Creative Artiste #45 December 2018

The tree has been beautifully decorated and the fairies have added chocolates as a reward.  The rest of the festive preparations are coming along nicely but the month is speeding by too quickly for the adults and not quickly enough for a certain excited little lady. In the meantime ....

.... Welcome to my December post for

Creative Artiste

Creative Artiste is a 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.
We also have an added bonus this month as ....

We are holding a
***Design Team call***
We are looking for a few new members to start in February 2019 who:

-Can commit to one mixed media project a month for a minimum term of 12 months.
-Have their own current blog.
-Will comment on a regular basis throughout the month on challenge entries.

If you are interested please email us using the Contact Us form at the top of the left sidebar with your blog and contact details. 
The DT call will remain open until January 15th 2019.

Now, today's business ....

A big Thank You to everyone who entered Challenge #44 in November. Your projects were all fabulous and our winner has been announced on the blog.

Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"

This month we are sponsored by the fabulous

Paperbabe Stamps
where the lovely owner Kim is offering a £15 voucher to use in her online store for the winner and 10% discount code for the Top Three.


Inspired by Kim's fabulous creations I have made something completely different to my usual style this month ...

This is a 12"x 10" (30cm x 26cm) canvas board. It started life with an acrylic pour in greens and yellow. It then lived in a box for over a year until I thought it would make a perfect background for this project.

I used the Female Profile Head and Torso templates and the Female Profile Wavy hair templates from Paperbabe Stamps to create the lady. I made a few adjustments but she's mostly the shape of the templates.
I painted her in with acrylic paints using lighter and drier brush strokes for the hair to let the original background show through in places.

I masked the lady off and added some stencilling with white and yellow acrylic paints through Stencil #27 by Kassa Hayselden from AALL and Create. I then stamped the stars in brown Archival ink.

Lastly, I doodled some flowers with Posca pens and darkened the edges with Distress Ink.
I love how the textures from the original acrylic pour show through and I'm delighted that I finally found a use for this canvas board. This lady is now off to pastures new as a unique and personalised Christmas present.

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

Don't forget the DT call at Creative Artiste!
Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Crafts Galore Encore December 2018

Well, Christmas is rushing to greet us so I'd better start getting prepared to create a magical time for a very excited little girl. But, before I do ....

.... Welcome to my December post for

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with November'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:

Oddball Art
who are offering a $10 coupon code to spend in store.

I have made a fun 6"x 6" (15cm x 15cm) tent fold Christmas card.

The background is made with two papers from the First Edition Jolly Holidays paper pad. I cut them to create a starburst pattern.

The team were allowed to choose from three of Lizzy's digis and I chose this cute Santa Baby Christmas Unicorn. (Unicorns are very popular in our house right now due to a certain little lady). I coloured the adorable image with Copics and die-cut it into a circle.

The fun sentiment also comes with the image. I printed it out and coloured the background with inks to tie in with the papers. It's mounted on foam pads for dimension.

The sweet little string of fairy lights are from Docrafts Love Santa range.

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

The Christmas tree is going up today and once it's beautifully decorated the fairies will come and hang chocolates on it. What family traditions do you have?

If I don't see you before,
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE,
however you celebrate.

Creative Artiste #44 November 2018

Chilly temperatures and the clocks going back means Autumn is here and it kick starts with fireworks this weekend in the UK as we celebrate the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. We are looking forward to a local organised firework display and hoping that all animals and people stay safe. 

Now, welcome to my November post for

Creative Artiste

Creative Artiste is a 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 Challenge #43 in October. Your projects were all fabulous and our winner has been announced on the blog.
Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"

This month we are sponsored by the fabulous

Tando Creative

I have made another tag, and yes, I've used blue again ...

The base is a 7"x 4" (18cm x 10cm) greyboard tag from Tando Creative. I started by giving the tag and some random greyboard shapes from my stash a coat of white gesso.

I used Distress Oxides, Spiced Marmalade and Broken China, with water to colour everything by dipping and drying until I was happy with the results.

I then used an ephemera stamp and  Carabelle's "Un regard sur mon histoire" stamp over the tag and the shapes. Once dry  I fixed them onto the tag with gel medium for dimension.

I took one of the butterflies from Tando's Butterfly Grab Bag and gave it a thick coat of white gesso. While it was still wet I dipped it into the leftovers of Oxide ink from colouring the tag. I wound some of Hannah Oxberry's super rusty wire available from Tando and fixed it to the tag with the butterfly on top.

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

Enjoy your weekend everyone and stay safe if fireworks are involved.

