Crafty Secrets February Linky Party and DT Challenge!

Welcome to the Crafty Secrets February Linky Party and DT Challenge! The February challenge falls on the BEST day of the year...my birthday! {grin} Today is my 50th Birthday, if you can believe that! I am certainly not interested in turning 50! Nor, am I very interested in acting my age! {bigger grin) I am sure I will have a great day, no matter what!

Now, on to the Crafty Secrets Challenge. This month we're throwing a virtual Valentine Party!  Create some cute Valentines for friends and family, create a romantic layout, or make a home décor item. Incorporate music or words to a song somewhere in your project.  (Or, use images of songbirds!) You do not need to follow this theme to play along, but it's always fun when you do.

Here is my creation. I think I covered all the bases!

I love shabby chic, and I love the vintage postcard-style images! I enjoy creating in the vintage style so much, and I am always my happiest when I am making something look old and worn and just...scrumptious! 

This card is 6" x 5". Someone asked me about sourcing envelopes for this size card. When I need envies, I Google search "bulk envelopes" and look for the best price. Right now, I have a stash of 6" x 6" and 5" x 7" envelopes (from who knows where). Since many of my cards are so lumpy, I tend to mail them in padded mailers that I pick up at Walmart! I also make my own envelopes to size using the We R Memory Keepers Envelope punch board. How is that for "super helpful"??!!

Here is a little tutorial to show you how to give a worn, shabby look to your papers.

1. Select your papers. The background papers I used are from the Crafty Secrets Radiant Digital Paper Collection, printed onto ivory cardstock. You can use digital papers or regular scrapbooking papers. It helps to use paper that is a bit on the heavier side. If your paper is double-sided, that is a plus for this technique! Since I used digital papers, mine are single-sided. 

2. Use sharp scissors or a paper edge-distressing tool to rough up the edges of your paper. I used the Prima paper distressing tool to "rip up" my paper edges, but the blade of a pair of sharp scissors works, too.

3. Ink the edges of the paper with an ink of a pale shade found in your paper. I chose Spun Sugar Distress ink for this project. This gives a soft "glow" to your paper. Next, ink the edges of the paper with Vintage Photo Distress ink. This is what gives the paper a shabby look.

4. Gently curl the edges of the paper, and lightly ink the back of each edge with the Vintage Photo Distress ink.

5. Bend and curl the papers at the corners for that added shabby touch.

6. To make your images look old and tattered, cut around the edges with sharp scissors, making sure to cut in an uneven or wavy pattern. Ink the edges heavily with Vintage Photo Distress ink, and curl the paper edges. 

The bird image that I used is from the Crafty Secrets Birds and Botanicals Images and Journal Notes Booklet. The flower image peeking from behind the birds is from Love Mail Creative Scraps.

I added a loopy bow made from pink organza dot ribbon.

The sentiment is from the Crafty Secrets Be My Valentine Digital Stamp Set. I printed the sentiment onto ivory cardstock and cut it out with a circle die. I inked around the edges of the sentiment with Spun Sugar Distress ink. 

I created a flower cluster from some pre-made flowers. The flowers on the image had a yellow tint to them, so I covered them with pink and red flowers. That's just how I roll. {giggle}

Hop around and see what the rest of the team has made! I am sure they will knock your socks off!

Crafty Secrets Design Team

Kathy Clement - DT Leader
Vicki Chrisman -   Guest designer

Darlene Pavlick

Diane Hover

Elizabeth Lincoln
Ginny Nemchak
Gloria Stengel - YOU ARE HERE
Melody Clement

Michele Kovack

Shantaie Fowler

Sheila Rumney
Sandy Redburn - Owner

Crafty Secrets Blog

To play along, create a NEW project of your choice featuring ANY Crafty Secrets product and link it up to the Craft Secrets Blog by 11:59 PT, Sunday, February 15th. You do not need to follow this month’s theme to play along.Check the Blog as we have included one free digital stamp and paper to get you started. Feel free to use these images, or any Crafty Secrets goodies in your creation Also, check the FREE DOWNLOADS located in the sidebar of the Crafty Secrets blog. 

Be sure to link to the Crafty Secrets Blog in your post, and let us know what Crafty Secrets product you are using in your project. One lucky player will be randomly selected to win this fabulous Vintage Valentine Digital Kit. 

Crafty Secrets products:
Radiant Digital Paper Collection
Birds and Botanicals Images and Journal Notes Booklet
Love Mail Creative Scraps
Be My Valentine Digital Stamp Set

Other products:
Cardstock: WorldWin Smooth Ivory, Apple Red
Flowers:Wild Orchid Crafts
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon pink organza dot
Ink: Ranger Distress Vintage Photo, Spun Sugar
Dies: Spellbinders Standard Circles Large, Small
Adhesive: Scotch 3M ATG tape; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L 3D Foam Squares; hot glue