CKC Kit Build, November ’22

Wowza. Another new month is here. This last part of the season has just whipped by and I don’t feel like I’ve given my previous kits enough love. Sigh. But time progresses and so do I. With that, lets move on to my new kit as part of the design team for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge project. If you are new to CKC, 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😉 ).

Let’s welcome our guest designer Machelle Willing to the team for November. She’s been around the CKC block before so she will bring her experience to the team again this month.

Our inspiration kit this time around is the October Kit, Herbstzauber (NOTE: the kit has been removed from the company site so please check out their main site listed next…) offered by a German company called Scrapbook Werkstatt. This kit is centered around product by PinkFresh Studio, Maggie Holmes and Paige Evans, all of which I have used in the past. I had to dig in my stash to see what I may have still had on hand from these pieces vs what I’d need to replicate.

Before we get to my kit, let’s peek at most of the inspiration pieces.

For my build I started with the same PinkFresh paper line and it turns out that I had a partial sheet of the ticket style print to tuck in my kit. I added in a map print based on the inspiration. Next came a jumbo text print from Shimelle to take the place of the word print from PinkFresh. Then a bunch of decisions had to be made to get to the final paper selection (see the video below for all the details!)

Next up was embellishments. As last month was a jumbo embellishment month, I kept things calmer this time. I drew very heavily from the inspiration in pulling these bits together. Notice I’ve got blank wood buttons in my kit. I bet you know I’m going to dress those up somehow for the Forgery on the Fourth project at CKC. Just a little hint for you!

Okay. That is my kit. Now… there is a tradition over at CKC of titling our kits just like companies do. I had a hard time finding the right name. I’m going to call this one Across the Seasons since I brought in more springy purples and green as well as richer autumnal yellows and blues.

If you want to see my thoughts behind my kit choices, 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

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 using those blank buttons. Until then, have an artful day!

PRODUCTS USED**

** 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!

LOAD 1022, Week 3 & 4

Well it has been a bit since I posted week 2 of LOAD, and here we are already in November! So let’s get to the final LOAD layouts for October.

Week 3 saw more work in my COVID album, as well as some design team work. I’m also trying to finish up pages from late 2021 and early 2022 so my story binder doesn’t over lap months! I usually have about 8 months or so of stories saved up in my binder, but I have not been wholly inspired to tell some of the holiday stories I’ve had sitting around. LOAD is a good time to get some of those older stories checked off the to-do list…

…That is if you don’t get distracted by the interesting prompts each day brings! I often get distracted, but this time around I’m trying to keep my focus on progressing on some specific projects!

On to week 4 (and beyond)..

I relied some more on the Project Life app on my phone as well as a fully digital page to get me through some days. Digital really does help on those busy days. You’ll notice that some of my stories are “unfinished” but I designed them that way. Since some of these stories were “right in the moment” I included empty space to allow me to fill in more details as time moved forward.

That it is for this final LOAd of 2022. I’ll be back with more other creations soon and more LOAD in Ferburary. Until then, have an artful day.

SCT Sampler Kit Unboxing, October ’22

I know I never got September’s unboxing posted. Oh boy. But you can still catch that over on my YouTube channel! I’m just going to go ahead an move on with October…

Here is the kit this month! We’ve got our reusable supply (stamp set from LDRS), our word die and supplies from Carta Bella’s Welcome Fall collection** and Vicki Boutin’s Print Shop collection**.

I wouldn’t want to leave you wondering just what to do with these supplies. So I usually 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 layout about the rascally squirrels in my yard.

I incorporated several stamping techniques including watercolor stamping and a “hightlight” stamping technique. If you want more information on those (and more!) 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.

SCT sampler kit information
Please note: you can not order the current kit. Instead you sign up for a future beginning date for your kits. Kits currently run between $14 per month (1-year commitment billed every 4 months) to $17 per month (4-month commitment billed fully). Extras not shown in the video include a private Facebook group with video shares each month, a cut file download to match the theme word and discounts for prominent online scrapbook shops.

I hope you enjoyed taking a look at what these little kits have to offer as well as seeing it put into action with a project. I’ll be back soon with more crafty goodness. Until then, have an artful day.

PRODUCTS USED**

** 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!

LOAD 1022, Week 2

Week 2 of LOAD has come and gone already so this post is a bit behind real time! For a look at week 1, head over here. I’m still on track for “finishing” this LOAD month. Whew! If you need more info on LOAD, or the LayOut A Day project, follow the link to get the details. Briefly it is a project just like the name implies… we create a layout each day for a month (or in the case of the link I provided, we have a one-week option each summer). October LOAD is for ScrapHappy members only, so you won’t find this month’s challenge as a buy-in option. (If you choose to get a membership, please use my link as I get a very small kick back as a thank you for sending people over the ScrapHappy!)

