Another Update

Yesterday I updated you on what I’ve been working on as part of my CKC design team life. Today I’m back with the other projects that have been keeping me busy in the craft room.

Community Project

Each year I create and donate Easter cards to a senior meal program. The cards go out to the seniors who are home bound and they accompany the Easter meal delivery. I’ve had such kind comments from the folks getting these cards that I’m glad to keep doing this project. I am happy to bring people a little joy through paper and ink!

Craft Shopping

I’ve been running low on certain supplies and needed a restock. Also, the February release from Concord & 9th had a few things in there that made me ooh and ahh. In fact, the Easter cards above were created from a new Turnabout stamp set. If you have never used a Turnabout, it is fun! After aligning the stamp, you ink, stamp and rotate it up to 4 times to get a background pattern. (Images from the C9 website.) This set is not an Easter set. However, with the right colors this background can mimic jelly beans or even Easter eggs. I love supplies that have this kind of flexibility!

If you want to see what else I got in my crafty shopping boxes, I do have a video.

Freckled Fawn^^

My latest FF subscription boxe reached my house and I dove into as soon as I could. Check out the unboxing and project video if you want all the details.

I played with the washi tape in the kit and made up a new washi technique. I plan on doing an small addendum to my popular 10 Ways to Use Washi video. I won’t have 10 new ways, but 3 or 4 to share!

Disaster in the Craft Room

The most recent event was the breaking of my Gemini II machine. I reviewed this machine back in March of 2023. Had I really understood then what I know now, I would have been more careful! Luckily my husband did a little surgery on it and it is now working. However, the issue lead me to create a video as a word of caution to any Gemini II owners–or potential owners. If you want to know more about what happened, check out that video.

Event Crafting

And finally, I’ve been doing some crafting inspired by the SBC Fest over at Scrapbook.com^^. They offer free online class events each year. While you don’t have to use their products, they do offer shopping lists and bundles should you want to. The bundles are even available after the event so you can take the class first and really see if you want to own those products later. I only bought a couple of small stamp sets and have worked on the projects largely from my own supplies. Here is what I’ve done so far.

That wraps things up for now. I have been doing some sewing this month as well, but I don’t have pictures of those projects yet. Maybe this will encourage me to document that process next!

I have just a couple more things coming to you for March, so until then, have an artful day!

^^Disclaimer: I offer affiliate shopping linked products when possible. This shopping won’t cost you anything extra, but I get a small kick back from the companies for sending business their way. It is an easy way to tell me “Thank You” for the content I provide. I appreciate you using my links!

Freckled Fawn
They sell products individually, or in subscription kits. The kit subscriptions are a build-your-own bundle style. You pick and choose which of their standard items you’d like shipped to you each month. They carry items from wood veneer all the way up to 12×12 scrapbook papers. Take a look and see if there are any goodies you wan to add to your craft room! And… if you use the code craftysoup you’ll get 8% off your order!

Catching up on CKC

I love kit building and that is why I am on the design team for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge project. We take an inspiration kit each month and proceed to replicate it, or as we say, counterfeit it. This is a free, friendly group that helps inspire you to create your own kits. Then we bring you inspiration and challenges to help you use up those kits!

I’ve been busy at the sewing machine lately so the blog has taken a backseat not only to that, but also to getting my YouTube videos up. However, it is never too late to share some inspiration. So, let me catch you up on where we are in our monthly kit and project inspiration cycle.

Remember, this kit was our inspiration…

Forgeries on the Fourth

First, I created my forgery projects as usual. I was inspired by that pink ruffled crepe ribbon on the right. I made my own ruffled crepe ribbon out of party streamers. Super easy and super cheap!

I had fun making the ribbon, so I kept playing with the crepe paper. I used to to clip and create flowers (left). Then I glued it down to cardstock and used some punches to create even more flowers (right)

Video available.

Challenge #1

The first challenge was pretty easy for me. It was to use buttons and flowers, both of which I had plenty of in my kit. In fact those left hand flowers made it onto this layout. I did make a minor change by covering the centers with pattern paper that worked for my project better. Lovely.

Video available.

Challenge #2

The second challenge was one I have never done before. Interesting! It is called the blast off challenge where you use 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 of different items. This time we had…

5 enamel dots
4 chipboard pieces
3 photos
2 fibers
1 word title

It was a fun challenge and lead to a simpler layout, which was a change of pace for me.
Again, video available!

I’ll be back tomorrow with an update of my paper crafty projects. In the meantime, you can check out everythig CKC has to offer. For more info head to Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog page, our Facebook group, or follow us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge.

