Great Spring Tray!

I have another really pretty find for you to close out the month of April!  If you have fun leftover bits from your kit...you might be able to make one of these:

Redberry Barn Tray

**Go to their site for a look at the WHOLE project!  Really fun details!

I Spy....Mar!

with my little eye....

Mar

**Really LOVE LOVE LOVE the pinwheels and the accordian folded grass idea!

Counterfeit Kit Challenge April Blog Hop!

It's Hop Day!

We are excited for you to see what we have all been up to this month!  We had such wonderful inspiration in our Design Team's Blogs that we just couldn't go wrong!

April's Challenge:   Get inspired from a Design Team Members blog and use your kit to create a project based on that inspiration.  Post a link both to the item that inspired you and to a picture of your project!

Let's get hopping!  Here is a list of our Counterfeiters just in case you get a little lost on the way:

Lisa J.

Lesa

Karen

Melissa

Becca

Julie Ann

Mar

Emily

Tara O.

Kylie

Glinda

Jennifer

Tricia

Ashley

Mary

Lisa A.

Maureen

Bethany

Enjoy the hop!



Master Forger's Blog Hop!

This post is brought to you by the number:

We have a great surprise for all of you!  Every month we are going to host TWO blog hops!  One for the Master Forgers and one for YOU!  How awesome is that?  We will have them back to back on the 27th and 28th so you get TWICE the inspiration!

Hmmmm....and since today is the 27th, I guess we had better let the Master Forgers start their hop now...

Let's Start with our Guest Designer: Stacey

Crystal

Jessica

Melissa

Sherri

Kim

Shazi

Jemma

Margi

Susanne

Lisa

Gabrielle

Meridy

Check back tomorrow to take a peek at what YOU all have been making!

Fun way to color with your stamp pads!

Check out this video from Unity...I NEVER thought about trying this!

And if you are an organizing freak like I am...check out this awesome idea for keeping track of your Copics, ink pads, chalks.....  Lily Pad Blog

Blog Hop Reminder and a Sneak Peek!

Today is the last day to e-mail us if you want to participate in the blog hop on the 28th!  This month's hop is an especially fun one since it gives us a chance to explore our Design Team's blogs!  I picked several of them to inspire me for the hop and can't wait to share my projects with you!

Here is a sneaky peek of one of my projects...you will never guess who inspired it!

I Spy.....Mary!

We are getting SO many wonderful links to really great projects from all of you that I just have to spotlight some of them each month!  I will randomly pick one of the links from Mr. Linky several times a month and give you a chance to show them some love!

Let's go spy on Mary today!

I love the patterned clouds in her layout...I need to remember to do that!  LOL  I have to say that the picture is the real eye-catcher, though!  Really great photo!

Keep your eyes open...you never know who will be spying on you!



Fun Project Alert!

I am always on the lookout for a great project and I found a new one!  If you have never checked out Pine Is Here then you are missing out!  Her work is fantastic!

What caught my eye awhile back is her Envelope Accordian Album....really fun project and she explains it well!  Take a stroll through her blog....it is awesome!

Masters of Forgery Inspiration: Food Challenge

Bethany's Food Challenge Layout

**Photo was snagged from this site.

**Layout idea from In a Creative Bubble

Meridy's Food Challenge Layout

Crystal's Food Challenge Layout

**She is waiting on her photos.  :)

Kim's Food Challenge Layout

Gabrielle's Food Challenge Card

 Margie's Food Challenge

Sherri's Food Challenge

Shazi's Food Challenge

 

Mini Challenge #3: Inspired by food

I am not ashamed to admit it...I am a foodie!  Love cooking shows...cooking blogs...collecing recipes...tasting new things...all of it!  It is an adiction, but a fun one!

I also love this:

Sigh...so pretty!

