February 2025 Forgeries on the Fourth

 

Today is the day when our Master Forgers share the forgeries they have created for the month of February. First, let me remind you of our inspiration kit, 
Kitaholic Kits' May 2024 kit

Our guest designer, Sheryle Thomas, jumped into the forger action. Check out what she created. I absolutely love the cassette die. Plus she had antlers in her stash! So fun.

Master Forger Misty

I had so many ideas this month but I knew I had to just pick a couple. So here is what I ended up doing. 

I tried creating that geometric animal pattern paper using animal dies, a ruler, and a gold pen. I also made some rustic tea-dyed trims. (This is just cut up rag cotton from damaged clothing soaked in extra strong tea for color.)

Master Forger Jody

Used her trusty Silhoutte to cut a free cut file to use as a stencil. Then she used a beautiful gold to fill in the stars.  Now she has a striking background paper ready for a picture and embellishments.  

Master Forger Ryann was inspired by this sheet of paper in the kit.  She has photos of her son at the Children's Hospital with animals that are similar, so she wanted to use this sheet.  She decided to use her Cricut's drawing feature to make a page that (while isn't exactly like it) was inspired by it.  She could use a bear paw for free on her software, and changed the sizes, angles, and the colors; coming up with this origami-style animal print inspired paper!

 Now that everything in our kits are complete, let's see what we have next.

• 6th  February - Mini Kit and Project Reveal 
• 12th February - Challenge #1 
• 18th February - Challenge #2
• 22nd February - Challenge #3 Sketch Challenge
• 24th February - Follower Showcase 
• 26th February - March Sneak Peek (on Instagram and the Facebook Community) 
• 28th February - Challenge #4 Baby, Use Those Scraps Challenge

We love to see what you are working on!  Drop in your projects to our Facebook Community Group and of course tag us on Instagram at #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcfebruary2025

Have an artful day,

Misty

February 2025 - Just the Gist of It

Master Forger Misty here as your hostess for this month. We just had our inspiration reveal yesterday. Sometimes our Counterfeit Kit building can be a breeze, and sometimes you may bump up against an item that you just aren't sure what to do with. 

Despite getting to pick any kit I want as the hostess, I chose this kit. Yet, there was one paper in the inspiration that I wasn't sure about. I won't dismiss a whole kit just because one item is unusual. So let's tackle it together.

Starting from the beginning, here is the full kit.

Details of the papers' A sides

 

And the B sides

 

Plus the embellishments

As well as the add-ons

 

Now let's take a look in on that challenging sheet of paper. Animal skulls. Yep. Now I'm sure some of you will be fine with this. But it did give me pause for a few minutes.

How to tackle this bit of inspiration?

1. Ignore it. That is fine. I don't always use every item in an inspiration kit anyway.
2. Replace it with a sheet of Halloween Skeletons? Or perhaps a sheet of reindeer paper from Christmas supplies? Could work. This would mix up the seasons in an interesting way. This is what I found in my stash.
   
   
   
   
3. Go with a non-skeleton version of an animal or nature print. Much easier. I had many options in my papers, from full 12x12 to 6x6.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Try for the color mood with something heavy white on black. Again I had plenty of options with white on dark backgrounds.
   
   
   
   
   

I saw possibilities in all of these papers. Which option did I go with? I chose the xoxo paper for a couple of reasons. First, I thought the balance of black and white worked well. Plus it was a bit sketchy in nature which matches the inspiration paper's style. Finally, it is a nod to Valentine's day. I don't do many holiday themed items, but giving a nod is just right for me.

Here is how it looks in my selection of papers

The bottom line is, don't be intimidated by anything in an inspiration kit. There is always ideas to work with. I'm excited to see what you will choose for your skeleton paper!

Now, let's see what is coming up next this month:

• 4th February - Forgeries on the Fourth
• 6th  February - Mini Kit and Project Reveal 
• 12th February - Challenge #1 
• 18th February - Challenge #2
• 22nd February - Challenge #3 Sketch Challenge
• 24th February - Follower Showcase 
• 26th February - March Sneak Peek (on Instagram and the Facebook Community) 
• 28th February - Challenge #4 Baby, Use Those Scraps Challenge

We love to see what you are working on!  Drop in your projects to our Facebook Community Group and of course tag us on Instagram at #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcfebruary2025

Have an artful day,

Misty

February 2025 - Inspiration Kit and Social Media Hop

 

Welcome to February 2025. Yes it is already time for a new Counterfeit Kit Challenge!

Master Forger Misty here. I'm up this month to lead the team and you, our community, through another month of inspiration and scrapping. Our inspiration kit for the month is from Kitaholic Kits in Australia. I chose the May 2024 kit. This one appealed to me since it reminded me of a winter cabin in the woods. I wanted something wintery but not full of the typical motifs. With a really neutral color palette and just the right pops of accent colors I hope you find this kit flexible.

Kit overview:

Paper "A" sides:

 

Paper "B" sides:

Embellishments:

 

And the mixed media add-on kit...

Now that we've seen the kit, let's welcome this month's guest designer, Sheryle Thomas. Sheryle is from our very own CKC Facebook community. I love her consistent activity in the group and was happy to invite her to be our guest. Here is more from Sheryle...

"After a long career in nursing and years of caring for my mom, I have been able to focus more on the fun aspects of scrapbooking. I have been scrapbooking and collecting supplies for 25+years so time to use the supplies. I love following sketches and challenges to play with all the pretty paper and embellishments. As a retired person and childless cat lady I get to tell the stories of my extended family and of course those beloved cats. My favorite technique is probably die cutting as I do some on most pages."

Our new kit reveal always comes with a team social media hop to get your creative ideas flowing. Be sure to visit all our team members this month to see a wide range of takes on the inspiration.