Until next time, have an artful day.

CKC Kit Build, March ’24

I love kit building and that is why I am on the design team for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge project. We take an inspiration kit each month and proceed to replicate it, or as we say, counterfeit it. This is a free, friendly group that helps inspire you to use up supplies you already own. We are not about needing to buy the latest and greatest thing (though we won’t stop you if you enjoy new crafty goodies😉 ).

Fresh month and fresh start to spring. Well… as I’m typing this we are looking at a weather report with the potential of snow in my area. Not very common for us at this point in the season. I’ll just focus on the word potential! Either way we are diving into a fresh CKC kit featuring lovely florals.

Before we get to the kit, I want introduce you to our guest designer. Let’s welcome…Jessica Haab! You can find her on her on Instagram–Jessica Haab (@kids2scrap) Leave her some encouragement as we dive into this months creativity.

Now we can get to the pretty supplies. To start, here is our inspiration kit. It is PARASOL 12 x 12 Kit – Citrus Twist Kits. Julene, our CKC team member hosting this month, said she chose this one for its spring feel (despite her Australian fall season) and opportunities for forgeries.

This kit was packed with things I love: teals, mixed media, a tad of geometrics, and some subtle florals. All that went into my thought process as I built my kit this time around. I focused on Jen Hadfield, Vicki Boutin and even a bit of Maggie Holmes (notice that the inspiration is Maggie Holmes dominant?)

So these are the papers I came up with.

If you look closely, there is one paper in there that doesn’t really seem to fit with the original inspiration. Notice it? It is a Jen Hadfield piece from Flower Child. It features roller skates, scooters, and bikes. It steps out of the soft romantic vibe of Maggie Holmes and lands us in modern graphic vibe.

I promise, there is a reason it is in there. In the inspo, second row of papers, second from the left, is a sheet of Maggie Holmes that features larger iconography. I didn’t really have anything like that in my stash. So instead I looked for something with bicycles, which you can see just a tiny hint of peeking out from behind the fibers in the photo. While I thought I had another Jen Hadfield bike print in my stash, I could not find it. So, this one took its place. And honestly I love the active feeling it adds to my kit. Plus I know the perfect story that will go with that paper (stay tuned!).

On to the embellishments. I jam packed my kit with just about everything found in the inspo: die cuts, wood buttons, fibers, enamels, sequins and on and on. I even have some beautiful forgeries for you this month. But you’ll have to come back on the 4th for that project.

I’m looking forward to diving into this kit. But before we go… There is a tradition over at CKC of titling our kits just like companies do. I wanted to give a big nod to that roller skate and bike paper I included, so I’m calling mine…

Roll into Spring

If you want more details on my kit building thought process, check out my kit build video.

I hope you can follow along with the other designers and see how they interpreted their own kits.

Here’s the full hop link list

Counterfeit Kit Challenge – http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/
Guest Designer Jess– Jessica Haab (@kids2scrap) • Instagram photos and videos
Christine – https://www.youtube.com/@ScrappingHarden
Misty -{{{ YOU ARE HERE
Julene – http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com
Brandi – www.instagram.com/scrappy.boymama
Laurie- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scrapbookingbits/
JoJo-https://www.instagram.com/scrappyconfessions
Ryann-https://www.instagram.com/scrapbookjoey/
Vikki-https://www.instagram.com/memoriesandmomentsscrapbooking/?hl=en
Tina – http://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com/

Have fun kit building and don’t forget to show off your stuff over on the CKC Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge.

I’ll be back on the 4th, for our Product Forgeries. Until then, have an artful day!

CKC Challenge #4, February ’24

I love kit building and that is why I am on the design team for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge project. We take an inspiration kit each month and proceed to replicate it, or as we say, counterfeit it. This is a free, friendly group that helps inspire you to create your own kits. Then we bring you inspiration and challenges to help you use up those kits!

And we have reached the final challenge of the month. If you joined me in January, you’ll know that that the final challenge each month will now be a use your scraps challenge. I was inspired by another group challenge as well for this one. ScrapHappy’s current Unexpected Inspiration challenge is all about games and I was inspired by a game called Patchwork to use up scraps in a quilted fashion.

Take a look at the game box.

Lots of color and pattern all pieced together. Perfect for using scraps. Not only that, but the game title inspired my own story and title! Now, I didn’t want to spend too much time quilting, so I kept my quilted portion smaller and used it as grounding and accent.

I have a video sharing more details on this process as well.

I hope you can follow along with the other designers and see how they interpreted this inspiration. For more info check out the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog page, our Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge.

And if you want to get in on the ScrapHappy membership, check out details on joining here.

