A little game of Clue

Ready for your clue?  Hmmmm?  

Make your guesses on this thread...we will see if anyone gets it!  I am looking for the specific kit we will be using. 

Who doesn't love a little Cosmo Cricket?

So pretty.  I just want to hoard it.  Check out what Cosmo goodness the PaperVine site has whipped up!

PaperVine: Cosmos Cricket Crazy

Back to School Add-On Kit and Layout Challenge

This month Sherri choose a sketch and put together a page kit from her stash for you to counterfeit.


Sherri's Page Kit

Page Kit Contents:

 4 pieces patterned paper

Yellow mini pom pom trim

Blackboard/chalk stickers
Vintage "report card"

Composition book die cut

2 Apple die cuts

2 star embellishments

"Student" title
1 scalloped border strip

Tutorials:  Sherri designed the awesome report card embellishment herself, you can download the printable PDF here.  She also found a Chalkboard Labels Tutorial to create your own "chalk-able" tags!

The sketch Sherri choose is from Sketch Support and can be found here.

Sherri's Completed Layout

For more details about Sherri's layout, visit her blog at http://www.sherrithompson.blogspot.com/.  I hope you enjoyed this change of pace from using your Counterfeit Kit this month!

Sketch Support Blog Hop!

It is always fun to see the diversity a sketch can bring out in scrappers!  Today will be no exception!  Here is the Sketch Support Sketch we used for todays blog hop:

CKCsketch

Let's see what you all came up with for this one!  Here is the order of the hop in case you get a little lost along the way:

Caryn

Emily

Lesa

Jane

Alison

Jennifer

Milissa

Sarah

Glinda

Bethany

Don't forget to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win TWO Sketch Support Sketch Books!  Thanks so much to Allison for generously donating them for our hop!

Master Forger August Blog Hop!

Welcome to our Master Forgers Blog Hop!

 We have a great sketch for this month's hop from Sketch Support!

The first stop on our hop is Julie Ann, our Guest Designer this month.

And here’s the complete list of the hop, just in case you get lost!

 Julie Ann

Crystal

Melissa

Sherri

Kim

Jemma

Margie

Susanne
Lisa

Gabrielle

Meridy

Happy hopping!

Room Envy...and a free scrapbook class!

Say hello to my green eyed monster friend!  I love my scrap space and am SO grateful to have a room all to myself.  It is comfortable, organized, pretty and easy to work in....BUT.....

Oh.  My.  Goodness! 
Sew Many Ways: Sewing and Craft Room Ideas

Is this what heaven looks like?  LOL



And....In breaking news....

Miss Arts Paper Crafting School is offering a FREE CLASS today!  Check it out:  Miss Arts free class

Blog Hop Reminder and Sneek Peek!

The blog hop is almost here!  This is your last chance to get in on the hop.  And just to entice you more, here is a little peek of my project for the hop.

Don't forget our great sponsor:

is offering up a prize of TWO of their great sketchbooks!  Really, you HAVE to play along for these!  You will have 2 chances to win:  1 entry for participating (letting us link your blog) for the hop and 1 entry for commenting on our blog hop post.

E-mail us by 12:00 AM EST tonight if you want to be in the hop!

Master Forger Design Team Call

We are sad to announce that our wonderful Design Team has been a part of the Counterfeit Kit Challenge for 6 months, and a few of our members need to move forward.  Melissa, Gabrielle, and Lisa will be "retiring" from our team at the end of September 2011.  They have put together BEAUTIFUL Counterfeit Kits and awesome layouts over the past 6 months, and we will be sad to see them go.  That brings me to the main purpose of this post...we need to find 5 new Master Forgers to be part of our team!

"Master Forger" Requirements:

• Create your Counterfeit Kit based on the Inspiration Kit every month, provide us with photos and create a blog post on your own blog.  (due to us by the 3rd of each month)
• Participate in at least 2 mini challenges...we will provide you with three mini challenges at the beginning of the month, so you will have 2-3 weeks to work on them.  One of these challenges must be the Blog Hop Challenge, the other one is your choice. (Mini challenges are due to us on the 12th and 20th of each month, the Blog Hop is on the 27th of each month) 
• When putting Mini Challenges and your Counterfeit Kit on your blog, we also ask that you please provide a link somewhere in your post to that month's sponsor (if there is one).
• Once every 6 months you will need to create your own add-on kit *or* page kit based on the topic we assign.  You will also need to choose a sketch of your choice and create a layout or project based on the sketch.  You will be able to sign up for your month/topic ahead of time, so you can plan things out.  The Add-On or Page kit doesn't need to be anything elaborate...it's just for a change of pace for our followers from always working with the same kit all month!
• Write one "About Me" post for us to include on the "Masters Forger" page on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog.  (Due to us on September 20, 2011)
• We would like you to be able to commit for 6 months.  If things are going well and you wish to continue beyond 6 months...that would be GREAT!  If things are not working out, or if you cannot fulfill the 6 months, it is no problem.  All we ask is that you e-mail us to let us know that you can't be a "Master Forger" any longer. 
• There are a few extra things that many of our Master Forgers enjoy participating in "behind the scenes", these are completely voluntary.  We will go more into detail about these "extra opportunities" once we have picked the next Master Forgers. 

