090116 September Archi-scraps Challenge

Archi-scraps September inspiration

Well!

This had my little grey cells spinning (pun intended) for quite awhile.

Using pinwheels was mentioned amongst the Design Team, so I went in search of an origami pattern.

I made these from scrapbooking stock & the paper is quite thick for intricate folding.

They should have had one more fold - you are actually looking at 

the back side - which would have made a skinnier star.

I feel they look better this way for my purpose as I can imagine them on a stick, twirling...

Link for instructions HERE

I was searching through Shimelle's sketches, for an entirely different project, when I discovered this one. 

Design inspiration found!

Now the big question - what story do I want to tell?

I had made the stars in "boy" colors, thinking that I would feature 

the grandsons, as the girls have been featured a lot as of late.

The perfect event to scrap for this was the Tall Ships Celebration in Bay City last month.

I used some of October Afternoon's Treasure Map collection goodies on an Authentique paper base,

with a cut-apart strip from Shimelle's Starshine collection at the top. Some really old giant chipboard letters for the focal word, plus navy Jillibean Soup alphas & some rub-ons make up my title.

Here is the complete page. I love how perfect the pinwheels are with the wind theme!

The little quote at the top of the banner was from a cut-apart card paper in the OA collection,

added as an afterthought, but it could not have been better suited to the page.

This ship sails out of Seville, Spain, and is the only galleon left on the high seas today.

What comes to your mind with the Archi-scraps September inspiration?

Please post on the sight for a chance to win a prize or a chance to be our Guest Designer!

Thanks for stopping by!

082416 CKC August Member's Blog Hop

 Welcome to my stop in the August Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog hop!

You will have arrived here from Julie's post of scrappy awesomeness.

If you lose your place just return to the CKC link above - don't miss a thing...

This month I completed all three of the CKC challenges but 

continued working with my Textur Deutsch counterfeit kit.

I am trying harder to use up more of my kit during the month.

  This page was created by having a troll through what was left in the Magic Blue Box...

 I was determined to use those small wooden spoons and serendipity led the way. 

Two crossed spoons were in the box right next to that little bundle of twine, 

looking just like an "X" and an "O" - suggesting love. 

Of course, the spoons are what you would use with ice cream... 

can you see where this is going?  

I rolled up Tim Holtz glassine paper - the perfect color for an ice cream cone - and flattened it. 

I debated about how to make the pattern of a sugar cone, and settled on a small 

polka-dot embossing folder - much quicker than tediously scoring it. 

Then I freehand cut a big "scoop" of chocolate ice cream...

I used my tiny attacher to staple the spoons together, but I still needed some 

dimensional adhesive under the ends of the top spoon to help it sit steadily in place. 

Aren't those Felicity Jane little stamped ice cream cones & sentiment just perfect? 

 I anchored the page with that strip of Paper Studio thin kraft colored washi.

The tiny Prima heart button, sewn on back side up, was perfect to fill in that big empty "O".

And who ever gets by in hot summertime without a few drips?

The woodgrain sequins in my kit are adhered with floss French knots.

Here's the full page.

My goal with this kit was to maximize the use of texture.

The distressed patterned background paper, shiny sequins, the embossed 

cone fashioned from waxy glassine, metal staples on the wooden spoons, 

wooden button, jute twine - even the kraft & puffy alphas do their part.

My journaling around the edges bemoans the fact that these days it is 

hard to find an ice cream flavor with a chocolate base.

Glad you hopped by!

Leave your comment below & next up is Karen
with even more scrappy goodness.

Thanks for stopping by!

081616 CKC August Challenge #3

CKC Challenge #3: Sounds Foreign to Me!

foreign

adjective

 UK /ˈfɒr.ən/  US /ˈfɔːr.ən/​

 belonging or connected to a country that is not your own: 

Spain was the first foreign country she had visited.

foreign languages

"In honour of our German inspiration kit, and the fact that you might have 

had a go at understanding the kit content list, be inspired by foreign words on your project."

