Counterfeit Kit Challenge #3:Mix a Sketch

For today's scrapbook layout, I am playing along with the Counterfeit Kit challenge
Challenge #3: Mix the following two sketches together to make a fun, one of a kind project.  You can mix any parts you want, but make sure to use something from each sketch!

Link to Sketch from Studio Calico: Photo Credit

Link to Sketch from Studio Calico: Photo Credit

I liked the pile of tags and papers in the first sketch, and the squares in the second sketch reminded me of the 6x6 papers that I had in my kit, so this is the layout that I ended up with:

I love how I can still see elements of both sketches, and I love the fun little stack of embellishments and tags, and how I was able to tuck my journaling away!

July 2015 Counterfeit Kit Challenge Kit Reveal

Welcome to our Counterfeit Kit Reveal for July! This month we were given the Scrapabilly March kit to be inspired by:

Since I had a lot of navy and mint green in my June kit, I decided to take my kit in a slightly different direction for July. For some reason I was instantly reminded of Carta Bella's Beautiful Moments collection, which I already have:



So that was the jumping off point for my kit. This is the paper selection that I ended up with:

I think the border strip paper may have been the trigger for me to use this collection, and I basically went for similar patterns, since I had taken the color scheme in a different direction. There are border strip papers in both kits, lace prints (mine is from a vintage Basic Grey collection), woodgrains (although mine is admittedly quite different), brocade prints, black with white polka dots, frame paper, and a couple of the Beautiful Moments papers are floral on the other side (I don't intend to use the floral sides, so I included the sheet of foldies to get my flowers in there). Most of the papers that I selected are from the Carta Bella Beautiful Moments collection, but I also liked the chalk board cut aparts, and the frames from the Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party collection (stay tuned, I have ideas for this paper!),a woodgrain from Maggie Holmes, the black striped paper from the Shimelle collection, and added in a floral embossed specialty paper that is ages old, and a small floral print from a DCWV print, and some Sassafrass Lass "Foldies" for good measure.

Here is a look at my entire kit, including the embellishments:

A closer look at some of my favorite bits and pieces:

I am excited to use this kit-I love the quality of the Carta Bella papers, and I have some fun embellies in there this month too.
Now, get yourself a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice) and have a look at what the other designers are up to this month-I know I can't wait to see the kits of supplies that everyone will be choosing!

Here is the list of designers making kits this month:

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

Lisa:  http://lisahausmann.blogspot.ca

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

Margie:  http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com *You are here*

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

November Counterfeit Kit Reveal (and a bit about my kit-making process)

Welcome to the design team reveal for our November Counterfeit Kits! The kit that was chosen for us to be inspired by this month was this gorgeous kit by Scrapbooks&Cards Today,
"Fabulous Fall":

I love this kit! So soft and pretty,I couldn't wait to see what I had to simulate the kit in my stash. I went a little overboard pulling papers to use, and had to put a few back. But, I love the kit that I came up with, and can't wait to get started using it!

(MY paper choices and how I chose them):

 I knew that I loved the Fancy Pants collection that comprises most of this kit, and I knew that I didn't have any of it. So, I started by thinking of the collections or companies that would give me the look and feel I was going for. I found a couple of gorgeous doily prints, a light blue one from a different Fancy Pants collection, "Wonderful Day", and a yellow one with a more vintage and distressed look, from Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1984. Next I knew I needed a soft and gorgeous floral. I found one that I loved in some new stash, from Crate Paper's Notes and Things. Next up was the orange Ikat print, and the closest thing I could find in my orange papers was the lovely aztec print from an older Crate Paper collection, Acorn Avenue. I decided then that the watercolor floral from acorn avenue would work just fine in place of the bokeh print, and chose a yellow chevron print from Crate Paper's Fourteen collection to replace the yellow chevron in the inspiration kit. I thought the cream leaf print from Bella Blvd would work as a substitute for the cream leaves and birds paper, and from there I just looked for a few papers to round out my kit , some with stripes, feathers, text, etc. I actually pulled cardstock for my kit this month, partly because the inspiration kit has it, and partly just because I have so much of it in my stash, and I have been using it rather frequently to back my layouts, etc. Instead of a sheet of vellum, I pulled an ANCIENT transparency sheet.