With business out of the way, let’s look at some projects! Because of the busy times, I did need to rely on my phone camera and editing software to upload some of pictures. They are hastily taken and not the best quality!! But that is a reality of LOAD. Sometimes I can take smooth photos of my project and edit them nicely, and sometimes not so much! Hope you appreciate me keeping it real!

I’ve taken some of this LOAD time to seriously organize my COVID album plans and set to work getting progress made on it. I had done a few odd layouts here and there. I also had the “bones” in place from a pocket page class I took that I knew would go towards this album. So that was a solid start, but it needed just a bit of emphasis on the timeline of the pandemic. So I started gathering those tidbits both from news sources, which I has saved in real time, and my own journal. Here in the US, the CDC has a timeline of COVID events, that I relied heavily on for the Before page you see above. I feel like this helps pull the pieces together to tell not only our family story of the pandemic, but a broader idea of the pandemic. You’ll be seeing more of those layouts next batch!

That it is for this time. I’ll be back with more creations soon. Until then, have an artful day.

October CKC Challenge #2

It is challenge time over on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog. Our challenge this time is to “Go Big or Go Home”! So I am putting together my layout using a large photo frame. I created the frame as part of my design team work over at the Counterfeit Kit Blog for the Forgery on the Fourth project. (It’s at the bottom of the post so be patient and scroll down!) But here is a quick peek at the frame.

And here is how it made it onto my layout!

Here is the full process video if you’d like to see the layout come together.

I hope you can check out the other designers takes on this challenge! Don’t forget to show off your stuff over on the CKC Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge. We love to see your work!

Until next time, have an artful day.

PRODUCTS USED

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!

Freebie Friday, Oct ’22

I love learning, creating and sharing. That is why I offer freebies up to you each month. I have both a layout sketch (in printable pdf as well as editable psd) and an electronic cut file (in svg). This month I was inspired by an organizational project I was working on. I needed my own specifically sized file dividers and I turned to Illustrator to get what I needed. Plus, it can make fun layouts as well!. You can see all the details in my reveal video, or read on for the short version.

Here is a closer look at the sketch and the project I created based on this sketch.

If you are a cut file lover, I’ve got you covered! I’ve actually got two files for you, the frame on the left, and the file cards, folder and tabs on the right. The video talks about how to use the first file card to layer over the file folder if you want to layer it will different pattern papers.

The photo frame on the left was described as part of my design team work over at the Counterfeit Kit Blog. It’s at the bottom of the post so be patient and scroll down! Plus I used the finished frame in a recent YouTube video, so you can check it out there as well.

Download the…

  • Sketch pdf version here
  • Sketch psd version here
  • File Frames cut file here
  • File Cards & Folder cut file here

OR… head over to my Freebies Page to peruse the catalog of files I have offered in the past. And if you have any ideas for sketch or cut files, I’d love to hear your ideas. I can’t make promises but I can take suggestions!

Until next time, have an artful day.

PRODUCTS USED**

** 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!

CKC Challenge #1, October ’22

It is challenge time over on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog. Our hostess for the month chose a sketch posted at ACherryOnTop.com**.

https://www.acherryontop.com/articles/Becky-Fleck-Sketch-Challenge-292-18805

The elements I’m picking up in this sketch are the photo and paper block. I’ll mix that up with some stamped “paper” that I create. I’ll pull in more circles inspired by the title block. Finally I’ll use some birthday photos inspired from the overall theme of the sketch.

Notice the blue hearts enclosed in doodled borders? That is my mixed media background that acts in place of a pattern paper layer from the sketch. I don’t have a lot of paper in my layout this time around, so this is one way I get more out of my kit. I also use fewer embellishments and let those die cut felt circles carry a lot of the energy of the layout.

If you’d like to know more, all the details are in the video!

I hope you can check out the other designers takes on this challenge! Don’t forget to show off your stuff over on the CKC Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge. We love to see your work!

Until next time, have an artful day.

PRODUCTS USED**

** 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!

LOAD 1022, Week 1

October has started off with a whirlwind of activity. I’ve already shared the Crop & Create card making event with you. Next up is the first week of LOAD, or the LayOut A Day project if you are new to this challenge. It is like the name implies. We create a layout each day for a month (or in the case of the link I provided, we have a one-week option each summer). October LOAD is for ScrapHappy members only, so you won’t find this month’s challenge as a buy-in option. (If you choose to get a membership, please use my link as I get a very small kick back as a thank you for sending people over the ScrapHappy!)

With business out of the way, let’s look at some projects! Because of the busy times, I did need to rely on the phone app for Project Life for a few of my pages.

I have two favorites of this batch. I love the Love Notes page for the design and for its intention. This will be the title page to a binder project I’m creating where I will have all the little notes that my kids have given me over the years! My second fav is the Random High School Memories layout. Notice it has some file folders as part of the design. This is not only decorative by highly functional. Inside the folders are journaling cards and tags that hold their own little stories. I’ve written a few of them down, but the folders allow me to add more stories over time.

