Something old, something new, something borrowed, something YOU!

No, this isn't a wedding post, it's the reveal of both my April Counterfeit Kit and my motto for 2013:

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something YOU.

The old and the new are pretty self-explanatory. It's all about using a balance of old and new supplies when I make a scrapbook page or other project.  It's a balance that's constantly changing - if I've recently bought up big on new supplies, I try to make the most of those supplies while they're still new.  When I'm using older photos, on the other hand, I might dig into some older supplies a bit more.

(If you're new to my blog, and interested in reading more about my philosophy, you might want to read the post here about my last year's motto, "Use what you have in a way that makes you happy".)

In the original wedding tradition, the "something borrowed" is a literal borrowing of an item from a loved one. But the way I mean it in this instance is more about borrowing ideas - trying out a new trend, or technique I've seen on Youtube, for example.  Even better is borrowing the idea of an expensive pre-made embellishment, and making my own, more affordable and one-of-a-kind version.

Which leaves something YOU.  In other words, trying out new techniques and styles is great, but it doesn't have to mean throwing out the baby with the bathwater.  The wheel doesn't have to be reinvented with every page I make, and it's OK to go  back to the simple page designs that I'm comfortable with without trying something different with every page!

So in other words, the same philosophy, just a new motto.  But I'm not going to be selfish with it . . I  don't mind if you borrow all or part of it for yourself!

But on to the Counterfeit Kit . . . (if you're not a counterfeiter already and have no idea what I'm talking about, you might want to pop over here and find out!)  The kit we're taking inspiration from this month is the March kit from Gossamer Blue:

Quite pretty, don't you think? And a little simpler in terms of embellishments than we've had in recent months.

Here's my version:

 

The something old in this case, is the chipboard pieces (not all photographed), some of the lettering products, 2 of the patterned papers . . . and the cardstock.  That's right! I've decided it's time to re-classify coloured cardstock as an "old" supply, and have included some in my kit this month.  Will I use it for backgrounds? For matting photos? For running through my Silhouette machine?  Or will it still be sitting in the bottom of the box at the end of the month?  Only time will tell!

 

 

Papers are from Carta Bella, Studio Calico, Echo Park and Basic Grey.

The B sides

I've added in some braid, buttons and DIY dimensional dots.

I decided to do some more DIY "flair" this month, too, but have left off the last step of adding the dome sticker.  That gives me the flexibility to leave them plain or add something extra based on the project I'm working on.

But wait, there's more! I thought the papers I chose this month might be a bit limiting, and liked the idea of making a "colour add-on" so here it is, in black and kraft:

In this case, the something borrowed refers to the fact that some of these supplies are "borrowed" from sources other than traditional scrapbooking supplies.  There's a shopping bag I've cut down to a 12" square, map-patterned tissue paper that was packaging from a pair of shoes, an envelope, a book page, and other goodies from a Julie Kirk pack I won last year (not all photographed).

As well as my Oxfam bag, I've included a couple of Studio Calico papers, and some plain cardstock.

The polaroid and viewmaster cuts didn't really work in my main kit, so I thought I'd include them here:

(edited to add: viewmaster cut file is a free file from As You Wish designs here; the other files are from Blinks of Life here.

OK, I wonder what I'll get made with these goodies?  What about you?  Will you be counterfeiting this month?