Sept Linky Party, Vicki's Bag Tutorial & Giveaway & Samples!

Welcome to our Sept Linky Party - plus I also have some great samples to share.  Scroll to the bottom to enter or see this months Linky Party Samples!

DT Leader Vicki Chrisman has a bunch of great cotton gift bags on her Blog she's altered with images from our CD's and Stamp Sets - plus she has a Giveaway for CD #3 and a bunch of blank bags from State Line Bag Co!  You can check out all the bags and her tips and leave a
 comment to be entered to WIN up until Sept 7/12.

Vicki used a combination of stamps from Costume Cuties and Jolly Halloween.  The bags come in a variety of sizes making them versatile to hold so many things!

I love these rose bags she did with iron on transfer paper and images from CD #2. Check out the artist supply bag she did by reducing an image from CD #2 and you can see the bags she stamped and sprayed with Glimmer Mist. 

Look at this adorable birthday card DT Member Michele Kovack designed using our new Animal Party Stamp Set. It looks like the perfect card for a little or big boy!

I love this ABC Book that DT Member Julie Campbell created by printing the ABC pages on cardstock from CD #3 Creating With Vintage Typography. The pages print 4 to a 8.5 x 11" page - but with 300 pixel resolution you can crop and enlarge the pages using multiple free photo sizing programs safe to download from from cnet.com and read all the reviews.

Here's a fun altered Halloween page DT Member Marilyn McIldoon created using our Halloween Creative Scraps

I love the soft pastel colors that Marie-alice used on this pretty birdie card she stamped with our Sing For Joy Set 

Marie-alice also colored this pretty Christmas card for a challenge using Ranger's Rich Razzleberry, Green Galore and lights lemonade colors and although you might not think of this combo on a Christmas card look how pretty and festive it turned out.  She used the snow kids from our Winter Wishes Clear Art Stamp Set.

I will be back tomorrow afternoon to show you our new Halloween CD and all the files have turned out Fangtastic and is packed full!  Digital downloads will also be available.

Now here's your chance to enter our Sept Linky Party, which snuck up this month so I didn't send a reminder and it's a holiday but you have all week to enter any project you have created using Crafty Secrets image products or Clear Art Stamps. You just click the link button below to add your image and link to your blog or a gallery and tell us what you used.  A random.org winner will be announced next Monday to WIN a $50.00 Crafty Secrets Gift Certificate! 

 




 Also, I thought you would enjoy this inspiring post showing ideas for decorating stairs from Marcia's Blog; Decorando a Escada

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Fabulous Vintage Card Samples, Pintrest Boards, See us at the GAS Show in TX!

Hi Everyone, 

We've been busy finishing the files for CD # 3 and I will show you some of the files next time but I'm super excited!  Also working on 6 new stamp sets and some other fun surprises.  I have some really inspiring stamped cards and cool projects to share today.  With Spring here everyone is pulling out their flower stamps & images and creating pretty, colorful projects and this cool art journal by DT Member Pam Hooten makes me happy just looking at the colors and how she used our Dahlia and Sunflower Clear Art Stamps with Ranger & Dylusion inks and a stencil. You can see more photos and details on Pam's Blog.

DT Leader Vicki Chrisman has a great tutorial on her Blog Showing how she used our Dahlia Stamp set to create this pretty card using just Pink Glimmer Mist and a Pink Copic Marker (ok, maybe a little yellow).Vicki's always worried that she can't color as well as some of the 'Copic Queens' but this shows you don't need to be an amazing color artist or use a bunch of colors. You can get all the details and see the inside on Vic's Blog.

When we were at the Sewing & Craft Show a couple of weeks ago past DT Member Marisa Grosson stopped by for a visit and brought me a bunch of beautiful samples and I wanted you to see the cool way she layered her card using our Rose Stamp set and you can learn how here on Marisa's Blog.

I also met the wonderful Elizabeth Lincoln at the show and she brought me some beautiful cards - lucky me! I'm just sad that we accidentally packed all the samples up into our antique trunk and I didn't keep Elizabeth's and Marissa's cards out to show you.  You can see a bunch here in Elizabeth's Splitcoast Gallery.  like this one she made with Bouquets of Joy

I really enjoy reading the family stories that DT Member Julie Campbell posts with the scrapbooks she is creating to honor all her family members and the detailed history she is documenting, like this sweet story.  I wish I had more photos and knew more stories about my family. I have told my kids every story I've heard and keep meaning to do video interview with my mom and get her to tell some of the stories in her own words about growing up at the end of the depression on a farm.

