070115 Counterfeit Kit Challenge July Kit Reveal

Aaaah ... Summer ...

Up here in Michigan we revel in the lush greenery for a brief but wonderful time.

This month's inspiration kit from Scrapabilly is perfect to celebrate Summer!

Joining us this month in the Guest Designer slot is the inspiringly creative Julie!

Her link is first on the list - DON'T miss it.

SO! Let's get right to what's in the Magic Blue Box.

These are the inspiration's Kaisercraft Blue Bay collection papers.

(I ignored the papers with Project Life-style cards, but I will be forging some.)

 Here are MY papers.

Row 1

American Crafts rose ribbon & Tim Holtz idea-ology Lavish Trimmings 
  sub for the rose paper!

2010 Basic Gray Hello Luscious/Succulent

2014 We R Memory Keepers Love Notes/French Doors

2013 We R Memory Keepers Harvest/Work Bench

2011 October Afternoon Farmhouse/Porch Swing “B”

2011 Crate Paper Emma’s Shoppe/Sweets 

Row 2

2012 Heidi Swapp No Limits/Smarty “B”

2012 Authentique Lively/Chipper

2014 Fabscraps Country Living/Secret Garden *signature piece*

2014 Studio Calico Brighton Pier/Blue Ridge “B”

  MME Bramble Rose collection green pattern on weathered wood

2011 Authentique 

Row 3

FORGED green lace BG Aged & Confused Sublime/Raspberry Blue

  MME Bramble Rose collection white chippy wood

2010 Graphic 45 A Proper Gentleman/Cultured Reserve

2011 Sassafras Sunshine Broadcast/Enlighten *my all-time FAVE piece of patterned paper*

2011 Crate Paper Portrait/Honeymoon

2013 Heidi Swapp Wood Frame shadowbox, subbing in for the white frame paper!

FORGED white lace

Here's the rest of the  "Mary, Mary"   kit:

Frames, a metal key standing in for the metal arrow, some fancy white embellis from 

Melissa Frances & Prima, the Daily Flash alphas, a brown pen swapped for the brown ink, 

and a good selection of die cuts. I've tossed in some buttons & a little washi & trim.

A closer look...

BUT! If you know me at all, you may suspect that there is more...

...a   "Quite Contrary"   add-on.

I've included more papers & some alphas, some words to make some PL forgeries. 

Loads of laces & ribbons & pretties. Tossed in some stencils & paint to make a little mess.

I KNOW!!! I KNOW!!!

I went off the deep end this time, lol!

I've also set aside the full packs of embellis that I chose for Mary, Mary. Manufacturers include Glitz, Dear Lizzy, Kaisercraft, Pink Paislee, October Afternoon, K & Company, Prima…no, they aren't even in the picture! This should be an interesting month    =8~O

Wish me luck! Can't wait to see how the inspiration sparks your creativity.
Be sure that you have visited all of the hop posts below...

Guest Designer Julie https://jsquaredscrapspot.wordpress.com

Lisa:  http://lisahausmann.blogspot.ca

Lynnette  http://www.sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com

Margie:  http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com

Stephanie:  http://skylinepaperie.blogspot.com

Susanne:  http://snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com

Jemma: http://just-jimjams.blogspot.co.uk

Julene:  http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com

Leslie:  http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.ca  YOU ARE DONE!

Thanks for stopping by!

062915 Our Beautiful World #103

OBW #103

Two is better than one.

We have been spending much of the last month up at the retreat working on the cabin.

Today was rafters...

Won't you join in over at 

"Sharing our world through our lens"

Thanks for stopping by!

062415 June CKC Member Blog Hop

So glad you are hopping through our June CKC member's hop! 
It's your time to shine & inspire us all with your creativity.

Some months this is my dilemma...
I always love my kits, and the process of putting them together.
When I go to use them I can find myself uninspired for the challenges.
I'm sure there is a Design Team secret to avoiding this!

Challenge #1:  Patterned Die Cuts
 Use only PATTERNED PAPER to create 
a layered die cut for your project.

I'm always a sucker for a rosette.
Like the FAB ones in this book:

 So I made this from (mostly) patterned paper:

I wanted to scrap this photo from our recent trip to Georgia.

