010119 January Archiscraps Challenge

January Archiscraps - black & white

Happy New Year!

2019?!? How did THAT happen so fast?

I just love, love, love black & white, especially stripes. I scored this fabulous New Year's paper "2019" from Simple Stories that is just perfect for this challenge.

The only problem is I won't have my photos in time for the Archiscraps Australia posting as I'm in the USA, so I'm going in a different direction for this challenge.

My inspiration on how to approach my layout was an IGTV post from Tracey Fox for her Scrappy Trend Watch 2018. This one is dubbed, "Brush Stroke Stripes" and can be seen at this link. Here are a few of Tracey's examples:

I had a lot of fun searching my stash for black & white items. Lots of patterned papers from Felicity Jane (one of their specialties), punches, fussy-cut Project Life card, rub ons, and skinny washi tape.

I used a textured cardstock for my background & simple black acrylic paint thinned a bit with water. This was uber-easy & quick! Looks so bold & arty and could be done in any color or even a rainbow.

My photo was taken after I rolled down my car window & snapped those perfect & lovely fresh snowflakes. I went in close for the print to reveal how each is truly unique.

photo close-up

top cluster close-up

bottom cluster close-up

I hope to see your take on this month's black-and-white challenge on the Archiscraps Linky!

Thanks for stopping by!

120118 December Inspiration!

First up is the Archiscrap Challenge blog,

a blend of architectural inspiration & paper crafting.

Be inspired by Christmas!

Be sure to head over & check out the Design Team submissions.

If you can squeeze in some creative time this busy month? Link it up!

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Over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge we will have a daily post -

our own version of an Advent Calendar!

 Check in for a quick dose of seasonal fun & inspiration.

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I hope your December includes lots of fun, friends, and love. XO

Thanks for stopping by!

111818 CKC November Challenge #2

Challenge #2: Getting Twisty & Sketchy!

Citrus Twist April 22, 2018 weekly sketch

 Yes - it's rolled over to the side! That's on purpose, you see, as the challenge is to use the sketch in any way EXCEPT as it was intended - clever Lisa! So perfectly CKC, as Counterfeit Kit Challenge's intention is always to change things up a bit & make them our own.

The end of last month I celebrated my 61st birthday & I wanted to document it before too much time goes by. I have been doing a fall tidy-up in my studio & ran across this October Afternoon embellishment for my page - the exact year! It even coordinates perfectly with my kit & this sketch.

I printed my photo & started choosing pieces for the layering process.

I really enjoyed working with this kit. I think I was more mindful about coordinating it this time & less preoccupied with forging. You may remember that I changed up the colorway from the original.

Happy Birthday to me!

I loved the little pleated detail on the sketch so made sure to include it.

I used the black & gold washi in my kit to mimic the stickers in the inspiration kit.

I always love a good sketch! Be sure to tackle this one as it is mandatory to switch it up.

We love seeing your work, so be sure to share your kits and projects with us. You can do this by using the Link-Up page here on the blog, posting in the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Facebook Community Group or on Instagram (find us @counterfeitchallenge and share with #counterfeitchallenge )

Thanks for stopping by!

110718 Whimsical Musings #310

Be inspired by geometric animals - WM#310

Aren't these stunning? Lisa finds the most amazing inspiration at Whimsical Musings!

These reminded me so much of complex quilt patterns. An online search for images brought up a font that reminded me that I had a similar one - more on that later. It also turned up a tutorial on how to make one of these images yourself, known as polygonal vector images (link HERE.)

I've had these photos parked & waiting to be scrapped. I think perhaps the icy wolf reminded me of them. Then I recalled  that I had stumbled across a 2015 My Mind's Eye/Niche die set in my scrapcave the other day & decided to use it to embellish my page. 

I cut the white outlines out of glitter paper & used the off-cut pieces to fill in the spaces. It all got mounted on those white blanks with...

...my Xyron! It made such quick work of these embellishments.

I have discovered all sorts of buried treasure in my current revamp/purge of my studio!

Here is my page:

I print at home so added my title directly onto the photo.

Plexifont BV font

It is intended to appear transparent but I was able to drop color into various portions in PSE.

I think I achieved the challenge pretty well!

Now give it a go yourself. Lisa had some great suggestions:

 "I think you could easily find a link between one of these and a story to tell. Take the animals as themselves - hiking, zoos, trekking, a trip through the wilderness, something on your wishlist to see or go. There are the colours in the designs - gorgeous combinations for this time of year. There are the geometric designs which have been so cleverly used to create these 3D faces staring out at us. Use one or all three to inspire your own page and/or story."

Thanks for stopping by!

 

110418 CKC Forgery on the Fourth

The inspiration kit papers:

Although I really adored the color scheme of the inspiration kit, when I searched for a larger patterned paper to start from I ended up with the center paper below - 2010 Basic Grey Hopskotch "Kissing Tag".

I knew right away that the clamshell pattern would be an easy forgery of the Crate Paper by Maggie Holmes/Willow Lane "Violet" b-side paper, using a Prima stencil & some mists!

So what does the photo below have to do with my second forgery?