Here is a cute and quick card idea that DT Member Marilyn, aka busymartha whipped up here on her Blog  using an image from our Little Blessings Scraps. I love the little pennant she added and homespun colors.

Marie-alice emailed me me 2 adorable cards and look how she made a table for the kids and pies from our Winter Wishes Stamp set.  It's a great example how you don't have to just use this set for Winter projects.

Look at this sweet card she created with our All Dolled Up and Grand Greetings stamp sets. It would make such an adorable card for a little girl. You can see a bunch of fabulous cards here in Marie's Splitcoast Gallery.

Sophie La Fontaine also emailed me 2 wonderful cards she stamped like this one she created with our Sing For Joy Set and I love the creative way she used the flower to stamp a background, the mom bird and the window she die cut!

I love the way Sophie mixes up stamp sets to create cards I never would have thought of like using the chair from Take it Easy Stamp set with the little stamp set from our Halloween Postcard Kit and others like the Fleur-de-lis from Artsy Banner You can see a bunch more great cards here in Sophie's Gallery.

I'm not sure if you spotted this fantastic box that Shawn altered and posted on our Facebook page. She used a Breath Right Box and our Book Lovers Stamp set and I love that she turned it into a 'Tea Gift Box' and incorporated her love for reading and tea. You can see more photos and details here on on Shawn's poetryinapotoftea blog    (corrected link).

 I started some Crafty Secrets Boards over at Pintrest to post projects and samples and I need to add a bunch more to it but here is the link if you want to check it out.  It's a fun way to see stuff!

Lastly I wanted to show you the new ad Cindy made for the Great American Scrapbook Show we will be at May 31 to June 2 in Arlington, TX!  We do this big show every year and have so much fun. Vicki Chrisman will be doing demos and make & takes and Sara Hemphill is coming back to help us.  I will be posting more details soon but if you live anywhere near - please come see us and get a free gift with a purchase over $15.00. 

I'm off to dinner with my wonderful husband to use a gift certificate we were given for the Boathouse restaurant and I can't wait to have a bowl of seafood bisque!

Until next time,

Wishing you joy & creativity

Sandy

Crafty Secrets

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Our Website: http://www.craftysecrets.com

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

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Fab Stamped Samples, Coloring Tutorial, Your Invited To a Party & More!

Hi Everyone,  
 I have so many fabulous samples I can't even fit them all in today's post but will share more next time.  I also have a link to an excellent coloring tutorial by Diane from Art of Craft Store in NZ.  Plus - I want to invite all of you to our New Monthly Crafty Secrets Linky Party where you can add samples here on this blog and be entered to WIN a $50.00 Gift Certificate!  They will be the first Monday of each month so please join in Monday April 2/12 and samples can be added all week long. Also see Update at end of post.

I also have photos from the show and planned to post Sunday but life got in the way.  My parents live with us and we were at the show Fri & Sat and my mum doesn't drive so she had to call an ambulance for my dad on Sat as he started coughing up a lot of blood. He's out of the hospital now and doing better. I'm taking him for tests this Thurs, so please say a little prayer for him.

I've been wanting to show you this adorable Wonderland teacup DT Leader Vicki Chrisman designed using our Tea With Alice Stamps and Wonderland Tea Scraps. The colors and whimsy make me feel like a giddy child.  She even made a ladder! You can get all the details here on Vicki's Blog.

We also have 2 impromptu Guest Designers, Sophie La Fontaine and Marie-alice (aka ladybug1743) who have been emailing me fantastic samples! Look at this fun card Sophie created using our Clear Art Stamps in Tea With Alice,  Grand Greetings and Artsy Banner Sets.   You can get all the details here in Sophie's Splitcoast Gallery.

 

Check out this adorable bunny birthday card Sophie created using the rabbit and cake from our Tea With Alice Stamps and you can get the details here in her gallery.

Sophie used our NEW Sing For Joy Stamp Set and the 'friend' sentiment is from Floral Art.
on this very pretty card and I am so in love with this little bird.

