041615 CKC April Challenge #3

And the inspiration just keeps coming over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog!

April Challenge #3 Spring Inspired: 
Let Spring help inspire your project

Living in a state at the top border of the U.S. makes me delight
in those first signs of life after the blanket of Winter begins to recede...

This moodboard at S.W.A.T. Challenge #53 was a great inspiration!

I began with the Messy thought of mimicking a pocket page with a grid.
I chose some elements & dressed them up with some vellum & stitching,
then made a simple title block with plans to add a little strategic stamping.

As I began to add the photos there was still a lot of empty white space.
Mounting the page on a grey & white polka dot helped add a border, an idea I got
from Susan's page HERE, but there was still an especially large space at the top... ugh.
I tried adding some stitching but it looked dreadful & now I had a row of holes!

I thought perhaps adding some washi, but couldn't get that to work either.
Eventually I cut strips of the script card from my kit to work in here & there.
I added some polka dot washi tape to them as an accent, covering the top corner with it.
Getting happier! Finally fussy-cut a little bee for that corner & it's done.

I also added some flowers made from the vellum circles & brads,
just like the ones made by Elsie at A Beautiful Mess!

One last change was mounting my title on a photo overlay with a big heart,
another subtle layer that adds the perfect sentiment about Spring.
It also gave me something to attach the title letters to with a tiny attacher!

I think I'm drifting further & further from the messy vibe!

Go ahead - celebrate Spring with a page from your counterfeit kit 
& a little Spring mood from S.W.A.T. Challenge's gorgeous inspiration board :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

010415 CKC January Tutorials

It's a brand new year, and we are bringing you brand new tutorials at the CKC!
Helping you transform your old scrap stash into trendy takes on new products.

The first thing I wanted to tackle was the American Crafts/Amy Tangerine Stitched "Thrifted" paper.

I thought washi tape would create those slanted stripes perfectly with just a little bit of effort.

What do you think? (I usually like mine better than the original, lol!)

Next up: Jillibean Soup Mini-Die Cut kraft tags

Easy-peasy! Who says I need a Silhouette or a Cameo? (ME!)
I think I'll save that piece on the left - you never know when it may come in handy! (hehe)

Now the transparent printed "Bella Rouge" letters from Pink Paislee.

I looked in my digi stash for a striped patterned paper & made it black & white.

I cropped & printed it 8-1/2" by 11" on transparency paper, 

then started over but rotated it 90* first.

I will use my Sizzix "Funky Brush" dies to cut out the letters!

Like so!

What should have been the easiest forgery turned out to be the toughest.
The B side of the Heidi Swapp/September Skies "Afternoon Breeze" paper.

I had this stencil & the perfect colors of paint...

Epic fail! It was sloppy & ugly - Plan B - mist.

Second section I forgot to cover the first section - overspray...

Then I just flipped the stencil to get rid of the excess mist on the paper. Ugh.

Next try? Colored pencils...

Just not the look I wanted.

BUT! When I cleaned the mist off the stencil with a baby wipe?

I got these pretties! They went right into my kit when dry :~)

So! Pick your absolutely favorite thing in the inspiration kit & go for it!
We have a great library of past tutorials to browse through & be inspired.

Let me know you stopped by :)