November at Scrapabilly #2

November's Scrapabilly Kit des Monats features Jen Hadfield for Pebbles, Warm & Cozy collection. Gorgeous! The papers include a stunning rose-gold foiled leaf outline on white  design along with lots of neutrals and a cut apart sheet. The die-cut pack was full of gorgeous elements again featuring the rose-gold foil and the chunky set of rose-gold Thickers made my happiness complete. There was also a shet of washi paper strips.

The next layout I'd like to share is the only one that is specifically about autumn. I think I might have used these photos before (the downside to being album challenged and not knowing what I've already made!) but the layout makes me happy and I used a die cut wreath that I'd downloaded a month or so ago. To be honest, I have no idea where it came from so I can't credit it I'm afraid but it's gorgeous and perfect for this page. I clustered up some of the leaves with gold thread and kept everything simple and white.

This was one of those "just want to make it" layouts - pretty with not a lot of story.

I used foam dots to give the background die cut some dimension and texture. This gives subtle definition to the white on white effect.

Some gold and chocolate mist just finishes it off.

Thanks for dropping by today and I'll be back in a couple of days with the last of my two layouts.

Check out the kit here on the Scrapabilly site and don't forget to check out the Design Team gallery here while you're there. I love looking at the gallery to see all the different ideas we've come up with. You can also find the Schnick Schnack Sack (embellishments) and the Pretty Planner Pack kits and galleries there too. So much to discover and so much inspiration to be had.

Counterfeit Kit Challenge November kit reveal blog hop

I'm thrilled that it's November. It's my favourite month of the year full of birthdays, celebrations, visits and friends not to mention the end of autumn which you all know that I adore. I've recorded my love of November before in case you think I've lost my mind loving this month that almost everyone else thinks of so negatively! It's all about positive thinking. You can find a layout where I recorded my change of attitude here.

But you're not here for that - hopefully you're here for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge November kit reveal and I'm happy to be here right at the beginning of the hop directly after our lovely Guest Designer, ex-MF Dawn. We are so happy to have her joining us this month and I'm excited to see what she has in store for us.

Next up is my sweet friend, Lynnette, who I know will delight you as she does me.

Master Forger Kelly picked our gorgeous autumnal kit this month courtesy of Cocoa Daisy. Their October kit, "City Park" is perfect for my love of this time of the year and I was really happy to pull my rather large kit together.

Here's the original Cocoa Daisy kit

And here's my take on it - Foxy.

The first thing I noticed was that I had some of the same items in my stash - the Shimelle collection was something I just had to have. But, to be honest, that's not where I started. The cute fox on that tag at the bottom caught my attention and I decided the this was the time to use my  autumnal Photo Play papers that I got last year which feature super cute foxes...

This drove the rest of my kit and even my main forgery embellishment.

Let's have a look at the papers. I picked out the Shimelle papers which I had and then added in some papers which reminded me of the designs of the other papers - trees, woodgrain, map, cute small pattern.

And starting with the Shimelle sticker booklet, I then built up the rest of my embellishments. Lots of washi tape in an effort just to use some up and also because one or two of these are new and I love them.

There are LOADS of alphabets in the hope of using up some of these almost completed sets. I've also included a whole batch of suitable stickers that need using up.

There are some enamel dots, some flairs and a length of twill as well as some labels which match up with the original.

And then, just because my eye fell on these left-overs, I added in all the bits and pieces I have from the Pink Paislee Cedar Lane collection that I totally adore and would be good to use up.

This is a big kit but I really think I'm going to enjoy using it. I will probably need some more embellishments along the way but it's a great start!

Well, that's it! The last Counterfeit Kit Challenge kit of the year. Next month is traditionally without a full kit but we have lots planned for you so you won't be deprived of your inspirational kick! But in the meantime, let's really enjoy this wonderful November!

Thanks for dropping by today and here's the full hop list in case you get lost along the way.

• GD Dawn: www.dawnsscrapbookcottage.blogspot.com
•  Lisa: http://lisahausmann.blogspot.de
• Lynnette: http://www.sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com
• Margie: http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com
• Susan: http://littlethingsbigdays.blogspot.com
• Susanne: http://snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com
• Jemma: http://just-jimjams.blogspot.co.uk
• Kelly: http://www.honeysucklehillcrafts.com
• Julene: http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com/
• Clair:  http://obstinatepursuit.blogspot.co.uk/
• Lesley:  http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk

Scrapabilly October kit shares (part 2)

I bet you're shocked to see yet another post so soon!