Okay, now here are a couple of cards by Sophie's partner in crime Marie-alice. They share sets and stamp together often.  Marie used our Birdies stamps and the little bird in the cage is off Birds of Happiness.  I love how she suspended the cage over the sheet  music.

This is another beautiful card Marie-alice created using our Poppy Flower Stamps and click it on big to see the Stickles on the Dragonfly and flower centers. She hasn't added it to her Splitcoast Gallery yet but I know she uses Newton Watercolors to paint with. 

I spotted this pretty card that Beate Johns from Splitcoast created using an image from our Birds & Blossoms Scraps with with the Perfect Layering Tool , a Nestabilities die, ribbon, a tag and stitching.  See details here.

 

I also wanted to show you these wonderful tags that past DT member Melissa Phillips  created and I missed last month using 7  stamps from our Queen Bee Set with some Paper Trey stamps.  Great warm colors!

Our new DT Member Busy Martha has been busy creating wonderful samples like this sweet card with our New Sing for Joy Stamps

Marilyn (Busy Martha) also came across a great how to coloring video was inspired to use the same coloring technique with our Easter Joy Stamps to make this cute & colorful ticket tag. 

I somehow missed Diane's Youtube Video but I highly recommend watching it for sheer inspiration as she speeds up the camera to quickly color all sorts of ticket strips with Tim Holtz Ticket Die and Distress inks, a blender pen and Glossy Accents using Tim Holtz stamps but later our Garden Girls, Glamour Girls, Bird Notes and Wildflowers Stamp Sets!  She makes it look so easy and fun and the results are spectacular with 7,228 views and 168 comments.  Diane owns the Art of Craft Store in New Zealand and sells a bunch of our products and has a SALE on now for those of you over that way.

Here are a couple of photos from the Creative Stitches & Craft Show we were at on Fri & Sat.  We made some wonderful new friends and got to catch up with a bunch of fave regular customers.    I also got to meet Elizabeth ( I love rubber ) from Splitcoast and she was so sweet to bring me a bunch of cool cards she's made with our Clear Art Stamps.  Past DT Member Marisa Grosson also came to the show and brought me fantastic samples. 

We were so lucky to have Thanh and Odessa back again this year to visit and also help us pack up!  Scott was thrilled as there was a Canucks hockey game on TV and we were packed up in time for him to watch 2 periods. That's Jessica with Scott below who is coming back to work in our office until classes start in Sept as Denisa landed a really great job.

Okay I have way too much in this post and may have lost a bunch of you by now but I wanted to give a quick update.  I need to change the status that says I'm discontinuing our Clear Art Stamps.  I was stressed when I announced it and 99% of you said NO, you still want our regular stamps to continue. We obviously don't sell to many digi stampers at the moment so I've set the Digi Stamps aside for a bit to focus on selling off sets that are not great sellers (will post a low & discontinued list next time) and we are working on wrapping up CD # 3,  NEW Stamp Designs, some New Surprise Products.  Our All Dolled Up Stamps should arrive this week and New Easter Scraps next week!

Until next time, wishing you joy & creativity 
Sandy

Crafty Secrets

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This Blog: http://heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.
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.,
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Blaine,WA 98230 

Watercolour Tips from This Month's Guest Designer, Sophie La Fontaine

Hi Everyone!


Back today, as promised, with some wonderful water colouring tips from our talented Guest Designer this month, Sophie La Fontaine.   We love the way Sophie makes scenes with stamps on her cards and layouts, and today she shares some of her methods with us.


1. Cut watercolour paper (I use Strathmore's 140 lb cold-pressed) to 3.75" x 5". This size would layer nicely onto a typical 4.25" x 5.5" card.

2.  Choose the stamp sets you'd like to use.  Roughly lay out the stamps in the positions they would occupy in the scene (see photo). When stamping, make sure to use a waterproof ink. I use Palette Noir, but any other waterproof ink is fine.

I used the masking technique with a post-it-note over the mouse to stamp

the TV after and then stamped the car in the TV.

3. Start painting! You can paint anything in any order you'd like. For me, I started by painting the wall. After the paint dried, I painted the carpet. Do wait for the paint to dry, or the new colour might "bleed" onto the first (still-wet) colour. I painted these large two areas (wall and carpet) first because it made me feel like I was accomplishing something since it LOOKED like most of it was coloured by now. 

