February Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Hop!

Hello fellow crafters,

Welcome to the February Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Hop:)  This HOP is sure to knock your socks off.  There are 30 amazing participants this month, so there are 30 opportunities for you to be inspired with 30 different "takes" on this Scraps of Darkness sketch (as shown below)!

Now for my take on it:

Now I have to tell you, I'm famous for "loosely" following sketches and this layout is no exception:)

I did use my February counterfeit kit to make MOST of this layout, and in addition, used some of the mini-challenges throughout the month as follows:

• The keyhole diecut is my version of the "faux metal" mini-challenge
• The large distressed flower is my version of the "Prima flower look-alike" tutorials
• My "non foto" theme is part of the "Putting Pen to Paper" mini-challenge

In addition, I definitely used some of my favorite T!m products including:

• Silver paint dabber
• Black Soot distress ink
• Barn Door distress ink
• Peeled Paint distress ink
• Alterations diecut (keyhole)
• Also notice that I used the "inside" of the keyhole to make photo tabs

I was so happy at how this all came together.  Using my stash for a kit is such an awesome and FRUGAL idea!  I did also take advantage of the free journaling block download, too:)

Now, so you don't miss ANY of the AWESOME inspirational goodness on this HOP, if you didn't reach this blog from Kylie's Blog, head on back to the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog so you can start from the beginning:)

If you HAVE arrived from Kylie's Blog, that's AWESOME!  I want to thank you for visiting and encourage you to leave a comment about your thoughts on my "take" on the sketch this month.  You know us bloggers...we just LIVE for comments:)

When you're ready to continue on your travels, hop on over to Milissa's blog for the next stop on this amazingly fun "blog train".

Whoo Hoo!

enJOY!





Altered Stick Pins & Studio L3 CCC #33 Entry...Frugal Scrappin' Style:)

Hello fellow scrappers/crafters/bloggers:)

I hope you are having a MOST wonderful day today!  I have been seeing altered stick pins around for a while now, and I've been wanting to try them myself, but just haven't had the time...UNTIL NOW, {hee hee}.

I'm SOOOOO excited that my dear friend, Jacquie, showed a group of us how to make our own altered stick pins at a TNT group meeting at our LSS.  I was so excited and IDEAS just kept running through my head, INCLUDING kicking myself for selling all those BEADS I've had for years at a recent yard sale I had...

Now you all know I have to put my own frugal little twist on what I've seen and I'm very EXCITED to share it with all...as I often say, I know I'm NOT a ROCKET SCIENTIST (well, sometimes in my own little head I think I just MIGHT be {ROFL}...well at least a "scientist" anyway...since, ya know, I'm ALWAYS coming up with new concoctions, AND I'm always all inky and stuff...DEFINITELY, no fresh manicures here, sistah!

So anyway, I went to my local "big box" craft store and bought some corsage pins..ya know, the ones that NEVER hold the corsages on (well at least mine don't)...anyway, I purchased two types...one with ROUND white pearls on the top and the other with TEARDROP white pearls on top.

Then I mosied on over to the bead section...ya know the bead section is now BIGGER than the scrapbook section!  What's the deal with that, I ask?  I know, I know, there are some AMAZING jewelry makers out there BUT I'm not gonna get into that craft now...no, I'm not, BUT I will use some of their AWESOME beads for my ALTERED STICK PINS!

Oh, and I also bought this whoppin' big pkg of glitter, too...I'm tellin' ya, if I can't find a glitter to match my project now, I've got issues...well MORE issues than I already know I have, lol.

I am now the proud owner of 24 lucious colors of glitter.  Here are a few of them:

Now, all I did was cover the pearl tops of my stick pins with some fast drying liquid glue (I use 3-IN-1 Beacon Glue).  Then I popped the lid off of a glitter bottle and dipped the pearly tops in for a "swim"...swirled it around a bit, lifted and tapped off the loose glitter and VOILA, I now had a glittery topped stick pin.  After adding a few beads, I had an AWESOME new embellishment for my crafting project!

Now, ya know I just COULDN'T stop there, right?  So I headed on over to my alcohol ink bin and added some alcohol ink to felt and swirled a few more stick pins around in the felt pad until they were covered.

Check these out!  Another use for my trusty alcohol inks...whoo hoo!

Can I just say AMAZING!!!!!!!

Now, if you've made it this far, I also want to show you my Studio L3 Challenge entry for this week.  Our challenge was to turn to pg 56 in the Compendium of Curiosities book, and use the altered metal technique.  Even though I DEFINITELY altered MORE THAN METAL, I did also complete this challenge.