I've entered this tag into the following challenges:

http://alteredeclectics.blogspot.com/November challenge
http://rheddscreativespirit.blogspot.com/2018/11/novembers-challenge.html x
http://notjustcardschallenges.blogspot.com/2018/10/october-challenge-anything-goes.html x
https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/ltccb-28-november-anything-goes.html
https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/miucb-19-anything-goes-aperture.html

Crafts Galore Encore November 2018

Hope everyone enjoyed their Halloween celebrations as much as our little fairy did. She went to bed tired, happy and with her teeth thoroughly cleaned!

Welcome to my November post for

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with October's challenge. The winners are on the challenge blog's 'winner's page'. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. A full list of rules are on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Beccy's Place
and the prize is one free set of images from the store.

November is the month of remembrance and thanks and the beautiful poppy is the most common symbol. I have made an 8"x 5.5" (20cm x 14cm) tent card.

I wanted this card to be about the poppies and sentiment so, to keep it simple, I matted and layered red and black cardstock for the background.

I used Beccy's wonderful free image called Anzac Poppies and printed it out a couple of times. I coloured the images with Copics and trimmed one to fit the card.

I added the stamped sentiment and cut out the other two poppies and some leaves. I mounted them in the corner on foam pads.

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

I have entered this project in the following challenges:
https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-perfect-time-to-craft-november.html
https://classicdesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/classic-design-team-open-challenge.html
https://justkeeponcreating.blogspot.com/2018/10/november-2018-anything-goes-link-up.html
http://craftingwithanattitude.blogspot.com/2018/11/challenge-45.html

Creative Artiste #43 October 2018

After spending the month of September doing card demos I managed to find some time for messy crafting, yay! So...

... Welcome to my September post for

Creative Artiste

Creative Artiste is a 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 Challenge #42 in September. Your projects were all fabulous and our winner has been announced on the blog.
Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"

This month we are sponsored by the lovely

Scrapmatts & Papertole Australia

Today I have a tag to show you. I've broken out of my blue phase as you can see.

The base is a 7"x 4" (18cm x 10cm) greyboard tag from Tando Creative. I gave it a coat of gesso to start with, then a wash of DecoArt Americana Light Buttermilk acrylic paint. I added some splodges (technical term) of DecoArt Americana Dark Chocolate acrylic paint and watered them down and mopped them up to create a mottled effect. I dabbed Dark Chocolate around the tag edges.

I made up some texture paste with DecoArt Americana Baby Pink acrylic paint and passed it through Scrapmatts Plus Sign stencil randomly over the tag. I then used Carabelle's "Un regard sur mon histoire" stamp over the tag and added some cheesecloth scraps. I splashed some paint over the tag to finish the base.

I started building up layers by taking some pieces of Scrapmatts Chipboard Sticks and covering them with DecoArt Americana Bahama Blue acrylic paint. I added DecoArt Crackle Paste and once dry dabbed the Dark Chocolate paint and water over the crackle. I added them to the tag.

I had an old bag of various Kaiserkraft ephemera and picked out some of the bits to use. I scruffed the edges, stamped onto them and and dabbed the watered acrylics on them. I splashed some of the watered paint over them and mounted them onto the tag with gel medium.

I took two of the words from Scrapmatts Assorted Words set and dabbed them with the Dark Chocolate acrylic paint and heat dried them. I repeated the process until I was happy with the textured look. After fixing the words in place I finished the tag with some Prima Artstones, paint and gel medium.

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

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

I've entered this tag into the following challenges:

http://welove2create.blogspot.com/2018/09/challenge-13-anything-creativemixed.html
https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/10/ltccb-27-october-anything-goes.html
https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/miucb-18-anything-goes-monochrome.html
http://moremixedmediachallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/more-mixed-media-challenge-anything.html
http://abitmoretimetocraft.blogspot.com/2018/10/a-bit-more-time-to-craft-challenge-77.html
http://alteredeclectics.blogspot.com/2018/10/october-challenge-and-apologies.html

Crafts Galore Encore October 2018

Firstly, Thank you to everyone who offered kind words and support following our wonderful news that I reported last month.  New routines and relationships are still being adjusted to but, on the whole, settling in is going very well for our new family unit.

Secondly, I apologise for my continued lack of presence on social media. Hopefully I will soon learn to structure my time better. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Now, on to today's business:

Welcome to my October post for

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with September's challenge. The winners are on the challenge blog's 'winner's page'. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. A full list of rules are on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Limited Runs Stamps

who are offering three free digi images to the winner.