As I said in my first Scrapabilly October kit share yesterday,  I really wanted to get these uploaded before the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog hop on Saturday so here I am again.

A reminder of that lovely autumnal (without being too autumnal) kit based around the Echo Park "The Story of Our Family" collection.

You can see the full kit details on the Scrapabilly site here, and while you are there securing your own kit, don't forget to check out the DT's creations in the gallery here.

First up is layout #3 where I decided to pick out and pile up all the home elements to make a funky banner - again scoring a double win as this matches the Whimsical Musings WM#181 to feature banners. I wanted to record a few highlights of our home one year after moving in.

I decided to softly and a little randomly ink over a mask to give the background a bit of interest as well as spritzing some of my favourite Heidi Swapp gold mist. I really like the subtle effect this has given.

A double layered banner is one of my favourite types to do. I love all the bits and pieces that are piled up here.

This layout was driven by the little "brother" chipboard element and I'm so happy to be able to get these two favourite photos from my time in London back in July on a page and the story recorded.

And last but not least, I used the Creative Scrappers sketch #286 which I featured in the Whimsical Musings prompt WM#184 for this multi-paper layout about my niece's first creations with washi tape!

With all those paper strips, I decided that stitching over the top of them would add some definition and then I "scattered" some small word elements among the strips for added interest.

I layered up quite a few elements to the left of the photo to home my journalling which is instead of the paper strips featured in the original sketch.

Along with the additional elements I added to the kit (discussed in yesterday's post), all I needed to put into the kit was a little mist and ink, two sheets of cardstock, a tiny bit of twine and my stitching. An amazingly self-contained kit and I still have some left for another layout.

Thanks for getting this far and don't forget to come back on Saturday for the hop. Hope to see you there.

It's as if they planned this month just for me!

I know that you know that I love autumn. I tell you all the time. So when I saw the list of challenges for this month at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge, I was happy, happy, happy!

First off we had our favourite stamps and I knew my trusty maple leaf would be the one. Now comes inspiration from autumn photos.

While I was putting my kit together, I knew that I wanted to make some more Yukon layouts and I had photos like this one below in my mind. I knew that I wanted to have sumptuous tree photos included and this was just what I needed.

So for the mini challenge #2 "Be inspired by fall foliage" was a no brainer. This photo jumped out at me and my Engineer Creek layout was born.

Look at those colours, look at the brilliance of that golden hue, look at how unreal these leaves seem to be. That was exactly what we got at Engineer Creek and it was somewhat spectacular! Sunset, when the setting sun hit the top of the trees was all the more amazing. I am still living off those memories!

I think I could do this challenge a dozen times and still not get bored! Why not give it a try?

Don't forget to share your creations with us over at the Counterfeit site (here), we love to see where these prompts take you.

Bad blogger catch up #1

December is crazy isn't it? I know it's not only me! I know there are many many of you out there who feel a little out of control and behind on your "to do" list. Please let me know that I'm not alone ;-)

Anyway, AGES ago, I jumped on board to Deb's monthly review and then ran late and now I see that I haven't yet done my October nor my November reviews.

So let me start with October and we will see if I can catch up with November and also some scrap sharing later in the week.

October was a very quiet month with very little going on but it's autumn and my favourite time of year so there were at least a few photos.

There was a lot of blue skies, mild weather and fantastic colours:

Incredible sunrises and gentle sunsets:

I sat out on the balcony soaking up the last rays of warm sunshine:

I celebrated 5 years of blogging with a giveaway and 13 years since I met the love of my life (not necessarily in that order!):

I started working in an office two days a week and recognised that I have to my wear glasses for computer work - no way out of that anymore:

I completed my fourth LOAD of the year:

There was a very cool Mail Art Exchange:

And last but not least there were very dodgy self-portraits along with some rather cute ones (in that order!):

Oh yes, and then Pam and I decided to turn out little weekly inspirational endeavour into something a bit *more* by opening a challenge blog, Whimsical Musings which is proving so inspiring.

So maybe my October wasn't as quiet as I thought :-)

Watch this space for November's review and pop over to Whimsical Musings and join in the fun. It would be great to see you there!