Choosing embellishments:
 I loved the texture effect of the embellishments in the inspiration kit, so I tried to stay pretty close. I had some "burlap" letter stickers that I put in first- even though the Thickers are mostly used up, I can still get a few more uses out of the sheet, and I will throw them away at the end of the month.I knew I also had a sheet of letter stickers from Sassafrass Lass that would go with my papers, and was very similar to the Basic Grey Mini Monogram stickers in the inspiration kit. I looked through my stash of flair, and pulled out a few that would go with my kit, and especially if I had an idea for using it on a layout. I don't have the leaf paper clips, but I have some very pretty metal filigree leaves from Freckled Fawn that took their place quite nicely. I had some Maya Rd leaf stick pins, and added one stick pin that I have had in my stash for a while. Maybe I will actually use them! I didn't have the burlap sticker shapes, but I have some canvas ones in similar shapes from Little Yellow Bicycle that work just as well (Maybe better, since they're in a white that would show mixed media a bit more, since I am still feeling inspired by the Art class I took last month!). I pulled some similar stamps and dies from my collection, and some tags, since there are tags in the kit. To finish my kit off, I added a few embellishment packages-from Basic Grey Persimmon, Crate Paper Close Knit (along with the matching 6x6 pad), and Crate Paper DIY Shop, and a package of wood veneer tags from American Crafts.

My kit, comprised entirely from my stash, "Fall Foliage":

I will definitely have to go through my fall photos for this stash-I love the warm, lovely colors, and the prints remind me of sweaters other lovely fall textures!

Are you feeling inspired? We would love to have you join in with us at the CKC challenge! I love it because it inspires me to spend less and create more. We have tons of tutorial posts, and some of our design team and participants do a lovely job "counterfeiting" the hottest new papers and trends from our inspiration kits each month. I don't usually make too many items for my own kits, simply because my own stash is so extensive (said with a blush and a bit of embarrassment) that I rarely even need to make anything, I usually have something that will work in place of each item in the inspiration kits. But it is nice to know I have the option to, and can do whatever I feel inspired to do or use! We would love to have you (yes, you!) join in, and make a creative kit for yourself to play with- and any way you choose to make a kit is alright with us! Be sure to link up, so we can drop by and admire your work!

Binty: http://scrappingpluv.blogspot.com
Margie: http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com
Lisa: http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com
Julene: http://julenebydesign.blogspot.co.uk
Stephanie: http://skylinepaperie.blogspot.ca
Susanne: http://snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com
Lesley: http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk
Angela: http://colestoucan.blogspot.co.uk
Lynnette: http://www.sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com
Leslie: http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com

Scrapbooking With A Choice of a Sketch (No Spend Challenge 3/50)

One of the challenges that Shimelle put to us this past weekend was to take one of the past Sketch To Scrapbook Page sketches (our choice), and make a page based on that sketch. My choice for this challenge is sketch 7 from this year:

 I used some of my favorite goodies from the Winter CHA show, these beautiful papers and embellishments from Cosmo Cricket's Sweet Disposition line:

 A closer look at my embellishment clusters:

 

Love this self portrait of the girls and me before we went to the ballet in March- a rare moment that I get to be in the photo, too-and even if it is imperfect, I still love that I got to be captured in that moment with them! I used the Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition line, and added in some of the other embellies from my kit-Jillibean Soup Wise Words, and the butterfly, heart, and sun are all from the Pea Pod pack, Jenni Bowlin whitewashed woodgrain paper tape, mist that I splattered across the page from Heidi Swapp and Perfect Pearls from Ranger, stickers from Glitz and MME, and gems from Glitz and Martha Stewart.

Scrapbooking on the Vertical with Shimelle (No Spend Challenge 2/50)

Three posts in one day? I must be sick! Nope-I just have lots of pages done that I am eager to share with you! And this one was done in response to Shimelle's challenge to "Scrapbook on the Vertical":

 

Title: "Around the World on a Horsey Swing"

Journaling: "Porter and all of the kids love the horsey swing at Gram and Papa's cabin in the mountains! Built by hand, with lots of love-offers up hours of fun and enjoyment!"

 

Supplies used: papers by Dear Lizzy and Fancy Pants, Stickers from Echo Park/Allison Kreft's Photo Freedom line, letter stickers from Echo Park, Jillibean Soup, and Cosmo Cricket, and a couple of printables from Glitz's digital Color Me Happy line, along with a Glitz sticker "Life is a beautiful ride", and a Martha Stewart gem.

Cupcakes On Fire

I am finally getting around to scrapping some photos from my twin daughters' 9th birthday party that was in November! I used papers and embellishments from January's Scrap Your Stash kit (the last page I shared was made from that kit, as well). I started with this sketch from Shimelle:

I was also inspired by a prompt from Janna Werner on 2Peas In The Mood To Scrap series-her mood board was full of arrows, and I loved the way she used them to point out her title and journaling, so I did the same:

I am also linking up with this week's Simon Says Stamp, as the challenge is to "Use an Arrow/Arrows"  I also took inspiration from Shimelle and wrote directly on my layout (I find myself doing it more and more lately):

Love, Elsie Blog Focus: Day 2

My advice for using up those Love, Elsie, or other papers for today: Put them in a kit with newer supplies. This is one of my favorite ways to use up older papers (and one of the easiest techniques for my personal style of scrapping).

