January 2023 - Challenge #1 - Sketch It!

Yay! It's great to see you back here for Challenge #1! 

When I first started scrapbooking, almost all my layouts were double spreads and I kind of miss them! So, let's start the new year with a fabulous Page Maps double sketch which was featured in Scrapbook Cards and Today in their Project 12 feature (January 2010). 

 If you make a lot of spreads, this will be right up your alley and if you don't normally, this is a chance to stretch those creative muscles and give it a go! Double pages are a super way to include lots of photos and journalling with plenty of space for embellishments and all the fun stuff too! 

Sketches are such a fun way to create - copy it exactly, or totally tweak it and make it your own.

Here's the sketch! 

sketch link

Right! Let's see what our talented Guest Designers and Master Forgers rustled up for us today!

Guest Designer Anandi - "I don't usually make 2 pagers or use more than 2 photos so this was a good challenge for me! I used embellishments that matched the bright colors of our hair, and a few "imperfect" handwritten lines instead of the stitching on the sketch. ~ Anandi"

Master Forger Juliet went with a single page using the right page as her inspiration. She dug deep for these pictures of her when se was a little girl probably 1965 or 66! 

Master Forger Cindy Created the Double Page layout sticking close to the sketch.

Blog post here

Master Forger Misty loves a reason for a good double pager! She even used that snowflake pattern paper she forged back on the 4th!

Master Forger Leslie jumped in with both feet to document her grandson's first football season.

Blogpost HERE

And of course, as always, we have a full month of inspiration to keep you inspired!

January is going to look something like this:

• 18th January: Challenge #2 - to inspire you to get creating from your own kit 
• 24th January: Follower Showcase - who has caught our eye this month 
• 31st January: Killing Kits - an idea or two for using up the bits & pieces left in your kit box 

You KNOW that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community, or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcjanuary2023). 

 Thanks so much for stopping by! We can't wait to see your kits and projects this month.

Lisa!

Christmas at CKC - 12 Days of Christmas - Challenge #11 - MF Juliet

 We're almost at the end now but the inspiration keeps on coming!

          MF Juliet didn't necessarily go with a Christmas theme (hey we can take things whatever way we want here at The Counterfeit Kit Challenge) but did go with a piping hot drink she loves, coffee! She and her sweet hubby shared a cup together EVERY morning and each had their favorite cup. (Don't we all???)

Since she can't have a cup with him in person every morning any more, she decided to switch her cup to his cup so he is still part of her morning ritual!  

Vellum has been around since...well, forever if you are in scrapbook world! Vellum can be intimidating but used as a matt it brings a unique and beautiful addition in Juliet's mind. It softens any background but still allows the color to come through. If you have a strong background vellum is a wonderful addition if you just need to 'tone down' an area. It also makes a wonderful journaling medium. Oh, and if you have some punches, by all means punch your heart out with the vellum and you will LOVE what it brings to your project!

We'd love it if you'd join in. 

As always you can share kits, layouts and projects with us in our Facebook Community, or tag us over on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcdecember2022 and #ckc12daysofchristmas). 

 Thanks so much for stopping by! We can't wait to see you playing along with our festive fun this month.

November 2022 - Mini Kit Reveal and Projects

Sometimes, you just don't have the time or motivation to make and use up a full kit. Maybe you need to replenish your card supplies, or have a small mini-album in mind to make. Perhaps November is a really busy month - I KNOW that feeling - but you still want to have something creative to fulfil that need to interact with paper and pretty supplies!

This is the post for you.

This is where we show you three mini-kits that we've made up as well as the small projects that we made with those supplies.

Today, MFs Juliet, Cindy and Kate share their ideas and we hope that you will also feel inspired to give this a go if you need to take a slightly different direction this month!

A quick reminder of the inspiration kit in November to kick-things off Scrapbook Werkstatt October 2022 kit “Herbstzauber” (the kit is no longer available on the site but we have linked to the Scrapbook Werkstatt main page!) 

Scrapbook Werkstatt October 2022 kit “Herbstzauber” 

MF Misty is here with a bit of a different mini. Today she is making some interactive flip elements to use on later layouts. These flip booklets can hold extra photos or journaling or both! So here is how it goes...

Start with scraps of pattern paper, partial packs of die cuts and some puffy stickers all inspired by the above kit. Her choices leaned heavily to PinkFresh Studio.