Here's a close-up of the altered metal (this is a piece of chipboard covered with aluminum foil and embossed with an embossing folder).  The colors of alcohol Ink I used are terra cotta, sailboat blue, and sunset orange.

I had a GREAT time making this project.  THANKS to Linda over at Studio L3 for ANOTHER AMAZING CHALLENGE!

A "Little" Shout OUT to one of my Scrappin' Peeps!

Whoo hoo!  Happy Days are HERE!  One of my most CREATIVE scrappin' peeps has been named to the lastest Spellbinder's Design Team.  I was SO HAPPY for Gloria when I heard the news earlier today.

Way to go, Gloria!  I can't wait to see all of the AMAZING paper crafts you are going to make as part of the Spellbinder's Design Team.

Kimberly Crawford

Tonya Dirk

Christine Emberson

Judy Hayes

Lesley Langdon

Tina McDonald

AJ Otto

Windy Robinson

Gloria Stengel 

Shanna Vineyard

Michelle Woerner

Latisha Yoast

CONGRATULATIONS, GLORIA!

Frugal Scrapper's Homemade Flowers Tutorial

You know, I think I may have posted a similar tutorial once before, but since paper flowers are still REALLY popular, I'm going to post it again, espcially since this has a bit of a "twist".

First, we start with a scallop circle punch and a paper lunch bag.  I love working with a lunch bag for a few reasons:

• They are EXTREMELY economical
• They have a bit of a "waxiness or glossiness to them
• They are a great weight and texture for altering

Then, once the bag is cut apart and 6 scalloped circles are punched, we add some ink.  I inked 5 of the scalloped circles with distress ink in Barn Door and one scalloped circle was inked with distress ink in Peeled Paint.  Make sure to ink BOTH sides of the scalloped circles.

Next, we crumple them up.  You can't crumple them TOO MUCH, so have a blast:)

Now, we'll un-crumple them and layer the red pieces on top of each other and secure with a brad.

Now, crumple them back up toard the center, one later at a time, starting with the top layer.  Once you've crumpled them back up, you can "press all of the layers together so that the brad cannot be seen.

Then you can slowly open the layers back up again...just open slowly so that the layers are still a bit crumpled.  This takes practice, so if you open the layers too much,you can always crumple them together again and start the opening process again until you get the results you want.

Once your satisfied with the results, take the last scalloped circle (the one inked with Peeled Paint) and tear it right in half.  This is where your imagination and inter artist is going to have to get to work.  You will play with each half of these scalloped circles until you think they look like individual leaves.  I personally play with them until when I "pinch" each end and leave the middle wider, they look like leaves.

My end result is this:

If you want to, you can also add a little "glimmer" to them by spraying them with some sort of glimmer spray (I use my homemade glimmer spray, made by filling a mini mister with water and adding a scoop of perfect pearls)...shake and spray:)

These are the results below:

The difference is subtle and based on how concentrated your glimmer spray is.  The reason I LOVE my homemade glimmer spray is because, my color comes from the distress inks and the spray just adds a pearly glimmer, now added color.

The other advantage to doing this is that you can then use a heat tool to dry your flower which will stiffen it, similar to starching.  Now your flower will hold it's shape perfectly!

Another suggestion is to go back over the tips of your flower with a darker color of distress ink (like Fired Brick or Aged Mahogony) so you can add more depth to the petals.

Stickles can also be added by squirting stickles on your craft mat and tapping your finger in them.  Then gently blot you stickled finger over the flower to randomly add more sparkle.

EnJOY!









Putting Pen to Paper...

What an AWESOME and much needed CHALLENGE for me...ahhhhhh, I get to use my "word of the year" here:)

Putting Pen to Paper...I've always thought scrapbooking, for me anyway, is an EMOTIONAL JOURNEY through the MEMORIES of this WONDERFUL life I'm BLESSED with!

Now, I have to admit...I find most of my EMOTION in the fotos I take...I LOVE IT when one of my fotos exudes EMOTION...but alas, I also need to realize that those who VIEW these FOTOS may not SEE the emotion as I SEE it...possibly because they weren't there with me to EXPERIENCE the emotion firsthand, possibly because they SEE things in a different LIGHT...and quite possibly, it's because I'm just CRAZY WEIRD in how I SEE things, lol...

Sooooo....sometimes, WORDS are needed to BRING the story and fotos to LIFE...Not always ALOT of WORDS, sometimes just a few well placed words will do it...

