September 2026 - Mini Kits and Project Reveal

For the ones that don't like big huge kits but want to play along we are here to help :) 

 Here is a reminder what our inspiration kit looks like!

Our Mini kit curators this month are Master Forger Christine and Master Forger Vikki

 

Master Forger Christine

 

When I signed up for the Mini Kit for this month's Counterfeit Kit Challenge, I knew I wanted to keep things simple. Then I saw the inspiration kit and immediately noticed the travel theme. That sent me digging through my stash, and I remembered this Echo Park collection that had been sitting around waiting for the right photos.

 The collection is Echo Park's Born to Travel, which originally came from a June 2025 ScrapRoom kit. It wasn't an exact match to the inspiration kit, but it had the same general feeling—travel, adventure, bright colors, airplanes, maps, luggage and all the fun little details that make a travel collection fun to work with.

And, honestly, since it was already in my stash, it seemed like a pretty good excuse to finally use it!

Once I decided on the collection, I went looking for photos to match it. I landed on pictures from a 2011 trip to England. These photos have been waiting for a scrapbook home for a long time, so this challenge gave me the perfect reason to get them out of the photo box.

I ended up creating three layouts from the kit.

The first layout focuses on our visit to the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. I loved the larger "Adventure Awaits" piece from the collection, so I built the layout around it and used the plaid paper as a big grounding element. The little windmill, clouds and travel embellishments helped reinforce the whole adventure theme without making the page feel too busy.

 

The second layout is all about the journey. I used the colorful travel-themed patterned paper behind the photos and added the large "Trip of a Lifetime" embellishment as the focal point. The little airplane, Big Ben, hot air balloon and travel pieces were just too perfect not to use.

And then there was the third layout, which might be my favorite of the three. I used the orange camera paper as the background and paired it with the green patterned paper behind the photos. The large stack of luggage across the bottom made a great embellishment cluster and really helped tell the story of getting ready to head off on an adventure.

And Then There Was... What's Left?  After completing three layouts, I took another look at my kit.  Let's just say I was pretty successful at using it up. 

What remains is basically some stickers and two 4x6 cut-apart pieces.

 

 

Master Forger Vikki  

 Here's my mini kit for the month. I didn't really have any travel photos ready to scrapbook, so I tried to stay with the colors of the inspiration kit.  I created a neutral kit that could be used for anything.

For my first project, I made a 12x12 layout using the cutest hot air balloon paper.  I cut the paper into 1/2 inch strips and spaced them just a tad apart on the background paper.

I used a few different papers from my kit to mat the photos and to layer behind the photos.

For my second 12x12 layout, I stamped several images of flowers in various colors.  I then fussy cut them out and they turned out to be a great forgery.  I made a flower wreath around the photo, alternating the flowers with a circle die.  I really love how this turned out.  With all that fussy cutting, it was definitely a labor of love.

 

• 12th - Challenge #1: Ready, Set, Explore!
• 18th - Challenge #2: Travels Documented
• 22nd - Challenge #3: Let's Get Sketchy
• 30th - Baby Use Those Scraps

We'd love to see what you create! Share your projects in the Counterfeit Kit Community on Facebook or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge.  #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcSeptember2026

Happy Scrapping! Tina

August 2026 - Mini Kits and Project Reveal

 Hello friends! 

You have had a few days to take a look at the kits that the Master Forgers have put together - and hopefully had some time to put one together yourself -- but not to fear - if you don't have the time to play with a full kit this month -- put together a mini! 

Here are the photos of our inspiration for August:

Let's take a look at what Master Forger Tara, and Master Forger Christine came up with for their Mini kits!

Master Forger Tara

I think that this might be my smallest mini kit yet.  I only pulled four sheets of patterned paper and two packs of ephemera plus three alphas!!  Here's the photo of my kit:

 

 For my first layout, I knew that I wanted to use my pink swirl patterned paper.  It reminds me of ice cream and summer!  I also knew that I was going to stitch on it!!!  Here's the finished layout:

 

 

My second layout is fairly simple.  It's also only a one photo layout but I used a 4x6.  Here's the finished layout:

 

My final layout uses scraps from the previous two plus a little more ephemera and the scripty font.  I consider a kit bashed when I use all of my paper.  I managed to do that and the rest of the ephemera will go back into the original Hip Kit Club kit.  The alphas will go back into my rainbow ordered thickers as well. 

 

 I did create a process video for this kit and layouts and you can view that HERE!!! 

