June's Counterfeit Kit Revel and Blog Hop

Photo Credit

Goodbye school year (for my kids at least) and Hello summer (and not getting up at 5:30 so I can get the kids ready for school).   You would think that would mean more scrapping time, but this mamma like to hang out with the kids whenever she can (as well as still work...that whole need to pay the bills thing).  Luckily, My Girl likes to scrapbook, so hopefully we can carve out some time together.

We have two great choices for you that really play off of our Blog Event from last month!  Get ready for some COLOR!

Scrapbook Circle May Kit

Clique Kits Summer School

Both kits are bursting with vibrant colors and have a nice addition of either black or wood grain.  I love them BOTH (as you will soon see on the hop)!

Unfortunately we do not have a Guest Designer for this month...we never got a response, so be on the lookout on your blog posts!  I usually will ask in the comments for you to e-mail the counterfeit kit challenge so I can ask that very important question!

We DO want to say a sad goodbye to Milissa Miller.  She is moving on from our DT to focus on life stuff.  We will miss you, Milissa!  Make sure you stop by her blog HERE and give her a big virtual hug!  

Who wants to see our completely fabulous kits?  I thought so!  Here is the list...get inspired and get hopping!

Order of the Hop:

Bethany:  http://inspiredscrapper-bethany.blogspot.com

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

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

Julene  http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com.au/

Lesley G.  http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk/

Lisa H. http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/
Leslie  http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com/

Lynnette http://sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com/

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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…).

We also have a Flicker group, if you don't have a blog, but would like to share your creativity with us!  CKC Blog Flicker Group

We also have a new twist on our Follower Blog Hop for this year!  I hope you like it!

End of the Month Blog Hop:

On the 24th of each month we offer a blog hop opportunity to all of our followers!  A chance for you to show off a special project made with your counterfeit kit for that month.

Here is how it will work:

Your Blog Hop Project may be from any of the 3 challenges we offer throughout the month.

Your project must be something new that you have not shown before and only post for the hop.

To be a part of our blog hop:

1.  E-mail us your name/blog address/promise to participate at counterfeitkitchallenge@yahoo.com  BY THE 18th!  (No late requests will be able to join this time due to the work it takes for us to get it put together.)

2.  You will receive  an e-mail from us by the 20th with a list of the hop participants.

3.  You will need to schedule your own blog post showing your project based on this challenge and links to the person after you in the hop.

4.  All Blog Hop posts will need to be scheduled to go live on the 24th at 12:00 A.M. Mountain Standard Time (Arizona)

Wishing you a Creative Day!

Bethany

May Challenge #2: Safety in Numbers

I was inspired by THIS POST BY PAPERCLIPPING ROUND TABLE about using up large amounts of embellishments.  Perfect fit for us, right?

Usually I am a hoarder.   **For those of you sarcastically saying "like we didn't know that already"....HUMPH!**  I want to make my supplies last and last and have a collection of things I have been saving and now have moved onto something else so I don't use them.  I am going to take a BIG gulp and give this one a try.  Heaven help me, but you might have to talk me off the panic ledge.

Challenge #2:  Safety in Numbers:  Choose one embellishment to focus on in your project and use A LOT of it!  The whole pack if you are brave enough!

Let's see who joined me on the deep end...

Guest Designer Laura is in on the action.  You can check out more on Her Blog.

Lesley G has used a whole sheet of labels on her layout...

You can see the whole layout on her BLOG

Milissa used almost a whole sheet of Heidi Swapp puffy stickers here...



Get the whole scoop on here BLOG.

Wonderful World of Color: Color Inspiration

Milissa, here, this afternoon, to provide a little color inspiration for you.  I am a blog junkie!  I have over 130 blogs in my Bloglovin' feed (no, they don't get read every day - unfortunately).  But one theme I see over and over is finding inspiration in ads or photos, for whatever your project may be.  This is not always an easy task for me to transfer to my scrapbooking as I tend to be a very literal person - color for color, flower for flower, etc.  Every now and then, though, something just clicks and it all works out.

This happened recently when I was at a retreat.  I was really struggling with which way I wanted to go with this challenge.  I had this particular challenge on my brain as I was jammin' out to my music and making Mother's Day cards.  I looked over at one of my friends at the retreat and I saw this:

 

That, my friends, is the rug that was on the floor beside my friend.  There is a nifty little website called Lets Chip It where you can upload a picture and it will pull out complimentary color swatches for you.

