Hello, hello! Welcome to the info page for my newlivestream series. I’ll be using my Spellbinders Crafty Advent Calendar from 2025 to extend the fun all year long in 2026. I’ll have a live stream on the 4th Friday of every month at 4pm Pacific time. The stream will last between and hour and an hour and a half. This series is also a craft-along!
I will preplan a project, post sneak peeks and post of things you can prep ahead of time if you want to craft live with me. I’ll try to use the advent supplies in a way that may not be super obvious. That way you can get more ideas on using your advent goodies. Hope you will join me.
This month we will be creating critters in fun, alternative ways. Then we will set them in a scene to peek out. There is a little extra surprise to these critters not shown in the sneak peek that I hope you will enjoy!
You will need to do a fair bit of die cutting ahead of time. I have a photo guide on dies and cardstock colors to help you through all the pieces. We will do some die cutting on the day of the event as well. I’ve noted in the preparation instructions what you need for now and what we will do live.
If you want to craft along with me, here is a preview of the preparation list. Click this link to download the instructions. A zip file will download. The folder includes PDF and JPG files.
If you have any questions or comments, you can message me here on the blog from the Contact tab. Or you can email me by using misty at craftysoup dot com. I’ll do my best to get back to you in a timely fashion. Hope to see you on the 27th.
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! If you haven’t already created your cards, I’ve got some ideas to share. I wanted to add techniques and ideas you can use all year long. Starting with three basic supplies, a modern color palette that steps away from the traditional, and a solid design principle means we have the recipe for many lovely cards.
Products
I started with a sentiment stamp set that can be created for a Gal-entine’s sentiment or for more typical Valentine’s. I have a nested set of heart dies. Having different sizes allows for more design options. Finally a simple geometric 2D embossing, in this case polka dots, will add some texture to the designs.
Design Element
My favoite part about these cards is this fresh modern color palette. It is also a great one for masculine cards or for cards that step away from mushy sentimentality. All my colors come from Concord and 9th.
The heart die set is going to give us various ways to play with negative space. Often we will cut shapes and then use that shape. But if we use the hole left behind from cutting, we get different design options.
The Cards
The most common way to use a negative space is to create a shaker card. And that is where I started my creations. I’ve leaned int more of the pinks for this Gal-entine’s card. But I have kept it more modern by including yellow and aqua.
Card two plays with negative space in a very different way.
After creating a striped panel, I cut out the heart but let it overhand the edges to get just a partial negative space left behind. The I filled in the space with the sentiment. I adore this one!
Card three looks simple at first glance. The hearts are cut to reveal some other elements. However, when the card is open, there is a pretty surprise.
I also have an interesting technique happening with the gold splatters. If you want to know more about that, check out my tutorial video.
Before you go I have a bonus card. When using negative space, there will always be positive shapes leftover. I just can’t let those go to waste. So here is a heart filled card to used up those bits.
Hope you have happy Valentine’s Day crafting! Until next time, have an artful day.
As a design team member over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge group I play along with as many of our monthly inspiration challenges as I can. The Forgery on the Fourth project is definitely one I enjoy! That is where we see a scrap product we like and set out to recreate it with supplies we already own. So let’s go ahead and dive in to what I have for you this month.
Since we always start our forgery projects with inspiration, here is the image we are working with this month. It is the [kit] from [company].
I had two big favorites from this kit. I loved the colorful stipes on black pattern paper from Simple Stories. Then of course I just adored the paintbrush paper from Vicki Boutin. I did have anything like either of these in my stash, so it was time to make my own.
I decided to paper piece and ink my brushes. For the stripes I pulled out my thinest washi tapes and set to work. How do you think I did?
If you want to see more of the process on these, I do have a video tutorial up.
For more creative ideas, the CKC blog has more forgery examples to check out. I hope this gave you some ideas on how you can recreate your favorite product ideas with supplies you may already have on hand. Don’t forget to show off your stuff over on the CKC Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge.
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😉 ).
Welcome to a new month of kit building. Amanda is our hostess this time. She chose the January 2024 kit from The Scrap Room to inspire us. Before we dive into the details of this kit, let’s give a warm welcome to our guest designer this month. Kathy Price plays along with our challenge alrady and was happy to join as guest designer this month. She even created this month’s sketch which will be revealed on the 28th! You find find Kathy on her YouTube channel.
Now let’s look at the inspiration. Since this kit is so old, there aren’t many photos to peruse. But try zooming in to get all the vibes from this one.
