Down on the Farm Sample, Creating With Vintage Illustrations and more!

Hello Friends, welcome to the weekend!

I hope you have some fun things planned, and that you get some time to play with your Crafty Secrets goodies! There's nothing more relaxing than creating something beautiful!

I had a little extra time on Friday afternoon, so I sat down with our brand new "Down on the Farm" Digital art stamps and made a super cute birthday card.  You can read all the details on my blog, Kathy by Design.

The images in this set are like a breath of fresh, clean country air!  There are so many different ways to combine images, build digital collages, use in mixed media or on scrapbook pages.  You can even just print them out in black and white and use them "as is."

 In addition to the original stamp set, Sandy created a slew of new images, sentiments and extras for a total of 51 stamps!  Here's a look at the second page of this fresh, fun set of digital stamps.

Makes you want to get your craft on, doesn't it?

Our former DT Leader, Vicki Chrisman, has been busy making some beautiful sympathy cards. No one ever wants to make this type of card, but when you've suffered a loss, it means so much to get one in the mail! Vicki used our Creating With Vintage Illustrations CD #2

to create three of the most beautiful sympathy cards I've ever seen!

I know you'd love to take a closer look at these beautiful cards.  The colors in this first card are just amazing! I love the way Vicki stitched the image to the paper. And the combination of the roses and butterfly is gorgeous.

This CD has loads of botanical and  bird illustrations on it, and Vicki used one as the focal on her second card. She put this digital collage together, printed it and then stitched it to her card front.  Easy to mail, but that stitching adds a great "hand crafted" feel.

I love the way Vicki layered the frame and the roses on this card.  It's just perfect.  You can get all the details and product links on Vicki's Blog, "This Art that Makes Me Happy."

If you're looking for a resource that will give you a lot of bang for your buck, our "Creating with Vintage CD's" are at the top of my must have list. Every single time I use them, I find something new. 

Some of our design team members are on vacation, while others are swamped with end of the school year activities.  I can't believe it is almost summer, can you?

I hope you'll take some time this weekend to enjoy time in your craft room.  And don't forget to link up your Crafty Secrets creations to our May Linky Party post!  We have a wonderful prize package this month for one lucky participant!  It might as well be you!  You can find all the details HERE.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Kathy Clement/DT Leader,

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Decoupage Vintage Birds Tutorial and How to Edit Images

Hi Everyone,

I'm back today with 2 tutorials and I said I would use Paint, a free image editing program that's pre-installed on many windows based PC computers. It offers a great way for beginners to learn how to crop, re-size and change printable papers, images, digital stamps and photos.  If you don't have the Paint program you can download the upgraded version Paint.net for free.  I came back and added a quick cheater way for #2 at the end.

  Tutorial #1
First I will show you how I used Paint to print papers from our CD 2, Creating With Vintage Illustrations to decoupage on 2 plastic plates and light switch covers.

I went to my CD 2 Folder and opened the Papers and clicked on one of the papers I wanted to use and opened it with the Paint Program. 

Instead of repeating myself, please scroll down to read my mini tutorial near the end of this post on how I used the Paint Program to crop, copy and paste to re-color parts of our printable Fairy Bridge Cards download.

 Flat surfaces work best unless you working with a super thin material like tissue. These plastic plates are perfect as they don't have hardly any curve. Look around your house for boring or ugly flat surfaces to decoupage. Dresser tops or drawers, stools, small tables, trays, wood boxes and more.  Dollar stores, flea markets and thrift stores are filled with inexpensive possibilities!

I printed all my papers and images on inexpensive 20 lb (75 gm) copy paper and I use generic compatible ink from www.InkFarm.com  or www.InkGrabber.com  Just give them your printer model and you can save a bundle on ink. Be sure to use compatible ink made for your printer model.  

I didn't think the middle pattern paper looked that great when I tested them together on the wall, so I printed a floral paper (from CD 2).

If you have a inkjet printer you need to set the ink so it doesn't run when you get it wet.  When coloring digital stamps I've printed I often just use my hair dryer to heat set or leave the image for a day before coloring it. But with decoupage I know I'm going to get the paper really wet, so then I go in my garage and give any printed paper 2 sprays with Krylon Matt Sealer first.

Here's my first plate, which I ended up gluing 2 plates together and did the light switch covers but I'm not sure if they are too much??? Please tell me what you think.  We have so many outlets on our telephone desk I thought this might look good but are they too 1980's?

Tricks I learned - Lay your plates and switch covers down on the back of your printed paper. Use a pencil to trace the inside hole and around the outside of the light covers. Cut your paper larger, outside the line so you can fold it over the edge. You can trace on some scrap paper to test how much extra paper you need. My light covers were more curved and needed at least 1/4". 

Use a blade to cut the center traced area out out of the light switch covers.  I snipped a bit off the corner tips so they folded over better.  Decoupage one piece at a time. I used a foam brush to spread the gel medium all over each surface and painted it on the back of the paper I wanted to attach. Use your fingers and a damp sponge to press out any air bubbles. Don't rub too hard.

Here's a close up after of plate #1 and the switch covers.

Here's our telephone desk from farther back. I was trying to match the colors on the glass cupboard

My second plate I did.

