge HERE at Splitcoast that Marcy hosted. 
The papers Vicki used from our CD look so pretty and I love the stamping details she added to the inside with our Vintage Labels and Antique Trims Stamp Sets.

Friendhip album cover-Vicki

How about this very pretty card that DT Member Pam Hooten designed HERE using the Vintage Labels stamp set and papers from our CD.
PamH-Mini-Framescsvccc3

Here's an adorable card by DT Member Tammy Roberts using one of my fav images from our Girlfriends Image & Journal Notes Booklets.  See details HERE on Tammy’s Blog


I really enjoy reading any of DT Member Julie Cambell's blog posts , especially when she tells a family story like this one HERE Julie scrapped about her great great grandmother Celia's accident as a child.  The image is from our Birds & Blossoms Scraps and the cameo is  from our CD.

This week Lori Lynn hosted a Make it Pink Challenge over at Spiltcoast using any of our products and she created this pretty card below using our Bird Notes Stamps. Lori has all the posting details HERE and see the Gallery HERE.

CSSC192_Celebrate_the_girls_by_Lori_Lynn_Washburn

We had an amazing vacation and I was surprised at how many French Flea Markets and Brocante (second hand) sidewalk sales and stores I found. My carry on suitcase was so crammed with antique books and paper I could barley lift it.   I will do a blog post on French flea markets soon and include a bunch of photos, some links and helpful tips I learned.

The Hop On, Hop Off Bus was a fantastic way to see the city. We hopped off at the Eiffel Tower, had a picnic and hopped on another to see more sights.

Paris-Eiffel-Tower-Us

I’m still dreaming about the baguette's, chocolate croissants and other yummy pastries.

French-Bakery1

During our 2nd week we visited different towns on their market days in the Burgundy area we stayed in. You could buy from the butcher, the baker, the cheese maker, soap maker, farmers – all super fresh!

French-Market-1

One of our longer day trips (1.5 hr. drive) was to Annecy, this enchanting town close to the Swiss border. The old triangle building use to be a prison. Full of cute restaurants & stores. We ate amazing crepes.

France-Annacey

I will have create a photo gallery for the other pics.
Don’t forget to leave a comment on this post to be entered into the GIVEAWAY for our NEW Winter Wishes Clear Art Stamp Set, a Christmas Image & Journal Booklet and our Merry Christmas Creative Scraps!
Wishing you joy & creativity
Sandy Redburn
Crafty Secrets

Check Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store
Please Like Us on Facebook!
This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com      
Our Website: http://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