Creative Artiste #129 August 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 love using deep photo frames to make shadow boxes for home decor projects. I've used this one to make an underwater scene.

The frame is 8"x 8" (20 x 20cms) and came already in deep blue. 

 I used Paper Clay and some sea themed moulds from Katy Sue Designs to create my elements. I also used a wonderful MDF mermaid and bubbles from Samantha K Gifts.

1. I ripped up a cardboard box to create a background to fit inside the frame and placed the elements inside to decide on the arrangement.

2. I glued the cardboard together using Prima 3D Matt Gel and gave everything a coat of white gesso.

3. I used DecoArt Fluid Acrylics Vermillion and Hansa Yellow Medium with water to colour the elements. I used gold acrylic to paint the mermaid and bubbles.

4. I glued the cardboard to the base and dabbed on Burnt Umber and Purple Passion Acrylics. I used water to move the paints around and blend them.

5. I added some Bright Purple acrylic to the cardboard structure.

6. I then added Teal Fluid acrylic to the base and cardboard, using water to blend it. 

7. I replaced the base inside the frame and glued some Prima Art Stones mixed with 3D Matt Gel along the bottom.

8. I dabbed the Art Stones with Burnt Umber acrylic and dried everything well.

I placed the golden mermaid in the centre and glued her in place with 3D Matt Gel.

I dotted the seahorses, shells and fish around the scene and used 3D Matt Gel to glue them in place. 

I finished the frame with some old netting across two  corners.

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. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/07/miucb-84-anything-goes-optional-shape.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/07/ltccb-93-and-ltccb-92-winner-and-top.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/07/classic-design-challenge-07-2026-julaug.html

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2026/08/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

Crafts Galore Encore August 2026

Welcome to the August challenge for

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.

As we have no sponsor for August, this challenge is

"Just for Fun"

The design team will still be voting on our favourites, so don't forget to enter!

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

The design team were allowed to make our own "Anything Goes" projects for this challenge and I chose to make this birthday card.

Our little princess is now turning a teenager! Although, I think she's been one for at least the last three years already! 

A teenager deserves a more grown up card, so I chose this image, one with a fashion conscious young lady - wearing a crown, obviously.

The card is 6"x 8" (15 x 20 cms) and I folded the top corner over. I used some old papers from my stash mounted onto blue card and added a button to the folded corner. The inside also has a panel of the patterned paper.

The stamp is an old Julie Nutting one. I have used my Copics to colour it. I stamped the image three times so I could cut out the dress layers and mount them up with foam pads for a dimensional look.

I die cut the sentiment and finished the card with some blue gems.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful "Anything Goes" projects created by our talented team.

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

I have entered this in the following challenges:

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2026/08/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/07/classic-design-challenge-07-2026-julaug.html

Creative Artiste #127 July 2026

This weekend I'm attending a crafty weekend retreat where I'll be taking classes with three awesome mixed media artists. Finnabair, Olga Heldwein and Nuneka. I love to learn new techniques, work with new products and craft alongside likeminded crafters.

But, before I head off ....

 ....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 found a gorgeous tea spoon at a car boot sale and couldn't wait to use it in a mixed media project. It's a gold, engraved spoon with Mother of Pearl on the handle.

The canvas board base measures 9"x 7" (23x 18cms)

I started by making the flowers.

1. I wiped a sheet of mixed media paper with Distress Oxides Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet.

2. I spritzed the paper with water so the inks blended.

3. Once dry, I cut the flowers using Spellbinder dies.

4. I assembled the flowers with PVA glue and curved them to give them some dimension.

5. I coloured the edges of the canvas with Lucky Clover Distress Oxide and water.

6. I glued some torn floral papers to the canvas with Prima Soft Matt Gel.

7. I passed DecoArt Crackle Paste through a Tim Holtz stencil and left it to dry, and crackle.

8. I spattered DecoArt Baby Pink acrylic paint over the canvas. I also used the paint to colour some bottle tops and glass beads.

I stamped a couple of tea cups with Heartfelt Creations China Fragments stamps on watercolour paper. I then die cut them with the matching Spellbinders Nested Tea Cups dies. I lightly coloured the cups with Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick.

I coloured some seam binding with Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide and made it into a bow with some cotton lace. I tied the double bow to the handle of the spoon and fixed the teaspoon to the canvas with Prima 3D Matt Gel.

I added the tea cups to the canvas with the help of some foam pads.

