050123 CKC May Kit Reveal & Blog Hop

May's moodboard

 Master Forger of Ceremonies Julene has chosen the May Counterfeit Kit Challenge kit & our Guest Designer, Sheryle Thomas! 

Hello, I am Sheryle Thomas from Michigan, USA. I have been a member of the Counterfeit Kit Community for a while and have enjoyed putting the kits together and participating in the challenges though I find mood boards very difficult, lol. 

I am a retired nurse. While I worked most of my career in Long Term Care, I spent 5 years caring for my mom full time until she passed in 2021. I have been scrapping since 2004 or so though many years were spent accumulating and now I have the opportunity to enjoy this hobby and my stash. 

I am single and my usual subjects are nieces, nephews, siblings, daily events and, of course, as I am sure you are all well familiar with (and probably tired of) my beloved cats. Currently I have 5 kitties, several of which love to “assist” me scrapping.

Delighted to have you with us this month, Sheryle! Read all about our kit at the main blogpost - the first stop on the hop listed below!

Our inspiration kit:

{Not} Just For Boys Kit Club Noteworthy Limitless kit

My kit:

My papers:

Plus:  BasicGrey Clippings collection:

Plus 49 & Market add-on bits & bobs:

Next it’s time to continue on the hop - don’t miss a stop!

Here's the full hop link list check out these blogs and YouTube for the reveal of everyone's kits!

• Counterfeit Kit Challenge: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/
• Guest Designer: Sheryl's kit on our Facebook community page
• Anna: https://youtube.com/@piececraftlove
• Cindy: https://cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com
• Julene: http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com
• Leslie: http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com
• Brandi: https://www.instagram.com/scrappy.boymama/
• Tara:  https://kryptonite72-rambles.blogspot.com
• Christine: https://www.youtube.com/@ScrappingHarden
  
• Tina: http://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com

Here's what is coming up the rest of the month:

 

2nd May-Just the Gist of It - a review & analysis of the kit components

4th May-Forgery on the Fourth- master forgers show you how to create your own kit items

8th May- Mini kit reveal - for those who have not as much time to do a full kit or just want to dabble this month.

12th May- Challenge #1- To inspire you to get creating 

18th May- challenge #2 - To again inspire you 

24th May- See who has caught our eye this month. 

28th May- Killing the kit-ideas for using up the kit.

We always love to see your work and your kits so please share with us on our Facebook community page or on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcmay2023).

We can't wait to see your kits and projects this month!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

050123 Archiscraps May Challenge

Be inspired by Legos!

 Another great inspiration from Julene for our Archiscraps followers!

I just happen to have a number of Lego-maniacs in my family, but one outshines them all.

The photos are old but his enthusiasm still has no bounds.

I managed to find a "building block" font that was perfect for the layout. Really glad to have this scrapped!

Won't you find some inspiration from Legos at Archiscraps this month? This could be small coloured pieces to make up your background or mosaics or something else you can come up with.  

Be sure to check out what the Design Team has done or catch up with the other followers on our Archiscraps Facebook Community page, where you can post your own work for us to applaud! 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

040123 CKC April Kit Reveal & Blog Hop

 

Happy Spring!

Master Forger of Ceremonies Misty has ferreted out a new inspiration kit source for us this month as well as a Guest Designer! Meet Kathy Leicht-Gregg:

 

Hi…Kathy here from Washington state, USA. I have lived in Washington for 35 years now and am always amazed by the beautiful and diverse scenery that this state offers. I am married and have 2 adult sons, one lives in Seattle and the other lives in the other Washington. I’ve been following CKC for several years now but have never actually posted a layout or in fact, made a kit. I’m one of those who will spend hours looking through my stash for the perfect piece of paper or embellie so the idea of one kit seemed way out of my comfort zone. 

 

I have known Lisa for 10 years now (met in LOAD 2012) and she has tried to convince me to “just make a kit and try it!”. But I never did and then I met Misty a few years back, we are practically neighbors, and she asked me if I would be the guest designer. After much thought I decided it was time to get out of my box and try this approach as my stash overflows! I am looking forward to seeing what I come up with and where this takes me!

I have been scrapbooking, as we know it now, for over 20 years and love everything about it…all the stuff, all the stories I’ve told and that have been shared with me, and mostly all the wonderful people I have met along the way. You can find me on IG @codakathy. But honestly, I don’t post much and have never posted a layout there (not too many on FB, either, for that matter). I am thinking about creating another IG account with just layouts but just haven’t come up with a name yet. One of these days! 