Ahem...sorry.  I got a bit distracted there drooling over yummy things!  Onto the challenge:

Mini Challenge #3:

What food do YOU love? Use this as a jumping off point for a project...you can be inspired by the color...texture...ethnic background....packaging or even do a project all about your favorite food!

Here are some of MY favs:



I'm looking forward to what you post to Mr. Linky!  And feel free to post any food blogs that YOU love in the comments here.  I will love you forever!  LOL

I Spy....Kirsty!

Today's I-Spy is.....Kirsty!

Very sweet take on the playing card embellishment in the kit!  Well done!

Excellent Source for Free Pictures

I stumbled upon a wonderful site of free artwork that you an save and print yout to frame.  I think they would be awesome for scrapbooking, too!

Check out Feed Your Soul

Here is one that I really like:

Enjoy!

Mini Challenge #2: Design Team Challenge

I am excited about this challenge because it means doing some blog surfing at our very talented Design Team Blogs!  Love them!  I love a good surf.  LOL

Mini Challenge #2: Design Team Challenge (for the BLOG HOP!)

Get inspiration from one of the DT blogs!

Browse one of the DT blogs for a little inspiration. Create a project based on this and be sure to post a link of their blog post along with the photo of your project.  Remeber:  This is for the blog hop, so do not post it until the 28th!

Crystal

Melissa

Sherri

Kim

Jemma

Margie

Shazi

Susanne

Lisa

Gabrielle

Jessica

April Guest Designer:  Stacey

Blog Hop Details:
Create your assigned project and take a photo of it.

You have until the 25th to e-mail me at counterfeitkitchallenge@yahoo.com with BLOG HOP in the heading.  In your e-mail, please give me the LINK TO YOUR BLOG and be ready to publish a post with your challenge on the 28th (12:01 AM Eastern Time) for the hop

We will put together a list of all participating blogs and will e-mail everyone the order of the blog hop and how to do their post!


By the 28th (or earlier if you want to schedule it to simply post on the 28th) you will create a blog post that shares your creation and then post the link to the next blog on the list!  Easy!

Masters of Forgery Inspiration: Memorabilia Mini Challenge Day 3

Margie's Memorabilia Mini Challenge

How sweet is this?  Love the banners!

Jessica's Memorabilia Mini Challenge

**Papers strips are a such a fun way to add lots of patterns to a layout!

So how is our DT doing?  Don't forget to show them some love on their blogs!

Organizing Your Memorabilia

If you haven't already been a "keeper" of your life memorabilia, hopefully this challenge is changing your mind.  If you are anything like me, though, you are a bit concerned about turning your scrap space or even your home into this:

Don't worry!  I've got your back!  Take a peek at these:

Managing your memorabilia

Creating Keepsakes: Organizing your memorabilia

Organize Your Memorabilia

And these videos have some great ideas for how Kelley Crowe organizes and stores her stuff:

How do YOU store your memorabilia?

Masters of Forgery Inspiration: Memorabilia Mini Challenge Day 2

Kim's Memorabilia Mini Challenge

**Don't you love the swirl?  And check out the playing cards!

Sherri's Memorabilia Mini Challenge

**Check her blog for more photos of this cute mini album!

Gabrielle's Mini Challenge

**Aren't these colors great?  Love the circles, too!

Jessica's Memoribilia Mini Challenge

What a great waay to include all of the extra pictures and the prom tickets!  They are hiding behine the photo.

Don't we have the best Design Team?  Love them!  You'll want to check back tomorrow for some great ideas on organizing your memorabilia!

Masters of Forgery Inspiration: Memorabilia Mini Challenge

It is time for us to share our take on the Mini Challenge!

Guest Designer: Stacey Schwieterman

I used the tickets from my baby's first MLB game. Also they gave us a program and I used pages from it like it was pattern paper and I did a lot of fussy cutting to get added embellishments. Items from the kit include the blue background paper from my Miss Elizabeth collection, white and blue card stock, glitter glue, butterfly and flower punch, journaling spot,  and bottle cap. My page is based on a layout called  "Time Shares" from Scrapperlicious.

