Loving this Nativity Christmas card non-DT project on 26 August 2025

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity!

why: This is a non-DT contribution. I wanted to participate in some Christmas challenges before August ends. CCAYR's required song prompt for "O Holy Night" led me to look through my Christmas supplies and I decided to repurpose a box card image altering it into an arch shape.

when: Tuesday night, August 26, 2025

what: Project #1 = Nativity Christmas

how-to & vendor notes:

1. kraft paper for base = unmarked plastic sleeve packaging; don't remember where I got it...maybe an old Amazon order two years ago...???

2. white satin sheen specialty paper and the bronze/coppery threads specialty paper = part of a scrap pack = Crafter's Square

3. Nativity scene card front panel; did some measuring to trim sides and the bottom margin; around the top, the sentiment/song lyric was already in a semi-circle format so that's what led me to make it an arch-topped focal. = box card sold by Dollar General Stores

4. dark brown retractable marker pen = Zebra Clickart

5. little weathered triangle puffy accents, 'screws' and a little floral = all from a package of 'steam punk' kind of puffy stickers = Crafter's Square

where #1 will be linked:

1A. CCAYR; still open for August; theme of O Holy Night song; I've chosen a Nativity scene; Holy Night is about baby Jesus being born

link = https://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-challenge-o-holy-night.html

1B. Rudolph Days; open for a few days on and just after the 25th; anything goes Christmas

link = https://rudolphdayschallenges.blogspot.com/2025/08/rudolph-days-august-challenge.html

1C. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenges; new on Aug 25th; theme of anything goes Christmas; I've chosen Nativity

link = https://thehollyandivychallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/challenge-190-anything-christmas-goes.html

1D. Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge; continued from Sunday/10 days ago; anything Christmas goes theme; My card is Nativity

link = https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2025/08/peace-on-earth-challenge-94.html

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non-DT commitment project

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Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

for DT commitments:

* as owner = CCC, ConBC, AA, HQCB, HQFCB at TFATU, HQCOLCB, HQFSCAT, FQCB, FQGS, FQCCCB, FQHSKCB, and FQGGCB.

* as member only = PRS (HAOOCAYR is closing after August 31)

Shaker Card Theme Challenge for August 2020 for A Place To Start Blog

Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! Oh, I'm so glad I had a bit of creative mojo kick in to make and get this card submitted right before it goes live!!! Yikes! Yes. And the credit goes to some Webster Pages products I received several months ago that center on the topic of jewels...gems..."You are far more precious than jewels/rubies".

Friendship: You Are a Gem card for August 2020 APTS blog DT project=

Link= APTS blog's August 2020 Create a Shaker card challenge posting
https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2020/08/august-2020-challenge-create-shaker-card.html

*hopefully mine will get edited in by Chana; I had edited in just before it went live, so I must have been a few seconds too late....still check out to see what the others created!! Lots of variety in techniques and topics!!!

Some notes about the design:
a. Shaker/Object-filled pocket has lots of layers:
    i. teal with white dots cardstock is from My Mind's Eye
   ii. recycled clear film packaging was cut to the same size as the transparency and the teal print; tape runner was used to glue 3 sides as well as attach the layers together; after filling the clear film pocket then the top short edge was glued shut
  iii. white diamond print transparency is from a cut-apart sheet from Webster Pages as is the pastel colored diamond cut-apart card that is 1 of the filler items inside the pocket
b. the diamond patterned paper strip on the right side is from Webster Pages; however it came as white with purple 'facet' lines; I selected many colored pencils to fill in and try to replicate those hues seen on the cut apart card. I LOVE how this turned out!! The brownish gold sections were first colored with a light brown and then I covered with my gold glitter paint pen!
c. a clear-based Scripture sticker was placed over the top pocket layer that's the diamond transparency section.
d. odd bits and pieces from an embellishments bag that's been sitting on my craft work table this summer is the source for other items in the pocket
e. a row of 'gems' accent the card
f. the friendship cardstock message stickers are from Webster Pages
g. the mauve pink patterned cardstock is from My Mind's Eye
h. the yellow base's cardstock is from Neenah

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other challenge blogs or Facebook groups where this card or the posting will be linked=

a. Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge blog; started July 22 for 2 weeks; Anything Goes theme;
link= http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/2020/07/pennys-challenge-476.html

b. Mix It Up challenge blog; Anything Goes (there's an option; but I've not done it)
link= https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2020/08/miucb-40-anything-goes-embossing.html

c. Paper, Paper, Paper, and Design Team Calls group on Facebook; a sharing group for crafting bloggers

d. Mixed Media Creativity group on Facebook; lots of bits and pieces within the shaker pocket and also the 'crystal gems row'; lots of different cardstocks and cardstock stickers; Scripture sticker; diamond print transparency 'card'; and clear recycled packaging

e. Scripturally Inspired Creativity group on Facebook; shaker pocket has the clear backed sticker featuring verse from Proverbs