Social Media Hop:

 

• Counterfeit Kit Challenge - http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/  

• Guest Designer - Sheryle Thomas (Sheryle is sharing her work on our Facebook Group)

• Brandi - https://www.instagram.com/scrappy.boymama/ 

• Christine - https://www.youtube.com/@ScrappingHarden

• Cindy - http://cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com/

• Jody - www.instagram.com/floppyearedfarm 

• JoJo - https://www.instagram.com/scrappyconfessions

• Julene - http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com/

• Laurie - https://www.instagram.com/scrapbookingbits/ 

• Misty - http://www.craftysoup.com

• Ryann- https://www.instagram.com/scrapbookjoey/

• Tara -  https://kryptonite72-rambles.blogspot.com/
  

 

 Now, let's see what we have lined up for the rest of this month:

• 2nd February - Just the Gist of it. 
• 4th February - Forgeries on the Fourth
• 6th  February - Mini Kit and Project Reveal 
• 12th February - Challenge #1 
• 18th February - Challenge #2
• 22nd February - Challenge #3 Sketch Challenge
• 24th February - Follower Showcase 
• 26th February - March Sneak Peek (on Instagram and the Facebook Community) 
• 28th February - Challenge #4 Baby, Use Those Scraps Challenge

We love to see what you are working on!  Drop in your projects to our Facebook Community Group and of course tag us on Instagram at #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcfebruary2025

Have an artful day,

Misty

                                                       

January 2025 Challenge #4 Baby Use Those Scraps

Hello! Master Forger Christine here with our final challenge for the month of January.   We always like to finish out the month with the Scraps Challenge.  Use the scraps you've accumulated this month on your project.  I’m always impressed with what can be accomplished using just scraps!

 One LAST reminder of our inspiration kit!

Hip Kit's "Good Days Ahead"

Check out the projects by our Master Forgers

Master Forger Julene

I had quite a few smaller scraps of paper plus a layout I had started and didn't complete.

I decided to layer all my pieces under my photo to make a colourful "mat" for my photo. I also added a strip of washi across the bottom to finish off a roll I had. Note the tag and punched edge I made from a tissue box in FOTF.

Master Forger Tina

I brought in scraps into my kit at the get go and that is what I used to create this layout using a hexagon punch for the border and a scrap to mat my photos too 

I can’t thank you enough for Thank you so much for connecting with me on my first month hosting the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog.  I really appreciate the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and blog!  

I especially want to thank our Guest Designer and my sweet friend Jennifer Cain for sharing her talents with us this month.  I hope you enjoyed her non-traditional sizes and found inspiration!

As always, many thanks to all our Master Forgers for all of their hard work.  Tomorrow starts a new month and a new kit!  So be sure to bookmark this page and visit again!

And lastly, show us what you've got!  We love our followers! Make sure that you come hang out with us on the Facebook Community Group.  You can also catch us on Instagram by tagging #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcjanuary2025.

 Until next time, happy crafting!

Master Forger Christine

 

 

January 2025 Follower Showcase

 Hey there!!  Master Forger Christine here and it's my favorite time of the month - time for our Follower Showcase.  It's amazingly difficult to choose just one, but I somehow managed to narrow it down to just one!

As a reminder, here's our inspiration kit for the month, Hip Kit's "Good Days Ahead"

And now, DRUMROLL PLEASE....

Our Featured Follower is Jessica Haab!

Take a quick look at her kit before we jump into some of her projects.  She mentioned in the group that this year she is working hard to use up some 12x12 paper pads this year - which is a great idea!

I found Jessica posted at least 4 projects already!  I'm a huge fan of torn paper and tags so her projects definitely caught my eye.  Jessica's design style is just 'chef's kiss!'  

Go show her some love in the Facebook group!  I'm so happy she participated this month!  Thank you Jessica for your wonderful designs.  

We still have a couple more posts this month!  Here's what we have planned

• 28th January - February Sneak Peek (on Instagram and the Facebook Community)
• 30th January - Challenge #4  Baby, Use Those Scraps Challenge

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See you next time!

Master Forger Christine

January 2025 Challenge #3 Let's Get Sketchy

 Master Forger Christine here and it's time again to get sketchy!  

This challenge is all about taking a sketch for inspiration and interpreting it with your kit.  Here's our inspiration kit as a reminder.  It's the Hip Kit "Good Times Ahead".

And here is the sketch I created to play with!  This can be done as a 12x12, 8.5x11, a card or anything else you desire.

Let's see what our Master Forgers did with it!

Master Forger Tara created a fast layout of one of her kitties from 2016. She created a large title with a Bramble Fox Perspective and the alphas she included in her kit.  She also did a little stenciling on her background and added some hand stitching. 

Master Forger Ryann says that while she knows that the dots on the sketch were meant to represent another patterned paper, she couldn't help but think this would be a great way to use up several odds and ends of enamel dots that she put in her kit!  She used them to make the general shape of the banner ends, and filled in with the last of several pages of embellishments!   

Master Forger Jody

I had so much fun putting this January Kit together.  I immediately grabbed the older Dear Lizzy, She's Magic collection.  I loved all the layers in the sketch and I always love using my faux stick stamps!

Let's not forget our Guest Designer Jennifer Cain!  She decided to play along with the sketch challenge as well.  Jennifer used a rose gold embossed background paper as well as a few scraps from other layouts.   She brought in the purple from her stash since the layout just called for it.  As a finishing touch, she did stamp stitching around the edge and flat back pearls to dress up the layout.  You can watch her process video here.

And here's what's left this month:

• 24th January - Follower Showcase 
• 28th January - February Sneak Peek (on Instagram and the Facebook Community
• 30th January - Challenge #4 Baby, Use Those Scraps Challenge

Til next time!

XOXO,

Master Forger Christine