Clear Art Stamp Sets used on this card: TV and saying from SL 06 Favorite Fellas, Mouse from: SM26 Mouse Party, Cars & keys from SL30 Car Classics. Flowers are actually the tiny tree from: stamp set in Family Postcard Kit. Shelf she hand drew but brackets are from SL07 Frame It.  NOTE: Of course you may not have all of these set (Sophie has bought several of our sets). I also sent her some for being our guest DT. I do hope seeing so many stamp sets mixed together inspires you to look at your stamps in a new way!



Watercolour tips:
For those with no watercolors: I bought a starter kit of student-grade watercolors at Michael's with a 40%-off coupon. I also bought a waterbrush , but a paintbrush would also be fine. Just make sure the tip of the brush is nice and pointy to allow the tip to get into tiny spots and make very thin lines. When the tip gets frayed, it's time to buy another brush.

 For paper, pick a brand of watercolor paper and stick with it, since different papers absorb colors at different rates. I use Strathmore's 140 lb cold-pressed watercolor paper. The surface is a little bumpy, so a few stamped images may not come out all the way. In these cases, one can stamp on the reverse side, which is a little smoother, or get a waterproof pen to fill in the lines. I use PITT pens, not just to fill in lines, but also to draw a little bit, here and there, or to add my own sentiments.

The cool thing about watercolors is, one tube can produce a whole range of tones, from almost white to intense vivid color. The difference is in the water added. Lots of water produces a pale shade, and almost no water produces a rich color.


For the darkest colors, make sure the brush is almost dry, with just enough water to move the paint from the palette to the paper. If it isn't dark enough, I mix in a darker shade of the color, or a darker complementary color. For example, for the dark points of yellow, try mixing with dark brown, dark orange, or black. For the lightest colors, add enough water to the pigment and test it on a scrap of watercolor paper (with time and practice, you can tell if it's light or dark enough without constantly testing it). If not pale enough, add more water.

For most art, what pleases me the most is the range of shades in a piece of artwork, from the darkest darks to the palest lights. This card was for my husband when his soccer team lost.  Clear Art Stamp Sets used below: TV, Trophy from SL06 Favorite Fellas, # 2 from SM14 ABC Top Hat, Crying Bug from SL31 Bugs Life, Ticket from SM10 Journey, Push Pins from SM28 Office 101 (she drew note paper), Sentiment from SL02 Card Sentiments.

For painting backgrounds, it is useful to paint wet-in-wet. This is when one spreads a lot of paint onto the paper (a "wash") and then quickly introduces new paint into the old paint (before the old paint dries) and continues to spread it. This way, one can avoid a lot of "hard lines" which happen around the edges when paint dries. Clear Art Stamp Sets used below: SL31 Bugs Life, Sign from SL19 Fairyland, Eiffel Tower from SM03 French Mail,

For rosy cheeks, I apply pink or red paint FIRST and THEN follow after with a pale wash of burnt sienna (my go-to skin color) making sure to color all the face areas first and then the (already pink) cheeks LAST. This way, the other areas of the face stay un-rosy and there are no hard lines on the cheeks.  Stamp sets used: SM37 Little Girls

For darker skin tones, I like to mix burnt sienna & brown. For pink skin (ears or palms), I sometimes like to mix a little burnt sienna with just a touch of pink. Mouse is from Mouse Party  NOTE from Sandy: I will show the rest of this card and more in the next post and throughout April

Sophie says "I watched tons of how-to watercoloring videos on Youtube to learn visually. One can turn to online videos and tutorials for more tips and in-depth learning. Please take all my tips with a grain of salt because I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination! There is a wealth of glorious information on watercoloring on the internet and in bookstores!"

Well, that's it for today!  I hope you enjoyed learning these watercoloring tips from Sophie as much as I did, and a big thank-you to her for sharing her methods and her talents with us! I will be posting several wonderful samples she has created this month and you can see Sophie's gallery at Splitcoast Stampers HERE

I know Sophie would love to hear from you and you can post any comments and questions here as her blog isn't active.

Wishing you 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 Office

15430 78 A Ave.,

Surrey, BC V3S 8R4

USA Warehouse

250 H. Street, #436
Blaine, WA 98230