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Crafting in the USA heartland,
Becca S

Design team member for these three:
1. A Place to Start
2. 52 Christmas Card Throwdown
3. My Time To Start

Altered Freaky Fast Formula for notebook paper size layout to feature Cape Girardeau Flood Wall photos

Instead of a sketch design to follow for the layout, I am using a formula shared in The Scraproom Blog and group for March 2019:

Thanks to Heather Guy for designing this FFF for TSR. Since I prefer to use 8.5" x 11" base papers for layouts, I've adjusted sizes to 6 of 2.5" squares, 1 of 10" x 1.5", and 1 of 11" x .5". Before I even saw the sample Heather had made for the blogpost I was planning a similar format:

I swapped the zig-zag lime green stripe with the pale green and moved the hummingbird print to the middle position. Ultimately the layout is switched to vertical format since I had 2 rectangle photos and am using a 8.5" x 11" size base.

http://thescraproomblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/march-freaky-fast-formula-designer.html

design notes regarding sketch layout formula:
a. I already had 2.5" squares ready to go so that was an easy choice and also better for working with the 8.5" x 11" base.
b. The 10" x 2" was reduced to just under 10" x 1.5" for teal/aqua with white dot cardstock strip
c. The 12" x 1/2" was reduced to 11" x 1/2" with one end angled.
d. Then I added a little bit of journaling/caption notes and some neat Treasure Map Word Stickers from October Afternoon along with a few scattered butterflies to accent the layout.

This was indeed fast to put together, especially since I already had the 6 squares cut from 6 different patterned papers. I just LOVE this layout! I love the how the colors of the paper reflect a lot of the colors found in the photos. I love how the word stickers help add to the water/river theme and some humor!

Thanks, TSR for a fabulous Freaky Fast Formula!

Shout-outs to 100 Pattern Papers Challenge group (all cardstocks and papers are from the 2019 starter kit I've pulled from my old craft inventory) and Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog and group (all CS and papers are part of items I compiled for my Feb 2019 kit from the larger 100 PPC starter kit).

I've had a very productive crafting day! More blog posts coming soon!
Becca S

10 November 2018 rainbow thank you banner tags copy catted into card project

11102018 Rainbow forgery tags used for thank you cards

Seasonal Nature Traveling Sojourn Kit for CKCB November challenge:

Reveal photo showcasing all 3 modern cards=

Card #1 using the zig-zag background paper=

Card #2 using the vibrant floral for the background=

Card #3 using the vibrant tone on tone dot print paper for the background=

Design notes:
a. all three use the same mauve pink square-shaped base
b. all three use the same bold blue cardstock for tag base
c. all three use a rainbow forgery thank you banner image (it's like an optical illusion with the paper design and the stamp design!)
d. all three use a strip of the rainbow forgery Ikat print paper
e. all three use a strip of bright bubble gum pink cardstock
f. all three use star graphic designer border tape (used for newspapers and newsletters before digital technology)
g. all three have star stickers, just in differing amounts, colors, and/or type


Before pics-- 2 of 4 forgeries made a few days ago for this November kit in order to copy cat rainbow embellishments from the Citrus Twist curate kit that is our CKC prompt for the month

From the stamped thank you banner images seen above, 3 were used for this blog posted project.

From the Ikat patterned paper that I added rainbow spectrum to I only cut a 1/2" strip off the long left side and then divided it into 3 different lengths to use for the tags/cards.

NEXT

Background papers for the cards--I used one section of the zig-zag patterned paper, one of the vibrant floral seen in the bottom right corner in this next pic, and the third card has one section from the tonal red with pink small dot print paper seen under the gold foil on the left pile.

FINALLY

The driving force behind the rainbow embellishments came from the chosen inspirational kit from Citrus Twist called "Little Things" released October 2018 and picked by Master Forger Lisa for CKC blog's November kit to counterfeit: https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/november-2018-forgery-on-fourth.html

Is this starting to make sense? In the above photo which is a combination of the papers and embellishments you can see a pastel hued rainbow acrylic embellishment, puffy hearts in a rainbow assortment of hues, tasseled type bows in 4 hues, and tiny puffy style stickers in a variety of colors as well as a star-studded patterned paper in the upper right corner. 