BUT...what IF there are NO fotos to TELL the STORY you want to TELL?  What if you just want to TELL the STORY?...BUT to add the right MIX of EMOTION, how about if you just use EMBELLISHMENTS and ALTERED ART?

OH YES, BABY....this IS gonna be AWESOME!!!!!

I'm gonna put a little twist on the Pen to Paper Challenge over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog...I'm gonna TELL a STORY...and let the embellishments I chose help exude the EMOTION!  Whoo hoo!  I'm SOOOOOO EXCITED!

Now, the hard part...I can't show you my ENTIRE layout just yet...because, it's also going to be my SKETCH CHALLENGE project!

Without further adieu, here's a sneak peek:) 



You'll have to wait until February 28th for the full reveal...but trust me...it's gonna be chock full of "Frugal Goodness", so stop back:)

Frugal Flourish Bling:)

Don't you just LOVE all that bling out there in the market place?  The wispy goodness is just too hard to resist, isn't it?  But alas...what's a frugal scrapper to do?  Even though there are some AMAZINGLY affordable companies out there, I still find myself asking...how can I do that myself?

Over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog, they have links to some great tutorials on how to make your own flourish/swirl bling for your projects, so be sure to check it out.  Here is a direct link to the post.

I have come up with one more way to make FRUGAL flourish templates for your crafting projects.  Now, I know this isn't rocket science, lol, and you may have seen this technique before, but since I have not seen it anywhere, I AM considering this a "Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire" idea.

Using one of my flourish stamps, I stamped with black ink onto a piece of chipboard.  Then I took my trusty crop-a-dile and using the smaller of the two hole punches, I punched my way around the flourish, spacing the holes every 1/4" or so.  I realized that the "reach" on my crop-a-dile was a minor challenge when I got to the middle of the flourish, so I decided to loosely cut around the stamped image so I could more easily punch some of the holes.



Then I got out my trusty stickles and dropped just a smidge into each hole....and...VOILA...my very own FRUGAL flourish bling:)  Now you all know that the biggest complaint about stickles is how long they take to dry...so if you don't mind a more subdued blingy appearance, you can use the tip of a toothpick and dip it into some stickles you squirted out on your craft mat to drop into each hole in your template.

Whenever I use a toothpick to apply stickles, besides having more control over where it lands, it dries much quicker because there is much lighter coverage.  This is especially helpful with small projects like cards or tags where you don't want the bling to be too overwhelming anyway.

I did find that it was much easier to work from the back of my template because the stamped side was a bit distracting.  You can also consider the fact that now you can determine the direction that your flourish goes based on which side of the template you use.

I'm sure you could also use this template to place glue if you still prefer to add crystals or other bling to your project.

Once finished, just clean off any extra stickles (or glue) stuck to the template with a dry paper towel.



Of course, for those of you who are daring enough, you can also just "draw" your flourishes freehand with no template at all:)  I've tried it and it works fine...you can always practice on scrap paper first:)

Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #32

It's been a while since I've had time to play along over at the Studio L3 Blog, so I thought I'd try to fit one in tonight.  It's actually 8 p.m. as I speak, so I guess I'm officially late with my post, but the project is done, so I'll link it anyway:)

Here's my take on page 59 from the Compendium of Curiosities book.  I've used this technique a few times (and even taught it) and it was FUN to revisit it.  Thanks, Linda for such an awesome challenge!

Faux Metal Embellishments

I was inspired by a post I saw over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog where there were links to tutorials on how to make faux metal embellishments.

Now, I know that my "take" on it doesn't "really" qualify as "faux metal", but it's DEFINITELY a frugal approach to the ready made metal embellishments we all know and love:)

You really need to visit the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and try their techniques for accomplishing great faux metal results.

In addition, feel free to try my idea:)  For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you may have seen me use this technique before.  On this post, I want to offer you another tutorial on how to make your own "faux" metal embellishments.

All you need to start with is a few basic items:

• A die cut (the shapes that are often metal work best)
• Chipboard
• Xyron create-a-sticker machine (size depends on the size of your diecut)
• Aluminum foil

For this demonstration, I'll use a few different methods that will give varying results.

For this first diecut, I made sure my piece of aluminum foil was no wider than the width of my xyron (in this case 1 1/2 inches)...remember for this to work properly, your diecut must be less than this width, too.



Once the aluminum foil is run through the xyron, gently pull it away from the waxy paper and apply it to a piece of chipboard that was cut just a bit bigger than the resulting die cut.

Next you just run it through your diecutting system and your done!  There are a few variations you can also use to get slightly different results. I've shown three different results below.



One was run through with a smooth finish on the foil.