 

Now to check out Misty's kit choice: 

I wanted to pick something a bit different this month so I chose the SCT Sampler Kit from April 2022. These kits from the Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine, are pint sized collections that pack in a nice sampling of products. The fun thing is you still get a wide variety of ideas, with two different themes to choose from! You can pick and choose one idea or the other, or combine them for one bigger kit. Don’t let the small paper sizes fool you—you can always take your kit to the paper size you need! This kit also has a few fun goodies for forgeries as well. I hope you enjoy this twist on our typical monthly kit idea.

March 2022 SCT Celebrate Sampler kit reveal HERE

 (scroll to the bottom of this SCT blog post to see the actual kit)

* The reveal post on the CKC blog has detailed images of the inspiration kit *

My first inspiration was the smaller papers - I decided to go with 6x8" paper and chose 1) K & Company's Antique Garden, a really beautiful springy floral/nature inspired paper pad and 2) Vicki Boutin's 2019 Art For Everyone ready-to-use mixed media paper pad. I have decided to try a very simple weekly memory planner - more about that in a minute!

This is my planner kit:

Includes a dollar store notebook, a Felicity Jane 2015 stamp set for the little number stamps, an ANCIENT Making Memories magnetic custom alphabet stamp set for the days of the week, and three Heidi Swapp 2013 & 2019 planner stamp sets.

I will have a 6x8" page on the right with one main photo & the left will be a few tiny photos of the random daily that we are so fond of taking but rarely do anything with! I'll have a sample for you later in the month for Challenge #2...

The inspiration kit had a Celebrate die, so I gathered this 2014 Hero Arts die/stamp combo with the intention of making cards

and the Simple Stories 2022 Celebrate! Bits & Pieces ephemera pack included below. That theme & the floral motifs in the original stamp set gave me my inspiration.

My "Memory Lane" full kit:

Additional items: 4 Vicki Boutin stamp sets - 2021 Sweet Rush, 2022 Print Shop, 2021 Fernwood, and 2020 Color Study; My Mind's Eye 2013 Chalk Studio stamp set; 2009 Sizzix branch with leaves die, 2018 Avery Elle Star Frame die, and 2015 Momenta bird die set.

I think that's everything, other than a big forgery download on the 4th. Stay tuned!

If you need more inspiration, our hop team has you covered. Check out how they interpreted this kit for their own use.

• Counterfeit Kit Challenge: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/
• Guest Designer: Kathy Leicht-Gregg (will be sharing her work on our Facebook group)
• Anna: https://www.youtube.com/c/piececraftlove
• Cindy: https://cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com
• Julene: http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com
• Leslie: http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com
• Lisa: https://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/
• Misty: https://craftysoup.com/
• Tara:  https://kryptonite72-rambles.blogspot.com

We always have lots of inspiration to share all month long, so here is a break down of what is coming!

• April 2nd:  JUST THE GIST
• April 4th:  FORGERIES ON THE FOURTH
• April 6th:  MINI KITS
• April 12th:  CHALLENGE #1
• April 18th:  CHALLENGE #2
• April 24th:  FOLLOWERS SHOWCASE
• April 30th:  KILLING THE KIT

You know that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcapril2023).

Thanks for stopping by!

 

040123 Archi-scraps April Challenge

 

Use 5 florals & at least 5 circles

I just L-0-V-E what Julene finds for our inspiration each month at Archiscraps!

 Gothic Conservatory in Mexico by: @craftyglassldn

This immediately put me in mind of some delightful "Sprinklets" embellishments from Buttons Galore & More that I hoard for special projects.  The tiny pieces create the mosaic in the center of each of my flowers that I feel does ample justice to the inspiration ceiling motifs.

 

 

I used a Vicki Boutin ready to use mixed media background with a green color scheme for a page about the vernal equinox that has just passed. Living in Michigan the color green is much coveted by about now! I used a winter-themed stamp set called Forest Magic fom Immediate Media Company for the fussy-cut creatures.

Here's my full page:

  

The flying birds stamp represents our delight in the return of the birds. I printed a reverse image for the right side & fussy-cut both. I have plans for an autumnal equinox page using this same general design and some of the same products. There will be leaves instead of flowers, and the birds will be flying away in that one...

  

Sunrise view out front looking east, sunset view out back looking west.

