Three challenges within one card for IB and CKCB and CCMWF

Blessed by all you've done for our church and local communities

A couple from our small church is getting ready to retire to Florida and this Sunday will be their last time officially as active members and leaders, so we are having a lunch fellowship after the service to recognize their dedication to keeping the church open. My card for them has been inspired by mid-summer color hues mixed with rustic rural charm:

1. photo inspiration from IB challenge prompts=rustic summer

2. cardstocks and patterned papers, decorative tapes, were pulled for CKCB kit for August=browns, oranges, yellows, and greens

3. color inspiration from CCMWF challenge prompts= dk. green, grass green, yellow, pumpkin, and russet brown

Base is kraft brown cardstock about 5.25" x 8. 5"; background is creamy ivory cardstock then it is topped with the circle patterned print paper; focal is an oak leaf stencil traced onto marbleized lightweight cardstock, that was outlined in a grass green marker and cut with jagged decorative edge scissors, then highlighted with stenciled letters for 'blessed' that were outlined with black gel pen and then each filled in with a different color marker in order to help unify all the colors. More decorative tapes in opposite corners as well as the yellow repeated on both sides of 'blessed'. 4 colors of cording were wrapped around the middle (light green, yellow, orange, and two-tone browns). 2 chipboard butterfly stick-ons and two small orange chipboard flowers from the same old set were the final embellishments. 

Prompt #1=

Inspired By (IB) no 34 challenge image:

Inspired By link: https://theseinspiredchallenges.blogspot.com/2018/08/inspired-byrustic-summer.html

Prompt #2=

CKCB (Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog) issued on August 2, 2018, their challenge to copy cat/forge personal kits culled from your own crafting supply inventory and then to use that kit throughout the month= This first photo shows the patterned papers/cardstocks that I pulled for my copy cat kit. The brown circle patterned paper is the 2nd one from the left.

This 2nd photo in this section is to show the original kit (1 part of it) from Cocoa Daisy [Twinkling of the Tea] that was selected by a 'master forger' or design team member of CKCB to be our August inspiration:

CKCB link: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/08/just-gist-of-it.html

Prompt #3=

CCMWF (Christian Card Making~Women's Fellowship), a closed Facebook group, has issued a color prompt challenge starting today August 23, 2018=

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/610077695743800/

This was a fun card to make and took about 1- 1.5 hours to get everything completed for the base and cover. It was made even more exciting that the IB and CCMWF challenges were just announced today, so being on the internet and Facebook several times throughout the early afternoon has paid off to help with crafting creativity!!!

Another view of the card and then a close-up for 'blessed'=

How did I do crafting friends? Do you see the prompts reflected in the card?

Crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

Six cards from August Counterfeit Kit Challenge selections and sketch layout from CCMWF August challenge

It's terrific finding ways to use old inventory! About 3 months ago, my husband had some old craft supplies from garage storage moved to my 'new' crafting zone in a different garage. It's been over 21 months since I've used and even then as much crafting I was doing, I still wasn't using up older inventory. I like having variety but our house fire a year ago only purged/destroyed about $100-150 in craft supplies. It might have been closer to $200 but due to moving the year before, house updates before the fire and it being a small house, I was trying to minimize how much crafting stuff I had inside.

Well, house fire was last August 13 and insurance-hired contractors had our home repaired to move back in on February 2. There have been a lot of health issues for both my husband and I in addition to all that. Besides church attendance and playing hymns for church services, crafting has been my therapy for handling the stress and giving me weekly momentum.

Recently I took up the challenge to shop through my old inventory and put together a copy cat kit, a forgery, of a company's kit featured on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog. Most of the papers and stickers used for the cards seen in this post came from my August kit.

Editing after photographing & 1st edition of blog post:

Inside panels: I selected 4 different Bible verses using either Amplified Version or NLT

On Day 2 after editing and finishing the inside panels for the 6 cards shown at the top of this post, I had plenty of triangles left over so I decided I'd take the time to get 2 more cards made that will be sent to North Carolina and donated there.