Seeing as October is generally regarded as a spooky month I decided to make a Halloween card.

For the background I matted and layered plain black and pearlescent purple card. I then wrapped some gorgeous black lace around them and fixed them to a homemade card blank.

The DT were lucky enough to be allowed to choose an image from the store. I chose Haunted House #1. I coloured the image with my Copics using a die-cut circle to create a void for the moon. I trimmed and mounted the image onto black card.

Before printing the image I added the sentiment to the page.

The spooky embellishments were plastic items in a Halloween themed bag. I added some touches of red with nail polish. The card was finished off with some purple half pearls.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can meet our new Design Team members and see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented team. Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in the October challenge.

I know a little girl who is excited to dress up as a fairy and wish everyone a
Happy Halloween!!

I have entered this project in the following challenges:
https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com/2018/10/morgans-artworld-open-challenge-10-1st.html
https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/10/ltccb-27-october-anything-goes.html
https://fabrikafantasydigis.blogspot.com/2018/10/25-halloween.html
http://creativewithstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/cws-31-halloween-or-leaves.html
https://classicdesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/classic-design-team-open-challenge.html

Creative Artiste #42 September 2018

Thank you for all the lovely comments on our new family situation. We've all had a good week with back to work and a new school to cope with. It's eighteen years since I had to take a child to her first day of school but it all went very well. We are going out for a celebration meal later today. In the meantime ....

... Welcome to my September post for

Creative Artiste

Creative Artiste is a 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 Challenge #41 in August. Your projects were all fabulous and our winner has been announced on the blog. 

Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"

This month we are sponsored by the fabulous

WoW!

Today I have an 8" (20cm) canvas to show you. You can see I'm obviously still in my blue phase.

I started by spraying the canvas with a couple of different shades of blue - Pastel Blue and Pastel Cobalt - from 13arts.

I used texture paste through the 13arts stencil Bubbles, designed by Marta Lapkowska, and once dry I carefully repositioned the stencil and added Versamark. I then sprinkled on Clear Sparkle Embossing Glitter from Wow! and carefully heated it. It gives a fabulously glittery finish.

I die cut the circles from thick greyboard and layered some of them up for different thicknesses. I then painted them with dark blue acrylic paint.

I gave them all a coating of DecoArt crackle paste and left them to dry.

I again used my 13arts blue sprays but this time applied them with a brush and water to areas of the circles.

Once dry, I applied Versamark and Clear Gloss Embossing Powder all over the circles and gently heated and repeated until I had a thick glossy shine to my circles.

I fixed the circles to the canvas with Soft Matt Gel, superimposing several of them. I've called this canvas 'Bubble Blues'.

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

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

I've entered this canvas into the following challenges:

http://craftingwithanattitude.blogspot.com/2018/09/challenge-43.html
http://alteredeclectics.blogspot.com/2018/09/september-challenge.html x
http://rheddscreativespirit.blogspot.com/2018/09/september-challenge.html x
http://moremixedmediachallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/more-mixed-media-challenge-anything.html
http://eclecticellapu.blogspot.com/2018/09/september-challenge.html x
https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/ltccb-26-september-anything-goes.html

Crafts Galore Encore September 2018

A brief personal update before I get down to today's business: 

The court hearing that I attended at the beginning of August resulted in the excellent news that my husband and I have been awarded Special Guardianship of our five year old granddaughter. To be honest, this is not quite what we had planned for our retirement years but it is already bringing some much needed joy to our family. Our little blonde bombshell arrived just in time to celebrate her fifth birthday and nearly every minute now is spent settling her in to her new home and life with us. I do apologise that my crafting and commenting duties are still suffering but I'm sure you'll all agree as to where my priorities currently lie.

Now on to crafty business ....

Welcome to my September post for

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with August's challenge. The winners are on the challenge blog's 'winner's page'. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. A full list of rules are on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Fabrika Fantasy
The lucky winner will get three digi images of their choice.

I had to make a birthday card for our very special little girl and I used this darling image to make an 8"x 8" (20cm x 20cm) scalloped card.

I inked the edges of the scalloped card base with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. Then I used Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide on watercolour card to create the background layer.

This adorable digi image from Fabrika Fantasy is called Cute Zebra 1 and comes in a pre-coloured version or black outline. The coloured version is so cute I decided to use that. I shrunk the image and made a border with five zebras on the computer.

The border, image and text were all printed onto a piece of white card. I also printed the Cute Zebra 1 digi twice more to cut out and decoupage. All the bubbles were dusted with glitter.