Master Forger Christine

I went true "mini" on this one, pulling just 3 full pattern paper sheets (one of which was a tag sheet), a paper scrap, a leftover sticker sheet, some puffy stickers, black letter stickers, and little ephemera.  I was also proud to have found yellow pom pom in my stash!

For my mini, I was inspired by the lemon elements and the tags in the inspiration kit.  And as I mentioned, I made sure to pull some black letter stickers and a similar sticker sheet to the inspo.

I had such fun with this kit and got 3 layouts out of it!  (I did end up having to pull a couple of solid cardstock from my stash - white, yellow, and aqua.)

This is the first layout where I used that piece of white cardstock. To make my supplies go a little farther, I gutted the center of the pink diagonal plaid paper to use on another project, but it still made a great frame around the page. I also made sure to include the citrus paper I'd pulled because I couldn't resist pairing it with the "Main Squeeze" puffy sticker for this sweet photo of my hubby and me. The layered tags, twine, and scattered hearts add just the right amount of playful movement, and I love how they keep your eye traveling around the page.

For my second layout, I used the aqua cardstock along with the frame I had gutted from the first layout to get the citrus paper. I even repurposed the square I had cut out of the first layout's frame by trimming it into two banners, which let me show off both the A and B sides of that pretty patterned paper. I love finding ways to stretch my supplies and get every bit of a paper into a project!

I also pulled in several stickers from the sticker sheet, including the dragonfly, frog, and snail. Those little critters were the perfect embellishments since they're such a common sight during our rainy season. The photos capture a pair of ducks that decided to make themselves at home in the temporary "ponds" that formed around our property after all the rain. Sometimes the best memories come from the unexpected visitors!

My final layout uses the full sheet of yellow cardstock along with the leftover aqua cardstock from the previous layout, so nothing went to waste! Since I had already used all of the full-size patterned papers, this was the perfect opportunity to dive into the tag sheet I had included in my kit. The four tags became the foundation of the design, giving me lots of places to mix and match the remaining patterns.

I finished the page with the large "Beautiful" ephemera title, a few stickers, and some butterflies to tie everything together. (And can you spot the little pom pom detail under her photo?). This was such a sweet way to document a favorite photo of my baby, Cleo, sitting in the window. With the butterflies floating around her, it almost looks like she's watching them flutter just outside. Sometimes the simplest photos tell the sweetest stories.

All I had left of my mini kit was two tags, a partial sheet of puffies and stickers.  I so enjoyed using this inspiration kit this month!

If you want to watch me create these layouts.  Check out my process video here.

Here's what we have coming up this month:

• 12th - Challenge #1: Summer Adventure
• 18th - Challenge #2: Let's get a little Messy
• 22nd - Challenge #3: Let's Get Sketchy
• 30th - Baby Use Those Scraps

We'd love to see what you create! Share your projects in the Counterfeit Kit Community on Facebook or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge.  #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcAugust2026

I can't wait to see what you come up with - I hope you will play along with your stash! 

Happy Scrapping!  XO Amanda Bass 

July 2026 - Last Challenge - Baby, Use Those Scraps!

 Can you believe we're already at the end of July?

We've spent the month creating with our counterfeit kits, and hopefully we've made a nice dent in our supplies. That means it's time for one of my favorite challenges: Baby, Use Those Scraps!

One last time, a reminder of our inspo kit!

If you're anything like me, you've accumulated a healthy pile of leftover paper strips, partial die cuts, sticker sheets with just a few pieces remaining, and odds and ends that seem too good to throw away. Today's challenge is all about putting those leftovers to work.

The music theme of our Crescendo kit reminds me that even the smallest notes contribute to the overall song. In the same way, those little scraps can come together to create something beautiful on a layout.

So dig into those leftovers, challenge yourself to use what remains from your July kit, and see how much mileage you can get from supplies that might otherwise end up back in a drawer.

Let's take a look at how our team used their scraps this month!

Master Forger Amanda

I had quite a bit to choose from for scraps today! I decided to use the left over pattern paper I made from Forgeries on the Fourth, and some of the smaller strips left over to put this layout together! I also decided to get a little messy and I used some Lunar pastes, and some spritz to add some glitz to this page! 

The green is from the same paste that looks crreamy on the page, except it is smeared into to lined of the textured black cardstock! I even took a fan brush with the spritx and brushed even more sparkle across the page (it looks pinkish in the photon)

I have a process video available on my channel to check out how I came up with this -- and I show all the scraps I had left over 

Master Forger Christine

After I completed most of my layouts, I had just 1 full sheet, a half sheet, this circle cutout piece, and some tiny strips I had cut from another full sheet. Because the half sheet already had a collage look going for it, I fully embraced the "junk journal" style and just went for it.  I did have to get into my stash for the title(s) but I really love how this turned out.  It is unique and really different from my normal style.