CKCB link: https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/08/just-gist-of-it.html

and the CKCB badge:

And a diagram for sketch layout that inspired all the triangles was shared in the Facebook closed group: Christian Card Making ~Women's Fellowship. They had the sketch issued challenge just a few days ago and then the August long challenge was for 20 cards to be made that will be sent to an elderly care facility. So since I just discovered this group about 48 hours ago, I asked them if I could just make a few so I could get them sent by the August 25th deadline. I got to work tonight in 2 different sessions to accomplish these 6 pictured cards. [1st batch] Here's the challenging sketch design that I tried to follow and then modify to fit 4" x 5.25" base cards.

CCMWF 18 August 2018 sketch layout challenge=

a few other design notes:

a. some of the designer papers were recently received as a gift of happy mail from a crafter of another Facebook closed group (Junk Journal Junkies etc.)…

b. the angel, cross, and dove are rubber stamps from Stampin' Up

c. the stenciled sentiments came from a set of Bible journaling stencils from American Crafts that were a gift last autumn from a church friend/fellow crafter

d. I've been blessed by others sharing with me and I will pay it forward by sending these 6 [now 8]cards to be donated.

Still crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

August 2018 copy cat kit for CKC blog used for 2 mixed format pocket pages

2 mixed format pocket pages using my copy cat or counterfeit kit based off CKC blog's August 2018 inspiration kit from Cocoa Daisy

Page #1 is featuring my high school classmate Rick LeDune and the Awesome Possum Project (band) competing at the Indiana Colgate Country Showdown many years ago.

Page #2 is featuring my husband's helicopter ride on the same day as the concert contest held at the Marion County, IN fairgrounds (Indianapolis)...one brave dude!

These next 3 photos are part of the copy cat kit I put together earlier today=

Some of these stenciled cut-outs have already found places on the pocket pages shown above.

Cocoa Daisy's July 2018 Twinkling Memories kit= this is the inspiration for the different papers, stencil shapes, stickers, etc. that I've pulled from my inventory. Go to CKC blog post to get all the details:https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/08/just-gist-of-it.html 

Hopefully this quick use after putting my version together will keep me motivated to use more of the old inventory and to get old photos scrapbooked. We shall see!?!!!

From the USA heartland, Becca S

August 2018 copy cat kit made for CKCB

Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and Facebook group sites have an August 2018 challenge full of citrus hues grounded with some grays, browns, and black which are perfect for summer theme cards and scrapbook layouts!

A CKCB master forger selected the July 2018 Twinkling Memories kit (Cocoa Daisy) to commit faux copies of (or forgeries/counterfeits) using personal inventory that needs to be used. 85% of what I've shopped through my stashes to assemble together for this is old inventory, like 6-10 years old!

Here are 2 of the photos from the CKCB post that show what is to inspire counterfeiters this month of August: link= https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/08/just-gist-of-it.html

I know I still have lots I could include for this kit--more than I first realized! It has taken many photos to showcase just small glimpses of what I've located from mostly old inventory:

I had a lot more butterscotch tone cardstocks than I thought! The black and gray patterned papers are from The Paper Studio and purchased at Hobby Lobby within the past 4-8 months, so they are the newest papers used for this kit.

A stack of pre-cut earth tone cardstock mats are in the center placed over some floral stickers and then some stencils on top and sides.

Second trip scrounging around came across some scraps, yellow clips, micro thin decorative tapes, and different stick-ons. The journal/planner/scrapbook ones if I use I will try to only use those that are green or orange or a combo of those 2 colors.

And within an hour I had already used some of the different stencils to trace and cut-out circles, sunbursts, posies, pentagons (sorry, not hexagon), 2 sizes of tags, arrows, some triangles, stacked triangle or arrow tip, and one small half circle. I hope I will be able to use these. My next step is to start pairing stuff up in groups of 3, 5, 7 elements for mini-kits for the next part of the focus. I also want to make some pocket cards because I have lots of ATC and business card layout type plastic protector pages I would like to use. I also have some summer vacation photos and souvenirs from 9 and 10 years ago I want to create layouts for and maybe even get a few thinking of you cards out of all this, too. Stay tuned to see how I use all this assembled August 2018 counterfeit kit!

Becca S

Second Saturday of the month at HIMCR 365 is always a scraps theme challenge

"I love you" says this lovely butterfly fairy....

HIMCR's second Saturday challenge #365 always is about using scraps. And this pretty card is loaded with scraps of patterned papers and cardstocks.