This coffee cup sits on my desk because it makes the most perfect coffee ring stamp! I used Distress Inks blotted onto the cellophane packaging on the right & misted to create a wet ink puddle to stamp with my cup & blot with a stencil brush. A few splats of walnut ink finished off the forgery of the American Crafts by Vicki Boutin/Field Notes "Daydreamer" paper.

 So how did I do? I hope I inspired you to give counterfeiting a whirl. It's a great way to get elements of the inspiration kit into yours by making a coordinating version. Have a go at it!

We love seeing your work, so be sure to share your projects with us. You can do this by using the Link Up page here on the blog, posting in the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Facebook Community Group, or on Instagram (find us @counterfeitkitchallenge and share with #counterfeitkitchallenge).

Thanks for stopping by!

110118 CKC November Kit Reveal

#i<3november

Lots of happy going on the Design Team here at Counterfeit Kit Challenge over the fact that it's November! Lisa is our host this month and she has discovered a "cool" & spectacular kit from Citrus Twist - more on that in a minute.

First please welcome our November Guest Designer, Alex aka Pink Crafty Mama! We have certainly been enjoying her exuberantly extravagant counterfeit kits.  Here's just the most recent part of her scrap journey:  "...Fast forward to 2012 and I happened upon a video by Glitter Girl 😉 while browsing YouTube and I had an epiphany. I'm talking flashing lightbulbs and trumpet fanfares. It was journalling and telling the story! Wow, what a difference! I don't mean the story is always the first thing that inspires the beginning of a layout - it can be the photos or even product, but the story is critical!" Read the rest of her intro on the CKC blog page.

Now to reveal the November inspiration kit - October's Citrus Twist "Little Things" kit.

I made a list of the style of papers represented for starters. 

Small multi-floral, bright coffee rings, large floral, Pink Fresh/Indigo Hills 2 "Ridge" which I own, stylized vines, clamshell - I ignored the last two papers, although stars will make an appearance.

Brace yourself - my color scheme took a detour from the inspiration as I think I'll be scrapping some older photos this month. I've based it on this lively 2010 Basic Grey Hopskotch "Kissing Tag" paper in place of the large floral:

Let's open up the Magic Blue Box!

Starting with my papers, the first three are fillers, and then my pattern by pattern match:

2012 Basic Grey Fiction collection, 2010 Basic Grey Hopskotch "First Dance" b-side, 2015 Basic Grey South Pacific "Cook Islands", 2012 Basic Grey Fiction collection, coffee rings custom forgery, 2010 Basic Grey Hopskotch "Kissing Tag", 2018 Pink Fresh Studio Indigo Hills 2 "Ridge", 2009 Basic Grey Cappella "Figaro", clamshell custom forgery.

Here is the full "Love Smile" kit:

Those wood veneers were a forgery last November!

Now don't miss anyone on the hop list!

• Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog - http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/
• Guest Designer Alex - http://www.pinkcraftymama.com/
• Julene - https://julenebydesign.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - https://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com/
• Lori - http://loriannie670.blogspot.com/
• Tina - https://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com/
• Cindy - https://cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com/
• Lisa - https://lisahausmann.blogspot.com
• Laura - https://www.instagram.com/mrsp_scrapsandtea/

Don't forget that we are back throughout the month to help you create your kits and get them used up.

• 2nd November - Just the Gist of It provides a small breakdown of the kit to help get you started
• 4th November - Forgery on the Fourth where our Guest Designer and Master Forgers replicate items from the original kit using their mad counterfeiting skills!
• 6th November - Mini kit reveal is where we show off two mini-kit versions in case a full kit isn't your thing this month
• 12th & 18th November - Challenges 1 & 2 will nudge you to use your kits using our challenge prompt and inspiration from the team
• 15th and 30th November - {Killing Kits Series} to help you make the most of those kits, right to the very last scraps!

We love seeing your work, so be sure to share your kits and projects with us. You can do this by using the Link Up page here on the blog, posting in the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Facebook Community Group, or on Instagram (find us @counterfeitkitchallenge and share with #counterfeitkitchallenge).

Thanks for stopping by!

110118 November Archiscraps Challenge

November Archiscraps challenge: Stone or brick texture, layers

A stumper to start with, and I toyed with a lot of mixed media ideas but had no photo or story in mind. I thought of a lot of techniques, like tearing pieces to mimic stone & gluing them down. But what would I make with them?

 I remembered some unscrapped photos of a house that was being built that looked like a castle.

I thought of some photos of my DH chasing sheep (cows?) around a field in Ireland (or was it
England?) but didn't really have anything to say about it, plus they were part of an album already.

Sometimes I get too literal with these challenges!

 The fun thing about my page is in the details. After I got my idea I remembered the name tag diecut, prompting a deep dive into my stash.The stone paper was in an old kit that I compiled for home improvement pages. I knew a must-have was the modeling paste & used it over some ancient Tim Holtz alpha masks. The background paper was called, You Rock (note the branding strip name tag cut out under my name) so I had to tuck it in! I doodled the tiny castle on some waste from misted overspray & fussy cut it. Found a little red frame for my selfie & done.

And I love it! Serendipity for the win.

Join in at Archiscraps & be sure to link up your creation.

Thanks for stopping by!