5 New Spring & Easter Digital Art Stamp Sets with Bunnies, Chicks, Blessings & More!

Hi Everyone,   

Our Design Team Leader Vicki Chrisman is here from Nebraska and staying at my house for the week and we've been working on some fun projects like our new Easter and Spring designs.

Here's our new Easter Digital Art Stamps and they turned out adorable! The first is a large Digital Stamp Set called  Spring Bunnies and I'm really pleased with the way this set came out with such a whimsical, happy vibe and the versatility of being able to change the size of the images.

Here's a preview sheet that shows all of the sizes for each of the Spring Bunnies designs.   With all of our new Digital Stamp sets we are including the images as large as possible and then you can shrink them to fit various projects.

DT Member Darlene Pavlick made this cute card Easter card using the bunnies from the set with 'Happy Easter' from the Spring Chicks Digital Set

The second is also a Large Digital Art Stamp called Spring Chicks.  We also have a medium and small set I will post later today

Here's the preview sheet for Spring Chicks and you can see how big the sizes for some of the adorable designs

Okay, here are the other 3 Easter Digital Art Stamp Sets that will be ready tomorrow.  Heavenly Blessings will be a $9.95 large set, Bunny Hop is a $6.95 Medium Set and Eggtra Special is a cute $3.95 Small Set.  Vicki and I stayed up super late working on this set but it was so worth it and it's one of our favorites now.  When you see how beautiful some of the images are at full size it just takes your breath away (well it did ours)!

This is Bunny Hop, a fun medium set which will be available tomorrow. Scroll down to see the sizes as there many of the images are much larger!

 Here is a preview sheet so you can see the actual sizes of each image. As I said earlier, we've made the artwork be as large as possible at 300 dpi so the designs can be used for various projects.  You can easily re-size a digital stamp with several programs (often already installed on your computer) but for beginners, here is a great tutorial on resizing digital stamps using Microsoft Office by stamp expert Kate Pullen from about.com, plus you can read my tips here and here.

 This is a Small Digital Art Stamp Set called Eggstra Special that still needs a bit of work as I just found a bowler hat for the egg man and drew a flower on it but tomorrow it will fit his head right with a cuter daisy. 

The artwork is from an old drawing by Mela Koehler and I must give a big thanks to my cyber pal Muriel who has sent me boxes of old antique cards to scan and a special package filled with artwork by Mela Koehler.  Muriel is in her eighties and has been collecting beautiful postcards for years.  She once told me a story that she and her husband came across a lady at a antique sale who wanted to sell her vast collection. They bought it and all of the boxes of postcards wouldn't even fit in their car!  

Artist, Mela drew pretty ladies but also had a whimsical side that I adore such as this egg couple! This was originally a color postcard so Cindy, our graphic artist has already spent a great deal of time preparing it and we've made some changes and added the words and butterflies. A wonderful digital set for $3.95!

Look at these pretty Easter cards DT Member Darlene Pavlick created with our Easter Printables. Darlene used our Victorian Floral Eggs with Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals to cut the pretty egg below 3 times

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There were 264 entries in the Moxie Fab Crafty Secrets Stamp of Approval and it we loved reading every single comment! The 2 lucky winners of the 5 stamp sets were Colleen Burki from Menomonee Falls, WI and Joanne Rozgonyi from Winnipeg.

Scott and I took Vicki up to Seymour Mountain on Saturday as the weather cleared up and this photo doesn't show how beautiful the day was but I think Vicki is going to post some photos tomorrow on her blog.  We wanted to take her to Whistler but we also wanted to go to Gastown, Robson St and Stanley Park so it worked out well that the rain stopped. We've been staying up way too late work on new surprises and I will be sad to see her go on Friday.
She has been her 5 times now so knows my family well. Tonight she is out with Cindy.

 

I will be back with a new post - way sooner than the last one and a Giveaway for all our Easter & Spring Digital Art Stamp Sets!

Wishing you joy & creativity 
 

Sandy Redburn

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Blaine,WA 98230

Happy Valentine's Day, Moxie Fab Stamp Giveaway and New Samples!

Hi Everyone, Happy Valentines Day!