 

Here is a sample of a kit that I made up:

I put two sheets of green leaf print Love, Elsie paper in with a bunch of new goodies that I got from this past summer's CHA, Cosmo Cricket's Smore Love collection. I was so happy with how perfectly they went together! And, I have found that if you put them with new(ish) supplies, it is so much easier to actually use them!

A good way to use up your kits? Take a challenge! I took some of the CHA challenges at 2 Peas for the next few pages that I am going to share with you. I used all of the papers, with the exception of a few small scraps, to make these pages:

CHA Challenge #10, Use 10 Different Brands:

 See It On 2Peas

Brands used: Love Elsie, Basic Grey, American Crafts, Making Memories, Cosmo Cricket, Studio Calico, Momento, Up&Up washi tape, Heidi Grace, Tattered Angels

I made this page for CHA Challenge #4: Use a 4 Word Title:

See It On 2Peas 

As you can probably already see, I used the stamps and letter stickers from the kit for the title, and I added in an oooold Making Memories journal spot, and a couple of scraps from my stash.

This Page was made for CHA Challenge #9: Use 9 items from your desk to make a page (this was easy since I had the kit out):

See It On 2Peas 

And I still love how that Love, Elsie paper coordinates with the Cosmo Cricket!

And these last few pages were not really based on any challenges, but made with the desire to use this kit up rather than put it back in my stash!

See It On 2Peas

 

 See It On 2Peas

This one does not include any Love, Elsie (I used up both full sheets before I got to this page!), but, since I made it from the same kit, I thought I would include it today!

See It On 2Peas

I added in a scrap of colored vellum and a scrap from an older Cosmo Cricket line for the layering to feel "right".

 

For more inspiration for making kits from your own stash, check out these resources:

 

• The Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog
• Scrappypedia's Scrap Your Stash Kit Club
• My CKCB Pinterest Board
• Shimelle's NSD Video:Maxing Out A Set Of Supplies
 

I hope I have inspired you today! Don't forget to leave me comment for a chance to win this week's giveaway:

 

 

More Journal Your Christmas Fun (Day 3)

Two Peas in a Bucket has had a range of CHA challenges this week, so I used several of the challenges as inspiration for my Journal Your Christmas pages. Here is my page for JYC, Dec 3, "Planning Magical Moments":

See It on 2Peas

This layout is done in response to CHA Challenge #2, "Scraplift 2 Concepts". I took inspiration from these sources:
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/367453-tenmylove/1875576-december-daily-day-1-cover/ [twopeasinabucket.com]
and this one:
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/498045-soaphousemama/1877620-days-3-and-4-december-daily-jyc/ [twopeasinabucket.com]

I also used my 2 kits that I made up for January from my stash:
Scrap Your Stash Kit , and May Your Days Be Merry and Bright Counterfeit Kit .

Supplies used: Cosmo Cricket Jolly Days background, cream colored pp is from Crate Paper, Wilton's Doily, Elle's Studio stamp and journaling spot, gold glitter ribbon and Thickers from American Crafts.

I quite like how it came out, and I have enjoyed playing along with the challenges at 2Peas, so I will be sharing many more pages over the next few days...Leave me a comment to let me know what you think!

Creative Scrappers sketch #230 (Indoor Smores)

One more quick post today with a page based on this sketch, and inspired by Shimelle's Scrapbook Remix, Prompt 5:

I flipped it on its side, and made this page:

 A closer look at those cute Cosmo Cricket S'more Love embellies:

I started with a Basic Grey Granola CS base, layered on Cosmo Cricket, from Jolly Days, S'more Love, and Garden Variety, and a brown houndstooth print from Making Memories, dripped on some Mr'Huey's Dark Calico, inked the edges of the CS with Walnut Stain Distress ink, and added a sprinkle of hearts from a brown chipboard Thicker sheet, some S'more Love chippies, a title that I stamped from the S'more Love stamp set and cut out/raised with a pop dot, and a S'more Love journaling spot that I attached with stitching and a Making Memories upholstery brad.

The Joys Of Living in The Country...