The cards featured in this post have only a token nod to nature with the stars and rainbow coloring and one background floral. I've styled them very modern which seems to clash when you see the some of the other photos. I think the problem is that I should have done more pre-planning of projects before pulling papers from inventory. I've pulled items three different times this week and each time the focus has either been for rainbow, hearts and stars, or for weather/travel (which hasn't been shown yet). At this point I'm not sure if I will take time to edit. I think I'm going to concentrate on getting lots of scrapbook layouts made as well as thank you's and Thanksgiving/harvest season cards made and mailed. Let's keep this creative mojo going!

Becca S

November 2018 forgeries set A for CKC blog

Guess what? To my crafty friends who are Master Forgers for CKC blog or participant followers, you will know of my struggles with massive kits and massive numbers of forgeries and even types of forgery ideas in the past couple of months. :)

I've started shopping through my craft supplies with some pre-selections for my November kit but as I've been looking at the first few monthly posts from the MFs and a few others who have their kits made, I came to realization that I didn't have some items come close to the inspiration kit showcased this month (Citrus Twist's Little Things). Hence forgeries were started tonight before I have even finalized my actual kit!!!! :)

Proof photo for how these papers (most are from The Paper Studio/Hobby Lobby and 1 is coloring book page) looked before I started my creativeness:

Getting started! The black triangles on white paper has a corner area missing on 1 of 2 that I pulled for counterfeiting. Likewise the zig-zag black and white is missing a section, as well as the coloring book page, and the Ikat print. Of the 4 designer papers only 1 full paper has been completely forged. I'm intentionally leaving sections untouched at this point in the month. Coloring book page hasn't been colored yet. I'm going to hold off on that and see if and how I use the others:

Those who have seen the inspiration kit (photo will be towards the end of the post) realize that spring colors are found along with some rainbow motifs. Rainbows are my inspiration for these forgeries. My rainbow palette seen below include yellow, pinks, orange, yellow-greens, teal, and blue-violets.

Forgery one:

Forgery two: using a Stampin' Up daisy build-a-kit, I picked the open outline petals, leaves, and centers so that I could use colored pencils to give that watercolor look that is iconic in the Citrus Twist curated kit "Little Things":

Forgery three: Look at these 1970s-era palm trees!!!

Forgery four step a: using a Studio G 'thank you' stamp

Forgery four step b: zig-zag lines were so thick that the fine-lined stamp just wasn't showing up, so I had to use a black colored pencil to do the ribbon banner outlining and a black ink pen to thicken the lettering a little bit. It's still difficult to read. I think I may have to locate a fine tip black marker to make the lettering bolder. I'm loving all these rainbow spectrum forgeries!!!

This is the ID badge for CKC:
The link for the November 1 reveal and blog hop can be found here:
https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/november-2018-counterfeit-kit-challenge.html

Citrus Twist's curate kit "Little Things" from October 2018:

See those lovely tasseled bows in yummy spring colors? And the puffy sticker sheet just to the left of them that also has those tones. In the Northern Hemisphere we are in the midst of autumn season so this is a huge color and motif departure from what I've grown up thinking about for November. But I'm going to do my best to scrap and/or make cards with a November kit and set aside a separate traditional turkey color palette kit for Thanksgiving cards that I haven't made yet.

What crazy color-full creative paper engineering I have ahead for this month!!!! Stay tuned!!! You don't want to miss my kit reveal or upcoming projects!!!!!

Becca S from the USA heartland

CKCB October kit Forgery on the Fourth with my versions of icons and metallic leaves

Isn't it fun to be creative and resourceful with a bit of whimsy when you tweak something or make your own inspired version from marketplace items?!!?!!

Forgery on the Fourth has made paper-crafting exciting for me in the past few months as I've participated with CKC blog! In September I took a coloring book page that I colored in bright autumn leaf colors to become one of my patterned papers for my kit and then I also used another sheet of it to make 3 different size paper bows which I've used two of. Pics will be at the end of the post. For October I got excited about the picture cards, text and icons papers, and quilt looks along with all the uses of metallic gold and glitter/shine accents. Reference photos from the Wild Hare (WH) kit selected for counterfeiting by CKCB will be towards the end.