So what did I come up with for my card, you ask.  Let's see:

So there you have it.  Either use what I gave you above or look up that nifty little Sherwin Williams Lets Chip It site and use your own picture to create your own color inspiration.  Whichever way you decide to go, just GO and create something wonderful!

But don't forget to check back and see what other wonderful scrappy goodness we have coming up for you!

Happy Scrappin'
Milissa

Hey...I can make THAT!

March Tutorials

Welcome to "Hey...I can make THAT!"  A monthly post to help you truly counterfeit many of the components of the current month's kit.  No need to go out and purchase...just use the supplies you already have to create some of the freshest and trendiest products out there.  Here you will find links to our amazing design team members' blogs and/or links to other craft sites on the web showing how to make these amazing products.

This month we have a multitude of choices from the February Cocoa Daisy Kit as seen here.  Are you a traditional scrapbooker?  Do you like to art journal?  Project Life more your thing?  There's a kit for everyone!  And lots of kits mean lots of forgeries going on over at CKC Design Team Central.  Let's see what our lovely Master Forgers have up their sleeve this month.
 
Angela's been rooting around for objects to make marks similar to the Crafter's Workshop Stencil included as an addon for the Cocoa Daisy kits. See what she found on her blog here.

Or how about making your very own dotty stencils using acetate and a hole punch?

Are you running out of Mod-Podge? Angela's art mentor, Cilenia Curtis, shared some tips with her on how to make her own.

DIY Mod Podge
 

Meanwhile, Jemma's been stitching again to create those Studio Calico Stitched Journalling Cards:

How did Angela transfer that magazine cut-out onto her watercolour background to get this arty look?

image transfer technique

Milissa has a trio of quick, easy tutorials for you here and here.

Kudos to our guest designer, Elaine for jumping right in to show us how to make a copycat version of the yellow and raspberry brick inspired paper in the kit.  Check it out on her blog here:

Lesley has some printables for you over on her blog,

she doesn't do stitching!

Leslie tackled a few of the papers

Now, all of these tutorials should keep you busy to complete your kit.  Remember to keep us in mind for your future forging needs.  I've added labels to the post so that you can reference and search for tutorials in the future.  Think of us as your one-stop resource for inspiration AND tutorials!

Flashback Challenge

Here's a quick challenge that should be easy to draw inspiration from: pull out your favorite layout - it's okay to play favorites this time! - and draw inspiration from it.

I decided to use a layout from Christmas three years ago.  I really liked the dangling ornaments on the page and decided to go with that.

For my new page, I made large, oversized ornaments to hold the pictures and sprinkled on some sequins.  A little tulle and baker's twine and I'm done!  Now I just need to get the pictures printed!

Quick and easy and you'll have to Christmas pictures scrapped in no time!

Until next time,
Milissa

Flip A Sketch Challenge

The idea behind this challenge is really simple:  take a sketch that is intended for a page and use it for a card. Or, if you are not a card maker, make a tag.  You can use the tag as an embellishment on a layout.  I love doing this when I get really stuck.  It gives me a new perspective - and, well, challenge.  Plus, sometimes I might see a sketch I really like but I'm just not in the mood to do a full page,

Here is the sketch I'm going to use for today's challenge.

Layout to Card Sketch: Creative Scrappers #253

Here's my card, because who can't use a last minute Christmas card right about now, right?

 And just for kicks, here's a birthday card made using the same sketch:

So, do you want to see a tag?  Of course you do (and even if you don't I made one for you anyway!)

This will look super cute on a page layout I have in mind!

A few tips when looking for a layout sketch to convert to a card:

• You'll want a single page sketch.
• A sketch with fewer pictures isn't necessarily better - you can always switch out a picture for an embellishment.
• A card is just a scaled down layout so size matters - too many small strips or pieces on a sketch will mean less pieces on a card versus a layout.
• A sketch is just a guideline - give it your own flair!

If this sketch doesn't work for you, feel free to find another.  These are some of the sketch blogs I follow:

http://creativescrappers.blogspot.com/
http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/
http://www.papersecrets.net/
http://www.inspiredblueprints.com/
http://letsgetsketchy.blogspot.com/
http://littletangles.blogspot.com/
http://www.pagemaps.com/
http://stuckonusketches.blogspot.com/
http://sketchesinthyme.blogspot.com/

If you know of another good sketch blog, let me know! ;)
So what will you use for your inspiration?

