Easter Bliss

Friday, 5 September 2025

Creative Artiste #119 September 2025

School is back in session.  Just the weekend to get though and then normal routine will be restored. 

Meanwhile ....

 ....Welcome to a new challenge at

Creative Artiste is a monthly challenge blog for everyone who likes to mix their media. So, as long as you like to use various mediums on your creations, we'd love to see you enter the challenge.
A big Thank You to everyone who entered the challenge last month. Your projects were all wonderful and our winners have been announced on the blog.
Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"
We have opportunities to be a Guest Designer for all our winners.

I made this second Dragon Box for my wonderful friend Pam, who put up our family when we visited the US over the summer. We had the most fabulous time that went by all too fast.

The wooden box is 7"x 4" (18cm x 10cm)


1. I started by removing the metal hardware and then passing texture paste though AALL & Create stencil #48
2. Once that was all dry, I painted the box creating an ombre effect using Prima Art Alchemy acrylic paints in Emerald Green and Mermaid Teal.
3. I painted the inside of the box with DecoArt Metallic acrylic paint in Peacock Pearl.
4.To finish the box I reattached the hardware and rubbed some Pebeo Silver Gilding Wax on the box and metal work.



1. I painted the white resin dragon with a mix of DecoArt acrylics and a Distress paint in turquoise colours. I used a black Posca pen to define the eyes, nostrils and claws.
2. I fixed the dragon to the box with Prima 3D Matt Gel and gave it a silver Celtic Cross to guard.
3. I tucked some pearls and gems behind the dragon with the Matt Gel.
4. I finished the box with more gems and pearls around the front of the dragon.

Now it's your turn to have fun and create your mixed media projects. You can enter our challenge as many times as you like. A full list of the rules is on the challenge blog. For more inspiration please visit the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog to see the fabulous mixed media projects created by our multi talented team.
Remember to have fun crafting and enter your "Anything Mixed Media Goes" creations in our 
September challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

Monday, 1 September 2025

Crafts Galore Encore September 2025

Back to school this week. The 6 week holiday seems to have flown by. That could be, in part, because we took the two oldest grandchildren to the US for a few weeks. Relaxing with wonderful friends and then hustling around Disneyworld. Everyone had a fabulous time but now it's back to business ....

.... there is a new challenge starting today at

Thank you to everyone who joined in with last month's challenge. The winners have been announced on the challenge blog. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. There is a full list of rules on the challenge blog.


Our theme every month is the popular
"Anything Goes"
and our sponsor this month is:


who are offering a prize of 3 digi images to our lucky winner.

I have made an 8"x 8" birthday card.

I started with the layers of black  and brown card. The pale blue top card is one I've had in my craft room stash for years. 
I stamped the sentiment directly on the blue card.


I chose this pretty image to work with. I can't find her in the shop but there are so many other equally pretty digi images in the shop for you to choose from.
I coloured her with my Copics and mounted her on black card.


The stone wall in the image made me think of the bridges across the Seine in Paris so I die cut the Eiffel Tower  and the Fleur de Lys as embellishments. I cut them in both black and brown card to give a shadow effect. They are both from an old Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzix set.


I finished the card by wrapping  some ribbon around the card layers and adding a few flowers and a bow.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented team using Cute Bee Digis images.

Friday, 1 August 2025

Creative Artiste #118 August 2025

 This is my second post today. Please scroll down for my Crafts Galore Encore post for the August challenge where I have a cute card to show you.


 Welcome to a new challenge at

Creative Artiste is a monthly challenge blog for everyone who likes to mix their media. So, as long as you like to use various mediums on your creations, we'd love to see you enter the challenge.
A big Thank You to everyone who entered the challenge last month. Your projects were all wonderful and our winners have been announced on the blog.
Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"
We have opportunities to be a Guest Designer for all our winners.


I created a tag cut from thick greyboard. It measure 6"x 4" (15x10cms) and I primed it with a coat of white gesso.

I started by sticking some ripped music paper down. I then used a palette knife to add a thick coat of white acrylic paint over the surface to give the tag some texture. Before that was fully dry, I wiped random areas away with a damp cloth.


