May Kit, Guest Designer Sherrie and some news...

Don't you love it when you find new to you things?  Like a great place to eat...a fun craft on Pinterest...or a kit club you have never heard of before?

Let me introduce you to Polly Scrap Kits!  This month we will be recreating their March Kits: Shoreline and Totally Rad.

Make sure you check out their BLOG as well!  Lots of great inspiration there!

And next on our list of topics is our Guest Designer for May: Sherrie Breeze

Hi, my name is Sherrie and I am a Craftaholic. I am planning to  join a 12x12 step program, and as soon as I stop procraftinating about it. I am sure I will do that soon. My habit of procraftingating lets me indulge in my paper addiction, while ignoring dishes, laundry, a the dog that needs walking. When I am finished procraftinating, my work area suffers from craftermath. But the craftacular results are worth it. 

When I am not in my studio, I might be found playing with my grandchildren, working in the garden, or at a yoga class.

This month marks my tenth kit with CKC. I am super delighted to be the guest designer for May. After lurking around the site for the better part of a year, I jumped in last July and have not looked back as each month I discover new ways to exercise those scrappy muscles, and develop my personal style. 

(Say, "Hi, Sherrie!".)  We are thrilled to have her with us!

Order of the Hop:

Guest Designer: Sherrie  http://sherriesmuddlepuddle.blogspot.ca

Andrea http://snappingmonsters.blogspot.com/

Angela http://colestoucan.blogspot.co.uk/

Jemma http://just-jimjams.blogspot.com/

Jennifer http://jennifergracecreates.com 

Julie http://www.hisglorygirl.blogspot.com/

Libeeti http://creationswithlove-li-bee-ti.blogspot.com/  **Did not post

Lisa H. http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/

Lisa J. http://thesimplelifewithlisa.blogspot.com.au/  **Did not post

Lynnette http://sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com/

Milissa http://millermall.blogspot.com/

Rebecca http://howiburb.blogspot.com/

**I am sorry about the holes in the hop.

 

Now, how can YOU participate?  Go to the sidebar and use Mr. LINKY to link us to YOUR kit or project using your kit so we can leave you some love!  We will make a brand new Mr. Linky for each month, so get your blog posts linked ASAP!

To make Mr. Linky a little easier for us to use, please type your name and then a description of what you are linking (ie: kit, mini challenge, ect...).

On a sad note...we are saying goodbye to Meridy (who started the blog with me) and Crystal (who partnered with us since January).  They are both moving onto other things.  My plan is to see how it goes with just me and some major help from our wonderful design team, so watch out for some fun things!

Crystal's Process

 

 

How do I start a layout? In order to figure this out I actually sat down a did a layout like normal and took notes. Here is what I found. I can only start a layout one of two ways: either with photos or a sketch. If I have the photos then almost always a sketch follows and if I am starting with a sketch then I must find the number of photos the sketch requires. 

Next is picking out my background which most likely is a neutral cardstock, kraft, black, white or cream.

I then pull three to four pattern papers that pull colors from the photos or go with the location/season I am working on.  I am a stick and go girl. I fiddle for about two minutes and then have found that I usually go back to my first instinct so I am trying to get better at that aspect. 

After I adhere my pattern paper, then I place photos making sure to leave room for my title and journaling. Now I go into my stash and pull embellishments, thickers etc for title or design and cut title with Silhouette. Last is adhering journaling, although I usually hand write it once before placing it on the page. 

So there you have it my simple scrapping process. Do you have to start with photos? Or do you prefer to start with pattern paper or a new embellishment? 

I hope you are enjoying your holidays, see you in the new year!

Crystal's September Kit-Fall

Well of course I am here today to share a FALL page, did you expect any less? I don't have a sketch just yet or a page done since scrapping has been on the back burner for me since our son was born in July. I think you guys will understand that though! Here is my kit! Enjoy!

We are listening!

Thank you SO much for all of your input on what you love on our blog and what we can do better!  We discussed every comment (and gave ourselves hugs for all of the kind words) and came up with some ways we can make things even better (without taking on so much that we don't love it anymore).

Exciting new things to look forward to:
1.  Our DT memeber, Crystal will be moving into a "partner" role with Meridy and I to help shoulder some of the creativity and posting responsibilities.
2.  We will be posting every OTHER day so we can keep things fresh (and not forced by trying to come up with things daily).
3.  We will be sharing the Kit to Counterfeit on the 1st of the month to give you more time to create!
4.  We will be moving our 1st challenge to the 3rd of the month and making that a BLOG HOP for our great Countefeiters to participate in again!  Yep.  We are bringing it back!
5.  We have some great new regular features in the works: Trash to Treasure...Daring Desing Techniques...Step by Step...

