Saturday, June 30, 2012

Canada & July 4th Printables, Stamp Samples, Linky Party & Giveaway Reminder July 2

Hi Everyone,

I have 2 great vintage printable images for you, a Canadian flag and some cute 4th of July kids - plus some fabulous new samples to share using our new Fairy, Pixie and Cutie Cat sets as well as French Mail and Garden Girl Stamps.

**Note: This Monday, July 2 is our 4th Linky Party plus a Giveaway!

I'm leaving this morning with my 3 daughters on our annual road trip for a couple of days and Sunday is July 1st, Canada Day. I've been trying to buy vintage patriotic Canadian images to make a stamp set but there isn't much of anything - so I made a vintage Canadian flag and then decided I needed to add a July 4th printable. Sorry for the short notice. Left click each image to make them big and right click to save to a picture file (for personal use only please).

I adore these sweet kids but their firecrackers were so big and they had a little rocket which I didn't think would be a great image for little kids to possibly see on a card or decoration so I cropped it and chopped the bottom off. Cindy our graphic designer is a pro at this stuff but she wasn't here - so don't look too closely at my patchwork.

Darlene Pavlick created some fun festive cards to celebrate the 4th using images from our Seasonal Booklet and you can see the other card on Darlene's Blog

Our Pixie Dust Stamps have arrived in our Shopatron and Etsy Store and check out these super adorable ATC cards that DT Member Pam Hooten created using them and papers from CD #3! You can see the details here on Pam's Blog and the supplies she used including a list of her Copic Markers.

Bev Cole already created a card with the Pixie set she bought and it turned so cute with the little boy wearing the flower branch hat and glitter wings here in Bev's gallery

DT Alumni Member Tammy Roberts created this sweet shabby stitched card using our new Fairy Wishes Stamps and the fancy 'Fairy Wishes' lettering and poem from the set with a little fairy girl image from our Little Dolls Booklet and you can see the details here on Tammy's Blog

Our order of Cutie Cat Stamps should be here this coming week and I will post details on the other 2 sets Party Animals and Top Dog which are on order. This set has 14 separate stamps and I was so happy when I tested the the drafts - they stamp so perfectly with fantastic detail!

We had some extra sets from the drafts sent and look at this adorable kitty card Bev Cole made and you can see other great Crafty Secrets cards in Bev's Gallery

I can't remember if I showed you this beautiful garden scene card the Sophie La Fontaine stamped with our Garden Girl Stamps but it so pretty and uses so many of the stamps I didn't want you to miss it.

DT Member Marilyn McIldoon made another cool button card, this time using our French Mail stamps. It looks so stylish I bet she could go into the button business!

Look at this cute support card Cynthia Olheiser made for her sister who is moving. She used an image from our Girlfriends Booklet and cut the mirror out and it looks great.

Here are my girls from our past road trip in the hotel room. I'm so glad I started our annual trip 5 years ago and I hope we will continue until I'm a little old lady. Traditions are what unite people. I always plan a bunch of goofy games with prizes. Prizes includes $5.00 bills, magazines, scratch & win tickets and some wine and you would think they were playing for a million $$. We eat at cheap places, stay up late talking and do a little shopping. We were going to take the ferry to Vancouver Island but Scott bought 4 tickets at a silent auction to Ste. Michelle Winery east of Seattle and gifted them to our trip.

Our kitchen is getting close to being finished but to save money we are using a stain on our cupboards and it's the last part to finish. It's taken a couple of tries to get the color right but we should have dark oak cupboards next week instead of blonde oak. I will post a bunch of photos and the tips & tricks we've learned.

This Monday, July 1st is our July Linky Party and I hope you will join in and post any sample you've made using any of our products! You have all week to post and a random.org winner will recieve a $50.00 CS Gift Certificate.

Plus - I will post our other animal stamp sets and do a Giveaway for all 3 sets!

Until next time, wishing you joy & creativity

Sandy

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 9823

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Fairy Stamps Arrived, Pixie Jar, Rose Card, Journal Pgs, Button Card, Halloween & More!

Hi Everyone,

I have such a great mix of cool samples to show you today. Plus - both of our Fairy Wishes and Pixie Dust Sets arrived! Look at this fabulous Fairy Dome DT Leader Vicki Chrisman created using the Pixie Dust stamps! I love how she created a little woodland nest and stamped and cut out the house, butterfly, the pixie boy, his bag of pixie dust and the sentiment!