I then stamped some little birds and added some areas of a thinner layer of orange acrylic. I added some turquoise acrylic paint over most of the tag, and, before these top two layers of paint could dry properly, I wiped areas of them away with a damp cloth to reveal patches of the music paper, the birds and the texture from the thick layer of white acrylic.


For some interest, I stuck down  a piece of die-cut harlequin card and a
 bird and rust treated cage. I finished with some ribbon at the top.


Now it's your turn to have fun and create your mixed media projects. You can enter our challenge as many times as you like. A full list of the rules is on the challenge blog. For more inspiration please visit the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog to see the fabulous mixed media projects created by our multi talented team.
Remember to have fun crafting and enter your "Anything Mixed Media Goes" creations in our 
August challenge. 

Crafts Galore Encore August 2025

 

School summer holidays have officially begun and it rained all day for the first day! Hopefully the weather will brighten up or else it could be a very long break from school. For now, I need to look for some indoor activities.

Meanwhile .....

.... there is a new challenge starting today at

Thank you to everyone who joined in with last month's challenge. The winners have been announced on the challenge blog. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. There is a full list of rules on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular
"Anything Goes"
and our sponsor this month is:

who are offering a prize of two digi stamps to our lucky winner.


I have made a charming A5 size birthday card to show this month.

I used a dark blue pearlised card from my stash for the matting layers on this card and a lovely old Craftwork Cards paper from their Venetian collection that I found in my stash.
I printed the sentiment and cut it out as a strip to go across the front of the card.


I used the super cute Little Birdie image and coloured it with my Copics. I die cut a scalloped circle to matt the image onto.


I decorated some die-cut feathers with Frantage and embossing powder and finished the card with a bow and some Card Candy that came with the paper set.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented team using All Dressed Up images.
Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in this month's challenge.

Friday, 4 July 2025

Creative Artiste #117 July 2025

Even though we are now into July and most of the UK is enjoying a sunny heatwave, I'm still getting rained on doing the school run....

  ....Welcome to a new challenge at

Creative Artiste is a monthly challenge blog for everyone who likes to mix their media. So, as long as you like to use various mediums on your creations, we'd love to see you enter the challenge.
A big Thank You to everyone who entered the challenge last month. Your projects were all wonderful and our winners have been announced on the blog.
Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"
We have opportunities to be a Guest Designer for all our winners.



We were blessed last month with another beautiful granddaughter. I have decorated a canvas to go in her nursery. The canvas is 12"x 9" (30 x 23 cms).


1. I started by giving the canvas a coat of white gesso and when that was dry, I used a Tim Holtz stencil with some dark blue Memento ink to create a pattern of stars.
2. I chose a mix of chalk paints and acrylics in pastel colours to paint the canvas in random patches.
3. I stamped the word Dream using an old Bee Crafty stamp and the same blue Memento ink.
4. Once the stamp had dried, I dry brushed white gesso over the canvas to mute the colours and blend the patches of colour.


1. I bought the dream catcher from Samantha K Crafts. The MDF dream catcher came in a set with two other dream catchers.
2. I gave the dream catcher a coat of white gesso.
3. I then used the same 3 paints as on the canvas to paint the dream catcher.
4. I used Versamark and Utee to heat emboss the dream catcher to brighten the colours and give it a nice shine.


I used some Stampendous embossing powders to cover and decorate the canvas. 


One of the embossing powders is Shabby Blue Frantage which has a very fine shiny blue powder. It has given the canvas a lovely shimmer.


I heat embossed a selection of small metal elements in gold. Once the catcher was glued onto the canvas with Prima 3D Matt gel, I added the gold decorations.


Now it's your turn to have fun and create your mixed media projects. You can enter our challenge as many times as you like. A full list of the rules is on the challenge blog. For more inspiration please visit the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog to see the fabulous mixed media projects created by our multi talented team.
Remember to have fun crafting and enter your "Anything Mixed Media Goes" creations in our 
July challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges: