Crafty Secrets DT New Product Challenge

Here it is .. time for another Crafty Secrets DT challenge. This challenge theme will be "New Product"! There are some fantastic new things being released.. and you're going to love them as much as I do! I'll tell you more about the ones I'm working with , further down in this post.

I used my "Portrait Style" 3D shadow box for my base. If you are interested you can purchase them already cut HERE from Crafty Secrets , or if you have an Accucut Machine you can order the die from them HERE.


***I made this so that it was sort of a little sewing kit***





I used two new Crafty Secrets products on this shadow box. One is the new "Sew Nice" (double sided) Creative Scraps and the other .......



these cool...

"Material Girl" Clear Art Stamps

These two products compliment each other so perfectly!~

Look how cute these stamps are. I stamped, cut them out and then added some embroidery floss to them. You can see in the image of the stamps I posted above.. you can easily color them rather than added actual thread also.

In the photo below.. can you see how the image folds over and closes? It's a needle case.

You can see it here, opened up.

Lots of fun little images and stamps to work with. I love details.. and with these two products you could "detail" like crazy!

I think I'm going to be playing with these ALOT!

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Today is the day to see all the beautiful creations the Design Team has been working on with Crafty Secrets Newest Products.. so be sure to check them out.

Pam Hooten
Heidi Blankenship
Marisa Grosson
Linda Duke
Michele Kovack
Melissa Phillips
Flo from France
Deborah March

Heartwarming Vintage Blog

Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage

Enjoy the CREATIVITY!!!

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I'll be heading out in the morning for the next two weeks. TX then AZ and finally off to See Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers play in Puerto Penasco Mexico! Yes!! I have been counting down the days! I plan to try to blog whenever possible over the next two weeks.. I even have a couple of projects done ahead I'll share also.

Until then ... I'll leave you to enjoy a little Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers

"Maybe we should fall in love"

and the winners are......

The winners of the giveaway are....

Jane Wetzel
debbie K
Rachel Carlson
and Kathy/North Carolina
( please send my your mailing address as soon as possible so I can get them in the mail for you before leave, if you can). vickichrisman@hotmail.com


Thank you everyone for sharing your ideas! They are all fantastic! I'm going to try as many of them out over the next year.. as I can. If we all do just a little bit.. we can make the world a better (atleast "happier") place , .. right??? YES!!

*** Be sure to come by tomorrow , because it's Crafty Secrets Design Team challenge day!!!!

Enjoying the weekend

First of all I have to tell you.. I how much I have loved reading every single comment and idea that has been left in the post below. Such fantastic ideas! I had no doubt my blog readers where super NICE people ..but I have to say.. I had a big warm fuzzy after reading those comments. The give-a-way continues until later tomorrow.. so you still have time to get your comment in for a change to win. ALL the idea are so good... I will "randomly" choose 4 winners.

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I have to share something with you that made ME smile. The June 2010 issue of Scrap & Stamp magazine has a feature article on my shadowbox dies.

( all paper images and stamps from...

Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage)

PRE CUT shadowbox dies available HERE if your interested.

Thank you to Scrap & Stamp magazine and Judi Kauffman for such a nice article! AND... to Crafty Secrets for always creating such beautiful products for me to work with!

Lots of great stuff to look at in here.
HUGE thanks to Jan Hennings for sending me this!

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Today I ran in to Fremont to one of the cute purses Amy has a huge stock of in her store now. OH by , it was SOOO hard to choose. There are SO many really really great purses in there.

I had to laugh.. Amy took this picture with her phone...and I snagged it from her facebook page. I don't like to have my picture taken and defiantly not when I don't have any makeup on or my hair fixed...but this is just tooo funny, because it totally says it all. The ENTIRE time I was in there I had at least three purses in my hands.. and could NOT decide! lol.... I was in here over an hour.. just trying to decide!!

Here is what I ended up with ....

um....... and this
It's a really fun dyed, canvasy, stitched, beaded bag.. that I fell in love with and had to have. It's one you wear across you and it has a zipper, which is really important to me. It will be fun for just my billfold and camera, so my hands can be free. Two very different bags..but I love them both!

Awesome variety of purses at

Precious Treasures Scrapbook Boutique

405 North Main

Fremont Nebraska

phone- 402-727-7706

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It's a gorgeous weekend so far! I'm home, hanging with the pups, (Dan had to work today). Cloey is here to play with Aly and Molly this weekend also , because Jarad, Kate, Wes and some of there friends are spending the weekend at Long Pine.

I even treated myself to a pedi today. Now I'm enjoying a few minutes in the sun on the deck, watching the pups play in the yard and sipping on a big glass of sun tea. Ah..... life is good!

Hope whatever you are doing this weekend , you are enjoying yourself, and taking a few minutes to just enjoy the sunshine and relax.