I have the new winner listed below, plus a link to a great  BIG Clear Art Stamp Giveaway at Moxie Fab  by Cath for Cherish, Sing For Joy, Mini Frames, Price Tags and Lacey Patterns.  Just leave a comment there (not here) to be entered to win all 5 Clear Art Stamp Sets

 Cindy van Koll, our graphic designer made the bouquet above and card below with our Heart to Heart Digital Art Stamp Set. She just shrunk the hearts down smaller.

Congratulations to #18, Sylvia from Little Treasures who was the 2nd random.org winner to win all our new printable items I showed all the themes.

DT member Darlene Pavlick was so sweet and sent me a digital card she colored using our Garden Girl Digital Art Stamp Set.  She said she used her new Spectrum Noir alcohol markers but she just got them recently so is still practicing.  I think it looks fabulous.
 She says she didn't pre-treat her image but she heard that these papers work best with alcohol markers for blending: Neenah, GinaK Pure Luxury, and Cryogen White. 

I planned to come back and add my test results using Copics with our Digital Stamps but all the Copic Markers are at Cindy's house, so Vicki tested this Valentime image she printed last week with no problems. She's waiting for an order of ink so can't test a 'freshly printed image' but I would use a heat tool or hair dryer if you want color right away.  Each printer and ink is different but I also own a Canon Pixma ix6520 and use 'no name ink' from www.inkfarm.com  without any problems using water colors on my Valentine Mini Album.   

 Here are some super cute new treat samples that DT leader Vicki Chrisman made with our new Adorable Easter Egg Printables.  You can see samples with the Victorian Eggs on this post if you missed them

 Look at this super pretty birdie card Joan Ervin created using our Bird Lover Stamp Set. She also used some other stamps and you can get her supply list through the link. I adore the fabric rose and twine she added.  This is one of the stamp sets in the Moxie Fab Giveaway.

We are hooked on Downton Abbey, the UK TV series, that is Scott, myself and my mom who I call upstairs to watch with us. It's starts out in 1912 and the mansion decor and characters are fascinating! Past DT member Julie Campbell told me about it but I had already missed a season and wanted to start from the beginning. Then our daughters gave it to me for my birthday in Jan. We are on season 3 now and I don't want it to end!

If you still need a Valentine card, here's our Free 2013 Printable and links to past ones. Plus, a link to yummy Valentine recipes on skinnytaste.com  Owner, Ginny, has the best recipes and weight watcher friendly.  I want the chocolate parfait! 

 Don't forget to enter the Big Stamp Set Giveaway over at Moxie Fab!
 
 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 5200 Fans!  
Join This Newsletter on: 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

Tips for Coloring Digital Stamps and the Winners!

Hi Everyone,    
We have 2 winners below and will draw a 3rd this Wed, Feb 13/13.   Also, I lowered the single page Printable Scraps to $1.95 (see note below).  This post got so long I will add the Pros and Cons of Digital next time.

Do you ever get too scared to make a move and chicken out?  That's me when I feel intimidated, which is what I felt about coloring and sewing on this heart album card I made for my sweetie.  I am not fantastic at coloring and today was my first time using a sewing machine - so this post is for those struggling with adding color to their digital or just regular stamps.  The sewing part was actually way easier than I expected!

 First I need to congratulate our 2 Random.org Winners, #9 Marsha Fitzhugh won a $50.00 Gift Certificate in our Linky Party and everyone will receive our Easter Egg Printables.  Also,  '#50 The Primitive Country Bug' won our 13 Printables Giveaway. Another winner will be drawn Wed, Feb 13 so you can still enter here and leave a comment.  

The price of our New single page Printable Scraps was been bugging me all weekend.  I lowered them to $1.95 (not $2.95).  Sorry I didn't realize it earlier! Refunds will be issued to those already purchased some.  Monday was a first official Family Day, a stat holiday now in BC, Canada so everyone was out of the office today and back Tues.

Here's my little card album and a few Tips & Tricks for Adding Color.  

If you need some digital stamp basics using Microsoft Works, Kate Pullen from About.com has an excellent article on how to Open, Re-size and Print a Digital Stamp .