Bethany's Mini Challenge

**For other photos and a mini tutorial go to Double Dog Dare You


Crystal's Mini Challenge
** These photos really shine on this layout...and the white pen detail is a great touch!

Melissa's Mini Challenge

**So many great details in this album!  Check it out on her blog!

Check back tomorrow for some more great examples!

Mini Challenge #1 : Memorabilia

Sometimes I get so caught up in "getting caught up" with scrapbooking my pictures that I forget about so many great additions to my scrapbook: Memorabilia.  I am not much of a saver, but I do have a collection of special things from trips we have taken and things we have done as a family.  They are all neatly stored in an accordion file folder and tucked away in my studio.  Well, I think it is high time to dust them out and add them to some pages, don't you?

Mini Challenge #1: Use Memorabilia on your project

Create a project using some sort of memorabilia (ticket stubs/postcards/greeting cards, clothing tags...).

Cute example of using memorabilia
Tips for collecting and using memorabilia
Protecting your memorabilia

Don't forget to post on our Mr. Linky!

Mr. Linky- Week 2, April 2011

Here is the Mister Linky for ALL of the links for the second week of April...whether you are linking a picture of your kit, a mini challenge, or anything else you have created, link it here.  There is a "quick link" to this Mister Linky on the top right side bar of the blog as well.

In order to make this Mister Linky a little easier to *understand* with so many different types of links in it...in the "name" field below, type your name and either the word "kit", "mini challenge", or "other" according to what you are linking.  Hopefully that will keep it a little organized!!!

Counterfeit Borders, Papers, and Journaling Blocks Tutorials

Making your own borders...

Borders-"For the Record" by Echo Park

This is the beautiful "Borders" paper that comes in this month's kit...

I decided to try and replicate these borders for my Counterfeit Kit by using various stamps, scrap paper, a border punch, some white embossing powder, and even a sheet of ledger paper.  Here's what I can up with. 

Here's a link to a free class at Two Peas In A Bucket.  The instructor uses stamps in a few different ways to create borders on the layout.  Scrapbook Stamping March 2011

Designing your own patterned paper...



Headed South-"It's the Little Things" by Fancy Pants

I tried my hand at "random stamping" to recreate this piece of paper.  It's a good thing that I was "drawn" to all of those "cancelled postage" stamps in the past...they came in handy for this paper!



Meridy's Counterfeit Paper

Some tips for random stamping...

• Start with the largest stamp first, then medium, then smallest to "fill in the blanks"
• Change the orientation of your stamp, tilting and turning it with each image you stamp
• Be sure to go "off the edges" of your paper with parts of the stamped images
• You'll be surprised how easy this is after tying it out!!!

More patterned paper tutorials...

Gabrielle also created tutorials for 2 pieces of paper from this month's kit.  She made one for the "Stamp of Approval" paper and one for the"Gerber Daisy" paper. Visit Gabrielle's blog to see those great tutorials.

Journaling Blocks...

• Here is a cute set of free journaling tags to download and print from Two Peas in a Bucket...Freebie Journal Tags
• Making your own journaling stamp to use on a journaling block.
• Printable library card and envelope template.

If you made any of your own borders, papers, or journaling blocks please link them to Mr. Linky or our Facebook page to share your ideas with the rest of us.

Odds and Ends Tutorials

Bottle cap tutorial... 

•  Big Shot bottle caps tutorial  



Bottle Caps from Anthology

Leaf tutorials...

• Check out these beautiful leaves...I know they are not exactly like the ones in this month's kit...they are SOOO much cuter!!!  Scrap paper leaves tutorial.
•  Glitter leaf tutorial
• One more paper leaf tutorial using embossing folders

Birdie Chipboard Templates...and Uses

Birdie Templates to print and cut from chipboard...