This idea has opened up a bigger scrapbook style for me! You’ll see when I post Week #2 of LOAD how I reinterpret this idea for use on another page. I think I will be using this technique more often. It is a great way to store memories without having to create a full page for everything. Time saver. Material saver. Memory savor. Good, good and good!

That it is for this time. I’ll be back with more creations soon. Until then, have an artful day.

Cards, cards and more cards!

While scrapbooking is my go-to craft form, making cards isn’t far behind. The oddest thing that I have realized this past couple of years is that I have a hard time with taking scrapbooking classes. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the classes; I just have a super difficult time trying to fit my photos and stories onto a pre-designed layout. Does the theme work? Do I have the right number of photos? I have a nice stack of finished layouts just waiting to be used. Hmm. What is a crafter to do?

Enter card classes! Oh during the pandemic I fell in LOVE with card classes. I get a box of supper fun goodies. (I love collecting craft supplies as much as using craft supplies!) I get classes to put those goodies to use. If the sentiment on the card isn’t for an event that matters to me I can change it. Ditto with the color scheme. And the best part is I then send them away! No guilt about stuff sitting around waiting for me to do something with them.

Well I spend another fabulous weekend event making cards on September 30-October 2 2022. I have had cards on the brain ever since. I wanted to share a photo gallery here since this is what is occupying my time and energy right now. Can’t let the blog get too quiet, right?

Class by Close To My Heart
Class supplies by Elle’s Studio
Class by Scrapbook.com
Class by Vicki Boutin
Class by Gina K.
Class supplies by Mama Elephant
Class by Taylored Expressions
Class supplies by Lawn Fawn
Class supplies by Concord & 9th
Class by Spellbinders
Class supplies by Hero Arts
Class by Pink & Main

Oh I have a few more cards to share, but first I also have a few more cards to make! Yes, more cards! I didn’t even finish half of the classes that were offered on the 30th. I still need to go back and complete cards shared by Simon Hurley (half done), Honey Bee, Crafter’s Companion (partly done), Brutus Monroe, and Your Next Stamp. That is a lot more goodness to come.

In the mean time, I took all my box supplies and mixed and matched manufacturer products. Jennifer McGuire had shared her ideas for doing exactly that in a video that was shown during the event. While my designs are never JG level, I do always mix and match out of the simple desire for certain element. I was inspired by Jennifer McGuire, but it was also World Card Making day challenge time. The Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine team put together 5 challenges (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) all with prizes; if you scroll to the bottom of challenge 5 you’ll notice an extra prize for entering every challenge. I just had to enter them all of course. 😀

I hope to come back by the end of the month with more card shares from the rest of the classes as well as the rest of the ideas that are buzzing around in my brain.

Until then, have an artful day!

CKC Kit Build, October ’22

Wowza. Another new month is here. This last part of the season has just whipped by and I don’t feel like I’ve given my previous kits enough love. Sigh. But time progresses and so do I. With that, lets move on to my new kit as part of the design team for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge project. If you are new to CKC, 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😉 ).

Let’s welcome our guest designer before we dive in….Nikki Ihus. Nikki and I know each other from various crafty circles, and she even was a part of my YouTube going through a growth spurt back in the early days. I’m excited to have her join the team this month!

Our inspiration kit this time around is the August Cherry Box** offered by A Cherry On Top Crafts** website. This kit is centered around product by 49th and Market that has a very neutral color palette, and vintage vibe with a nature feel. I’ll admit that the neutral color palette had me guessing for a while, but as you’ll see I figured out how my style would mesh with the inspiration kit!

Before we get to my kit, let’s peek at most of the inspiration pieces.

For my build I started with my own 49th and Market stash, which definitely has more color to it. But I picked out the papers with the most neutral overall look. I then added in papers from Simple Stories and others that had more color but kept a bit of a vintage vibe. And butterflies. There were lots and lots of butterflies.

I only chose 11 papers this time because my kits have been too big for my busy schedule lately. Also, October is a LOAD month (more on that here) which means I am creating a layout a day on a very wide variety of topics. I’ve found that in past LOAD months, my one CKC kit often only works for a couple of layouts. So I wanted to keep my kit small to allow more room for other creativity in my variety of story telling.

However, the small kit idea melted down after I started pulling embellishments. If you watch the video, you’ll see just how much of a madwoman I was! Well, through a long process I did narrow it down to still-a-rather-large pile. I think that means this months my layouts will be more along the lines of lots (and lots) of embellishing layers instead of paper layers.

Okay. That is my kit. Now… there is a tradition over at CKC of titling our kits just like companies do. So I’m calling mine MAD HATTER both for my lack of rational control in pulling items and for the vintage styling that Alice in Wonderland often encompasses.

If you want to see my entire mad 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

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!

** 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!