At first I though I would build one combo kit. But as soon as I reached for paper I found a selection of supplies from Creative Memories that fit perfectly with the upper left corner’s inspiration. So, building four mini kits it is!
Kit #1: Family
Along with the Creative Memories supplies, I tossed in some homey icons from a pack of Bella Blvd ephemera. Notice the pops of black? That will be a thread that runs throughout my kits.
Kit #2: Crafty
This one came from the Vicki Boutin (bottom left corner) inspiration. I went with the mood of the inspo rather than a one to one match. I’ve got florals and gemotrics to capture the vibes. I’ve included a bit of “painterly” craft themed embellishments. Plus, I just may create some of my own items to go with this kit as well. See what I actually make on the 4th!
Kit #3: Games
Again, I wanted to capture the energy of the inspo rather than the exact match. Instead of “boy” I switched it up to “games”. I also included the idea of black and white, as well as the bold colors from the pattern papers. This kit will be well connected with the next one…
Kit #2: Winter/Christmas
I don’t expect to be able to scrap any fun winter photos this year (no snow for us so far, sniff). BUT, we do play a game each December that is an advent calendar as well! So with the game theme, and some of these winter/Christmas embellishments, I can create layouts for that specific story!
Don’t forget that each month I also create my own elements to add into my kit. Of course these are inspired by the original kit, but often have a twist of their own. So don’t miss what I will make in just a couple of days. I’m loving my ideas this time.
There is a tradition over at CKC of titling our kits just like companies do. With four kits, it may be hard to find one over arching name. But I’ve got it figured out…
Cozy Hobbies
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.
I have a free download “worksheet” to help guide you through your own kit build process. It is a printable pdf and there are two worksheets per letter size page. Have fun kit building!
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!
As a design team member over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge group I play along with as many of our monthly inspiration challenges as I can. The Forgery on the Fourth project is definitely one I enjoy! That is where we see a scrap product we like and set out to recreate it with supplies we already own. So let’s go ahead and dive in to what I have for you this month.
Each month I enjoy finding inspiration in our Counterfeit Kit. Some months ideas pop instantly. Sometimes I have to dig deeper. And, like this month, sometimes I have too many ideas for the time I have. I needed to pick and choose. Even limiting myself to three items kept me very, very busy. Let’s take a look at the inspo to see where I went. Our inspiration is the Intrinsic Limitless kit from Not Just for Boys. I did pull from some of the add-ons to this kit as well.
I did pull from some of the add-ons to this kit as well. In fact, those fabric stars where part of the add-ons. Plus they were a popular item with the team this month! I knew that the sewing technique and the fabric they used would make it a bit tricky to do at home, especially at that size! I altered it up to fit my needs: non-fraying fabric plus sewing that didn’t require my machine. That way I could sit and stitch while I watch TV, lol. Despite my less than perfect blanket stitch (pointy corners stump me!) I think they came out well.
Next up I wanted to tackle those charms. My first thought was to make them from clay. But I don’t have any clay and I was not about to go out and buy some. If I did that I might as well just buy some already made charms. The point is to use what we have on had to mimic the inspiration. So I pulled out shrink plastic and metallic ink. It has been a while since I’ve worked with shrink plastic, but it was just as satisfying as I remember!
The final idea is one that I based my entire kit around this month: postage. I have been loving the trendy postage theme out in the crafty world lately. I have a few products that are clearly postage related. Yet as you can see from my makes, you can use just about anything to create these little gems. It helps to start with a great postage die. I used the Waffle Flower Postage Collage die. Waffle Flower makes many postage products; this one is sized for A2 cards. I threw in plenty of other supplies from my stash to create postage, from a nature theme to an Alice in Wonderland theme.
That is where I had to stop with my makes. I had too many ideas for my energy to hold out. I was very tired by the time I finished all these. It took me a couple of days to get through everything but it was fun. If you want to see details on how to create these, my video is up. Each make is in its own section so feel free to jump around to just what you want.
For more creative ideas, the CKC blog has more forgery examples to check out. I hope this gave you some ideas on how you can recreate your favorite product ideas with supplies you may already have on hand. Don’t forget to show off your stuff over on the CKC Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge.
Until next time, have an artful day.
Supplies Used *Affiliate links may be used at no additional cost to you.