"Master Forger" Compensation:

Since we do the Counterfeit Kit Challenge for fun (and for free)...we are unable to offer you any monetary compensation...it will just be the enjoyment of sharing your love of scrapbooking!  We will, of course, link all of your work and your posts on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog, to your blog home page.

Our Design Team Call will be open through Wednesday, August 31, 2011 (11:59pm Mountain Standard Time) 

If you are interested in becoming a Master Forger please drop us an email at counterfeitkitchallenge@yahoo.com.  Please include a few sentences detailing why you would like to be a part of the Design Team and a link to your blog (or gallery) where you have been following along with the Counterfeit Challenge Blog.  If you have not been able to play every single month, don't let that deter you from applying for the team.  The reason we would like you to have followed along with our challenge is because we would like to choose Design Team members who are familiar with the Counterfeit Challenge Blog and how it works.

If you applied for the Design Team last March, but we didn't have room for you, and are still interested in being a Design Team member, please apply again! 

Master Forger's Turn It on It's Ear Challenge

Ready to be inspired?  We have some awesome projects that we created from some of our favorite Sketch Support sketches.  We saw....we flipped/rotated/switched it up....we created!

Julie Ann

One Page Sketch #8

Gabrielle

One Page Sketch #10

Jemma

Single Page Sketch #10

Kim

Single Page Layout #9

Margie

Melissa

One Page Sketch #2

Sherri

Card Sketch #5

Bethany

Two Page Sketch #3



Challenge # 3: Turn it on it's ear

Photo Credit

One of the things I love about sketch support sketches is how versitile they are.  You really can use the same sketch for a MULTITUDE of layouts and they will all look different.

Let's put this theory to the test:

Challenge # 3:  Turn it on it's ear

Pick any of the sketches from Sketch Support and rotate it before you use it for a card or layout.  You will get a fresh new look this way, but still have the ease of the sketch giving you the blueprints of what to do.  So awesome!

I am in love with this: Doodle Board!

I am completely in

Connie Mercer (from Helmar's Design Team) took a simple photo frame to a whole new level...and purpose.

Check it out here at Helmar Design Team Doodle Board to see what I mean!  (Honestly, I'm not sure I would be willing to let my kids play with that....it is too pretty!)

Coffee Filter Genius!

Apparently I have been missing something all these years. 

Coffee filters!  Who knew?  Check this out on Lily Pad Cards - The Frugal Crafter's Coffee Break!

I Spy...Jennybean!

Jennybean

**Love the mix of pattern papers on this layout!

Blog Hop Challenge: Exclusive Sketch from Sketch Support

I am thrilled to share with you this exclusive sketch made just for us by Allison Davis of Sketch Support.

CKCsketch

Blog Hop:
Use this sketch to create a project with your Counterfeit Kit.  You are welcome to show how versitile this sketch is by using it for a card/mini album/altered project.  Or rotate the sketch to change things up a bit.

 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!

Don't forget we have an awesome prize this month for the hop!  Two Allison Davis Sketch Books!  You will get one entry if you participate in the hop...and one entry for commenting on the hop post.

Disney/Theme Park Layout Challenge

Hi, this is Bethany (Meridy's partner on this blog)!  When we talked about having a Disney/Theme Park page kit add-on for this month, I jumped at the chance to do it!  I have tons of pictures from the fair...little carnivals and amusement parks that I have been wanting to scrap.

Here is my add on-kit:

The sketch I choose is from, where else, Sketch Support:

Here is my layout based on the sketch.   Wouldn't you know it, I didn't use ANY of the photos I already have.  I found photos online of my favorite roller coaster and did a layout on that instead.  LOL

I have a few additional photos of the layout of my blog with more details....head over to Double Dog Dare You to check it out!

The Wheels on the Bus

How cute is this?

Seriously, go to the  Maya Road Design Team Blog and take a good look at Jen's super cute project.  What a great idea for my MANY blank chipboard albums (I'm talking drawers full here, people.)  Way to think outside of the mini album. 

