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’m hosting the activities this tome over at CKC. That means I get to create our challenges this time around. So…here we are with the first challenge of the month. I adored the circle print from the first image of the inspiration. Based on that, I challenge everyone to go geometric with their layouts.
I loved this paper so much that I created a cutfile that represented it. Just take a look below. Man. I’m just loving it. This is up for free here on my blog, so you can love it too. (While you are checking that out, I also created one more unrelated cut file that is also free over there.)
So with that cut file, I pulled a bunch of papers from my CKC kit and got to work making this layout. Oh. My. Heart. I just love this. I did tone it down with vellum. I do wish I had lighter weight vellum since it was toned down a tad bit too much. Even so, I’m just pleased. (Did I say that yet? LOL)
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 challenge. For more info check out the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog page, our Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge or use #counterfeitkitchallenge.
Just a couple more things to share with you as I wrap up the month. The second item is my fav so don’t miss that one.
First up I did my Mystery Box Monday project. This is where I’ve purchased a grab bag of discounted supplies and I pull out three things from the box without looking. Then I have to put all of those to use on a project. It is just a silly creativity stretcher and a good excuse to purchase a box of random supplies.
I pulled out two ink pads and I was starting to feel nervous. Luckily, the third item was a stamp set. Whew! I had something more to work with. Although, now that I think about it, I totally could have gotten inky with stencils or stamps from my stash. As it was, I pulled way more inks and other supplies and went well beyond what my three mystery ingredients were!
I had fun creating this 5×7 art piece. I’ve been thinking about doing something like this for a while to hang on my wall. This feeling of artfulness outside of the scrapbook page is growing in my brain more and more lately! I did decide to give this one away as I still have more ideas for MY walls! (More on this project in this video.)
Speaking of artfulness, the next one gets very arty indeed. But it isn’t hard! It just needs a few specific supplies. I talk all about it in the video, which is the best way to get the hang of the whole process. However, if you want the step by step blog post, that is all over on the ScrapHappy.org blog where I am a creative team member.
Oh my! Just playing with all that color is fun. Who cares about turning it to anything in the end. Yet, I did have this layout in mind, so my alcohol inked background did make it to a finished product!
Okay, that is it for March. I know Easter is in a couple of day from posting this. If you celebrate, I wish you a Happy Easter. Until next time, have an artful day!
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!
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
I’ve been trying to offer freebies to you every month from sketches to cut files to printable papers & embellishments. Well… my energy fell away over the summer and I have not been able to get anything new out. However, I am here to release a couple of items for the Christmas season.
Sketch
First up I have a lovely holiday sketch for you
This one definitely takes the holiday seriously. However, if you don’t celebrate Christmas, OR if you want more flexibility for this sketch, turn it sideways! Once it is sideways it looks like an arrow which can be used for many stories. Take a look at the two ways I put it to use.
If you want more thought process on how I put these layouts together, I have a video for you.
If you’d like to download this one, here are the links. If you want more sketchy fun, check out my entire back catalog of sketches.
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craftysoup.com 