Crafts Galore Encore April 2026

Happy April Fool's Day! I do hope you haven't been caught out by any jokes.

The clocks have gone forward, the evenings are longer and the weather is warming up nicely.

Welcome to a new challenge on the

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

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:

Conjuror of Dreams

who are offering a prize of 2 sets of their collage images to our lucky winner.

I made a 6" birthday card using one of the gorgeous images from this month's sponsor.

The card has a fold back front. I used a brown Papermania card as the base layer on the card with a blue mottled card from my stash.

I printed one of the images from the Watercolour Blue Jays set and matted it onto some card. The Blue Jays set comes with 4 gorgeous images of the birds.

I coloured the edges of the mat card with a brown Copic to match the image.

I coloured some Spellbinder die cut leaves with Copics as embellishments and printed the sentiment on my computer. I finished the card with some gems.

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

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in this month's challenge.

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

Creative Artiste #124 March 2026

  ....Welcome to a new challenge at

Creative Artiste

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 have created a triptych to welcome Spring.

I have used three canvases that each measure 4"x 8" (10 x 20cms).

Before I show the step-by-step photos of the techniques, first I have a tip for supporting the underside of the canvas when applying mediums to it.

1. Firstly, I gave all three of these canvases a coat of white gesso followed by DecoArt Americana Decor Timeless chalk based paint. I then lightly dabbed on some pale grey acrylic paint to create a slightly mottled effect on the two outside canvases.

2. To stop the canvas from bowing when applying texture paste, or stamping, I cut several pieces of cardboard, trimmed to fit inside the canvas.

3. I glue the layers together to create a block and fix a strip of ribbon to it.

4. I can now tuck the cardboard inside the reverse of the canvas which will stop it bowing under pressure. I simply pull on the ribbon to easily remove it. The block can be reused until it starts to get compressed. Then I just add another layer.

5. I applied texture paste through a Tim Holtz stencil. I deliberately made the paste look rough to mimic brickwork.

6. Once the texture paste had dried I replaced the stencil and dabbed on a mix of Docrafts and DecoArt acrylic paints with brush, careful to not paint between the bricks.

7. I created a trellis by gluing some wooden drink stirrers together.

8. I made a short length of fence by gluing some lolly sticks.

9. I painted both the trellis and the fence with DecoArt white acrylic.

10. I curved some kraft card and glued it in a flat backed barrel shape. I made three of these in different sizes.

11. I fixed the trellis and one of the large pots to the centre canvas with Prima 3D Matt Gel. I die cut lots of flowers and some flourishes from card I'd coloured with Distress Oxides.

12. I arranged, and attached, the flowers and flourishes to the canvases, adding pearl beads to the flower centres.

I stamped the 'Grow Beauty' words using a Samantha K stamp set, cut around them and fixed them to the middle canvas. I added a wooden wheel and some wooden butterflies to finish.

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 

March challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/02/classic-design-challenge-02-2026-febmar.html

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/03/miucb-82-anything-goes-optional-die.html

https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2026/03/march-2026-tb-challenge.html

Crafts Galore Encore March 2026

Welcome to March! 

And Happy St David's Day!

Spring is almost here, the days are getting lighter and the weather is getting less cold. But, before we can celebrate any warm sunny days, there is a new challenge starting on the

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

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:

Moondrea Designs

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

I have made an A5 birthday card this month in pretty Springtime colours.

I started with a textured green card from Papermania and layered it with a Papermania smooth light green card. The daffodil paper is the March paper from G45's Flower Market Collection.

I added two strips of layered green card over the paper at the top and bottom of the card.

I used the Daffodil Maiden image from our sponsor and coloured her with my Copics. I matted her onto smooth yellow card from Papermania and fixed her to the card on foam pads.

 I printed the headdress a couple of times, coloured the flowers and fussy cut them to use as an embellishment. I attached them to the card with foam pads.

I printed the sentiment and layered it onto yellow card with another daffodil.

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

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in this month's challenge.

I have entered this in the following challenges:

https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com/2026/03/morgans-artworld-challenge-98.html

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/02/classic-design-challenge-02-2026-febmar.html

Creative Artiste #123 February 2026

 ....Welcome to a new challenge at

Creative Artiste

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 in December. Your projects were all fabulous 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.

Creative Artiste is back after taking it's annual break in January. My batteries are recharged and I'm looking forward to another year of creating mixed media projects to hopefully to inspire you.

February features St. Valentine's Day. My husband and I decided not long after we were married, nearly 42 years ago, not to give each other over priced Valentine's gifts. It's more fun to surprise each other randomly throughout the year with thoughtful gifts, flowers and chocolates.

And, after giving each other the same card one year for Valentine's Day, we decided not to bother with cards either. It wasn't even a romantic card, it was a jokey one!

Saying that, I have made a heart project for this month. But it's not a Valentine's one. I've called this 

"My Stone Cold Heart"

I have upcycled a cardboard box with a drawer insert. The box measures 7"x 5"x 2"  (18 x 12.5 x 5 cms).

1. I started by giving the box a coat of black gesso. Once dried, I painted it with a dark brown acrylic.

2. I gave it a coat of DecoArt Weathered Wood and let that dry. I then added a top coat of Burnt Umber acrylic. The Weathered Wood allows the top coat of acrylic to split as it dries revealing the base layer and giving an old 'peeled paint' look. I gave the inside of the drawer the same treatment.

3. I assembled a selection of metal elements and a panel of card treated with acrylics and Weathered Wood. They were all glued in place with Prima 3D Gloss Gel.

4. Once all dry, I used a stiff brush to add Pebeo Silver Gilding Wax to the elements.

5. I wanted to use a Prima plaster heart I have from an old Flaming Hearts set.

6. I gave the heart a coat of black gesso.

7. I filled the space in the heart with Prima Art Stones and Soft Matt Gel.

8. I gave the heart and stones a coat of black gesso.

 

9. I cut some squares of greyboard and painted the edges with black gesso. I then applied some DecoArt Crackle Paste and left it to dry. I added some Crackle paste to the heart also.

10. I dabbed black, and white, acrylic paint over the crackle to colour it. I used more black on the larger square.

11. I added a mix of black and white acrylic to the heart, using more white paint to make it lighter.

12. I layered the squares and fixed the heart on top. I glued the whole piece to the inside of the drawer.

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 

February challenge. 

For all of you who like to celebrate, have a lovely St. Valentine's Day!

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/01/muicb-81-anything-goes-optional-use.html

https://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/ltscb-177-anything-goes-ltscb-176.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/01/classic-design-challenge-01-2026-janfeb.html

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2026/02/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

Crafts Galore Encore February 2026

The evenings are getting lighter and the temperatures have slightly less of a chill. That can mean only one thing, surely. That Spring is just around the corner.

While I sit here waiting in anticipation there is a new challenge starting on the

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog

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:

Polkadoodles

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

I have made an A5 card to celebrate the much anticipated arrival of Spring.

I started by layering an orange and a light green card onto the card base.

I used the Bee Buzzy set of images for my card. There are 15 images in the set and I chose 4 of them for this card. I used a graphics program to arrange the images and printed it to fill the card front as one image. I coloured the images with my Copics.

I hand wrote the happy sentiment in two halves and finished the card with some colourful gems.

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

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in this month's challenge.

I have entered this in the following challenges: