Spotlight on DT Member, Gloria Stengel

Welcome, Friends!  

All this week, we are spotlighting the newest members of the Crafty Secrets Design team.  Yesterday, we welcomed the lovely Diane Hover of Nellie's Nest. I hope you were able to pop over and leave her a word of welcome.  

Today, we are putting the spotlight on Gloria Stengel of Scraps of Life and the brand new Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog.  Gloria's work is well known in paper crafting circles and it's hard to find a design team for whom she has NOT worked!  We're just thrilled to have her joining us here for the next 3 months, and hope she'll be able to stay with us for a very long time after.  So, without further ado, I turn the spotlight over to Gloria.

My name is Gloria Stengel and I have been hooked on paper crafts all of my life. I have always loved to color, play with paper dolls, and create "projects"! In 1990, I discovered rubber stamping and in 1996, I stumbled across "modern" scrapbooking. I love all aspects of paper crafting: card making, scrapbooking, mini albums, altered art, up-cycling, you name it! I am happiest when I am making a mess! It's the cleaning up part that I don't care for!

 I have been on a number of design teams over the past few years, including three terms with Graphic 45. I also accept various guest design spots and work with online stores from time to time. I have recently started my own challenge blog, Craft Hoarders Anonymous. I think the name says it all. 

 I have a blog, a Facebook Fan Page, and a YouTube channel in order to share my creative work. Please visit my blog, Scraps of Life: www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com for more inspiration. 

 Gloria has been a fan of the Crafty Secrets line for quite some time, so she has a few samples to share with us today. This first card is typical of Gloria's wonderful vintage style.  It is using our Material Girl  digital art stamp set.  I love all the layers and the wonderful shabby flower and trim.

Gloria also shines when it comes to retro designs. Her sense of fun and great ability to use color really shine in this great card that uses an image from our Vintage Girlfriends Journal Booklet.  These are still in stock, and even better, they are on sale!  I have also heard a rumor that Sandy is cooking up some new kitchen goodies. 

This card made with our Halloween Fun DAS is just so cute!

I know you are going to enjoy getting to know Gloria better.  She and I have developed a wonderful friendship, so I can tell you that she's a very genuine, generous and hilarious person.  I'm so glad that she's decided to join us here on the Crafty Secrets team.  Be sure to visit her blog and leave her some love below to make her feel welcome! 

I'll be back tomorrow to put the spotlight on our next new DT member!  Until then, on behalf of Sandy Redburn, I wish you joy and creativity!

Kathy

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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

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Blaine,WA 98230

Day 4 Preview Summer 2011 Clear Art Stamps Release, Giveaway and More!

Hi Everyone,


Today is Day 4 Debut of 2 more NEW Clear Art Stamp Sets – SL43 Antique Trims and SM42 Lacey Patterns  which you can enter to win just by leaving a comment here on this blog post!  Each day (July 11-15) I will be showing at least 2 NEW Clear Art Stamp Sets and doing a giveaway, so be sure to come back and check them all out! You have all week to leave comments and 5 Winners will be announced Mon, July 18 on our next DT Challenge "New Product Show Offs & Techniques! 
Online Wholesale Show & Specials (for stores runs July 18-25). Please tell your fav retailer to sign up! We have great bonuse$!

SL43 Antique Trim is a large 6 x 8” set with 8 amazing border stamps in a variety of themes from old world Victorian lace to retro classic styles. The detail on the antique lace is amazing! The stamps run from over 1” to 1/2” wide.

I was so happy to see DT member Heidi Blankenship received her new stamps and whipped up this card so I could show you a sample using Antique Trims. She also used Vintage Silhouettes ( a set I showed on Day 1) and you can still leave a comment there to be entered to win those sets!

You can see the close up detail below where Heidi stamped 2 different stamps from our Antique Trim Stamp Set. You can get all her details and see more photos HERE on Heidi's Blog.

We need to create a Stamping 101 Tips Section with tutorials and stamping tips &  tricks. It’s very helpful to use a stamping ‘mat’ of some kind for large stamps like these. I proof all our draft stamps on an open coil notebook as the surface is large and provides a nice cushion to give the entire area good contact.  A mouse pad or a good craft mat also works great. I will post some helpful & inspiring video stamp links tomorrow. Plus - Our DT Challenge: New Product Show Offs & Techniques is Mon, July 18/11.

SM42 Lacey Patterns will be a new medium 4 x 6” Clear Art Stamp Set which has 13 very pretty designs perfect for repeating to create pattern paper and designs. Each of the larger stamps is over 1.5” and there is a stitching border and 7 assorted matching stamp designs to build and create with.

Look at these pretty papers that DT Leader Vicki Chrisman stamped with the Lacey Pattern Set to show how you can stamp on any color paper to suit your project. Then imagine different colored inks, embossing and other techniques. Plus – Vicki has her Jewelry Ideas Post HERE and a Giveaway that you can enter!

Now I have some other projects to show you, like this beautiful card that DT Member Debbie Marcinkiewicz created using papers and a pink photo frame from our CD with our Love Mail Scraps. You can see details HERE on Debbie’s Blog.

Check out this fabulous Bottle of Blessings card that DT Member Gini Cagle created with our  Message on a Bottle Stamp Set HERE on her Blog!  Gini is brave with her colors and I love to see the contrast she creates with her projects.

How about this great digi layout that DT Member Victoria Warren-Mears created using our CD, Creating with Vintage Patterns. I’m still amazed at how 3D the digi layouts look. Plus, I love the fact you can easily change your projects while working on them without making a mess and re-use your favorite patterns and embellishments! ALSO GO LOOK AT VICTORIA'S VERY CUTE NEW LAYOUT JUST POSTED!

DT Member Jan Hennings sent me this photo today showing how she made pretty seat covers for 2 of her doll chairs and a little stool by printing patterns from the CD on fabric. We will have in depth tips and inspiring ideas for on printing on fabric soon.

Lastly, I wanted to show you this fabulous travel mug that Cindy van Koll (our head graphic designer) stamped on a Copco Mug she bought for $5.00 at JoAnns recently. They are BPA free, microwavable and dishwasher safe and the plastic lid snaps on. They feel like smooth ceramic and Cindy used StazOn ink with our Bird Notes, Wild Flowers and Mini Memories Stamp sets and Copic Markers to color with.

NOTE:  Always stamp off any extra ink and clean stamps right after using StazOn inks. It has a solvent base in the ink (much higher in their cleaner). Their inks are all amazing but we use baby wipes and warm soapy water with a soft toothbrush after using StazOn (rather than their cleaner). 

Don't forget to leave a comment on this post this week to be entered to WIN these 2 stamp sets Antique Trims & Lacey Patterns.

OUR NEW SETS WILL BE AVAILABLE & SHIPPING TO STORES LATE JULY

Tomorrow (July 15)  is our final 2011 Summer Preview and I will be debuting SL45 Vintage Labels;  SS25 Keys to Life and SS26 Take it Easy - plus I have some really fun projects to show you!

Thanks so much for all your support and wonderfully nice comments, which the world to us!

Sandy Redburn
Owner
http://www.craftysecrets/ 
Check Our Store Locator
Visit Our Online Store

Toll Free Phone 1-888 597-8898
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Head Office
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250 H. St., #436, Blaine, WA 98230

Part #2 New CD Details, Samples, Daily Giveaways & New Products!

Hi Everyone,

I'm back with Part 2, and was finally able to add the copyright page and extra embellishments included on our new CD, Creating with Vintage Patterns (retail $15.99). It's available in our online Shopatron store and will start shipping to stores. To celebrate I will have daily giveaways this week for the new CD, plus - some great new products we are adding! We also have a special for stores, buy 9 get 1 free with a limited license to print papers for store samples and classes.

See my Part #1 post here if you missed it, showing all the pattern papers and templates. Once we got all the papers on the CD finished we had so much fun adding matching extras! Check out the alphabet, embellishments, frames, etc on these 2 preview pages included on the CD.

 

DT Leader Vicki Chrisman created the flowers and there is a great mix of color and B&W frames, plus lots of kitchy style papers, ready to print recipe cards,  journal cards, tags, hardware, lace, corners, templates and more!

Look at these fabulous digital layouts created by some of our DT ladies!  I will have more samples to show you this week with non-digital projects created by simply printing the patterns on different mediums!

Okay, I defragged and re-booted my computer and it's letting me add to this post!  Below is the copyright info on the CD.  As I mentioned before I know several card makers who sell some of their cards part time to earn extra income and I want people like that to be able to use papers from the CD, but we had to make some rules. There will be  an annual limited commercial license for $15.99. People interested need to apply and we will be adding a form to the website. All sellers will be added to a updated website list and they must include credit to Crafty Secrets on the product or with it. I need to protect our designs and our next 2 CD's will have all kinds of illustrations which have cost me thousand$ of $$$. 

*Note: If you purchase a CD you can use the designs on your own personal blog providing you give us credit and include a link to our website or blog. A link button for the CD designs will be available later this week.

We have an Angel Policy and do no not charge a fee to use our Clear Art Stamps or Heartwarming Vintage Images but we do ask that you give us credit and we have small free logo stamps we can send you. Our Angel Policy is listed HERE on our website.

Okay, now I have a few cute samples to show you!  Look at this adorable tag I spotted on

 DT Member Pam Hooten's Blog created using our Feeling Yucky Stamp Set and printing some of the designs from our new CD, Creating with Vintage Patterns on cheap typing paper.

I will be posting some printing tips and links to printers and ink this week.

I also wanted to show you this very pretty card that Pam also created HERE with our new Clear Art Stamp Set; Love You Mother and explain about a typo we missed. If you ordered this stamp set you may have one with a missing 'r' and we will send you a new poem stamp if you email a request to Jessica at:    office@craftysecrets.com  I love the way Pam colored her nest and used the blossom stamp from the set and added little pearls to the centers.

Okay, don't forget to leave a comment to be entered to win! There will be daily drawings with each post this week for the new CD and some of the extra new products we will be adding daily to our Shopatron Store this week - including new Mini Vintage Creative Scraps I will show you tomorrow along with some pendants!

I have lots of catching up to do and need to tell you about our new Design Team ladies!  We have been busy working on 15 new Clear Art Stamp sets since I got home from vacation last week and I'm super excited about them also!

See you tomorrow

Sandy Redburn

Owner

www.craftysecrets.com

Visit Our Store Locator

Visit Our Online Store Here

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