As a design team member over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge group I play along with as many of our monthly inspiration challenges as I can. The Forgery on the Fourth project is definitely one I enjoy! That is where we see a scrap product we like and set out to recreate it with supplies we already own. So let’s go ahead and dive in to what I have for you this month.
Since we always start our forgery projects with inspiration, here is the image we are working with this month. It is the Balboa kit from 2014. This kit no longer exists, which a perfect reason to pull inspiration from it and make our own version!
There were many ideas I could pull from this. I ended up focusing on three things.
The Chalkboard pattern papers. I thought I had some in my stash, but didn’t find it when pulling my kit. So… I’ll just make it!
The fancy pins. In fact, I think my mock version is even better than the real thing. Stay tuned for why!
That “Hello” word. A nice thick chipboard word covered in colorful spatters? Yes please!
Here is a quick look at the finished items. But let’s go over them briefly one at a time.
Chalkboard Paper
This process is really easier to see in action. I’ve got the video tutorial linked below for you.
I punched out a nearly 2 inch circle and cut it in half. Then I cut that half in half. That left me with a quarter of a circle. I used that to trace the curved edges. With a white gel pen I was able to trace a cruve in each corner of a black piece of cardstock. Remember to use the smooth side if you have textured cardstock. Then with a ruler I could connect each of those curves with stright line. Repeat that process to create a second border. Then realize there are smudges of white gel pen and make more purposeful smudges and marks to make them blend in.
Decorative Sewing Pins
Recreating these pins is awesome. I’ve used real sewing pins for projects in the past. They create two problems: danger of being poked and excess bulk on layouts. My version solved both those problems. You can make these using twist ties! Peel off the paper portion of the tie, but leave about 3/4 of an inch of the paper intact at one end. This is where you can glue on enamel dots. Once the glue is dry, trim away any excess paper using a pair of fine scissors and you have your mock pins! They are a major budget saver as well.
Just a note: the one on the right end was made using Nuvo stone drops instead of enamel dots. While it did work, these weren’t my favorite.
Word Art
Finally, I made the Hello word. This was easy to do on my Cricut. But you can also use dies. I just don’t have any word dies this size. I cut 4 layers of the word, then stacked and glued them. Once dry I simply splattered them with some watercolor. Done!
You can see all these ideas in action in my makes video below.
For more creative ideas, the CKC blog has more forgery examples to check out. I hope this gave you some ideas on how you can recreate your favorite product ideas with supplies you may already have on hand. Don’t forget to show off your stuff over on the CKC Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge.
Join me all month of advent as I open each day of the Spellbinders Crafty Advent Calendar. Some days I will create a project and some days I’ll just show off the goodies. No matter what, I know I will use each and every product at least once this month. So much fun awaits!
If you missed previous days, be sure to go back and see the first seven days as well as days 8-14. If after seeing all the goodness you’d like to grab one of these calendars, they are on discount right now (as of 12/11/24) over at ACherryOnTop.com**. For now, let’s dive into the next section of fun.
Day 22: Pink Sequins
Day 23: Floating Cat
Oh my goodness! This cat is so dang cute. If you remember back on the 6th we got a very cutesy bee that I said was not my style? Yet today I’m in love with cute? I think the difference is that while the bee is big-eyed and anthropomorphized, this cat is more cat-representative and in a silly situation. So, yeah, cute vs cutesy is a thing for me.
Now, my daughter said the cat should be in a box. Thus, I made it so! (I wonder how many people will get cats as Christmas gifts this year??) At any rate, the box was easy to make. I cut two squares of the same size. One became the box base. The other I trimmed at an angle on the two sides, and I trimmed off a bit of the bottom. This creates perspective for the front box flap. I glued it flat down at the top and popped up the bottom edge with some foam squares for dimension. The two side flaps were simply slivers of cardstock. A bit more ink shading where things over lapped and voila, box!
Day 24: Luggage set
What a fun die set! You know I had to do a bit extra for this one. The still photos do not say it all. You really have to watch the video to get the whole experience!
** I use affiliate links when possible. When you shop using my links I earn a very small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support of my work in this small way!
Join me all month of advent as I open each day of the Spellbinders Crafty Advent Calendar. Some days I will create a project and some days I’ll just show off the goodies. No matter what, I know I will use each and every product at least once this month. So much fun awaits!
If you missed previous days, be sure to go back and see the first seven days as well as days 8-14. If after seeing all the goodness you’d like to grab one of these calendars, they are on discount right now (as of 12/11/24) over at ACherryOnTop.com**. For now, let’s dive into the next section of fun.