1. How to save time and not have to color - or do it faster? Actually, coloring, cutting, and pasting is very therapeutic. It helps you return to childhood and exercises your 'creative muscles' but sometimes we just need some quick color  - with out much work. 
For the Paris Heart Stamp below I simply printed it on a scenic background from CD 3.
Our trip to France is our favorite adventure together so I wanted to include the memory.  Some stamp designs work great for 'paper piecing' (see examples and link at end).

2.  Change the color of a plain black stamp or print it on color paper.  
 We've been printing everything on regular paper or card stock with 'no name compatible ink' from The Ink Farm for a couple of years now and have never had a problem, except for one faulty cartridge this past Dec.  Our DT Leader and head sample maker Vicki Chrisman also uses it. We just give them our printer model #ix6520 , a Canon Pixma 13". 
We do use Krylon Matte Sealer to seal the digital papers we print to decoupage.

If you missed this 'beginner digital coloring post'on Jan 31/13 below, I showed how you can color digital stamps or any B&W illustrations, or text using a Free software program like Paint (installed on millions of computers -so check yours). The samples used Microsoft's upgraded Free download www.getpaint.net and samples colored with Photoshop Elements.

3.  How to Color a Digital Stamp Without Ink Bleeding.  One of the biggest worries people seem to have with digital stamps is the ink they printed the stamp with may bleed when they color it. I've never had a problem but I don't use Copics.  I've been told you can heat set ink with a heat gun or blow dryer. Just hold it 4" or more away and keep turning so you don't scorch it.  Paper can make a difference and we have noticed paper can affect color.  A more Mat paper , the faster the ink dries. 

If your ink stays wet ...you can sprinkle it with embossing powder or use an embossing pen on digital stamps to emboss outlines. I plan to emboss the Eiffel Tower inside my card with an embossing pen and glossy black powder.  You can also go over designs with a Clear Resist or Versamark Pen.

I used a Blender Pen and Watercolor painting and didn't have any ink issues but my paper was dry for days.  I used Decorator Chalks (broken from too many make and takes) but I also love Pearlescent Chalks by American Crafts as they have a built in shimmer.   To color large areas and backgrounds I like to use chalks with a make-up sponge and later add detail using a Dove Blender Pen or a paint brush with water.  I also used Glimmer Mist and sprayed a bit on a plastic lid to paint on with a little brush to add shading. Dip brush in water and test on scrap paper until you see the shade and intensity you want. 

You can erase fresh chalk EXCEPT if you have sealed it with a Blender Pen. Time will set colors more but you can also burnish your work by flipping it over and rubbing a smooth hard object like a bowl across the back. It will push the chalk pigment into the paper fiber.

  I love water colors and want to take a class but past Guest Designer Sophie La Fontaine did give us some Great Watercolor Tips and Samples!

4.  Add color with embellishments. I used some fancy machine stitching to sew my album pages together but now think brown thread would have added better contrast.  I still plan to add some dimension with a little lace, more photos, hanging tags and some 3D images. I want to re-print the lady above so I can color a better rose for her hair. I want to use Ranger's Crackle Accents on the clock and swirls on the lace. To protect colors from running.  first I'll give it a light spray with Krylon Matte Sealer (major art and craft stores carry it)

I'm in love with my new sewing machine now that I was brave enough to actually use it - all by myself and it was so much easier than I expected. I did a bunch of research and this is Amazon's #1 seller in all Arts, Crafts and Sewing with 1355 reviews of 4.5* stars for $155.00

5.  Paper Piecing with Digital and regular stamps adds color, can save time and add dimension.  Plus, if you are not super talented at coloring, paper piecing can be a great way to add an artistic element to your creations!  Our Little Boy and Little Girl Clear Art Stamp Sets are perfect for paper piecing. These are still in stock and you can see so many other great samples below each product.  You have to check out all the beautiful Paper Pieced Samples from this old Design Team Challenge I found

 How about our Born to Fly Stamps, we still have these in stock for $15.95 and these paper piecing fairy samples Vicki did was fabulous!

 It was so gloomy none of my heart album photos tuned out and I had to rig up some lighting and re-do them. Has anyone ever made or bought a photo box for taking photos? 

  I'm going to test some Copics on this card I've printed in brown using our Garden Girls Digital Set for my next post.

 I would love to hear any feedback or ideas you have!

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 5035 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