But I had JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE!

I mean, look, I still had scraps enough to make a card!

So placing the 3 music papers as little blocks to hold the three diagonal stripe pieces made into banners, I was then able to put the little embellishments.  And voila!  I used literally EVERY SCRAP of this month's kit!

We'd love to see what you create! Share your projects in the Counterfeit Kit Community on Facebook or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge.  #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcjuly2026

Life moves Fast.  Scrap the moments that matter.

Love, Christine | ScrappingHarden

July 2026 - Forgeries on the Fourth

 

Happy Fourth of July to our friends in the United States, and happy crafting day to everyone else!

One of my favorite Counterfeit Kit traditions is Forgeries on the Fourth. This is our opportunity to take a closer look at the inspiration kit and recreate some of its elements using supplies we already have on hand.

The Crescendo kit includes lots of fun music-inspired details, layered embellishments, and energetic design elements. Rather than purchasing something new, I challenged myself to look through my stash and see what I could recreate.

One of the things I love most about scrapbooking is that creativity often flourishes when we work with what we already own. A little ingenuity, a few punches, stamps, dies, scraps, or even some fussy cutting can often give us the look we're after.

Today I'm sharing my forgery and hopefully it inspires you to take a second look at the supplies already sitting on your shelves.

Now to be completely honest, my forgery is a bit off center.  Here's what I mean by that.  I noticed the darker paper in the original kit had music notes all over it.  So, I pulled my darker paper and initially thought to just use my VersaMark to put little music notes all over the paper.

Well, that turned out to be harder than it looked!  I had a hard time seeing the little notes on the pattern of the paper I selected.  So I decided to pivot and go ahead and add embossing powder.  I chose Seafoam White.

So, in the end, I do have a darker piece of paper with music notes all over it - but they are white!

Master Forger Tara

I created some forgeries using my Cameo. Here's the screenshot of my computer screen.  The musical cut files aren't an exact match but work for my personal kit.

 Here's my completed forgeries:

For the banners, I didn't use a music note patterned paper.  I couldn't find one so I pulled this black and white print from a Maggie Holmes collection.  I cut out three of each banner so I could stack them and make them appear to be chipboard.  I like to do this the most with titles on my Cameo.

 The other two items are cutfiles. The heart is one I TRIED to make as similar as the one in the inspo kit, but it was an epic fail.  I will use it anyway.  The second one is just a cutfile that I purchased somewhere.  Here they are:

 

Master Forger Amanda

Two things out of the kit caught my attention for forgeries this month - that green bird wearing headphones, and the chevron like paper with the purples, blues, red and oranges. 

I used a stencil to make a background inspired by the chevron like paper.  I had a spellbinders stencil called Dynamic Backgrounds, and used the distress oxides in Festive Berries, Crackling Campfire, Villainous Potion, and Prize Ribbon. 

To make the birds, I used two different stamp-sets, and couldn't just stop at one bird!  I drew the headphone for this green bird - I am sure you can tell - but I love how he turned out! 

 I spent some time coloring each of the birds, fussy-cut some out, and stamped a whole pile extra to color at a later date!

Here's what we have coming up this month:

• 6th - Mini Kit and Project Reveal
• 12th - Challenge #1: Summer Soundtrack
• 18th - Challenge #2: Turn Up the Volume
• 22nd - Challenge #3: Let's Get Sketchy
• 30th - Baby Use Those Scraps

We'd love to see what you create! Share your projects in the Counterfeit Kit Community on Facebook or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge.  #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcjuly2026

Life moves Fast.  Scrap the moments that matter.

Love, Christine | ScrappingHarden

July 2026 - Just the Gist of It

Hello, hello!  Master Forger Christine here!

As a reminder, our inspiration this month is the Crescendo Deluxe Theme Kit from Not Just For Boys Kit Club. This kit is packed with music-inspired elements, bright summer colors, and lots of movement and energy.

When building your kit, I want you to focus on the gist of the kit rather than trying to copy it exactly. Maybe it's the music theme that caught your eye. Maybe it's the bold color palette, layered patterns, or sense of rhythm and motion. Pick one aspect of the kit that speaks to you and use that as your starting point.

Here's a few examples of how I interpreted the gist of this kit:

When I first saw the Crescendo Deluxe Theme Kit, I was immediately drawn to the music theme and all of the layered patterns and interesting textures. While I loved the bright, energetic colors of the original kit, I knew I wanted to put my own spin on it using supplies from my stash. Instead of matching the color palette, I focused on the overall feel of the kit—the sheet music, vintage tickets, labels, stripes, and all the little details that create rhythm and movement throughout the collection.