**********

I managed to make this a double-challenge page by
combining with Whimsical Musings #221, be inspired by water.
This summer we installed a water tower to help provide another
needed commodity up at the cabin, which got me thinking
about documenting how we manage the conveniences of home.

My French title phrase, meaning "That's life", was inspired
by this little bit that was left over on my desk from my CKC July kit:

I managed to get a lot of texture on this page with
textured cardstock, kraft & cardboard alphas, a cork diecut,
a vellum feather with stitching,...

...and a cute little button adorning the camera embellishment fussy-cut from a Project Life card.

It really is pleasant & even fun to get a break from the rat race!

Choose your own foreign phrase to scrap - hey! Pick an Italian pasta!
Can't you just imagine a page about fettucini alfredo?
If you get right to it you could be in time for the Member's Hop.
For details see the information at the bottom of the challenge post linked above.

Excuse me while I go check the fridge : )

Thanks for stopping by!

081216 CKC August Challenge #2

Our second CKC August challenge!

"Did you notice the gorgeously thick felt and the thick handmade paper in our inspiration kit? 

These are not usually items that we find in our everyday paper scrapbooking stash. 

So follow its lead and find something 

from outside your own scrapbooking stash to include on your project."

Of course, the Design Team get a bit of a preview of the challenges,

so I included some rather unorthodox items in my kit with this in mind:

I have been wanting to do a handmade mini-book about our retreat.

The inspiration kit had the makings of one using that felt & the binder hardware.

I toyed with the idea of using a quilted cover but wasn't particularly inspired.

I thought that the discarded leather purchased from a scrap bin would make 

a FAB cover foundation - I only wish I could have incorporated that

 lovely butterfly (which may yet make an appearance!)
It wasn't quite large enough so I sewed on a piece of wood veneer to finish the length.
The birch bark was a natural (pun intended) & the mossy ribbon is perfect for the binding.
And tiny mushrooms - I couldn't resist tucking them in!

The 4x4" page inserts made me anticipate a square book, but when you factor in
the hardware and the piece of the page that has the holes in it, it came out quite rectangular.
I decided to leave the inside of the cover as-is but tucked a feather into a knot.
The hardware fastener was flimsy so I stitched it on with hemp twine.

Our place is north of us in Gladwin which we've nicknamed "Glad".
I gave the wooden letters a camo treatment with walnut inks & mounted them on vellum.

 I added some kraft punched circles on the backside of the letters with Tim Holtz sentiments
& the date we closed on the property. Greg is standing in the driveway, which hasn't been
used in eleven years! Quite an ambitious undertaking...

When we viewed the property a small herd of deer appeared at the end of the road.
That was a real encouragement to us that we would be seeing lots of wildlife!
We bought sweet corn from an Amish family & fell in love with the birch forest.
I will add some journaling in those blank squares.

A visit by a beautiful butterfly (which we identified but can I find the info? no) was another
encouragement, but the real excitement was a pile of bear poop on a log over the trail!
A little too exciting, you say? Have never seen another sign of it since...
That log has been named "Bear Poop Log" & will appear on our hand drawn map.

A beautiful feather we found fits perfectly in the 4x4" pocket & looks good from either side.

The start of the next four-square starts with a piece of paper wasp nest.
I'm looking forward to continue to fill the pockets with tiny photos of our progress
in building our cabin & improving the trail. This has been a really fun project!

I hope that you included the option of a mini-book in your kit this month.

Pick up your kit & take on Challenge#2!
Make sure you post to the Linky.

Thanks for stopping by!

080616 CKC August Challenge #1

Welcome to the first of three CKC August challenges.

Happy Sandcastle Day!

(Find out more about it HERE.)

"So! it's time to be a little nostalgic and be inspired by that most 

enjoyable childhood activity to create a project featuring sandcastles."