Master Forger's Sketch Swap Challenge

So many great sketches to choose from on the Sketch Support site!  Let's see what inspired our Guest Designer and Master Forgers!

Guest Designer: Julie Ann

Sketch 8

Kim

Card Sketch 8

Crystal

Card Sketch 8

Bethany

Card Sketch 8

Lisa

One Page Sketch 5



Jemma
One Page Sketch 10

Meridy
Card Sketch #8

Challenge #1: Sketch Swap

We are just overflowing with inspiration for you this month!

Photo Credit

Since I am majorly crushing on Sketch Support Sketches...we will be doing all of our challenges based on those this month.  Don't get too far ahead of me, though.  Each challenge will still have our own twist on it.

Challenge #1: Sketch Swap Challenge

Head on over to the Sketch Support site and pick a sketch.  Now use that sketch to make the opposite of what you picked.  If you picked a card sketch...use it to make a layout.  If you picked a layout sketch, use it to make a card.  Don't forget to show us which sketch you are using for this challenge!





Super Cute Teacher Gift!

It is that time of year again.  School starting means a year full of gift giving.  Being a former teacher myself, I love to show the teachers at my kids' school how important they are.  Usually, I make these for the first day:

Gift Boxes

I fill them with hand sanitizer, chapstick, chocolate, tissues and small office supplies.  This year I found this:

Box of Teacher Goodies



I think these might be a fun change for this year.  Do you do anything special for the teachers in your life?

Tutorial- Patterned Papers



Imaginisce B-Day Bash Paper



This paper was in this month's Album Add-On Kit (the Birthday themed kit).  Our Guest Designer, Julie Ann, created a WONDERFUL tutorial for a similar sheet of paper a few months back...It can definitely be adapted to re-create the "celebrate" paper.  Here is the link to Julie Ann's Paper Tutorial.

Imaginisce B-Day Bash Paper

I really liked the back side of this paper (the red and white "birthday gift" design)...but I wanted to scrap some Back to School pictures...so I re-created the paper in a School theme.  Here's how...

Supply List:
Sheet of smooth cardstock in any color
Various stamps in your desired theme
Embossing Ink
White Embossing Powder
Heat Embosser

Supplies

Step:1
Using the largest stamps first, I randomly stamped the images in a grid fashion.  Then I began filling in the spaces between with the medium size stamps, them the small stamps.

Step2:
Sprinkle Embossing Powder over the images and heat it until it sets.

*NOTE:  I did steps 1 and 2 in small areas.  I stamped maybe 5 or 6 images, then embossed, then repeated until I filled the page.  I was worried I would smear the images, which is why I worked in small areas one at a time.

Counterfeit Patterned Paper

Tutorial-Free Printables

In this month's inspiration kit(s) there are lots of journaling blocks, a chipboard bird cage, and some patterned paper with die cuts printed on it.  Your computer can be useful for recreating these embellishments...

Photo Credit...Graphics Fairy

• Bird Cage Embellishment...the following tutorial suggests printing out a picture or clip art image, then heat embossing the image with embossing powder. To find a bird cage image you like try searching "google Images" for 'bird cage clip art' Embossing Tutorial
• Ledger and Graph Papers...Printable Antique Ledger Pages
• Quotes...Printable Quotation Cards
• Collage Sheets...LOTS of pretty printable Collage Sheets, I'm sure you will find one to match your Counterfeit Kit!  And a few more Collage Sheets
• Birthday/Celebration Journal Cards...Printable Journaling Cards
• Vintage Labels...These beautiful Vintage Labels can be used as journaling blocks

Tutorial-Alphas with Flourishes

These Square Alphabet Stickers, by Fancy Pants in the Wishful Thinking line are in this month's Main Inspiration Kit.  I decided to replicate them using stamps and graph paper. 

Fancy Pants Wishful Thinking Line

Supply List:
Alphabet Stamps
Graph Paper (printable graph paper)
Flourish Stamps
Various Colors of Ink
Corner Rounder
Black Pen
Paper Trimmer

Step 1:
Cut the graph paper into one inch or 1 1/2 squares (I tried both for this tutorial).

Step 2:
Stamp the desired letters onto the graph paper.

Step 3:
Stamp flourishes in different colored ink onto your squares. And round the corners using your corner rounder.

Step 4:
Add in the adjectives, verbs, or nouns that correspond with each letter.  Below are two sample titles that I created with this technique.  Super easy and pretty quick!  Enjoy!

OOPS!  I almost forgot, each letter has a hand drawn border just the inside of the square...you can add that in if you'd like it to match even better!