We did talk about putting up a link if people wanted to donate to the running of the blog, but we really would like to keep it free at this point.  Thank you for that suggestion, though!  It made us feel very loved that it was even suggested!  Keep commenting, sharing us on your blogs and posting about us on other sites!  That can be our "payment" for now.  LOL  We love to know we are not just talking to ourselves here.

Enjoy November...great changes are coming!  And December?  Get ready for a jam packed month!  I am SO excited about our December plans!!

We love and appreciate all of you!  Thank you so much for hanging out with us each month!

Bethany, Meridy and Crystal

Crystal's Spring Boquet Page Kit

Crystal has put together a lovely page kit and sketch for us!

My Little Sketch Blook

A Few Announcements

We are pleased to announce that our Guest Designer from last month, Libeeti, is the newest member of our Master Forgers!!! She was a great addition last month, and has decided she would like to stick around for a while :)

Here is a link to Libeeti's blog, in case you missed it last month http://creationswithlove-li-bee-ti.blogspot.com

We are also happy to announce that one of our Master Forgers, Crystal, has stepped up to the challenge of being our Design Team Coordinator. What that will mean for all of our fellow counterfeiters is that *hopefully* we will have a few new features on the blog or perhaps some different ideas since we are bringing Crystal into some of the blog planning and organizing. We are SUPER happy for the extra help! And we are so excited that she has agreed to take on the extra responsibilities...especially since she has a little one on the way :)

Thank you Crystal and Libeeti! We are excited to work with both of you more in the coming months!

Tutorial: Using Stamps to Recreate Embellishments



Fancy Pants Love Story Element Sticker

 

My Mind's Eye Love Me Die Cut Accessories

 To replicate the above embellishments, I pulled some of my stamping supplies...

 This is what I created...

ETA- Crystal has also created a few embellishments with her stamps.  You can see them on Crystal's Blog.

Family Add On Kit

Master Forger Crystal has put together a great family page kit and sketch so we can get some of our Family moments down!

Scrapbooks Ect. Sketch 005

Here is Crystal's take on it!

Thanks for the inspiration, Crystal!  Now let's see what you all make!

Ribbon, Ribbon, Buttons...Oh, my! by Crystal

Crafting for Caitlyn

 

I have had these done for a while and kept thinking they would fit into one of the design team projects I needed to do but they did not, well they sort of did this week for Frosted Designs but I chose to go with something else.

The trees are from M's they are the cardboard ones since I was too cheap to buy the foam (four bucks a tree vs 1.19 for the big one here.) NOW the ribbon tree and I fought, A LOT but I love how it came out just do NOT put your hand inside as the ribbon is held on there with pearl stick pins since the glittered ribbon I was using would NOT stick! I think I used six or eight whole rolls of ribbon on it, but I did not pay more than a buck for each roll. I LOVE how it came out! I will be packing it up nicely and using it over and over.

Now with the button tree which I must admit I love the best, I painted the chipboard (I think that is what it is) tree with green acrylic paint, then got all my red and green and a few clear buttons out and randomly placed them on there with glue dots. Some are held with pearl pens and then some Sticko Shimmering silver dots (LOVE THESE THINGS NEED TO FIND MORE!) for some added bling. Super simple and easy and I love it! I did use all but two of my red buttons though LOL!

Both of the trees have toppers from the mini tree area at Hobby Lobby ( I think they were a buck a piece).(Put the topper on the button one after pictures!) Not too bad for two very unique pieces huh? I have one more and had intentions of doing it with scrap paper, curled up but it will be a project for next year.

What do you think? They are so much more vibrant in person and blingy!

Christmas Cookie Sheet by Crystal

Crafting for Caitlyn

This countdown to Christmas calendar is two years old! I participated in an awesome swap with some very talented ladies. Everyone made one day with the number and something Christmas themed. You made 25 of those and got back one of your own and 24 others so that you had the complete set. I added magnets and painted the inside of a cookie sheet, altered it with some paper and ribbon and of course a circut title and have hung it up every year. This was extra special because it was done when I was pregnant with Caitlyn, I did day 25 (the angel). Heather, a good friend, made sure to that I got a spot and that it was this one since Caitlyn was due around that time, our little angel. Get it? LOL! Still warms my heart! I love it!

