Master Forger Swap Challenge for July

When this post pops up on the blog, I will be fully immersed in vacation, probably lamenting how the week could possibly almost be finished.  I can also guess that I'm sunburned and holding a glass of wine in my hand.  Not that I'm predictable or anything :).

Anyway, this post is really about a fun project some of the Master Forgers did this month.  The project didn't have to revolve around our usual monthly kits, so I turned to a more recently purchased collection that I've wanted to use. 

We exchanged names, and we gave each other a custom list of 10 items.  We then had to pick 5 of those items and use on a project.  My partner was Margie, and her list for my project included:

*Patterned Paper (I used Echo Park Touchdown collection. I bought it just for this picture!)*Sketches
*Flowers
*Border punches (I used a scallop punch on a border strip, although it mostly got covered by the time I was done)
*Washi tape
*Distress Ink (Inked the edges and lightly over the background with brown and red)
*Kraft cardstock (I shrunk and printed Crystal's participation certificate onto kraft)
*Bakers twine (on the banner)
*Mist
*Bling (The little "O-H" was from a lapel pin. I removed the pin so I could use it here as part of my title)

And here's my project:

Crystal went to a Women's Football Clinic and got to see all the coaches and have this picture taken
with Urban Meyer.  He's kind of a big deal around here!  She definitely has a fan crush and expects
great things for his time at OSU. 

Thanks, Margie, for helping narrow my focus and finish another project.  If you're interested in playing along, try this list or one of the other examples for this challenge.  Or just challenge yourself to make up your own list.  If you're like me, sometimes you can get overwhelmed by all the choices, and it just helps to make a small kit and stick to it.

July Challenge #3: A Hero Story

Here is my layout for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge's July mini-challenge to create something  hero-themed.

Around here, these electric and tree-trimming workers are heroes.  We had a round of storms at the end of June that led to massive power outages.  We were so fortunate to get power back the next morning, but we had coworkers and family members in multiple states that were out for two weeks.  The heat made it even worse for people without power, but as I passed these electric trucks, I started thinking about how hot it was for all the people that were trying to fix it.  Everyone complains about the power company, but when it comes down to it, the fatcats making all the money have nothing to really do with restoring power.  It's these workers.  And they were doing their work under some brutal conditions over the past few weeks, living away from home on fast food and bottled water in a hot parking lot with port-a-potties.

OK, that's the closest you'll ever see to a political rant on this blog!  Now check out the other Master Forger examples today and be sure to link your own challenge projects to the Mr. Linky.

July Challenge #2: Celebrate!

Hi Everyone!

Here is my layout for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge's July mini-challenge to create something that focuses on celebration.

"C-Bus"....short for Columbus :). 

Hooray! We have curbside recycling!

As soon as I saw that this month's challenge was to document a celebration, I knew I wanted to do this page. I was very excited the day we came home to find rows and rows of fresh blue cans at the curb.  I ran right outside to take pictures before everyone else started pulling their cans from the curb.

Our new recycling starts at the end of this month.  It's not often (at least in my experience) that you get to see something GOOD and TANGIBLE come from a tax increase. I felt like this one was definitely worthy of celebration.

Be sure to check the Counterfeit Kit Blog to see the other Master Forger challenge examples today.  And if you take the challenge, add a link here, too.

July Challenge 1: Cards for Operation Write Home

I am just not a card maker, but what better reason to try?!  This month's first mini-challenge for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge is to make cards for Operation Write Home. 

The website has all the details for this great program.  As they suggest on the website, I kept my card general, so it can be personalized and used by the writer. 
My local scrapbook store, Red Letter Journals, happens to be hosting a card making drive for Operation Write Home this month.  I only have this one card to show you today, but I plan to make more this weekend and drop them off at the store to be stamped and passed along to the program. 

Your turn!  Check the Counterfeit Kit blog for links to other Master Forger card examples today. And to learn more about how We R Memory Keepers is supporting Operation Write Home, or to find a location to drop off your own cards for this program, click here.

Go with the Flow Friday - July Kit Layout

Happy Friday (the 13th!)!!

Well, I said I'd work on 2-page layouts this month, and that's exactly what I did for my first pages.  I used an sketch from an Allison Davis class and lots of kit items on these pages:



After I was pretty much done with the pages, I remembered that I had a copy of the party invitation that I wanted to
include. I thought about scanning it, making it smaller and using it as an embellishment.  Great idea, but I wanted
to be DONE and move on.  So, I lifted up the pictures on this page and made myself a flap. Lift the tab and
there's the invite.  I'll just cut the page protector to make it liftable in the album.



Inside the flap.

Done and done.

Have a great weekend!


We have a big weekend of cleaning and vacation prep, and somewhere in there I need to get some work done for this month's challenges.  There are some good ones coming up. 

July Counterfeits - My First Video!

This is my second post of the day, sort of a part two for my July kit. If you're doing the blog hop and looking for my original kit post, check here. 

I came up with three things I wanted to "counterfeit" in this month's inspiration kit: An aqua alphabet, buttons, and wood veneer shapes.  I have been wanting to try my hand at making a video, so I thought this would be a good time to test the process.

I'm no professional....I say um a lot.....it could be about 5 minutes shorter.....I apologize in advance for my gross thumb cuticle (I even tried some makeup to spare you!)......There. Now that all my insecurities are out of the way, without further ado:

The alpha example starts around minute 1:00, buttons at 4:00 and wood veneers about 8:30. 

And here's the tutorial I referenced in the video for buttons made from Shrinky Dinks.  I have a special (somewhat silly) experiment planned for these buttons this weekend; I'll let you know how it ends.

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone - We'll be avoiding any outdoor activities and hiding in the air conditioning. Please oh please oh please let our electricity hold out!

July Counterfeit Kit

It's the 6th of the month and that means it's time to show our Counterfeit Kits.  Here is the hop order:

Counterfeit Kit Challenge (home base)

Guest Designer: Sherri (Welcome back, Sherri!)

Jemma

Jen

Julie Ann

Lisa

Libeeti

Margie

Milissa

Rebecca  (You are here)

Susanne  (Next stop in the hop)

Bethany

I was super excited to see this month's inspiration kit from Citrus Twist.  For all the kit making I've done, I haven't ever purchased a pre-made kit.  This one may be the first, if anything is left by the time I try to purchase.  The colors and items in the kit are just totally me.  I don't own a single stitch of the inspiration kit's contents, but I was able to find pretty close substitutions for most items in the kit.

 

My papers - lots of DCWV, some WRMK and MME, and a piece of wood veneer paper from Creative Imaginations.
It looks like a lot of blues, but there are more shades of orange and red on the reverse side of some of the papers.

 

I found several scraps in my scrap bin that I wanted to throw into this kit.  Instead of cutting my own thought
bubbles, I found a DCWV sheet with printed bubbles and a printable I printed and never used from a
previous kit.  The scrap bin is going to be really useful this month!

I picked several alphas and the "&" is representative of an alpha I will
make this month.  I added a couple of 6x6 pads, ribbons, fabric tape,
buttons (both handmade and from my stash) and wood veneer-
counterfeits. 

Like I said, I was able to make lots of substitutions, but there were a few things I needed to counterfeit, specifically an alpha, the wood veneers, and the buttons.  Rather than trying to explain in pictures, I have tried my hand at a video.  I will post that video later today or early tomorrow.   
 
So, have a great month! Be sure to add to the July Mr. Linky on the CKC blog, so we can all be inspired!  Also, check the Citrus Twist blog June posts for great inspiration for this month's original kit.