I just love how the adults are so laid back but the three year old is ready for what's next!

I used two more of the little kraft hearts to make my visual triangle.

I wish I had stitched the white chevrons...

CKCB   http://www.counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com

Lisa   http://lisahausmann.blogspot.de

Tina   http://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com

YOU ARE HERE   http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com

GO HERE NOW Julie   http://jsquaredscrapspot.wordpress.com

Karen   https://pinkycrafter.wordpress.com

Susan   http://littlethingsbigdays.blogspot.com

Cindy   http://www.cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com

Kate   http://www.kateblue.blogspot.com/

Margie   http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by!

061615 June CKC Challenge #3

This was my favorite challenge this month at Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog.

Challenge #3: One side or the other

  Focus on only ONE side of your project 

(either one...I don't have a preference) 

and keep the rest white space.

Fortunately I had some help from ScrapHappy's June sketch.

Link HERE to find out more about membership.

More inspiration from my scrap crush, Ashli Oliver.

I loved the stacked elements on the left & the layers of white.

Ashli Oliver for Simon Says Stamps

(Process video HERE)

We just spent a week visiting Gatlinburg, Tennessee en route to Atlanta to see "the peaches."

We went to the Georgia Aquarium to celebrate their birthdays.
Chloe adored being up close & personal with the fishies!
She struck a pose more than once of gracefully moving as if she was swimming...

I knew I wanted to use this fish stamp, so I used a less than perfect image
to hold it's place on the start of my layout. The blue paper is standing in for the photo.

Then I used Archival Ink for a perfect image, and added an assortment of Distress Inks to add color.
This process always seems miraculous!
Just blot the ink pads on your mat, spritz with water, and sop up the ink.
Then I added a subtle spray of gold Color Shine.

Fussy cut, highlighted the crown with a gold pen, added a few tiny gems, and some Glossy Accents for the eye.
Makes me look like an artistic genius but the Ranger products did most of the work!

Because of the direction of the fish stamp I flipped the orientation R-L.
Then I decided that my white space could use some added pizzazz.

Happy Scatter Etsy shop HERE

Had a blast putting this together!
(It was really hard not to add any color on the left.)

A little vellum accent punched with "bubbles" is the perfect finishing touch.

I hope you are inspired to tackle this challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

061215 June CKC Challenge #2

Time again for some challenging fun at Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog!

Challenge #2:  Transportation Challenge 

Have something transportation related on your project.

Well, what could be more perfect for that than a trip up a mountainside
to 3,590 feet? First by cable car & then by ski lift (sans snow, of course!)

Thanks for stopping by!

060415 CKC June Forgery Tutorials

Welcome to my CKC June forgery tutorials.

You know at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog we are all about the big cheat.

Let's make some new goodies out of old stash!

My Basic Grey collection is Prism.

I liked this B side of the Petals paper.

(I thought it was light bulbs!)

Prima stamp & Color Box Frost White ink

My friend Sherrie gave me some *good advice* when stamping a pattern.

Start & end off of the edges to give it a continuous look.

Next is the B side of Quilt:

I used a Heidi Swapp die cut paper as a mask with
her Color Shine in Black Velvet on blue cardstock.

Next I made my own stencil like this one.

I had the perfect old AC paper that made it relatively easy.
I just cut out the triangles row by row in the same pattern.

I loved these dressed up tags...

...so I made a few with washi, paint, and even some gold foil.

 

I just thought I would show you how the gemstone freebies 

that Lynnette had in the tutorial post this month turned out. Love these!

Just print on your paper (the reverse side if single-sided) & fussy-cut.

I enlarged the freebie paper & when I can locate 

my watercolors that are playing hide & seek with me

in my studio I will shade the gems with the water brush!

Just for fun, I also foiled some wood veneers with a 15 year old 

product originally made for foiling on fabric, but a little glue & voila.

They are a little less than perfect but I'm calling them "distressed".

So won't you try your hand at hand crafting your favorite items?

It's easier than you think! Don't forget you can look at past 

months' tutorial posts for additional ideas & inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by!