** Remember you have until tomorrow afternoon to get in on the giveaways below**

In the mood to share

Yep... I'm having a spontaneous giveaway today. Actually FOUR!
but before I get to far into that, let me tell you what inspired me.
You might recall in this post, a while back when I challenged all of you to do some Random Act of Kindness (RAK), because I was inspired by this website.
Kind over Matter. It is now a site that I check out on a daily basis, because it's just a "happy" place. lol Check it out if you get a chance, I think you'll like it. I just stumbled upon it a few months ago and fell in love.



I was hoping when I posted about the RAK that I planned to do, and shared some photos.. that maybe it would inspire someone else to do the same, and so on and so on. In the end .. well, it would atleast bring a few smiles right? Well, last night I opened my inbox to find a very cool email send to me by one of my readers. I responded and asked her if it was okay for me to share it here today.
I'm not mentioning her name or where she lives... of course , because she's having fun keeping people guessing. lol


Here's the main part of her email

I followed through with your Random Acts of Kindness the other day here in Sargent (population about 600) I purchased some silk flowers at the local variety store and cut each one apart from the main stem. I attached a note telling them that the flower was theirs, to have a great day and to spread the act of kindness around. I got up real early and placed them all over our Main Street, on a window ledge, a park bench, on a door, in the post office, etc. It wasn't very long before I heard the "buzz" that people were finding flowers around town! I kept it a secret and people are trying to figure out who left them. I think I am going to wait a few weeks and do it again but I need some more ideas - do you have any???!!

Is that cute or what? lol Today she wrote back to say it was fine for me to share and she said..

"People asked me yesterday "Did you get a flower?" It is hard not to laugh but it does make me smile".

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Okay.. so will you help me out with a couple of things?? First of all...

Pay it forward... do something nice, something kind, something to make someone smile. I know we all try to do nice things and make others happy..but take it a step further and do something you normally wouldnt do... without anyone knowing it's you. Hopefully they will do the same.

The other thing you could do for me .. and for my blog reader.. ( and hopefully to inspire others).. is leave a comment with an idea for a an act of kindness. Big or teenie tiny.. doesnt matter.

If you do that .. I'll put your name in the hat . I'm giving away 4 different little vintage goodie and ephemera packs. You can see them above in the first photo. The second photo is a general peek at whats inside. ( might varry a bit in each one..but pretty close to what's in this photo).

I'll draw 4 winners on Sunday and post them, so be sure to check back. If your a winner , I'll need to get your addy as soon as possible so that I can get them mailed off .. hopefully before I leave Tuesday to be gone for two weeks.


Help us out .. we need ideas.Anything that comes to your mind that would be fairly simple and inexpensive .. yet bring a smile!



Be kind, you'll like how it feels

Fabric Flower Fun

One week from today I'll be heading out, so I've been busy gathering class supplies and making piles of things I need to remember to take. I'm always afraid I'm going to forget something so I start the gathering process way ahead, as I think of things. ha... guess what the spare bedroom is getting used for?
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Yesterday I worked on these fabric flower pins for my teachers assistants.

I'd never made them before but have seen so many different varieties done up over the past few months. I started thinking.. hey.. why couldnt I use an accucut flower die for making these. So....

I used my Accucut die F1440J for making these. Sure helps when you can cut a number of them at one time.

I used my Accucut Die F1440J (Flowers and Leaves #3)

They are pretty easy.. just a little bit of layering and gathering with embroidery floss. I found adding tulle or lace between a couple of the layers really gives them more lift and dimension.

I just used some fabric scraps I had around here. They were pretty..but when I was all finished with the flowers.. I sprayed them all lightly with Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist. It was the perfect fishing touch.

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Here's one of my projects for Tattered Angels this month. This butterfly screen has to be one of my most favorite screens. I love butterfly images!

The tag is one from this pack of Tailored Tags. They are all gorgeous.

Here are the new Clear Compacts that work with the Tattered Traveler Framed Fonts. The Tattered Traveler clock stamp works perfectly with these.

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If you were a dog.. wouldn't you want to lay in a big pile of vintage lace? lol I had it all out on the floor in my studio, sorting through it picking what I need for the project I was working on .. when I get a phone call (turning my back for a few minutes).. and look who thought it would be a soft cushy bed. lol

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It was so windy here yesterday, my poor peonies and lilacs were out there getting wind whipped. I decided I better go out and pick some before the heat and wind took their toll on them. Good thing I did, because we had storms last night. I'm enjoying these that I saved. These aren't totally opened up yet.. so hopefully I'll be able to enjoy them for a while.

Wishing you all a great week!

Sharing, sharing and more sharing

Tattered Angels and My Little Shoebox

teamed up this month... and their Design Teams worked these two products

together! You can see what both DTs did this month on both companies blogs

Tattered Angels Blog

My Little Shoebox blog

Here's one of my layouts. This photo was one that I took when mom and I were in AZ. My Mom , my sister, and my niece.

I created my background first with Glimmer Mist and this screen.

Colors I used were, Key Lime Pie, and Patina.

Word "love" is Glimmer Misted Alpha Font Letters from Tattered Angels. All other Paper and Stickers are from My Little Shoebox. (except the background ..misted paper, which was originally just plain while card stock).