Then she added in scrap product packaging to be the base of the projects, and some coordinating washi tape to construct the booklets. Some washi tape is not as sticky as it could be, so a bit of liquid glue was added to the tape to help keep this project sturdy

Then she cut down the product packaging to either 4x6 or 3x4 pieces and cut a few pattern papers to that size as well. Using the washi tape, she bound together different layers of these "pages" to create booklets. Washi tape on the front and the back of each page helps keep it all sturdy. She limited it to 2-4 pages per booklet. With a bit of decoration using the embellishments and these were ready to add to her main kit for future layouts.

Her YouTube video really shows of the interactivity of the booklets best, so if you want to see more you can check that out. She also shares tips on how to use these on traditional 12x12 layouts inside of page protectors.

MF Juliet here with a fun little mini(and it really is mini for me!)

With everything going on in my life a mini is just what I needed for November!  

I did create one layout, my son in love took some of my grand sons to a balloon glow and that paper was just perfect to create a simple layout. I was inspired by a sketch from somewhere (I'm so bad at keeping up with where!) 

THEN I wanted to do something a little different.  I have a small circle of friends (four of us, were five but one of them passed a few years ago) that have been friends for a good 30 years.  We text almost daily and share EVERYTHING with each other, no matter what time of day.  We pray together. cry together and often laugh together (or at each other!).  I wanted to do something a little special for them so I created some little 'gratitude' books.  There are 30 prompts of things for them to write what they are grateful for.  I created one for myself too!  And then I made each of them cards to mail with them.  They should be getting them any day (I'm always a day late for mailing stuff) and I can't wait to see their response! I still have a few things left so who knows, maybe another layout or two??

MF Kate

MF Kate here with my mini kit that somehow morphed into a regular kit! Inspired by the bright florals, graphic prints, bright colors along with that pop of black and white patterned paper, I accidentally created somewhat of a spring travel kit even though it's November!I always start with patterned paper inspiration so I was drawn to the florals first, then I added graphic and square patternsfrom Paige Evans and Maggie Holmes and of course I made sure to have that black and white Maggie Holmes paper from the inspiration kit in there.

I then added mostly florals, gold leaves, die cuts from Pink Fresh Studios .  THEN, because I just can never stop at a mini, I gathered leftovers from my October kit and  some things from my stash overflow basket that just begged to be used.

 

I thought I'd start with a layout-scrapping a fall photo that I'm hoping looks kinda like a fall layout!

 

And of course, as always, we still have a full month of inspiration to keep you inspired!

November is going to look something like this:

• 12th & 18th November: Challenges #1 & #2 - to inspire you to get creating from your own kit 
• 22nd November: An extra challenge to add a little extra inspiration this month!
• 24th November: Follower Showcase - who has caught our eye this month 
• 30th November: Killing Kits - an idea or two for using up the bits & pieces left in your kit box 

You KNOW that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community, or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcnovember2022). 

 Thanks so much for stopping by! We can't wait to see your kits and projects this month.

Lisa!

September 2022 - Challenge #1 - ABC's & 123's

 It is September 12th and that means it is time for Challenge #1! 

MF Juliet here and I love picking challenges!  So can't wait to see what sparks your imaginations for this challenge!

First, let me remind you that I picked the digi kit by Traci Reed called Wildflower for inspiration this month.  

And focusing on the 12x12 papers and stickers: 

Your first challenge this month I'm calling it ABC's and 123's. 

It is “Back To School” time and that always makes me think of the ABC’s and 123’s so for this challenge I would like to see you use something that starts with an ‘A’ a ‘B’ and a ‘C’ on your layout (could be an ‘apple’, ‘brown twine’ and ‘cake’) OR 1 photo, 2 word title and 3 of the same embellishment – like 3 buttons, 3 hearts, 3 flowers…etc and if you are a rock star use both your ABC’s and 123’s!  

Guest Designer Christine Harden had fun and here is her creation. 

For this one, I was mostly inspired by the color palette and by the "outdoorsy" feel of the inspiration kit. I knew choosing the A,B,C part of the challenge may be the most daunting for me. But I got lucky! On my chipboard set I put in my counterfeit kit, I found an Ampersand and a Cassette tape! So with A and C found, what about B? Thankfully, I was clever enough to have included Buttons in my kit.  So, I have my A,B,C.