Until next time, have an artful day.

CKC Challenge #3, February ’24

I love kit building and that is why I am on the design team for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge project. We take an inspiration kit each month and proceed to replicate it, or as we say, counterfeit it. This is a free, friendly group that helps inspire you to create your own kits. Then we bring you inspiration and challenges to help you use up those kits!

The 22nd is always the 3rd challenge of the month where we give you a sketch to use as a starting point for your layout! This month’s sketch was created by team member, Brandi. Be sure to check out her social media for more freebies like this. Let’s take a look at that sketch.

I liked the vertical lines, the bold title and offset photos. I decided to interpret the triangles using mixed media instead. I did lose a bit of that feeling when all was said and done. But… that is how sketches go sometimes!

Notice just a hint of map style stenciling behind the title and again on the lower opposite corner? That was my fill in for the triangles. When I was working it felt more like a triangle than it did by the end. Here are just a couple more views of the final design.

I have a video sharing more details on this process as well.

Until next time, have an artful day.

Iron Crafter Hop, February ’24

I play along with a couple of online scrappy challenges each month, including the Iron Crafter Challenge hosted over at the Peace Craft Love Facebook group. It is a fun & free group if you want to check them out.

Each month we are given a mystery ingredient to use in our crafting recipes. If you know me, this is right up my crafty fun-loving ally. Let’s check out what we’ve got going on this month…

This time our mystery ingredient is… pocket cards.

Usually I have a pretty easy time with the challenges as I am an bit of an eclectic scrapper. However, pocket cards–and pocket scrapbooking–are not something I do much. I had to really dig in my supplies to find a small stash of these cards. I really appreciated being challenged to come up with a fun way to use these supplies. I like what I did. I hope you do too!

I used those pocket cards in three ways. First, the larger card creates a grounding mat for my first two photos. Next, smaller cards layer to form a space for my journaling. Finally–an the idea that is the star of the show–I used the cards to create borders at the top & bottom of my layout.

Normally I’d just smack down a single card as the sole embellishment or a bit of a base to an embellishment cluster. This idea of cutting/tearing them to create a border is an idea I would like to return to. Perhaps this challenge will get me using those pattern papers with all the cut out pocket cards!

Of course if you want to see more, the video has more details.

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my latest project. I hope you will come back next time as well. Until then, have an artful day!

Freckled Fawn Kit Unboxing, February ’24

I’m back with my Freckled Fawn Kit subscription for this month. I’ll show off what I’m getting in my kit and create a project with it. As I am newer to these kits, I’ll share my pros and cons with you as I go. With that, let’s dive into this months kit.

Unfortunately I forgot to take my posed kit photo before diving in, so instead I grabbed this screen shot from my reveal video.

I was happy to see that the washi selection was a role of tape this time instead of washi sheets. I like both and will be happy to see the variety of options included moving forward with my subscription. Likewise, the chipboard stickers and cardstock label stickers had some differences to them this month than last month. I was worried I’d get bored with the same supplies over and over, but so far there is a tad of variety in the shapes to keep it interesting. Plus, the small alpha stickers this month have gold foiled letters and that was a lovely surprise. As I just touched on reviewing the kit when I got the release email, I didn’t notice that detail.

Now, for a bit of a con. When I did get the release email I was able, as a subscriber, to add on extras for no extra shipping fee. I did choose to get a second set of the floral ephemera since I imagine creating an entire wreath with these beauties. However, the second set didn’t make it into my package. I contacted them the same day I opened my kit and I have yet to hear back. I will give it just a bit more of time and try again. I’ll let you know what happens.

I wouldn’t want to leave you wondering just what to do with these supplies. So I almost always make a project as soon as my box arrives. That way I am sure to use it instead of just showing it off. This time around I made a 12×12 layout based on a sketch from a sketch class I am taking.

I am still struggling with some lighting issues in my space after one of my light fixtures went kaput. So this is not the most flattering photo, but you can still see all the pretty colors, textures and patterns included in the kit.

Of course if you want more information you can watch my YouTube video to get a better look at the kit products and my project.

If you want more info on these kits, check out the links and info below.

Freckled Fawn^^
They sell products individually, or in subscription kits. The kit subscriptions are a build-your-own bundle style. You pick and choose which of their standard items you’d like shipped to you each month. They carry items from wood veneer all the way up to 12×12 scrapbook papers. Take a look and see if there are any goodies you wan to add to your craft room! And… if you use the code craftysoup you’ll get 15% off your order!

I hope you enjoyed taking a look at what these little kits have to offer and seeing it put into action with a project. I’ll be back soon with more crafty goodness.