Father's Day Page Sketch Challenge

Sometimes we get a little bored working with our Counterfeit Kit all month long.  So we decided to let our Master Forgers take turns creating their own page kits, choosing a sketch, and putting a layout together for you to scraplift! 

This month it's Crystal turn.  We asked her if she would create a Father's Day layout.


Crystal put together this page kit

The page kit contains:

1 piece of cardstock

4 pieces of coordinating patterned paper

1 set of black embellishment stickers

1 set of black alpha stickers
1 set of blue alpha stickers (not pictured)

1 set of "fishing" stickers

a "Father's Day" Cricut cartridge

1 journaling card

1 paper "ruler" embellishment

brown pen and ink

Crystal choose Sketch 377 from Scrapbook's Etc.com



Crystal created this layout!  Super cute!!!

For more details about Crystal's layout...see her blog at http://crystalscraftycreations.blogspot.com/.  I hope you enjoyed the change of pace!

National Scrapbook Day 2011

Photo Credit

National Scrapbook Day is here!  Can you feel the excitement!  All over the world, fellow paper crafters are creating today!  So what are you doing today?  Are you at a crop?  Or enjoying the solitude of your own scrap space?  I am at home today (not completely alone....I can't seem to get my family to scoot).  I have plenty of chocolate, if you want to share.

So I have something FUN planned for you today!  A card kit for you to counterfeit!  Take a look!

Here is the link to the awesome Kit Club: Cup Cards To Go .   Make sure you browse their site...they have some great sketches and examples of what their team has done with the kit.

To use your kit, here are some great sketches that you might want to try out today:

CPS Card Sketch

CardPatterns

Skipping Stones Design

Creatively Yours

Sketch Support

KWerner Design

And if you are REALLY inspired to get creating this weekend, here is a list of all of the cool places to be on the web for NSD:

NSD EVENTS PAGE

Online Crops:

2 Peas NSD Online Crop

Love is in the Details Online Crop

Big Picture Creative Crop

Scrapbook.com Online Crop
Studio Calico
Momenta Sketch Challenge

Blog Hops:

Let's Get Peachy Blog Hop

Flowers Flowers Everywhere Blog Hop

Scrapbook Challenges Blog Hop

Our Craft Lounge Blog Hop

3 Scrappy Boys Blog Hop

Stop by to win some prizes here:

Crystal: Win a Cricut Cart

 Snaps and Snippets:  Win a Counterfeit Kit!!
Me: Win some stamps

I hope to see you on our facebook page!  I would love to see what you are working on!

Masters of Forgery Introductions Part 1

We are excited for you to get to know our very talented Design Team this month before they WOW you with their creative genius next month!  We asked each Forger to make an I-Spy Photo collage that tells us about them and gave them a few scrappy words to choose from to make an accrostic that tells about some of their favorite things!  Here are the first few designers we want you to get to know!

Kim



My word: COUNTERFEIT

C reate

O pen spave

U PS (as in delivery!)

N irvana

T ape runner

E mbellishments

R ibbons

F riends

E njoy

I nnovation

T echniques

Crystal

My word: SCRAPBOOKING

S ketches

C orrugated or circles

R oad, Maya that is!!!

A ltering or Alphabet stamps

P OLKA DOTS!!!!

B o Bunny

O rganizaing

O dds and Ends

K its

I inks (chalk!)

N otebooks

G eorgia Pacific Card Staock/ Graph paper

Susanne



Here’s how I am prepared to be one of the COPYCATS:

C ardstock – colors by the crateful

O rganized - baubles and bling by the way I scrap

P atterned Papers – plentiful & pretty, pretty, pretty

Y ears - of memories to scrap, pages to come

C lasses – countless taken, more to learn

A dhesive – to attach every kind of bling accumulated

T ools - many to be used with easy Techniques

S tudio – my little papered piece of heaven on earth

We will have more introductions coming up in the next few days!  

Let's Welcome Your Masters of Forgery!

Numer of DT applicants: 41

"Folders and Notes" sections we created to keep track: at least 6

Days spent agonizing over our decision: 36

Number of times we changed our list: too many to count

Number of DT members: 8...no wait...let's do 10....no wait, how about 11...

Okay, 11...and here they are:

 Crystal

Jessica

Melissa

Sherri

Kim

Shazi

Jemma

Margie

Susanne

Lisa

Gabrielle

Interesting note: we have 5 first timers on our DT!

Congrats to our new team!

Now head off to their blogs to leave them some love!