 Now for the 1, 2, 3 portion of the challenge. I quickly found my 1 photo because I knew I wanted to document something from my daughter & hubby's recent hiking trip to Montana. The two word title, I actually changed my mind halfway through the layout.  I started with "Sunny + Bright". But as I was working, I saw "Fun Day" and I realized I liked it better. For the 3 of same embellishments, I had pulled out a stamp set, so I thought it would be perfect in 3 spots. Voila! Challenge met.  

 I did realize toward the finish I had forgotten to include enamel dots in my counterfeit kit. OOPS! Not to worry, there were lots of "periods" in my puffy alpha, so I used them like dots. I finished everything off with a little ink splatter in the same distress oxide I had inked all the edges of the papers with and the layout is complete!

Master Forger Cindy did both the ABC's  and 123's on her layout. 

There is more detail on her blog here.

 Master Forger Tina did both the ABC's  and 123's on her layout. Can you pick out the ABC's that she used? You can find out what they are over at her blog here

 

We still have some great stuff in store for you guys so here is the rest of the month!  

• 18th September: Challenge #2 - to inspire you to get creating from your own kit 
• 24th September: Follower Showcase - who has caught our eye this month 
• 30th September: Killing Kits - an idea or two for using up the bits & pieces left in your kit box 

You KNOW that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community, or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcseptember2022). 

September 2022 - Forgery on the Fourth

This feature is all about the fun of having a go at making up your own embellishments or re-creating the papers as a way of getting the same look as the inspiration kit even if you don't have any of the original items. 

These tutorials are often so simple and easy that it really is a perfect chance to try out an idea or two. Make sure you share if you do, we love it when are motivated to give it a go!

Now it's time to see what our talented team have come up with - this is always such an inspiration for me. The Master Forgers often create things that would just not have crossed my mind.

 So talented, so resourceful, so inspirational!

First up, a reminder of this month's kit inspiration:

Traci Reed - Wildflower Digital Kit

Let's see what our team of Master Forgers had some up with!

MF Juliet here.  I love alpha's....I mean I REALLY love them!  The abc one in this collection got me to thinking... I pulled out the ole cricut and started the daunting search for the perfect alpha and I found it.  It is called 'Cooper Black'.  Now I don't know if it is one that I downloaded from dafont or if it was a system one or even if it was a Cricut one but I found it!  :)  I went with a little larger alpha for this one BUT I can always make them smaller on my design space...AND if I run out of a letter I can cut more!  Woop woop!  Then I just took a sharpie, fine tip, and outlined it.  Then searched through my stamp stash and found the perfect little leaf stamp and BAMB...I LOVE this alpha and see me using it many times!  I can stamp and outline in whatever color I want, so so so many options!  Even use another little tiny stamp to fit the layout.  

Ps. I did cut out the entire alphabet, it just took another cricut mat!

Master Forger Tara here!  I adored the floral ephemera from the kit and created some of my own using a PinkFresh Studios stamp, stencil and die set.  You can see the photos of that on my blog HERE. 

I also found some cutfiles in the Silhouette Studio store that work really well with this kit! Here is one of the photos of those so that you can grab them yourself! The others are on my personal blog post!

I also have a few other things that I counterfeited. Here’s some ephemera I created!  Make sure you head to my blog for more photos and information about my forgeries!

Master Forger Cindy included a couple of stamps and dies in her September 2022 Kit.  From the Sticker sheet she liked the floral tag along with the flowers.

      

Check out my blog post here. 

Master Forger Leslie did a very simple alpha counterfeit, words to be produced as needed.

MF Misty also created alphabets for this month's forgery. She did her's two ways. First, since she owns the Traci Reed Wildflower Digital scrapbooking kit, she imported the individual alphabet/letter png files into her Silhouette software and created her own print-then-cut alphabet file (more info in her YouTube video or visit the Silhouette tutorial if you want to learn how.)

For the second way she used stamps and dies much like the other design team members. She will only die cut the letters when she needs them. 

Here is the schedule for the rest of the month!  Make sure you keep coming back for more fun!

• 6th September: Mini-kit Reveal and Project Showcase - inspiration for a smaller kit or project idea 
• 12th & 18th September: Challenges #1 & #2 - to inspire you to get creating from your own kit 
• 24th September: Follower Showcase - who has caught our eye this month 
• 30th September: Killing Kits - an idea or two for using up the bits & pieces left in your kit box

You KNOW that we always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us. You can post them in our Facebook Community, or share them on Instagram (we are @counterfeitkitchallenge or tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcseptember2022).