As I shopped my stash, I found these papers from PhotoPlay along with some coordinating neutrals and music-themed die cuts from my electronic die cut machine that captured the same vibe in a completely different way. I added a few embellishments that fit the theme, and before long my July counterfeit kit came together. I love that it's a little softer and more vintage than the inspiration, while still staying true to the musical spirit that first caught my attention. That's one of my favorite things about Counterfeit Kit Challenge—you don't have to duplicate the inspiration, just let it spark your own creativity.

Remember, counterfeit kits are all about using what you already own. Don't worry if you don't have music-themed products. Think about the feeling of the kit and let that guide your choices.

Here's what we have coming up this month:

• 4th - Forgeries on the Fourth
• 6th - Mini Kit and Project Reveal
• 12th - Challenge #1: Summer Soundtrack
• 18th - Challenge #2: Turn Up the Volume
• 22nd - Challenge #3: Let's Get Sketchy
• 30th - Baby Use Those Scraps

We'd love to see what you create! Share your projects in the Counterfeit Kit Community on Facebook or tag us on Instagram @counterfeitkitchallenge.  #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcjuly2026

Life moves Fast.  Scrap the moments that matter.

Love, Christine | ScrappingHarden

June 2026 - Challenge #2 - Be Excellent to Each Other!

 It is the second challenge of the month!

Before we dive in, here is a reminder peek at our kit.

One of the phrases in the kit says "Be Excellent to Each Other," and those from my generation can hear the words of Bill and Ted ringing through our heads!  But I want you to document how someone has blessed you - in everyday life, or in crisis - or how you did something for someone else that you felt was “excellent” for this challenge!

Master Forger Briana had this to say about her layout:

I had a little help from my husband to choose an example of being excellent. I am a RN and do lots of volunteering but I feel that people bless me more than I bless them. My husband’s uncle is 69 and has dementia and in a memory care facility. I get to visit him when his wife is out of town. Our visits always lift my spirits. I also get to help his wife with navigating the health care system. I am blessed to have them in my life. I am terrible at journaling and trying to get better and this was important for me to journal. Forgive my scribbles. I used the sketch from 30 days of sketches and my kit. I don’t have many embellishments in my kit but lots of stamps so I stamped my own embellishments. 

 

You can watch Briana's process video HERE!

 
Master Forger Amanda

This was a little more of a challenge for me to think about and do. Normally I would say my spouse is this person for me always, but this last year was especially difficult with the mental health of our youngest child, and of course he was still a great support and my best friend, but I had three colleagues and friends step up in that crisis to be supportive and amazing throughout it.  I do not have a picture to go on this layout at the moment, but plan to have them pose with me so I can document them properly.  My journaling will be a little more detailed about how they supported me and continue to support me through this difficult time, but that will remain private.  I also used the sketch from 30 days of Sketches with Christie's Beautiful Life, and used some strips from this kit and some strips from previous kits to make the shelf, and I wanted to use some mixed media because I haven't gotten that messy lately.  The embellishments also came from my kit. 

Master Forger Christine

For Challenge #2, “Be Excellent to Each Other,” I immediately thought about my upcoming cruise with my best friend. Life has a way of keeping us busy with responsibilities, work, and the everyday demands that pull us in every direction. This trip feels like a true blessing for both of us, but especially for a friend who has spent so much time caring for others and deserves a chance to simply relax, recharge, and enjoy life.  I created this layout using my Counterfeit Kit, which is filled with colorful Vicki Boutin goodness. The bold title, playful layers, and bright pops of color capture the excitement and gratitude I feel as we count down to our adventure. The journaling will document not only the trip itself but also the friendship behind it...the kind of friendship that shows up, supports, encourages, and reminds us that sometimes being “excellent” means giving someone the gift of time, laughter, and shared memories.

I left the photo mat blank so I can drop in the photo we will get taken as we get on the boat.

This layout is a celebration of friendship, gratitude, and the simple joy of getting away together. Sometimes the biggest blessings come wrapped in ordinary moments with extraordinary people. 

How can we be halfway through our challenges already!?!  Luckily, there are still two more we can look forward to . . .

• 22nd - Challenge #3 - Let’s Get Sketchy
• 30th - Baby Use Those Scraps!

We love to see what you are working on, so don't forget to show us on our Facebook Counterfeit Kit Community.

Remember, Make Every Day a Day Worth Scrapbooking!

~Ryann