Both of these stamp set turned out great and there are so many versatile ways you can combine them to create magical little scenes. SL50 Pixie Dust is a large set.

This new set SM44 Fairy Wishes is a medium set

Vicki has been busy 'junkin' with her sister Jan and has posted some great photos (I love the bike wheel photo holder!) Plus you can see the 4^th of July Banner she designed for Scrapbook Adhesives and the adorable layout she made using our CD's. I also love these fun pinwheels Vicki made using our American Beauty stamp set! Keep scrolling down to see all her June posts

Look at this stunning car DT Member Michele Kovackcreated using our Rose Stamp Set. The colors are so pretty and pop off the white cardstock. I’m just sorry I missed posting Michele’s giveaway in time for you to enter it.

DT Member Julie Campbell is enjoying adding pages to her art journal and I love her whimsical hand writing, quotes and thoughts she is adding like this pg where she used a pocket watch off CD # 2. Look at the way she stamped our Sunflower Stamp as a backdrop on one of her journal pages.

DT Member Marilyn McIldoon says she’s become hooked on making Button Cards after she was inspired by the button card Melissa Bove created using our Material Girl Set. On these 3 cute cards Marilyn combined it with stamps from our Artsy Banners and French Mail sets.

Feeling Yucky is one of my favorite stamps and I adore this cute card Marilyn designed here on her blog using it. The duckies and nurse are too cute!

I posted this adorable pen holder that past DT member Marisa Grosson made using images from CD 3 on Pintrest but forgot to show it here on the blog with a link to Marisa's blog and other projects. like her coasters. I love how she decoupaged these images from the mixed book page from the CD on all 4 sides of her holder. Look around your house for possible surfaces you can re-vamp and check out dollar stores, garage sales and second hand stores for inexpensive items like this you can re-purpose and alter quickly.

Check out this fantastic Halloween card scene Sophie La Fontaine created using the adorable witch, cat, spider and web from our Halloween Fun set. The Pumpkin is from our Halloween Postcard set. The window is a SU retired set and I have been wanting to do a window set forever - and this just inspired me all over again! You can also see her Halloween Dancers card and a very pretty card stamped with our Couple of Cuties Stamp Set!

here in Sophies Splitcoast Stampers Gallery.

Hah - I'm back updating this post and Sophie just emailed me a new Halloween card that is so fun (love the TV) I had to add it! Here's the link with all the details.

Talking about our Couple of Cuties stamp set, I was thrilled to see the 2 page spread in the new July/Aug issue of Stampers Sampler where Lillian Lumachi from NJ (wish she had a blog to link to) used this same set to create 3 very pretty cards featured in the Touches of Chipboard article on pages 94 and 95. They are perfectly shabby-pastel-lovely!

If you live in the Goodyear-Phoenix AZ area check out the Phoenix Scrapbook Store inside the BrassArmadillo Antique Mall: at 13277 W. McDowell Rd. It looks like so much fun - I want to go there! UPDATE: I just found out it's Pamelas' store from StampinDamour. She must order our stuff from our distributor Notions and I'm so happy to hear she has a store and stocks Crafty Secrets!

They have a bunch of Crafty Secrets products - as well as vintage-style scrapbook and paper arts items, vintage ephemera, collage and mixed media products from great companies - plus vintage flea market treasures!

On my next post I will show each of our 3 NEW Animal theme Clear Art Stamps SM45 Cutie Cats a medium set and 2 Large Sets SL51 Top Dog and SL52 Animal Party that I showed a peek of on my last post . The drafts arrived and all stamped perfectly so I ordered 100 each to start. 'Super Adorable' is the best description. Then we changed directions and finished our altered and fun Mustache Men Stamp set which I will share soon.

Yesterday my first born daughter Katie turned 30! How did it happen, the time went by so fast, I can still hear her sing song voice telling me about her day at school. I'm so proud, you may have heard me brag she's an assistant producer on the new Bachelor Canada Show. They have been shooting episodes and she did the 'away dates' so was traveling constantly and we are so glad to have her home for a bit! We are all going to Greek Days in Vancouver today and then for birthday dinner!

PS - My kitchen re-do is almost done!

PS 2 - I don't know where to link products now that we have both the Shopatron and Etsy Store, so I linked to Shopatron and just added them to our Etsy Store. I've been looking at building a new website with our very own store with links to Etsy and a Zazzle Store and will post details. I've become obsessed with bigger designs and want to offer T-shirts, pillows, wall art and more!