Normally, I absolutely love it...and you can't beat the views...but when it really rains hard, you lose electricity...and the internet sometimes. I am so sorry that I was not up with the other girls when the Morph/Telephone challenge posted earlier today! My internet was out for a day and a half! Anyway, I am back and posting. Better late than never, right? This was a really fun challenge, and it was interesting to see how the pages progressed! Milissa was before me, so here is her page:

 

And here is my page:

 

I was very inspired by Milissa's vintage prints, the single photo, polka dot washi, and the embellishments scattered and layered on the diagonal. Supplies used: Jenni Bowlin and Jillibean Soup patterned paper, stamped, embossed kraft journaling spot, polka dot and ticket washi tapes, Jenni Bowlin and Graphic 45 buttons, handmade layered pinked circle, baker's twine, Jenni Bowlin stickers, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type letters, and a vintage embroidery floss wrapper. That's all for me, now head over and see how the lovely Lisa was inspired by my page!

Take Time To Smell the Roses

For today's post, I am sharing a page that I made for the Sketchbook 365 July Challenge (How do you like that for getting it done early, it's not even July yet ;-)  ):

My layout, "Take Time To Smell The Roses":

 This layout is made entirely from my most recent "inspired by Shimelle kit": Webster's Pages and Pink Paislee pp, cardstock scraps, and shapes punched from leftover bits of The Girls Paperie pp, embellies: Studio Calico Notions Vintage Pattern Flowers, Petaloo flower, Pebbles rose brads, We R Memory keepers twine, Cosmo Cricket tiny Type that I colored with a rose colored Copic marker, Jolee's bling letters, and a tag stamped with a gorgeous Webster's and Unity Girl Land stamp that I won in a recent blog hop giveaway!

Closer look at the tag:

I have more to share from this kit, but not today, need to get my run in before it gets too hot!

Time to Start Sharing!

February has been such a busy month for me! But I do want to share what I have been working on!
I made this layout for the sketch challenge at Creative Craft World:

The sketch:

Supplies I used were all from my February kits:  patterned paper from Making Memories and Cosmo Cricket, paper doily from Wilton's that I inked, journaling card from Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon Little Flyers and Chipboard Journaling spot to be filled out, Martha Stewart heart doily stickers, and corrugated letters that I made with my Cricut, Plantain Schoolbook cart, and crimped with my Fiskars crimper, then brushed with bit of white paint.

Next to share: My projects for the Counterfeit Kit Club Doily Challenge!

We were told:

Challenge #2: Doiley Challenge! Glue it, punch it, stamp it, but use it on a project! Let's see how many uses we can find for doileys!

Here are my layouts for the challenge:

paper layout:

For this layout, I combined the doily challenge with the February Sketch Challenge at Sketches 4 All: (with a love or Valentine theme)

Isn't it a beautiful sketch?You still have a few days (till midnight on the 29th of February) to submit an entry for a chance at an RAK!



Supplies used: Basic Grey and Chatterbox{this came from my ancient stash but I still love it} patterned paper, Making Memories rub ons, Wilton's paper doily, Cosmo Cricket word and border  stickers, printed chevron digi paper was die cut into hearts using my cricut and Plantain Schoolbook cart, pink scalloped felt border (I also die cut this for my February kit with my cricut),Martha Stewart pink heart doily sticker, Lush stick on rhinestones by My Mind's Eye, Heidi Grace clear heart attached with Glossy Accents, stamped "Love" ticket was die cut with SCAL, and flowers are from Petaloo and my stash.

Here is my digi page for this challenge:

I used my February Counterfeit Digi kit for this one! Most of the papers are from Design House Digital, by Agnes Biro.I used the typewriter key alphas from my January digi kit for the title.
 My hubs hates this photo of himself because of the scruffy beard, but the emotion behind it is so precious to me!!
More sharing to come!

Love Notes

Well, I know Valentine's Day is past, but I still have lots of Valentine's day layouts and projects with my Counterfeit kit that I haven't shared yet, and that doesn't even count the pictures I haven't printed yet from this year!So, I guess you get to share the love with me for a little while longer ;-) Today's layout is one that I did for the Counterfeit Kit challenge blog. They challenged us:
LOVE LETTER CHALLENGE: Include a "love" letter on your layout to let that person know how much they mean to you.
Here is my layout:

I used the February 1st sketch from Stuck Sketches:

I chose to write a "Love Note" to my son-I worry sometimes that I don't tell him often enough how much I love and appreciate him, so I jumped at the chance and I am so glad I did!!

Supplies used: patterned papers from Teresa Collins, Making Memories, and Basic Grey, with stickers/embellishments from Cosmo Cricket, Martha Stewart, Echo Park, Pink Paislee, and Heidi Grace. The corrugated letters are cut from kraft paper with my Cricut and Plantain Schoolbook cart, and run through my Fiskars crimper.

The beautiful photograph was taken by a photographer friend of mine, Nicole McCoy.Love how it shows his soul in his eyes! And I have always loved his eyes!