Happy Scrappin'
Milissa

Color Inspiration Challenge

This time of year our senses are on overload.  We are surrounded by so many wonderful sights, sounds, and smells.  Whether you realize it or not, sensory inspiration works its way into your decision making process without you realizing it on so many occassions.

I love drawing on color for my layout inspirations, especially this time of year.  I am not your typical red / green / gold Christmas kind of girl.  These are the kinds of colors that I like for Christmas and that I'll be using for inspiration today:

This is actually the back of my cousin's shirt.  Isn't that funny?  We went to visit them a while back and I snapped this picture to use.  I just loved the pattern and the colors in it.  The funny thing is that she didn't think I was completely bonkers when I said, "Hey, Tina, I need to take a picture of your shirt for my blog!"  I guess that just shows how crazy my whole family is - but in a good way! LOL!

  And keep in mind that when using color as inspiration, it is just that - inspiration.  So use it as a ballpark.  Unless you are entering a challenge for a prize, don't stress about matching perfectly.

 I made a couple of birthday cards because, well, as seems to be the norm right now, I am running behind and have a few birthdays I need to tend to this month.

Now, even though I used these colors for a birthday card, they could easily be used for Christmas.  You can see brighter versions of these colors in many current Christmas collections.

Eggnog by October Afternoon

Christmas Cheer by Jillibean Soup

And don't forget all the challenge blogs out there!  CSI: Color, Story, Inspiration is a great blog for color inspiration and one of my favorites.

So what inspires you?  Don't forget to link up your wonderful creations with Mr. Linky!

Happy Scrappin'
Milissa

Hey...I can make THAT!

November Tutorials

Welcome to "Hey...I can make THAT!"  A monthly post to help you truly counterfeit many of the components of the current month's kit.  No need to go out and purchase...just use the supplies you already have to create some of the freshest and trendiest products out there.  Here you will find links to our amazing design team members' blogs and/or links to other craft sites on the web showing how to make these amazing products.

If you haven't seen this month's inspiration kit, Jenni Bowlin's October kit & add-ons, you must go here NOW!  So much wonderful inspiration!  But what if you feel like you are missing key components to a kit and you have no suitable subs from your stash?  No need to place a rush order to your favourite online store, just check out your Master Forgers' renditions of these scrappy items.

Vikki had some color changing fun this month and shows us how to change it up HERE.

Angela forged a digital cutting file and shows us how.

If you don't have a digital cutting machine, Lynnette found this tutorial on the October Afternoon blog that can show you how to make an "old school" pie graph.

Leslie S was inspired by...

Julene  was inspired to create a tag flower....

A great way to use up an ever growing collection of tags!

Bling up your buttons with Jemma

And, last but not least, how about a little wooden tutorial?

Milissa uses stamps and ink to counterfeit the wooden veneers.

Thank you so much, ladies!  These are sure to put the finishing touches on some fabulous kits.  

Please show us your creations over on Mr. Linky.  We love to see where the inspiration takes YOU!

Hey...I Can Make THAT!

                          

October Tutorials

                            

Welcome to "Hey...I can make THAT!"  A monthly post to help you truly counterfeit many of the components of the current month's kit.  No need to go out and purchase...just use the supplies you already have to create some of the freshest and trendiest products out there.  Here you will find links to our amazing design team members' blogs and/or links to other craft sites on the web showing how to make these amazing products.

If you haven't seen this month's inspiration kit, "5th & Main" by Cocoa Daisy, you must go here NOW!  So much wonderful inspiration!  But what if you feel like you are missing key components to a kit and you have no suitable subs from your stash?  No need to place a rush order to your favorite online store, just check out your Master Forgers' renditions of these scrappy items.

Lesley has made her own Stereorama & Filmstrip.

 You can find the tutorials over on her blog

Leslie S  has a handful of easy-peasy forgeries this month.

Milissa has two tutorials using alcohol inks.

Thank you so much, ladies!  These are sure to put the finishing touches on some fabulous kits.  Please show us your creations over on Mr. Linky.  We love to see where the inspiration takes YOU!