I hope we have inspired you this month! 

Be sure to link up your creation on our Facebook "Archiscraps Community Group"

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

031323 Mix It Up Monday Hop

Welcome to Mix It Up Monday – a Social Media hop where we share projects that MIX IT UP! We’re mixing up a traditional scrapbook layout with some different types of media such as texture paste, foil, paint, ink, spray, gesso, thread, stitching, in fact, the SKY's the limit! 

 

This hop is a collaboration between Anna from Piece Craft Love and Kimberly from  @IdRatherBeScrapbooking  but anyone is welcome to play along. We post the inspiration 

sketch on the last Monday of the month and then the Hop takes place on the 2nd Monday of the month!

 

This month's sketch was designed by Brenda Ragsdale for Scrap Our Stash blog's Challenge #17 and is used with permission.

First time “chef” here with no “sous-vid-eo” experience 😁

 I began by dropping my photos into the “recipe” sketch, 

after flipping it onto its side to accommodate landscape photos. 

Next I assembled my “ingredients.”

The plan was to add directional stenciled texture paste as noted on the pink sticky notes. I went looking for a certain patterned paper + a companion per the sketch. That’s when I chased a squirrel - namely the 2021 Wild Whisper Nicole White Designs “Ledger & Script” paper b-side below which became my background.

I know - it’s a total cheat - but my scrappy motto is, Let the patterned paper do the work. I added my own “secret sauce”- Shimmerz Seas The Day Vibes iridescent spray to tie in with the blue in the photos.

The stencil went by the wayside. I subbed in some Freckled Fawn puffy stickers for directional arrows. I also added a QR code linked to a brief part of our drive in Canyonlands National Park. Take a look!

 I also added some special “plating presentation” stitching and an assortment of new Ranger Dina Wakley washi tapes. The turquoise leather tie on the tag above is a nod to western colors & plays nicely with the washi color palette.

Tim Holtz sentiments add the finishing touch.

You can sign for the next month’s hop over on the Piece Craft Love Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/piececraftloveclubhouse/

 

Here is the PLAYLIST for this hop! All the videos in one place!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWzDPKwPKsKMxtch-8BC3mfZ4yua4L-KP

Here are the hoppers for Mix It Up Monday: 

Anna from https://youtube.com/@piececraftlove 

Kimberly from @IdRatherBeScrapbooking 

Briana https://youtube.com/@lovemylifeonpaper

Stacy https://youtube.com/@scrapstuffwithstacy45

Mel from @MelWScrapping  

Hollie https://youtube.com/ivycoelcreations

Kristen from @scrappingonthefly1217  

Ashley https://youtube.com/@thescrappingnerd3566 

Annette - Wayfaring Panda https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnvmVHVeOiaM7EjW1025MKA

Christine from @ScrappingHarden 

Tara from @thepapersnob 

Leslie https://outofthemire.blogspot.com/2023/02/031323-mix-it-up-monday-hop.html 

Brandi Jo https://instagram.com/scrappy.boymama

 

Thanks for stopping by!

031223 CKC March Challenge #1 - Mood Board

Welcome back! It's time for Challenge #1 - Mood Board

Have you seen the mood board challenges that various companies host throughout the year? One of my favorites is from Pink Fresh Studios and Paper Issues. A mood board helps to capture the look and feel of a collection and can be an awesome jumping off point for creating layouts! 

I see... a grid style, butterflies, flowers, ledger paper, coffee, and feel good sentiments.

Here is my layout:

 

 

Here is what the rest of March's month of inspiration will look like:

18th March - Challenge #2 - To inspire you to get creating from your own kit.

24th March - Follower's Showcase - who has caught our eyes this month.

28th March - Killing the Kit - an idea or two focusing on using up the bits and pieces left in your kit.

You know that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcmarch2023).

 

Thanks for stopping by!

030123 CKC March Kit Reveal & Blog Hop

 

Spring is coming!

In the meantime, let's refresh our winter weariness (or summer sweatiness, depending on your hemisphere) with a new Counterfeit Kit Challenge inspiration kit! But first let's meet Master Forger of Ceremonies Anna's choice for March Guest Designer, Amanda Castle!