Oh .. and remember to check out the Tattered Angels Website

for fun stuff and giveaways celebrating National Scrapbook Month... AND check out the Educators Blog for a bunch of new great techniques!

Today Dawn Hueser will have hers posted

the 26th Jasmine Low and The 27th Sherry Steveson

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Kates new niece Violet was an angel at the baby shower. I think her momma and daddy are pretty lucky to have such a content little baby.

It was a really nice time. I love that showers have become a more "family and friends" sort or gathering..instead of just women. It's great to see "the guys" be a part of it all !

Violet

Kate with her sister , sister in law and two nieces.

I have to tell you.. I smile ever time I look at this picture. There is nothing better than seeing your kids happy. (no matter what their age)

They both look pretty happy here, don't they?

I'm so proud of Kate and Jarad both.. they have been so successful with weight loss this Spring. That new house is keeping them pretty busy too! They are always doing something around there. I can tell they are really loving it.

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Okay... if I haven't filled your "eyes and ears" with enough info and links today.. just one more! An important one too. You will want to run over and check out whats going on at the Heartwarming Vintage blog AND get in on a chance to win a $30 gift certificate from Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage.

Happy Monday Everyone!

Crafty Secrets Challenge at "Splitcoast Stampers"

Just a quick post today to share a card and a photo from yesterday. The card is one I did for the Crafty Secrets Challenge at Splitcoast Stampers.

It's a super simple card but I had fun making it and love the cheerful colors.
I know the girls over there would love to have any of you come on over and play long at any time. You can read more about this challenge, and upcoming challenges HERE.





This fun image is just one of the super cute images from the "Kitchen Time" Cuts, from Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage.

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Weston was home for dinner and a visit last night..so we really enjoyed that. You know me .. anytime the kids come home .. I'm a happy camper. Really nice to get to spend some time and visit with him.

The dogs are in the height of their glory when hes here. He loves those dogs.. and they love him. He's the one who will really PLAY with them .. and they know it!

Wes and his friend Eric at preparing their motorcycles for their big road trip to TX next week. ( coincidence that I'll be in TX at the same time) They have had this planned for some time. I guess secretly I was hoping they would change their minds before now.. but guess not. I'm a mom and I worry.

Please pray with me for a safe trip for them. I want them to have a good time.. I just want them to stay safe.

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Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!!

Friday already?

This week has gone by incredibly FAST for me.Wow. I'm trying to get things done up ahead so that I'll be ready to leave for TX about a week. If you plan to attend "The Great American Scrapbook Show" in Arlington... be sure to come by the Crafty Secrets Booth and say hello..See the goodies .. and sit down for a fun make and take! ( I'm pretty excited about what I'm doing after the TX show also... I'll tell you about that at the end of this post ) FUN!

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I've been wanting to share this yummy salad recipe with you for some time now and keep forgetting. It's my sister Jans recipe. All my sisters (and my mom) are amazing cooks.. so I have lots of fantastic recipes. This one is super easy by SO delicious! You can add or delete certain ingredients depending on what you like/dislike , I'm sure.

*** Basically it's Broccoli, Cauliflower, sliced water chestnuts, olives, red onion, a can of smoked almonds, and (either Ranch, or Creamy Italian salad dressing.. whatever you prefer). I use Ranch(with Bacon) and it was so tasty. Adding the almonds right before serving is best.

Recipe: Jan Jenkins

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Some very happy things happened this week also. Kates sister and her husband have been trying to have children for some time now.. and finally have just had this little darling, officially become their daughter!

Violet Christina Fiala ( isn't she a doll)

We will be attending a shower for them tomorrow. I asked Kate to send my any photos she has of their first day as a family, so I could use it for a project I had in mind.

Hope they like it.

Papers are K&Co and background piece from Kaiser Craft

Metal Tags... mom , dad, and "V" for Violet

Looking forward to meeting her in person tomorrow.
So happy for Christy and Ryan!

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Yesterday Gabby did my hair. Cut, Color ,Highlight.. oh .. so much better now.
She had just been up to her Grandmas in Western Nebraska, helping her go through her things. She brought one of the treasures she ran across to show me.

How cool that she would come across this , considering she is a beautician.

Wyatt is growing up to fast! Just had his 3rd birthday. He was pretty content to watch cartoons on the couch with a few marshmallows. He is a punkin.
Such a good by while his momma is here working her magic on my hair.

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Okay.. this is what I'm SO excited about !! This is like a dream! As you may know .. I have become quite a fan of Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers thanks to Sandys husband Scott , introducing me to their music a few years ago. (he is a huge fan of them and has been for years and years). Anyway.. every June they put on this event in Puerto Penasco Mexico. For some time it's fallen on the same weekend as the TX show that we always attend... well... this year , it works out that it's the weekend after... so GUESS where we're going???

I am SO excited!!!


Puerto Penasco here we come!!!

Can you tell I'm pretty jazzed?

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PS...... Be sure to help Tattered Angels Celebrate National Scrapbook Month~

Today on the Educator blog Karan Gerber has a gorgeous project posted.