Until next time, wishing you joy & creativity

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Peek at 3 New Stamp Sets, Iron Ons, Pam's Giveaway, July 4th & More!

Hi Everyone,

I'm so excited about the 3 new Clear Art Stamp Sets we just finished and sent off for proofs! All 3 have an animal theme and I only planned to do one set but they turned out so cute we couldn't stop. I will post more photos and details soon but would love to hear what you think. Our 2 new Fairy Sets I showed HERE will be available this Tues.

These 3 new sets include a medium SM45 Cutie Cats and 2 lrg sets SL51 Top Dog and SL52 Animal Party. They should be in stock early July. Click on the image to see them larger.

Here's an outfit I embellished for my niece using iron-on paper and designs from CD 3, Creating with Vintage Typography. I bought the pants and a bunch of T-shirts at Dollarama for $2.00 each! Dollarama stores are across Canada with items for $1.00 to $2.00. I'm going to go to a thrift store this weekend and look for some canvas and linen curtains to cut up and play with and will post details.

My niece Arissa calls my dad Papa so I added the sentiment 'Papa's Little Sweetheart' from CD 3 to the back of the shirt. I love that you can change the sizes to suit your needs!

To not waste your iron-on transfer paper, crop, copy and paste the images you want to use onto a 8.5 x 11" file and print it. Then simply cut out the words, flowers and images and iron them on separately.

DT leader Vicki created all of these graphics with the tree, sun, little girl, flowers, etc and then Cindy, our graphic designer added them as separate PNG Files on CD 3 and showed me how to do layers using Photoshop Elements to create this collage sample below.

Now see how Julie Campbell used the same sun on her Art Journal? I love the way Julie journals! I'm sorry I missed her Giveaway but you can enter Pam's below. You can also see Julie's Doll Journal Post.

Here is a peek at Pam Hooten's 4th of July pages she created in her Art Journal using our American Beauty Set. You can see the rest HERE on Pam's Blog - PLUS - enter Pam's Giveaway to WIN your own American Beauty Clear Art Stamp Set! She will draw a winner Mon, June 17/1

Sophie La Fontaine designed this fab card using our same American Beauty set and I love the way she created a background paper by stamping the images in a soft brown. To stamp the lady Sophie cut her apart but I wonder, could you also stamp her a couple of times in red and blue to cut out her clothes? Also, check out Sophie's cool cars she did with our Car Classics Set HERE in her Splitcoast Gallery.

I love this card that Laurene stamped using our Bathing Beauties Stamp Set in the background with the sentiment, 2 ladies and seagull. You can get the details and other supplies used Here on Laurene's Blog. The pretty lady in the front isn't our stamp.

Here is another great card showing how Bev used our Material Girl Stamp Set to create a sewing room scene and the ATC frame she used from Art Studio to stamp a window. Look at the embossing she did and how the ribbon gives the illusion of sheer curtains. Details here
but Splitcoast is acting strange and keeps giving me errors so you will need to look for this sample and it comes up blank every time I click on it now.

It's been crazy since we got home as we are also updating our 17 yr old kitchen so I've been posting all our old white appliances on Craigslist and trying to pick out new stuff on a tight budget is hard work! Here is my Scott and our friends son Scott who is doing the tile work. I will do a post showing a bunch of before and after photos ASAP.

Lastly, we were away at the GASC and then on vacation so I never got a Fathers Day Printable organized but I did find our tie template from 2009 if you need a quick card or tie for Dad to wear. Are you doing anything special for Fathers Day? We're having a pizza party here.

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!

Sandy Redburn

Crafty Secrets

Visit Our New Etsy Store

Visit Our Shopatron Online Store

Join Us on Facebook
This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
Our Website: http://www.craftysecrets.com

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

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

USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine,WA 9823

Monday, June 11, 2012

Back from Our Trip (almost) and Linky Party Winner

Hi Everyone,
We have a random.org winner from our linky Party. Congratulations to #14 Kate who posted this fab Alice fold out layered card! Every project posted was truly wonderful so please go have a look if you missed seeing them! You can also see photos from our GASC show in Texas and Vicki's dress form.

We drove back from our little trip to Mexico and arrived in Arizona late yesterday afternoon and we fly home this morning. Vicki will head back to Nebraska and Scott & I will fly to Seattle and then drive home to Canada. It only takes a couple of hours - unless there is a big line up at the border. I have a few photos to share but Vicki took tons and hers are better than mine and I know will she will post a bunch soon after she gets back.