One was run through the xyron using a piece of foil wider than the Xyron opening.  As the foil funneled in to the opening of the Xyron, it crinkled, thereby resulting in a crinkled diecut.  This is especially cool when working on Halloween projects.

The last one was run through smooth and then run though an embossing folder.

Bonus ideas:

• You can use the "insides" of the keyholes as photocorners.  Just pierce a hole in the round part and attach with a brad.

• You can use alcohol inks on your embellishments to change the color since aluminum foil is a non-porous surface.
• You can sand the tops (be gentle because the foil is thin) and then you can use distress inks on them to age them.
• You can add stickles, distress stickles, etc.

Enjoy:)

Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog...February Kit Challenge!

I have to tell you all, this new blog, Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog is my NEW favorite blog right now...I love the way, they allow all of us "frugal crafters" to put kits together using some fabulous kit of the month inspiration...furthermore, though, I LOVE the way they also list MANY awesome kit club websites right on their blog...so whether you are inspired by the creative inspiration of the kits and create your own...or just want a place for a "one stop shop" to visit these awesome kit clubs directly, I think it's a win/win for all:)

In my TRUE frugal style, I have chosen to use the February kit of choice from http://www.scrapsofdarkness.com/, which I have to say, is an AWESOME kit.  Here is a pic of the kit:

I just LOVE that frame around their pic...gonna have to find me one of them, lol...

Now here is my "counterfeit" kit right out of my stash:

The first thing you may notice is that I don't have the beautiful large flowers in my counterfeit kit...but see the paper scalloped circles?...now ya know, they WILL become my version of those flowers, right?

Now to try and list my products:

• Basic Grey - Stella Ruby Line - Dining with the Daveys - ste - 725
• American Crafts (I think) - this was a paper packet (the red/black piece)
• Some scraps from Teresa Collins - Travel Line
• Pink Paislee - Bayberry Cottage - borderlines
• Quick Quotes - Rub-ons
• Hambly - Screen Print - All mixed up
• Prima - silver swirls & shapes (not sure of the proper name...don't have pkg anymore
• Sizzix - sizzlets die - Bird-Swallow
• Little roses from The Fabric Barn in Long Beach
• Random fibers and embellies from various crafting stores

I will also be using some of my favorite TH products to alter the paper, embellies, etc.

Now to get started on the challenges:)

Go over and visit Counterfeit Kits Challenge and play along:)



Frugal Scrappin' February Class:)

I'm so excited about February's Frugal Scrappin' Class!  (You'll need to scroll through my "gab" to get to the pics).

While I was at CHA, I saw a few AMAZINGLY familiar embellies...FLOWERS!...now these weren't just ordinary "perfectly shaped" flowers, you know...they were flowers that LOOKED like they were HOMEMADE...Whoo Hoo!

Now ya know I had to study them for a while to see HOW I could replicate them and make them into a FRUGAL project, and I've done just that:)

I then saw some tips 'n tricks using the Tim Holtz Alterations diecuts (you, too, may have seen some videos on the subject).  So we will be making our VERY own STAMPS!  Yes, out of fun foam AND "trash" (well acetate packaging).  Each Frugal Scrappin' attendee will go home with their very own STAMP!

Also, while at TNT in February, the make 'n take was doing something I've been thinkin' about for a while...making our own decorative PINS!  Thank you, Jacquie (our Fearless TNT Leader) for hostessing such a GREAT TNT meeting AND an AWESOME make 'n take!  I love it when I can take an idea I've just learned and share it with my Frugal Scrappin' class!

So let's summarize...you'll be learning THREE awesome techniques:

• We'll make homemade flowers TWO different ways
• We'll make our own homemade decorative pins
• We'll make our own STAMP

We will also use some of my FAVORITE products in class:

• Gold Paint Dabber
• Perfect Pearls
• Studio 490 stamps
• Paper from one of Tim's Paper Packs
• Distress inks

In addition, for a BONUS, I will show you how to use an ordinary brown paper lunch bag to make card envelopes and embellies.

Please join us for frugal scrappin' on:

Date:  February 24, 2011

Time:  6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Place:  Ever After Scrapbooks

Cost:  JUST $15

Now for a sampling of the cards we will make along with the supply list:

Supply List:

• Gold Paint Dabber
• Liquid adhesive (that dries clear)
• Your favorite tape runner
• Adhesive Pop Dots
• Distress Inks in Fired Brick, Black Soot, and a cool brown like Brushed Corduroy or Frayed Burlap
• Mini mister
• Black pen or thin black marker
• Scissors
• Paper Trimmer
• Paper Distressor

Challenge...it's just a word

So I've been thinking over the last 5-6 weeks about WHAT my word is this year...

