April 2019 - Counterfeit Kit Challenge prompt #2 - Hidden!

I'm back with a challenge layout today and am thrilled to be able to say that I not only used my April kit for layout #2, but I also fulfilled the challenge on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog - Hidden!, and also my own Whimsical Musings prompt WM#325 - be inspired by a blue-toned necklace.

I do love it when I get multiple challenges completed in one layout - although there are others out there much better at it than me.

Here's a reminder of my take on the Hip Kit Club March 2019 kit, "Balconia" and you can find all the details for the inspiration kit over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog here.

Right, back to business...

I challenged the team with the following:

Challenge #2 - Hidden!

Easter is coming and many little ones will be participating in Easter Egg Huts in the garden. Create you own "hunt" on your page by including some hidden elements on your page such as journaling, symbolism or more photos. Let the hunt begin!

I decided to go for lots of hidden symbolism as well as a truly hidden-in-plain-sight element to my page. 

Can you see it? 

It's right there in the middle and I have to admit to being rather proud of it and ever so grateful for my beloved Silhouette Cameo which has earned its keep this week in more ways than one. When I use it, I truly love it and don't know why I don't use it more often!

So... if you didn't notice, here are some of the elements I included in my page.

• I splatted gold and blue onto the background to mirror the state flag of Alaska where I bought this gorgeous necklace
• the title is a nod to the flowers in the necklace which also happens to be the state flower of Alaska too. The actual words of the title are of course, double meaning as I really don't ever want to forget my trip and experiences during the holiday of a lifetime.
• I also used blue and gold with the messy thread elements 
• the softer colours of the patterned papers I used reminded me of the autumnal colours I experienced during my travels around the Yukon and my short stay in Alaska
• I've included the constellations you can find on the state flag - subtle but clear to see if you know where to look!
• and the best bit... I've cut out the state of Alaska from my favourite constellation covered Studio Calico vellum and laid it underneath the photo. You have to really look carefully to notice it and that's the effect I wanted. The focus is on the photo and the bead elements I've attached to the page as embellishments but the negative space on on the vellum is there to discover. 

I've been including hidden symbolism on my pages for a long time - colours, motifs, patterns etc - and find myself going back to this technique over and over which makes me happy. I hope you'll give it a try if this is something new for you. Make sure you link up to let me know how you get along!

Head back to the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog so that you don't miss any of the other shares today and of course, there's heaps and heaps of inspiration and community shares over on Instagram here and the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Facebook Community here.

April 2019 Counterfeit Kit Challenge kit reveal blog hop

It's 1st April and that's no joke!

Hopefully, you're here for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge March blog hop kit reveal and I'm delighted to be choosing the kit again this month. It's going to be a good one!

No doubt you've reached me via the inspirational Leslie's blog (here), and next up is the delightful Lori (here), and I'm thrilled to welcome Debbie Stemper as Counterfeit Kit Challenge Guest Designer this month so make sure you head over to her blog (here) too.

I find myself returning to the same kit clubs over and over and this month was no exception. So it's not really much of a surprise that I picked out the Hip Kit Club March 2019 kit for our inspiration this time around, which features a wonderful combination of Crate Paper, Heidi Swapp and some Hip Kit Club exclusives. I hope you love it as much as I do.

You can find the link to the main kit here: https://www.hipkitclub.net/march-2019-main-kit

There are also some other kits available if you wanted to take inspiration from those and a great unboxing video if you want to get some more detail about the kit:

Paper: https://www.hipkitclub.net/march-2019-paper-kit 

Pocket Page: https://www.hipkitclub.net/march-2019-project-life-kit  

Embellishment: https://www.hipkitclub.net/march-2019-embellishment-kit 

Color: https://www.hipkitclub.net/march-2019-color-kit 

Cardstock: https://www.hipkitclub.net/march-2019-cardstock-kit 

Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/ghg4bmT6foc 

I've named my kit "Balconia" which isn't really a real word but is a phrase we use here in Germany for the time of year when we start spending all our time out on the balcony, enjoying the sunshine, pottering among our flower boxes and of course, eating Bratwurst from the BBQ and drinking cold beer! - "Life on Balconia"! I actually spend time on Balconia all year round, but it definitely intensifies at the end of March and the beginning of April when we replant the boxes and officially open BBQ season!

I know, I know! You're struggling to find where the inspiration kit is in among all the products in my kit but I promise I started with a list consisting of:

• spots
• hearts
• florals
• small patterns
• circles
• green
• pink
• black & white
• mustard yellow
• bright blue
• green
• summer & sunshine
• clips
• bows

And if you look closely, you'll find all of these except a lot of the bight green and the bows.

Here are my papers. I started with the large spot and hearts (bottom left), and the pink/blue Crate Paper design and floral (top left) and then added in the pie chart circles, the tiny spot and the black and white trailing leaves before finishing off with a couple more florals and the stripes which reminded me of the original kit.

It may not be exactly the same but the inspiration is there and I really think that this mix will give me some super variety!

I then added in some clips that I bought recently and the colours seemed to fit ...

... the stickers that feature floral and words, a colourful mix of enamel dots, a full pack of bright, happy die cuts ... 

...  and black alphas which match the original kit as well as some smaller letters because I love a good mix.

I also added in a few items that are quite a bit older because I've realised that I always stuff my kits with all sorts of scrummy new stuff and my older product is a little neglected. Some brad stickers, some labels and a handful of journalling spots and tags. Let's see if I'll find a way to bring them up to date.

Here's the full blog hop list in case you get lost along the way:

• Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/
• Guest Designer Debbie Stember: https://pigsflyng.wordpress.com
• Cindy: http://cindyscreations-cinmfoster.blogspot.com
• Leslie: http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com/
• Lisa: http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/
• Lori: https://loriannie670.blogspot.com/
• Tina: https://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com
• Laura: https://www.instagram.com/mrsp_scrapsandtea/

We always love to see your work, so please share your kits and projects with us!  
You can link up in different ways:

• Monthly Link-up page, 
• post them in our Facebook Community
• or share them on Instagram  - we are @counterfeitkitchallenge and you can tag us using #counterfeitkitchallenge and #ckcapril2019

Thanks for stopping by today - I'll be here again tomorrow with some ideas 

to help you put together your kit!