February Challenge #2 Feathers

One of the trends over the past year or 2 has been feathers on layouts and cards.

Your challenge today is to feature feathers on your layout!

Leslie put instructions for washi tape feathers on our Forgeries on the Fourth post.

Here's what our Master Forgers have created.

Lisa decided to use the feathers that were included in her kit as well as rustle up some tissue paper examples similar to the vellum ones she featured in Forgery on the Fourth.

Together, they formed a whole cluster of pretty feathers to highlight the pretty nieces that feature on her layout. You can find out a little more information over on her blog.

Find more information about the feathers as well as some detail shots over on her blog here

Leslie used this beautiful collage paper by Kaisercraft that includes feathers, plus a second page she made for the Layout A Day challenge this month with a feather paper from her kit!

Had a little oops! with my alphas... read more HERE

Laura used the feather paper from her kit, the stamped feathers she made as her forgeries and even a photo of her son holding his 'feather treasure'!

Tina used feathers that she die-cut for embellishing on her layout that featured birds

We can't wait to see how you interpret this challenge.


Don't forget to show us what you make!  You can add it to our Link-up page, post it in our Facebook Community, or share it on Instagram (use #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcjanuary2019).  We love to see your projects!

Kill that Kit!

No, we have not turned Mafia on you.  I do know that it is just as easy to "collect" handmade kits as it is to collect purchased ones.  How about you?  Do you have older kits piling up?  I know I have a few.

So our choices are:
1.  To disassemble them back into our stash
2.  Use them up...we did go to all the trouble of making them, after all.

My plan is to have a post at the end of the month full of ideas to use up that kit!  Hopefully before we break out our stash and Counterfeit  new one.  Let's get going!

Challenge Ideas:

1.  Be Inspired by Centenary Celebrations
2.  Layout about Top 100
3. Be inspired by 100 items
4.  Be Inspired by the Song 100 Years
5. Confetti Challenge
6.  Allison Davis Free Sketch
7.  A Little Bit of Twine Love
8.  Holiday Card Inspiration
9.  Self Portrait Challenge
10.  10 Minute Craft Dash Challenge

How about a little Pinterest Inspiration?



Nettio Designs


Creating Keepsakes


Debbie Hodge


Tammy Harp at The ScrapRoom



Jillibean Soup


Scrapbook and Cards Today


Darlene Design

Getting Ready for Summer

It was a toasty 108 degrees at my house today...and it "technically" isn't even summer yet!  You can bet that most of my family's summer will be spent indoors (unless we are in a pool).  I hope to get LOTS of scrapbooking done.   In order to help the rest of you get into the "summertime" mood, I will link you to Rebecca Cooper's Blog, called "Simple as That".  She has a free Summer Photo Checklist that you might find handy.  I love her "photo checklists" and will be printing this one out and keeping it on my fridge!

Welcome to Summer!!!!!

New Year Resolutions by Helen

Hello - it's Helen here - well we've finally reached the end of the year! This is usually a time for reflection - a time to look back and a time to look forward. A time for New Year Resolutions

Some people love them and some aren't so keen.

Some people think that they don't really achieve much.

What scrapbooking resolutions will you be making this year?

Scrap more?
Finish those half done projects?
Use the stash you have up or sell/donate it?
Scrap faster?
Try new techniques?
Try new challenges?
Buy smarter - make a list of what you need/already have?
Blog more?
Comment more?
Join a crop?
Use those tools that you bought but are gathering dust?
Fill in the gaps in your albums to tell a coherent story?
Learn better photography skills?
All of these and more?

Sometimes it can be helpful to keep it simple and to focus on just one thing

If that doesn't help them there's always a more chilled approach

Whatever you decide I hope that the New Year involves you joining us in the Counterfeit Kit Challenge - we'd love to see you. From all of us to all of you - Happy New Year!

Preparing for a New Year of Scrapping by Susanne

If someone asked you what you do to mark the end of a successful year of scrapbooking, what would you say? Would it be - get ready for the next one?
Well, a new year is upon us – and since I get a kick out of starting something new, I thought I would share 5 tips to prepare for it.
1) Get over the fact that you did not finish some of the projects you started. There you have it, and lest you think I am all talk and no action, pop over to ^{my blog  and see.}

a. Either reclaim the pictures and usable supplies from them for your stash or
b. Toss them as is (count how many – I will explain later),
c. or if you must, pick 1 or 2 and make them a priority in January, pledging to go back to steps a. and b. if they are not finished by Jan. 31^st.As a favorite mug of mine says – Get Over It, Get On With It. Move Along.