"Over twenty years ago, my mom bought me a scrapbooking kit from QVC. Thus began my journey into this wonderfully creative, addicting, and satisfying hobby. For many years, I was a stay-at-home mom to four kids, moving from place to place with my military husband, so scrapbooking became not only an escape from the stress and loneliness being away from family can cause, but also the creative outlet and ME time I craved. I have always been drawn to all types of mixed media and LOVE embellishments so much that a dear friend (who introduced me to stamping) dubbed me “the embellishment queen. 

Today, I don’t get as much time to enjoy scrapping as I work both as a teacher and a realtor, so when I do, I love to participate in challenges. I had seen other scrappers participating in Counterfeit Kit Challenge and was beyond curious as to what it was—Enter Anna from Piece Craft Love. I am a member of her Facebook group and one day she mentioned the challenge. I asked about it and BOOM, here I am. February was technically my first month participating, but I had a blast and was so thrilled when Anna asked me to Guest Design for her month of March! I’m looking so forward to this month’s kit and the challenges coming up. It’s going to be a GREAT month!" 

Here are Anna's thoughts on her inspiration kit choice:

I chose March for my month to host because my son was born on March 17 (he will be 11 this year!) and so I thought it would be fun to find a kit that could be used to scrap photos of my kiddo. In other words, not too much pink and a little more green (St Patrick’s day and all that). Well then I came across the digital kits from Traci Reed designs that have the same colors and even some of the same designs as Storyteller, her physical collection designed for Cocoa Vanilla, a company from Australia (yes she’s the genius behind that popular collection). 

The cool thing about a digital/printable kit is that there is no limit on how much you can create, and she always packs SO MUCH into her digital kits. I also love that this collection has a very specific message of self care for mental health and body positivity which is something I’d like to focus on more going forward. I hope this kit inspires you to use your Storyteller stash but also to mix and match and find some other similar papers to work with the palette or style. I know, that’s kind of the point of CKC. I’m so excited to be able to select a kit this month!! 

LINK

There are more details on the elements at the link & also in the CKC reveal post listed below.

As always I started with the papers:

Mine:

(I omitted papers 6,7, and 13.)

Many of my papers (#1-4,6,7,9,12,16) were from the Paige Evans Bungalow Lane collection. I had pulled it out of my stash for an earlier project & when I saw the inspo kit it put me in mind of the color scheme & patterns.

Other papers: #5 2009 BasicGrey Basic/Brief, #8 2012 Crate Paper Maggie Holmes/Elizabeth Kate, #10 Prima Painted Floral 6x6" collection butterflies (I added the paper pad to the Magic Blue Box), #11 2017 Shimelle Little by Little/wood patterned rainbow, #13 2020 Carta Bella Oh Happy Day/Tiny Floral, #14 2022 Asuka Studio Denim Daydream/Hope, #15 2016 Echo Park Just Be You/Shine Bright, #17 Bella Blvd Make Your Mark/Real Deal.

 A "Paige" From My Book

My kit includes an embellishment pack, dimensional sticker pack, and a bundle of tags, cards & little sentiments from cut-apart papers from the Bungalow Lane collection. Puffy stickers from PinkFresh Studios (hearts), Amy Tangerine (icons), and Park Lane (tiny sentiments) round out my kit. I decided with the variety that I would choose alphas as I go.

I really enjoyed the more saturated color palette choice in the inspiration kit. Are you inspired? We sure hope so! Do a dive into your stash & be ready for a scrappy March. It's so easy with that box of goodies that already goes together!

Here's the full hop link list. Check out these blogs and YouTube for the reveal of everyone's kits!

Counterfeit Kit Challenge: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/
Guest Designer: Amanda Castle https://youtube.com/@ajoyfulscrapper

Anna: https://www.youtube.com/@piececraftlove

Cindy: https://cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com

Julene: http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com
Leslie: http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com
Tara:  https://kryptonite72-rambles.blogspot.com
Tina: http://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com

Here is what the rest of March's month of inspiration will look like:

• 2nd March - Just the Gist of It - to help you find an easy way to create your kit.
• 4th March - Forgery on the Fourth - Master Forgers share simple ideas for creating kit elements.
• 6th March - Mini Kit Reveal and Project Showcase - Inspiration for a smaller kit or project ideas.
• 12th March - Challenge #1 - To inspire you to get creating from your own kit.
• 18th March - Challenge #2 - To inspire you to get creating from your own kit.
• 24th March - Follower's Showcase - who has caught our eye this month.
• 28th March - Killing the Kit - an idea or two focusing on using up the bits and pieces left in your kit.

You know that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcmarch2023).