Forgery #1: adding the razzle dazzle to purchased burlap leaves=

After photos shown above: glitter paint to give a metallic sparkle to burlap leaves bought in packs at Dollar Tree (YES!); and the glitter poster paints and brushes too are from DT for a very budget-friendly way to make a custom look

Before photos shown above: burlap leaves (one from each pack) to start my experimenting; and 2nd round a bit more bold approach with blues, pinks, greens

Forgery #2: picture card/text quilt forged designer paper by using Creating Keepsakes 2012 journaling cards freebie=
http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/articles/Scrapbook_Your_Memories_with_these_Free_Fall_Themed_Journaling_Spots?bc=c

This is a partial screen shot of the old freebie still available from Creating Keepsakes. Instead of cutting apart the journaling spots, I'm going to use these with trimmed off margins, mounted to a full sheet of notebook size scrapbook paper then add copies of photos with some labeling and a few embellishments.


Forgery #3: gold-accented embellishments using a gold paint pen=

more budget-friendly custom-made embellishments: gold paint pen, leaf pack, and small doilies ALL bought at Dollar Tree!

Forgery #4: text and icon designer imitation papers with 3 different approaches I made=

A. autumn theme text and icons made using Google docs and clip art images:

B. quilt or icon imitation paper made using Google docs and selfies:

C. quilt or icon imitation paper made using Google docs and duos:

Five forgery project items have been used for a 2 page layout "Then and Now" this is us theme:

*gold accented silk leaf

*gold accented mini doily with roses highlighted

*gold accent mini doily with trellis pattern

*glitter painted burlap oak leaf

*quilt format "paper" made with duo pics

And where were these papers buried in my All About Autumn kit? 

Top left group has a vivid blue that I've used 75%, gold hologram is reduced to 50%, plaid had 1 1/2 sheets notebook size and I used about 25%, and more parts of this set will be featured on Oct. 5.

Inspiration was taken from the kit to counterfeit that was curated specifically for Mandi Holmes by Wild Hare Kits. Pictured are the 'bits and bobs' and the paper selections:

CKC blog post for "Forgery on the Fourth":  https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/october-2018-forgery-on-fourth.html

REMINDER: Some of my September forgeries and how I used them:

Busy paper-crafting in the heartland, Becca S.

CKC Blog will be showcasing mini kits and a project made with them by Master Forgers and the October Guest Designer (me) on October 6. Make sure to come back and check on this. And for October 4, see what all the fuss is about regarding forgeries and go to the Forgeries on the Fourth link that I had up near the CKC blog ID badge or here. https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/october-2018-forgery-on-fourth.html

September counterfeit kit started with forgeries for CKC blog current posts

Exciting colors! Great motifs! The splendor of autumn about 2-3 weeks early, but who can resist?!?!!

Colors this month focus on golden yellow, greens, oranges, reds, and browns; and the original kit that is being copied has touches of light blue.

Motifs seen in the original patterned papers and embellishments include old trucks, bows, mason jars, wildlife animals, trees and wood grain/tree rings, mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, and leaves.

There are even some fall florals, circles, and rustic touches like twine but also surprising elegant touches like sequins, glitters, vellum, and gems.


I haven't even made my copy cat version of the September kit yet! In all truthfulness, I have cleaned off my work table and set aside unused August kit papers and embellishments that I will take a photo of separately from other supplies I will shop for throughout my storage spots in the garage.

My forgeries today, September 5, 2018, are making my version of autumn-themed patterned papers. I spent time online searching for free black and white clip art or coloring pages that I could either print full page or copy multiple times to fill a full page(s). These photos show what I got completed up until about 7pm.

The first two photos show a maple leaves coloring page that I put back into the printer tray and then printed templates of 3 different sized bows and tails sections on top. I haven't cut them out yet, but I plan to use punches or stencils for the remaining scraps.

Photo taken of my computer screen in the process of printing out a mixed grouping of fruits and vegetables that I've copied 9 times in order to fill the page so it prints a full sheet.

The bows and tails template is at the top left of this grouping. I've got mason jars, squirrels, mushrooms, scarecrow scene, and a camping scene beside the maple leaves and fruits/vegetables medley.

Another view of my 'new' counterfeit patterned papers:

This is a collage photo of the full original kit selected by CKC blog's Master Forger, Tina, from Noel Mignon's Apple Crisp Classic Kit.

This is the ID badge for CKC blog. And a link for the post featuring 3 DT members (Master Forgers) with what is affectionately and humor-fully known as Forgery on the Fourth: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/september-2018-forgery-on-fourth.html

Stay tuned in the upcoming days to see how I progress with this challenge. I've got lots of cards I am needing to make this month! I also want to get some scrapbook layouts and/or pocket pages made using old photos. Becca S