2) Purge 7 or 17 or 27 things from your workspace. If you are familiar with ^FlyLady then you know all about the 27 fling boogie. Without over thinking it, just grab the items you know you will never use again because

a. you don’t like them anymore,
b. you don’t know how to use them,
c. you don’t think you have anything to go with them or
d. you don’t know why you ever bought them.If you cannot toss them, you can donate them to a local elementary school, church rummage sale or charity crop and enjoy a little more elbow room in your space.
3) Set up some simple housekeeping chores for your workspace.
a. Clean up a little more often – even doing 3 or 4 simple tasks to keep tidy will keep you ready for the next project.
b. Each of our spaces is set up differently, so tackle that one problem area you have and add to it as good habits develop.
c. Enjoy that neat and tidy elbow room.4) Make your pictures a priority. For most of us, most of the time, that is where the layouts start. You cannot help but be inspired by pictures. So surround yourself!
a. Organize them – this means making sure they are accessible.
b. Get a ready supply of pictures printed.
c. Figure out a few ways to display your pictures and finished layouts.5) Decide to try something new for the New Year – do!
a. Take a class at your local scrapbook store, attend a local crop regularly or make a standing date to scrap with a friend.
b. Participate in an online forum – at an online scrapbook store, or an online education site, or a kit club forum. Select some blogs to frequent. There are lots of options – find ones you like and participate OFTEN.
c. Join in online challenges – there are beau coup choices on photography, techniques, sketches, related forms of art, supplies challenges and, of course, the challenges right here on this blog.
d. Figure out which activities best spur you to actually scrapbook and concentrate on those.

Winter Solstice by Rebecca

This is Rebecca.  Happy Winter Solstice, for those of us in the northern hemisphere.  While our southern counterparts are enjoying their longest daylights of their year, we are experiencing the shortest daylight of 2011. 

But it's a celebration, because it just gets lighter from here!  So take advantage of whatever light you can find today and celebrate the return of light:

--Take an outdoor picture.  Check out http://weather.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/01/winter_pictures.php for some good basic winter photography tips. And I found this site http://photo.net/learn/point-and-shoot-tips with some really good general photography tips for those of us with point-and-shoot, basic digital or film cameras.  I sometimes wish I had a fancy camera and the skills to use it; This article made me realize that I could just get better with what I've got!

--If you're doing a December Daily/Journal Your Christmas type project, think about using Winter Solstice as your theme today.  Some journaling prompts: How does the short daylight time impact you and your mood? What is it like to go to work in the dark and come home in the dark and not get to see daylight? What do you look forward to with the return of more daylight?  This blog post http://womensmemoirs.com/memoir-writing-prompts/memoir-writing-prompt-winter-solstice-and-more/ provides a good journaling prompt idea, to focus on a turning point in your life.  It's a good day to feel a little gratitude!

--Read about the origins of winter solstice and Yule celebrations. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/wintersolstice.shtml Even if you're not Wiccan or Pagan, see if you can find any of your own traditions in the historic roots and celebrations of Winter Solstice/Yule! http://www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/SolsticeArticle.html

--Light a candle or a fireplace to usher in the return of light. Or, for a more delicious rake on that symbolism, make a Yule log cake (Buche de Noel)! I collected several pictures/recipes on a Pinterest board here: http://pinterest.com/rebecca_delo/bouche-de-noel/

--And for less calories, try a yule log craft, like http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/11/toilet_paper_tube_yule_log.html or http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/yule-log-favor-boxes

Hope you are enjoying the daily posts here on the blog.  We're coming close to the end, and this is my final post for the month, so Merry Yule, Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! 

See you in 2012!

Rebecca

The Details of the Season by Lisa

Lisa

Today I’d like to talk to you a little about scrapping all the small things that make up this time of year. And I’m not talking about the little scamps that many of you have running around getting hyper-excited at the thought of all those presents, though.

Yes, today I’m talking about non-kiddie scrapping! In fact, let’s try scrapping even without people.

Just a few of the things that I see right now that make me get into the jolly feeling are:

·      The shops filling with scrumptious Christmas cookies and chocolates

·      The arrival of the Toffee Nut Latte at Starbucks

·      The opening of the Christmas markets here in Germany

·      The Advent wreath and the lighting of the first candle

·      The tree (oh how I love my tree!)

·      Cookies, or rather Plätzen in German, preferably home baked if I have time

·      The food and drink that’s only available at the Christmas markets – Poffertjes and Glühwien

·      Sparkly fairy lights on the balcony

·      My sometimes un-traditional coloured decorations

I find that my Christmas scrapping mostly involves these details rather than the main events – the dinner, the presents and the people – because these are the things that add the sparkle to Christmas for me. I’m not going to forget the dinners we have or the members of my family but I might forget how excited I was when I tasted my first Toffee Nut Latte, or how beautiful my pink baubles were.

So this year, I decided it was time to record the first Poffertjes of the season. Never heard of them? Nor had I before my first Christmas Market. They are a Dutch speciality and are sort of tiny, mini, puffy pancakes that are served with butter and icing sugar. They are simply divine! You can read about them here (http://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/2010/01/20/how-to-make-poffertjes-aka-dutch-mini-pancakes/) I was inspired by a layout from the October Afternoon blog featuring an over-laden banner and pretty much lifted it completely! (http://octoberafternoon.typepad.com/october_afternoon/2011/11/thursday-sketch-2.html )

This layout makes me smile and is another piece in the puzzle of what makes Christmas for me. I had such fun using up all those bits and pieces on my layout - sprinkles of sequins, buttons, bling, labels and twine. It came together really quickly and makes me want to do the same over and over again!