Birdie template 1
Birdie template 2 
Maya Road Large Bird Template
Maya Road Small Bird Template        

Uses for chipboard shapes...

• Using chipboard to make your own embossing folders. 
• Different ways to embellish raw chipboard.
• A few other ideas could be to cover the chipbaord shape with fabric, burlap, or strips of ribbon.  You could even stitch the edges down with a decorative stitch, such as a zig-zag stitch.
• Cover the shape with border stickers, as seen in this video from Two Peas in a Bucket...Border Stickers (see minute 1:00)
• Embellished birdie tutorial

Fabric, Burlap, Ribbon, and Rick-Rack Tutorials

Using fabric on your layouts...

Twisted Fabric Flowers Tutorial 

Fabric Birdie Tutorial 

Pretty cool "homemade stamped fabric ribbon" idea...Ribbon from recycled pillow cases

Stitched Fabric Embellishments
An example of this type of embellishment (I created this with multiple layers of fabric instead of paper towels)...

Fabric Birdie

Using Burlap on your layouts...

Burlap Flowers Tutorial 


Sherri's Burlap Flower


You can stamp an image on burlap, as demonstrated here...Stamping on burlap tutorial

OR

You can stamp a texture WITH burlap.  Simply wrap a piece of burlap tightly around a kitchen sponge, lightly dip it in acrylic paint, and stamp onto your paper for a great, unique texture.  (Idea taken from The Stamp Artist's Project Book by Sharilyn Miller)


Embellishing Rick Rack and Ribbons...

Crocheting on Rick Rack Instructions

5 Creative Ribbon Techniques

Have you ever used double sided ribbon and tried to tie a knot so that only ONE side shows?  I know I have had this problem before...I have found a You tube tutorial for a solution to this problem!!!  Tying a knot with double sided ribbon, so only one side shows!

A cool look that never occured to me...Fraying Ribbon

And finally, you can stamp on ribbon as seen here... Stamping on twill tutorial

Acetate Glittered Embellishments Tutorial

The "inspiration kit" comes with a great little acetate heart, which they have embellished a bit using glitter.  It is used on this card.

Re-creating the embellishment using stamps...
We found this tutorial for "a glitter with acetate tutorial" from the Scrappychick blog. 
And another "glitter and acetate tutorial" from the scrapnstamp blog.

Re-creating the embellishment using Stickles...
Here is a tutorial for using your stamps and Stickles.
Re-creating the embellishment using rub-ons...

Bethany came up with this great tutorial...
The Heart Art Acetate is such a fun embellishment and pretty easy to recreate.  For my version, all you need is rub ons, glitter, glue and transparencies (I used leftover bits from a laminating project). 

I put the rub on on the transparency and  then cut out around the lines.  Then I turned it over and put a thin layer of glue on back and sprinkled glitter.  All you have to do it let it dry and you are ready to go!  Super easy!

Counterfeit Felt Butterflies Tutorial

"Creative Impressions" felt butterflies from the inspiration kit.

Digital Cutters

Depending on the type of digital cutter you may have there are many different options.  There are various butterflies on Cricut Cartridges, and many butterflies available for download in the Silhouette Gallery.  If your digital cutter has the ability to cut True Type Fonts (.TTF files), you may want to look at this set of Butterfly Dingbats.  There are some very pretty images of butterflies in that "font" set.

You can even use your Cricut to cut felt butterflies.  Here is a great tutorial for cutting felt with your Cricut.  Here is a little more information for cutting felt.

Butterflies from a flower punch/die cut
A tutorial to create a layered butterfly using a 6 petal flower punch (or die cut).

Butterfly Punches and "Dressing Them Up"
Martha Stewart also has many different butterfly punches, the one pictured below is the "closest" to the one in our inspiration kit.  To add some interest and "dress up" the punched butterfly, you can layer two of the punches on top of one another and bend the wings a bit on the top layer, or use two different colors of paper, or add some bling, ink, or chalk.  The possibilities are endless!