You know...there's alot of BUZZ in the crafting world about chosing "your word for the year"...and I've FINALLY settled on mine (with a little help from my hubby)...

C H A L L E N G E

That is my word for 2011.  I LOVE that word...I embrace THAT word...I am PASSIONATE about that word...

Now, I can't wait until this weekend, when I get to CHALLENGE myself to create some AWESOME projects to complete the next Frugal Scrappin' class on Feb 24th.

Stay tuned!

Reflecting on...Frugal Scrapping...

So.....I've been reflecting lately on the original purpose of my Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire blog...and I've realized that over the last year, I've moved away from the reason I originally started this blog...to share my ideas for FRUGAL paper crafting:)

With that being said (and with a little help from my scrappin' friends), I've been turned on to some AWESOME ideas for frugal scrappin' & paper craftin'.

My friend Jacquie found this awesome blog http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/ that has GREAT ideas for using your stash and replicating some of those awesome embellishments we all know and love...but, alas...sometimes just cannot purchase:(

FEAR NOT, fellow FRUGAL CRAFTERS, because there is SO much inspiration out there, that we may NEVER need to shop again...well, maybe ALMOST never, lol!

With that being said, I will definitely be bringing this blog back around full circle to what I love to do best...save my hard earned crafting $$ and spend wisely.  Now the newest and greatest paper will still be my guilty pleasure....BUT, going forward, MOST of my embellies on my projects will be "copykat" ideas I've come up with (or found on-line) that I will be sure to share with you all.

LOOK OUT Frugal Crafters...put your creative hats on, and join me on this amazing FRUGAL journey!

You definitely WON'T be disappointed:)

Now head on over to http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/ and leave some love...and tell them I sent you there:)...this is DEFINITELY a blog after my own frugal heart:)

Frugal Scrappin' Sneak Peek:)

One of the things I did notice at CHA was alot of flowers that LOOKED homemade...well you know me, why buy one already made when you CAN make it yourself?

With that in mind, shown above is just ONE of the cards we will make in the Febrary Frugal Scrappin' class that will held on Thursday, February 24th from 6:30 - 8:30 at Ever After Scrapbooks.

Now, if you're really perceptive, you may notice a cute little birdie stamp in the lower right corner...well, fellow frugal crafters, we WILL be making this awesome stamp in class, so you will be able to take one home with you!  Whoo hoo!  This is an idea I've been thinking about for a while, but my AWESOMELY talented co-instructor actually made this one for me as a gift.  THANKS, KAREN...you ROCK, girlfriend!

Since I'd been thinking about this anyway, and I do have the diecut to make this bird, I thought I'd just use this design for our class.  It's really cute and will help us start thinking about Spring which is right around the corner...well actually for us in Southern Cali, it's just Spring and Fall all year, but I'm sure you get the drift.

We will make 4 cards in class, some in a different shape (5 x 5) and we will also be using some other FRUGAL products to use with our cards...I just need to feel better so my creative mind can start workin' again:)

enJOY, and check back for more sneak peeks at the rest of the cards...as I design them, they will be posted...and as always, they WILL be AWESOME and will be FILLED with new TECHNIQUES to try:)

CHA Update:)

Hello fellow crafters:)

I'm back fresh from CHA and right into the worst illness I've had in a long time.  I actually had to call out of work 2 days in a row!  Any one who knows me knows I just DON'T call out of work...but this illness really wiped me out!

Anyway, I did go to CHA over the weekend, but for some reason thought there were NO pictures this year...go figure that I'd ACTUALLY listen and NOT take my camera.  Luckily Heather did have hers and let me use it...now we just have to connect so I can get the pics...before CHA is long gone and forgotten, lol...

There were a few stand out companies for me this year and they are as follows (in no particular order)

BoBunny
October Afternoon
Sassafrass Lass
Simple Stories (this is a new company that JUMPED right out of the box)
Kaiser Craft
Tim Holtz

I'm sure there are others, but I just can't think of them right now...

For Tim, I have SO much of his stuff I still have yet to use, that I'll wait to purchase some of his new items until I can see some ideas on how to use them.  While cool, some of the idealology products are a bit pricey and are use once and done kind of things.

I DO have to say, though, that his Shadow Box (the Configuration) is very cool!  I have never seen this and LOVE the different shapes and sizes of each opening.

Of course the new Alterations dies are also really cool!

Sorry, I have no pics:(

enJOY your day!