Day 15: Embossing Folder
Day 16: Sentiment Die Set
Day 17: Nested ticket/postage edged die set
I had way too much fun with this nested set. I was supposed to keep the day’s project simple. But. Nope. I had to make all the things.
Day 18: Sequins
You know I had to do it at some point. Today I made a shaker! And a bonus card too for other sequin ideas.
Day 19: Sentiment Stamp Set
I was rushed for time today. So my exposure is bad on my filming (and still image capture!) But I did make really good use of many leftover bits that I have been saving throughout the series. I cut a new tag and did some ink blending. Besides that and the stamping, everything else was done.
Day 20: Random Dots Stencil
Day 21: Popsicle
I admit that some of the included pieces kind of puzzled me. In fact, they felt like a puzzle as I was trying to layer them all together. I think in the end there are options, LOL.
** I use affiliate links when possible. When you shop using my links I earn a very small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support of my work in this small way!
Join me all month of advent as I open each day of the Spellbinders Crafty Advent Calendar. Some days I will create a project and some days I’ll just show off the goodies. No matter what, I know I will use each and every product at least once this month. So much fun awaits!
If you missed days 1-7, be sure to go back and check them out. For now, let’s dive into day 8. If after seeing all the goodness you’d like to grab one of these calendars, they are on discount right now (as of 12/11/24) over at ACherryOnTop.com**.
Day 8: Vase & Flowers
While I loved this vase, I knew everyone out there would make a vase with flowers in it. I definitely like to show other ways to use supplies. So today I used the vase as a rainbow background for a cluster of flowers.
Day 9: Sequins
Today we got the sequins I knew would come at some point. Each year Spellbinders has included 2 packs of sequins. I really like this style of sequin as it has no hole and that makes gluing them down so much easier! While most people would make a shaker that doesn’t require glue, I made a disco ball instead.
Day 10: Sentiment Die set
Today’s three sentiment dies read “just saying hello” when stacked together. However, you can always split them up into different word groups.
Day 11: Embossing Folder
Yes! We got an embossing folder in our advent box. It is a small one, but a mighty one. I enjoyed using an inking technique for this one that I learned from Jennifer McGuire.
Day 12: Lemonade Glass
Unfortunately my camera’s exposure settings were off and my video & graphics are a bit blown out. I’ve tried to correct it as best as I can. You’ll have to trust me that this tag is more fun in person!
Day 13: Multi-lingual Sentiment Stamp Set
Finding ways to use sentiments so that they stand out as a featured item is a bit tricky for me. I’ve come back to my much used idea: repeat stamping.
Day 14: French Bulldog
I was inspired on day 9 by Mostly Paper Crafts‘ YouTube channel. She turned the honey bee die we got on day 6 into an entirely different critter. I usually see different ideas in dies, but the bee did not click with me. That is, until I saw her video. Then… when we got today’s little bulldog a flood of ideas hit me. So here they all are, LOL. All these critters were made with a combo of the bee and/or the bulldog pieces.
** I use affiliate links when possible. When you shop using my links I earn a very small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support of my work in this small way!
Join me all month of advent as I open each day of the Spellbinders Crafty Advent. Some days I will create a project and some days I’ll just show off the goodies. No matter what, I know I will use each and every product at least once this month. So much fun awaits!
Here I will collect each week of the project and post pictures and videos to share the fun and inspiration. If after seeing all the goodness you’d like to grab one of these calendars, they are on discount right now (as of 12/11/24) over at ACherryOnTop.com**.
Day 1: A Hot Air Balloon
Day 2: Floral Stamp
Day 3: Flower Set
Day 4: Sentiment Banners
Day 5: Doodled Borders
I’ll admit I’m not sure how much use this little squiggle die set. But I had fun with it today and that is what matters right now. 😊
Day 6: Honey Bee
If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know that cutesy is not my style. I’m super excited about this bee. I’m sure plenty of people are though! At any rate I made use of the bee but he’ll likely sit unused after this. That is okay. I’m still loving my Advent Calendar!
Day 7: Floral Stencil
No time for a project today. But I got a quick video in and gave info on what I’m doing with all these tags that I am making during this series. Stay tuned for that blog post coming very soon.
By day 10 I was able to finally do a makeup project for day 7. I actually made something Christmas themed!
** I use affiliate links when possible. When you shop using my links I earn a very small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support of my work in this small way!
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