Milissa's Bonus CHA Kit!

It is Milissa's turn to share her Bonus Kit with us!  Head over to her BLOG to take a look!

Hey...I can make THAT!

                         

August Tutorials

                            

Welcome to "Hey...I can make THAT!"  A monthly post to help you truly counterfeit many of the components of the current month's kit.  No need to go out and purchase...just use the supplies you already have to create some of the freshest and trendiest products out there.  Here you will find links to our amazing design team members' blogs and/or links to other craft sites on the web showing how to make these amazing products.

Angela's using up some scraps to make a record embellishment inspired by this month's Confidence Kit.

Milissa used a stencil and some stamps to counterfeit this gorgeous Basic Grey paper.

Picture Source

Number tags and speech bubble sentiments with Angela.

Leslie did an assortment of polaroid accents inspired by the Simple Stories 24/7 Snapshots paper.

The other Lesley made a flower and although a bit too big for a layout you could try making a smaller one?

Julene has a great idea to use up those extra alphas and numbers from your kit.

Be sure to try your hand at some or ALL of these crafty counterfeits.  They will save you a couple of bucks and give you the satisfaction of saying...

Hey...I made THAT!

Hey...I can make THAT!

June Tutorials

Welcome to "Hey...I can make THAT!"  A monthly post to help you truly counterfeit many of the components of the current month's kit.  No need to go out and purchase...just use the supplies you already have to create some of the freshest and trendiest products out there.  Here you will find links to our amazing design team members' blogs and/or links to other craft sites on the web showing how to make these amazing products.

This month's inspiration kits and add-ons from Scraptastic Club offer a ton of opportunities to counterfeit.  Here's a refresher on our inspiration:

  

May Kit - After the Storm and After the Storm Add-on

  

May Kit - Destination and Destination - Add-On

To get the whole low down on this month's kits, be sure to visit the June Kit Reveal post here, but for those of you who are ready to get down and dirty, let's get started!

DIY Enamel Dots

First up, we have those very popular (and a bit pricey) Basic Grey enamel dots as shown in the "After the Storm" Add-on kit.  I recently purchased that exact pack and paid $4.00.  What was I thinking?  The following link is a great resource for making your own using nail polish and floral lustre gems.  I tried this one out for myself and it worked beautifully (as shown above).  I couldn't find the clear gems at Michael's, but did find them in the floral department of AC Moore.  The 16 oz. package (which seems to contain hundreds, if not a thousand gems) cost $9.99 and I used a 40% off coupon.  I had plenty of nail polish on hand and wouldn't mind purchasing a few new colors for my gems AND my toes!  Only downside is that they are all the same size, but with this kind of cost savings, I think I can live with that.  Be sure to check it out here:  DIY Enamel Dots

Digital Word Stickers

Angela, our Digi Master Forger extraordinaire, has a fabulous tutorial for making word stickers with digital stamps and address labels from the stationers.  You certainly could use these to mimic those Echo Park tags in the Destination main kit.  Check out Angela's blog for all the details.

Bokeh-Style Papers

(pronounced like the word bouquet...learn something new everyday!)

Sherri, our featured guest designer this month, counterfeited the bokeh-style papers from Lily Bee that you see in the "After the Storm" kit.  She achieved these awesome results by following this bokeh tutorial from Lawn Fawn.

Here's what Sherri had to say about her process:  I tried just circles the first time, like the Kite Strings paper, and it came out great. I wanted to try the Gumball, too.  When I looked for a heart stamp in my stash, however, I found that my hearts, when flipped over, really didn't look like hearts anymore.  So, I punched a tiny heart from cardstock, then used the negative as a mask.  I just stamped over the heart with the circle stamp that I had been using.  It worked great!

Shapes, Die Cuts and Clusters...Oh My!

Milissa, one of our Master Forgers, has a smorgasbord of mini-tutorials posted. 

Milissa M.

She will show you how to mimic the Jillibean Soup Corrugated Sunshine shapes, recreate the Scraptastic Hello Sunshine Diecut, and, just for fun, how to use your scraps up to make some homemade embellishment clusters!

So, these projects should keep you busy for a while!  Hope they help you complete your kit for the month.  Leave us a comment and post over to June Mr. Linky so we can applaud all of your creations!

See...you certainly CAN make THAT!