This is our third year flying to AZ after doing the GASC in Texas and then driving to Puerto Penasco, Mexico to see the Roger Clyne concert at the beach. We stayed in the same beach condo and loved it again.

It's the beach and this patio that we love so much. We went with friends Leslie and Linda who stayed next door and spent most of our time outside and had some great dinners on the patio.

We got to watch the moon rise and it was totally amazing!

I took this photo of Scott and Vicki in town and if you look you can see the Roger Clyne poster over their heads. They are 2 of the bands biggest fans ever!

Puerto Peñasco is known for their shrimp and I love this statue in the town square with the shrimp cathcher and his giant shrimp.

We had the best Bloody Ceasars at Max's. Leslie, Vicki and Linda posed for a quick photo

Scott and I where we were watching the pelicans with their babies. My camera became totally full with photos so I let Vicki be the photographer.

Thanks again to all of you fabulous ladies who entered our Linky Party! I will be back later this week with some new things to show everyone.

Wishing you joy & creativity!

Sandy
Crafty Secrets

Check Our Store Locator

Visit Our New Etsy Store

Visit Our Shopatron Online Store

Join Us on Facebook
This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
Our Website: http://www.craftysecrets.com

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

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

USA Warehouse
250 H. Street, #436
Blaine,WA 9823

Monday, June 4, 2012

Welcome to Our 3rd Linky Party, Decoupage Knobs & Show Photos

Hi Everyone,
Welcome to our 3rd Linky Party that I'm posting from our hotel room in Scottsdale AZ. Please scroll to the bottom to add a sample photo or to see the samples others have posted. I really hope you will join in and post any sample you have made using our products! You have all week to add samples and a random.org winner will be announced next Monday to win a $50.00 Crafty Secrets Gift Certificate.

HERE ARE THE SIMPLE RULES:

1. Your Sample must use some type of Crafty Secrets product.

2. Photo added must link to a Blog, Website or Online Gallery

2. No links to Etsy Stores or Shopping Carts please

We had a fantastic time at the Great American Scrapbook Show and flew to AZ today to start our little vacation. We are here 2 more nights and will drive to Puerto Peñasco to watch Roger Clyne & the Peacmakers (Scott & Vicki's fave band) play on the beach.

I have a few photos from the show below but I first wanted to show you some knobs I decoupaged with paper from CD #3, Creating with Vintage Typography. I cut 4 of the dots from the text_dots_med paper shown below (click to see larger) and tried one from text_dots_med. You could cut circles from many of the papers.

I sprayed my paper with a light coat of Krylon Matte Finish, a sealer which stops any ink running from paper printed on an ink jet printer.

We were selling these knobs at the show for $3.95 a package and I will add them to our 2 online stores when I get home (I have a bunch in my suitcase).

I painted my knobs black for contrast and used Mod Podge to paint a coat on the top a knob with a sponge brush and while wet I attached one of the cut circles and painted a coat of Mod Podge over the paper.

I wish my knobs were flatter so the paper would lay flat but I smoothed each circle out starting at the center using my wet sponge brush. If you click on the photo larger you can see a few creases in the paper but it sealed on and feels pretty smooth.

I left the center knob as natural wood and cut a circle from the text_dot_big and inked the edges of the circle with Black Memento Ink and sprayed it with Krylon Matte Finish to seal the ink. It worked but I don't know if it will seal all stamping ink. I will test it when I get home and now I want to try stamping on knobs as our Clear Stamps will curve to stamp a rounded surface like these knobs.

My brain has been bombarded with ideas to stamp on knobs or decoupage copies of photos of my niece and nephew for their dressers, do some with pretty flowers, etc. Vicki made some knobs and used some as stoppers in altered bottles. You could revamp a tired dresser, attach them to cannisters, keepsake boxes and more.

Here are a few photos from the GASC show which was so much fun! See that cool dress form below? Vicki decoupaged this dress form and you can see all the close up shots and her details on how she did it here on her blog - plus some of the pretty knobs she made.

Okay, now it's your turn to show us a sample you made using any Crafty Secrets products. just click on the link below.

Sandy

Check Our Store Locator

Visit Our New Etsy Store

Visit Our Shopatron Online Store

Join Us on FacebookThis Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com
Our Website: http://www.craftysecrets.com

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 9823