I'm still working my way through my beach vacation photos so, perfect!

I crafted my kit this month with a variety of textures included.

Featured here are cork embellishments, a layered photo mat that includes the kraft
tissue paper, wide linen ribbon, & embroidery embellishment on the title element.

I added some color to the white cardstock with Color Shine. By the time I was done, 

I felt it was a little overwhelming, so I used white paint applied with the ball end 

of a dry embossing tool to make the perfect tiny circles that I wanted!

Bonus: it looks like sprays of water plus it adds glossy texture.

A perfect day...

Grab your kit & let Sandcastle Day inspire YOU.
Be sure to post on the Linky for a standing ovation,
and don't forget to return on the 12th & the 16th for
the remaining two CKC challenges for August.

Happy scrapping!

Thanks for stopping by!

080116 CKC August Kit Reveal

Say, Howdy! to our August Guest Designer, Karen aka Pinky Crafter,

who has a wonderfully creative way with color & design.

August's Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog's inspiration is an elegant, coolly 

sophisticated neutral kit from a European source: PapierWerkstatt March 2016

The interesting piece peeking out of the shopping bag is a piece of felt!

The intention is to be able to construct a small album...

I loved the texture of the felt & the handmade paper.

This gave me the starting point for my angle on my kit.

I translated the neutral colorway to a natural one. 
In a nod to the origins of the inspiration kit,
my kit is called Tektur Deutsch.

Here are my papers:

They include (1st row) a piece of 2011 Tim Holtz Kraft Glassine, 2002 Hot Off The Press/Barnwood, two pieces of kraft tissue from a recent package, partial piece of cream embossed paper from a Jenni Bowlin class kit, a sheet of Lyon's Stick-on Canvas primed & ready, sheet of vellum, piece of cardboard from the back of a paper pad, (2nd row) half-sheet from WeR/Once Upon a Time paper stack, 2011 MME/Lost & Found Two, Kaisercraft half-sheet botanical, 2013 October Afternoon Public Library/Card Catalog B side, 2011 Authentique Foundations, two sheets grey toned cardstock (3rd row) scraps of Simple Stories floral + unknown alpha paper underneath, half-sheet 2012 MME/Lost & Found/Halloween, 2012 BoBunny Press/Serenity Blossoms B side, Crate Paper/Portrait/Pearls, scrap from Finnabair class kit, 2015 Authentique/Nestled/Observant paper.

Let's see what else is in the Magic Blue Box!

 I have ALL SORTS of goodies in there!
Walnut inks, cork, cardboard, rub-ons, buttons, kraft & vellum feathers,
art board fronds, linen ribbon, metal nature-inspired embellishments, twine,
 jute, leather, birch bark, grass ribbon, tiny wooden mushrooms! I've
included the makings for a tiny 4x4" book as in the original kit.
I've also got these alphas & a Project Life-style card assortment:

The elegant simplicity of the inspiration kit was so appealing.
Somehow, every month, I end up with a robust assortment of things to play with!
The ultimate beauty of your CKC kit is that it reflects YOU.
Even if the inspiration takes you in a challenging new direction,
you are shopping the kit from things that YOU personally chose.

Dig into your stash & gather up some goodness!
Then post over on the Linky so that we can applaud : )

Stumped for ideas?
Visit the CKC blog's Forgeries on the Fourth post for some help.
Then use your kit to create for the three monthly chall:enges on the 6th, 12th & 16th.
And don't forget the Member's Blog Hop - a chance to showcase your work!
Watch for information at the bottom of most CKC blog posts.

Now hop on for inspiration for your take on the kit this month...
and give a warm welcome to our Guest Designer!
Make sure you leave some love.

Guest Designer Karen

Lesley
You are here:  Leslie
Go here now:   Lisa

Lynnette

Margie

Susan

Susanne

Jemma

Julene

Kelly

Thanks for stopping by!