I used the Worn Lipstick DO to dye a length of seam binding to create the bow and a strip across the card before attaching the layers.

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

I have entered this project in the following challenges:
http://alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.com/2018/08/126-anything-goes-woptional-twist.html Top Pick
http://abitmoretimetocraft.blogspot.com/2018/09/a-bit-more-time-to-craft-challenge-75.html x
http://createsandmakes.blogspot.com/2018/08/challenge-24.html
https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/ltccb-26-september-anything-goes.html
http://ribbongirls.blogspot.com/2018/09/september-anything-goes-challenge.html x

Creative Artiste #41 August 2018

Happy Friday everyone. I'm on my travels again and keeping my fingers crossed for a good outcome today. Hopefully, one way or another, we will know what the future holds. But first there is something else going on today, so ...

... Welcome to my August post for

Creative Artiste

Creative Artiste is a 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 Challenge #40 in July. Your projects were all fabulous and our winner has been announced on the blog. 

Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"

This month we are sponsored by the fabulous

Samantha K Gifts

who are offering this lovely prize to our lucky winner.


This month I have decorated an 8" (20cm) embroidery hoop to make a wall hanging.

The hoop is an old wooden one I've had for years that deserved a new lease of life. I started by painting the hoop and my MDF pieces with black gesso. Once dry I used white gesso and DecoArt crackle paste to create texture.

 I cut a circle of heat resistant acetate and attached it to the back of the hoop. I built up a support layer with a strip of silky fabric, some thick netting and cheesecloth and stretched them tightly over the hoop frame. I then added the 'bubbles' to the background and foreground which  are Circle Cluster B and Circle Cluster C from Samantha K Gifts.

I fixed shells, glass beads, pearls and a seahorse to the structure with my glue gun. I added clusters of Prima Artstones and gave it all a coat of white gesso.

Next was the fun part of painting everything. I used gorgeous Prima Art Alchemy Metallique acrylic paints in Emerald Green, Crocus Fields, Mermaid Teal, Light Patina and Vintage Rose.

For the finishing touch I added little highlights of Prima's Art Alchemy Metallique waxes.

Now it's your turn to create your mixed media projects and enter the challenge up to three times. A full list of the rules is on the challenge blog. For more inspiration please visit the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog to see the wonderful mixed media projects created by our talented team.  Remember to have fun crafting and enter your "Anything Mixed Media Goes" creations in the challenge.
Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Find Prima products in the UK at Artist Trading Post.

I've entered this project into the following challenges:

https://rheddscreativespirit.blogspot.com/2018/08/august-challenge.html x
http://alteredeclectics.blogspot.com/2018/08/august-challenge.html x
http://countryviewchallenges.blogspot.com/2018/08/august-2018-sun-sea-and-sand.html
https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2018/08/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html Spotlight
https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/ltccb-25-august-anything-goes.html Top Pick
https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/08/miucb-16-anything-goes-acrylic-block.html x

Crafts Galore Encore August 2018

July ended in a bit of a washout in the UK but it's not like the land didn't need some rain. Hopefully the sunny skies will be back for some more lovely summer weather.

On the home front we are slowly making progress, thank you for your good wishes. The four legged family member is recovering well and meetings and hearings are scheduled over the next couple of weeks. Lots more travelling for August but things should start to fall into place soon, hopefully.

In the meantime ...

Welcome to my August post for

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with July's challenge. The winners are on the challenge blog's 'winner's page'. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. A full list of rules are on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

Our sponsor this month is:

Fred She Said

who are generously offering a $10 voucher for their digi store to our lucky winner.

I made a 6" (15cm) Double Gate Fold card with a difference.

I started with a normal Double Gate Fold card but turned it around and decorated the back. I didn't want to hide the lovely image inside a card.

I made the paper by sprinkling Brushos onto watercolour card and spritzing with water. I then cut it into three panels to fit the gate fold leaving a white border.  

The Fred She Said image I chose to work with is the gorgeous Corner Rose. I printed it off five times and coloured it with my Copics. I then cut out layers to decoupage the rose and mounted the layers on foam pads for dimension.

I finished with a computer generated sentiment cut into a banner.

Please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented team. Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in the August challenge.

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

http://abitmoretimetocraft.blogspot.com/2018/08/a-bit-more-time-to-craft-challenge-73.html

http://craftingwithanattitude.blogspot.com/2018/08/challenge-42.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/ltccb-25-august-anything-goes.html

http://createsandmakes.blogspot.com/2018/07/challenge-23.html