Until next time, have an artful day.

LOAD Featured Designer

Hello all. Today I’m sharing the layout I created as part of the LOAD challenge. Each LOAD month, Alice asks for community members to volunteer their talents to share a layout based on day’s prompts. I received Day 13 as my task and it featured a prompt to tell a story about precision and to use an embellishment that requires precision.

After just a bit of thinking I had a story in mind. But what kind of embellishments require precision to use? That one took a little more thinking. When I spied a paper strip that had rows of colorful circles I realized that I could do a stacked die cut title in multiple colors. That would require a lot of precision to get all the letters aligned, stacked and glued in place!

Here is my story about how my eyes don’t precisely work together for clear vision. Instead I end up with doubled vision in certain situations. My title work mimics the physical problem in a way. If you want to see the full process video for this project, keep scrolling.

Okay, that wraps up a simple post for today. Until next time, have an artful day.

Double challenges!

It is the first challenge of the month over on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog. It also happens to land on the Mix It Up Monday (aka MIUM) challenge hop day. Luckily for me both challenges fit snuggly together, so I’m saving time and energy and combining the two!

The CKC challenge was to use TWO types of mixed media.
And as usual the MIUM challenge was to use a sketch and add in mixed media.

So you can obviously see how they fit together!

For reference here is our sketch from Rochelle Spears. I liked that it had three photos with an option for a fourth in that little polaroid frame. I went to my story binder, found a story with four photos and it was a story that would work well with my CKC kit colors and textures.

I told this story of creating decorations for a school trunk-or-treat even. My daughter and I designed our trunk based on the Little Shop of Horrors musical (specifically the movie from the 80’s as that is my era!). As the movie is set in the inner city the brick paper felt like a perfect base for the photos. I did change out the banners for tags. My mixed media was acrylic paint (green pluses) and spray mist. Both were chosen for their messy textural nods to all the materials that went into building our Audrey II monster.

If you want to hear more of my thinking behind layout decisions, check out the video.

I hope you can check out both the CKC team’s take on the blog, and follow along with the MIUM hoppers listed below.

MIUM YouTube hoppers
** Kristen from @scrappingonthefly1217
** Christine from https://youtu.be/ea9o0yvxCLI
** Tara from @thepapersnob
** Karen from @alittlekinder
** Mel from https://youtube.com/@MelWScrapping
** Briana from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzjIl4GZHauK29x8EvFCUw
** Lynda from https://www.youtube.com/@thescrapbookingphotographe3607
** Shannon B from https://www.youtube.com/@scrappingwithShannon
** Cheryl from https://www.youtube.com/@WatchCherylScrap/
** Misty {{{ YOU ARE HERE

MIUM Instagram hoppers:
** Brandi Jo https://instagram.com/scrappy.boymama
** Tina https://instagram.com/tinamcmmvr
** Simera https://instagram.com/scrappysimi/
** Laurie https://www.instagram.com/scrapbookingbits
** DawnLyn https://www.instagram.com/dawnlynsdesigns/

Until next time, have an artful day.

Mystery Box Monday, Feb ’24

Hello, hello! I am excited continue to share this series into 2024. I did this series back in 2020 and revived it in 2023. The box of supplies I bought at that point has continued to serve me for this series! I never guessed how packed this box would be when I purchased it.

So, what is Mystery Box Monday? It is just a silly game and creativity stretcher! I have a “grab-bag” style box of supplies that I purchased online as part of a clearance sale back in Dec ’22. Since the box is a grab-bag, that means all the supplies in the box are a mystery. The box comes at a steep price reduction because the supplies are unknown. Who doesn’t like a good deal and a fun mystery?

I’m going to reach into this box and pull out three items. Much like that cooking show with the mystery basket ingredients, I have to put those items to use on one crafty project. Will these ingredients work together? Or will it be a recipe for disaster? Let’s find out…

Here is a peek at the mystery items I pulled out of the box this time around. I must say my heart sank a bit when I got two chipboard pieces. And that lantern piece is so big. What to do, what to do…?

Honestly I had wanted to do a tag or embellishment project this time, but these pieces were just to big for that. I gave those items a think for a moment and then the Loving You chipboard piece obviously became a tie in to the upcoming Valentine’s Day. I didn’t want to do a scrapbook page but that lamp post is so dang big. The solution? A slimline card!

I did boost the complexity and interest level of this one by making it a tri-fold peek-a-boo slimline card and using lots of mixed media. The mixed media nearly destroyed me! It just got worse and worse until I was able to pull it all together. You can hear my challenges in the video below!