You can tell I'm in love with this paper Cindy made for CD 2 with the nest, birdies and eggs.  Here's a link to when I used it before 3 different ways and in 3 different sizes printed on canvas, on paper for a card and small for a 1" pendant. I cropped the little bird again from the top corner of the paper and pasted him closer to the nest for the card. Then I cut him out of the canvas, attached him with a bit of glue and gave him a twig perch.

TUTORIAL # 2
This is a quick little tutorial showing how you can use the Paint Program to color over the text on our Fairy Bridge Tally Cards, a new Printable for $1.99 - but they are also our Free Gift this month when you place an order in our online www.craftyvintagegirl.com  
Store. This method shows how you can color over certain areas.  Scroll to the end to read the FAST CHEATERS METHOD.

Don't worry - they don't have the red printing, I just used this sample. First, open the file with the Paint Program.  Then go to VIEW and click on the ZOOM icon to see everything closer.

Then click on SELECT and use the EYE DROPPER to pick a color. I used the background beige color. Then click on a brush and pick a size. I used the Marker brush with the largest size to color over the printed bridge tally lettering on the first card.

Then click SELECT  again and COPY and PASTE the colored box over the other cards.

Then you can keep pasting the same colored box you have copied.  If you make a mistake just click on the first BLUE ARROW on the top to go back.

See it's easy!  Just be sure to SAVE your file with a new name (so you still have the original if you want to use them with the text).   Note: Paint usually saves as PNG but you can click on the little drop down menu to save as a JPG file.  

To type and journal on your new blank cards you can click on SELECT again and click on the TEXT 'A' Box and use your mouse to make a text box where you want to start typing to journal on your cards.

FAST CHEATER METHOD:  I came back and added these You can simply crop a white box or copy a cropped piece of paper using Paint and COPY it,  then open this file with Paint again and PASTE it over the area you want to cover. See samples below I cropped and also made a box using the SHAPE Tool.  I just don't know how to color inside the box except for the method I showed farther above using a brush. I bet there is a way with the Paint Bucket Tool. If anyone knows, please leave a comment and explain - thanks!

Please leave a comment and tell me if this tutorial was helpful or any questions you may have?

Thanks and don't forget to come back this Monday for our week long Linky Party and Design Team Challenge with 2 NEW Members and a NEW FABULOUS GIVEAWAY! 

Sandy

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Toll Free Phone or Fax 1-888 597-8898
Local Phone 604 597-8817
 
 Crafty Secrets Head Office
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Blaine,WA 9823

Welcome to March Linky Party & Spring DT Challenge

Hi Everyone, 

It's our March Linky Party and our Design Team Challenge and this month the theme is Spring. You don't need to post a 'Spring' sample to enter our Linky Party.  You can post a photo of anything you have created using a Crafty Secrets product and enter it below.  All we ask is that you tell us what you used to create it and please add a link if here possible.  Also scroll below to see winner for all 5 Easter -Spring theme Digital Stamp Sets!

 Come see what fabulous creations our Design Team ladies have created and then come back to see my project below.

Vicki Chrisman -Team Leader

Michele Kovack

Darlene Pavlick

Melissa Bove

Rebekah Faries

The lucky winner was #48 Brenda Evans.  Brenda, you can have all 5 Easter-Spring theme Digital Art Stamp Sets or pick any digital items of $40.75

I used CD 2, Creating with Vintage Illustrations to make a few samples using the same image three different ways

I printed my image on canvas and added it to a 6" embroidery hoop. I wanted to use the cute bird from the corner of the paper so I cut and added it but then for the card I pasted the bird at the top of the nest and added the roses. I think I like the twig and need to stitch it on across the bottom.  The nice thing about embroidery hoops is that you can easily switch the image out to suit an occasion and the seasons.

I love the pop of color the pink roses add.

This is a little gift tag below I made.  I used the oval shaped icon on the Paint program to make a brown circle and just cut around it.  If you own any of our CD's and you have Photoshop Elements; each CD has a fantastic step by step tutorial by digital expert Patty Debowski from thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com   The tutorial is the same on each CD and covers all the basics. Patty included thumbnail photos and easy to understand instructions on:  Making a Blank File, How to Change Colors, Building a Layered Project, Adding Text, Adding Drop Shadows, Cropping a Scrapbook Page, How to Use a Paper Pattern Overlay, Using Blending Modes, and Adding Texture.

I hung it over our telephone desk in a little bare spot.  I wanted to add some little copper color seed beads to the nest last night but couldn't find a needle skinny enough.Has anyone ever done seed beading and is it easy?  Is there a trick to it or do you just stitch them on? Hey, I just remembered I can ask my friend Google how to seed bead.

Now it's your turn to add a sample you have created using any of our products!  You have all week to submit anything you have created using our products. A random.org Winner will be announced next Mon, Mar 11/13 to WIN a $50.00 Crafty Secrets Gift Certificate.  Don't be shy - come play because every person that enters will receive a $6.00 coupon code to use in our www.craftyvintagegirl.com Store!





Wishing you joy and creativity

Sandy Redburn
See Our  CraftyVintageGirl.com Store
 Our Online Shopatron Store  (sorry No digital downloads)

Visit us on Facebook with over 4900 Fans!  

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