What details are missing from your scrapbook pages? Try to identify one little thing that is part of Christmas for you and record it. No kids allowed J

Thanks and have a great day! Lisa

Christmas Season Photo Opportunities

Get out your camera, it's time to take some pictures!



Photo by Meridy Twilling

Today I want to give you a list of Holiday season photo ideas. You may need photos for your P365, December Daily, or for your scrapbooks or photo albums. I hope you find something on the list that inspires you to get out your camera.

I know that most of us are already taking pictures of the holiday events, school programs, picture with Santa, Church programs, and snow. I am trying to give you a few different ideas. Most of these ideas will work with or without people in your pictures.

* your mailbox filled with your outgoing Holiday cards

* the stockings hanging empty and then filled- When my daughter was three I got a picture of her decorating the tree and she was wearing two Christmas stockings.

* children writing their letter to Santa

* the temperature on a bank sign or in your car when you go out in the morning

* the Menorah each night

* a holiday craft you are working on

* a baby in a Christmas stocking- We did this to my grandson the year he was born.

* the special dish you only get to eat on the holiday along with the recipe

* playing with the decorations as you are trimming the tree- I have a picture of one of my daughters wrapped in Christmas lights, and another of the girls wearing ornaments as earrings.

* the wrapping paper rolls

* lined up boots and the mitten pile or everyone bundled up to go out

* enjoying a warm cocoa or tea

* a pinecone and needles with snow

* your favorite ornament- I love the idea of making a mini album with pictures of all of my favorite ornaments and who gave them to me and any story behind them.

* your street decorations or a picture of all of the houses on your street decorated

* snow angels

* charity work- donated canned goods, the tree of names, the Salvation Army bell

* the grocery cart filled with everything you need for you holiday party

* decorating a gingerbread house or cookie

* the kids getting off the bus on the last day before vacation

* three wise men- I know you have to know some wise men

* kids wrapping their gifts to others- My girls always shopped at the dollar store for our whole family. They picked one item for each relative and then wrapped them all. It was so exciting for them to be able to pick each gift and take the time to wrap them.

* the clock when you finally get to go to bed on Christmas Eve or New Years Eve

* snow chains on your tires

* enjoying your favorite holiday story or movie

* the plate of cookies and milk or whatever treat you leave for Santa

* dreidel game

* a special seasonal jewelry piece- I have a snowflake necklace that I love and a reindeer pin made from puzzle pieces.

* holiday morning breakfast

* watching the parade in person or on tv

* Advent calendar- It doesn't matter if it's the Lego Advent, Starbucks, or the one you worked on at home for weeks.

* Christmas jammies

* winter toys- ice block maker, sleds, quads, snowmobiles

* the sledding hill before there is snow and after

* Happy Birthday Jesus- Our friends make a cake and celebrate every year.

* a holiday craft you are working on

* a craft fair

* the bus if you are taking a bus trip- At Christmas we have a lot of bus trips to NY for a show.

* your suitcases if you are traveling

* the car loaded with the gifts you are giving

* baking

* a live nativity

* the special gift/craft that comes home from school with your child

Last, but not least...Don't forget to take a picture of something that didn't work out- the gingerbread man that someone bit before he had a chance to be decorated, the wrapped gift that the paper didn't fit on and you had to use another sheet to patch, the clay ornaments you made that all cracked when you baked them. Those things that you don't want to even think about right now but will be funny later.

Happy Picture Taking!!!

Jennifer

It's All in the Numbers...4th of July Edition



Photo Credit



HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!!!! 

We hope you get some excellent pictures today...there are some great 4th of July goodies in this month's "inspiration kit".  Here's an aritcle called "Getting Better Photos this Fourth of July".  This article called "Take Better Photos Fourth of July Edition" also has lots of great links to improve your photos this 4th of July.  For those of you not in the USA...no worries, there are lots of other goodies in this month's inspiration kit too.

10 "Not so Ordinary" Independence Day Photo Opportunities

• 1-Close up shots of a flag or patriotic decorations
• 2-Hands preparing the food
• 3-Food cooking on the grill
• 4-Family games (water balloon fights, water gun fights, blowing bubbles, climbing trees, 3-legged races, potato sack races, etc)
• 5-Basket or bucket of new fireworks, ready to be lit
• 6-A special 4th of July family tradition
• 7-Swimming and/or running through sprinklers
• 8- The family watching the parade (rather than the parade itself)
• 9- The family watching the fireworks (rather than the fireworks themselves)
• 10-Pile of fireworks wrappers/left over pieces AFTER they have been lit

 

*scroll down just a bit more for some fun "Fourth of July by the Numbers" facts....