Except for the red-violet floral patterned paper, all other papers and the cardstocks were scrap pieces! Here's a photo to prove:

HIMCR's badge and link are:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/08/himcr-365-super-scraps-saturday.html

Prize sponsor and DT crew's images provider is: Oddball Art Stamps (image badges are above); HIMCR's blog post will have link for OAS. Thanks to OAS for the 3 digital images provided to the DT to feature this week! I got the butterfly fairy to be my focal!

More views of this terrific card:

This is my last Design Team inspirational card for HIMCR. I have so loved this opportunity to be sharing my crafting creations with a wider audience than my blog followers and to stretch my resourcefulness and creativity with the different companies' digital images and set weekly themes. My personal life has gotten crazier again and I just need some flex in my schedule and to be able to craft and blog when I can. Hope you will still visit HIMCR's blog posts regularly and come check on me once in awhile, too.

Until I post again from my crafting headquarters (aka garage work zone) in the USA heartland,
Becca S

PPCC blog 392 with a bakery theme birthday card

Enjoy. Fun. Bakin' a cake. Checking it twice. Goin' to find out whose birthday it is. Baker Girl is coming to you!

PPCC blog's design team (DT) are provided sponsored images each week to be the focus of our paper-crafted creations to inspire followers of the blog. This week for #392 we have just 1 prize sponsor, Time for Tea Designs, that is offering a prize to a selected crafter and 3 of their digital images to showcase from their inventory. The badges are shown here and the PPCC blog link for #392 is here:  https://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/2018/08/welcome-to-pennys-challenge-392-and-dt.html

Since Always Happy Birthday challenge blog has a theme of anything goes with an option of water-theme, I'm going to link this birthday card for the August monthly post:
https://alwayshappybirthday.blogspot.com/2018/08/august-challenge-birthday-anything-goes.html

I just love how this card came together quickly and how cute it is! The patterned papers are very old stock as well as the gel-like stickers. The blue cardstock is newer inventory (Colorbok). The inside stamps from Stampin' Up are old but new to me when I bought them about 2 months ago at a resale shop. But all these items came together and by applying the same colors to the digital image, it all fabulously coordinates!

This is my last DT card for PPCC blog. I'm quitting the team for a break and to put some flexibility in my schedule. Besides this blog I had been a DT member of another one which I have also quit. I had deadlines each week to meet on Tuesday nights and Friday nights. I love crafting and blogging plus checking to see what other crafters and companies are doing, so I won't disappear altogether, just will be a bit sporadic for awhile.

Until we meet again, Becca S

First Saturday of the month means a color theme challenge at HIMCR post 364

What's summertime without some cute birds splishing and a splashing in a birdbath?

Hiding in My Craft Room has set up first Saturdays of each month to have a color theme challenge and for #364 August 4, Laurie (blog owner) would like our paper-crafted creations to use 3 colors. I'm going to stretch this a bit to have butterscotch and kraft brown to be 1 color plus grays and greens. HIMCR's badge and post link to get all the details about participating as a crafter, seeing the other DT crew's inspirational creations, get link to the prize sponsor/DT provider of images, and much more can be found here:

link:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/08/himcr-364-use-3-colors.html

The prize sponsor for #364 plus DT crew's images provider:

Design notes:

a. patterned papers are a combination of old (birdhouse print paper) and new (yellow, white, and gray diagonal striped paper)

b. inside sentiment stamp is Stampin' Up
c. cover's sentiment letter stamps were purposefully twisted to keep with the splish-splash messy theme!
d. digital image from Sweet n Sassy Stamps has been color-filled with a combination of markers and colored pencils with the sentiment stamping and doodling borders added by me
e. next week's HIMCR theme for 2nd Saturday will be scraps and this card would work for that if it wasn't for a DT crew card and having a different sponsored image to work with; inside=scrap gray cardstock and the birdhouse print paper; cover= birdhouse cut-outs and butterscotch marbled cardstock behind the image are scraps
f. I kept to the color scheme pretty well except blue for water & droplets and the cover's stamped letters. I can't have green water in the birdbath?!!!?! yucky! Had to have it as blue. :)

More photos:

Still crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S