The flowers, fabric leaves, bottle tops and glass beads were added with Prima 3D Matt Gel.

I filled in some gaps with Prima Mini Artstones and finished by adding some pearls to a few of the flower centres.

Now I can display my pretty teaspoon instead of hiding it in the cutlery drawer.

This canvas is number 5 of a theme I have made called Tea for One.

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:

Crafts Galore Encore July 2026

Beautiful summer weather at last! Some people may have complained that it has been too hot here but I found it a wonderful change, as long as I could stay cool indoors. The children enjoyed the paddling pool, the family enjoyed a couple of celebrations with garden barbeques and I enjoyed an open air concert in the castle grounds. It's starting to look like a fabulous summer.

Now it's time for the new challenge at

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 Crafts

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

I have made a birthday card using a gorgeous crescent moon image from our sponsor.

The card is A5 size (8"x 6") (15x 21 cms)

This image is called Fantasy Moon.

The digi set comes with the image in four colour options plus a black outline image. It also has five sentiment quotes.

I used a pale blue Pan Pastel to colour around the image and then layered it onto a light blue card. I then matted that onto a dark blue card.

I printed elements of the image several times so I could fussy cut the flowers and leaves and mount them up with foam pads.

I stuck little gems and coloured pearls around the image and finished with a little white bow and my own printed sentiment.

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:

Creative Artiste #127 June 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 made a wooden birdhouse using a kit from the fabulous Samantha K Gifts & Crafts and I've decorated it with cogs and gears from Samantha K too.

1. I primed each section with a coat of white gesso.

2. I then glued the walls and base together with Prima's 3D Matt Gel. I used some washi tape to hold the pieces in place while they dried.

3. I gave the house a base coat of Marabu Chalk paint and painted the roof panels with Prima Art Alchemy metallic acrylic paint.

4. I gave the inside of the house and the underside of the roof panels a coat of black gesso.

5. I used a mix of turquoise coloured acrylics, applied by dabbing with a sponge, to create an ombre effect on the house walls. The sponge leaves a nice light textured finish.

While the house dried I prepped the decorations.

6. I sorted the cogs/gears, flowers and glass beads. according to where I wanted to place them.

7. The Cadence rust treatment products I used. 

8. It's a three step process to create the rust effect on the cogs. Rust Effect Paint first, then sprinkle the Rust Powder, and finally the Activator Spray before drying.

9. The fourth step, if you want to use it, is to apply the Antique Powder for the patina.

I glued all the cogs/gears, flowers and beads in place with Prima's 3D Matt Gel. 

10. Once set, I finished the house by tapping on some Pebeo Gold Gilding Wax.

You can find the birdhouse  and cogs/gears here in the Samantha K shop.

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 

June challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/06/challenge-202606-june-2026-anything.html

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/miucb-83-anything-goes-optional-stamp.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/05/ltccb-92-and-ltccb-91-winner-and-top.html

Crafts Galore Encore June 2026

It's June already and it's been another mixed bag of weather. I wish Mother Nature would make her mind up. One day it's scorching and the next has chilly winds and heavy rain. Still, we have managed a couple of fun outdoor activities in nice weather. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more nice weather in a couple of weeks as there is an outdoor concert we're going to that was cancelled from last year due to bad weather.

Meanwhile, there's a new challenge at

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:

Fred She Said

who are offering a prize of $10 gift voucher to our lucky winner.

I've created an A5 card in landscape format.

I started by covering the base with a pink card from my stash. I added a paper from G45's Flights of Fancy and a vertical strip of another pretty paper from the collection. 
I matted both on white card. I also cut a band of pink card and matted that on white card and placed it across the front.

I chose to work with Hummingbird and Columbine digi set which comes with the bird and flower images either together, or singularly, in both JPEG and PNG format. I coloured one of the images with my Copics and mounted it on pink card.

I took one of the flower images from the digi set and flipped it before colouring it, cutting it out and mounting it on foam pads as an embellishment. I finished the card with a bow, a stamped sentiment and three pink 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 Fred She Said 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://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/classic-design-challenge-05-2026-mayjun.html

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2026/06/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2026/06/tb-june-2026-challenge.html

Creative Artiste #126 May 2026

 This is the second blog post today, please scroll down to see my Crafts Galore Encore challenge post.

 ....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 fantasy underwater canvas that measures 8" (20cms).

 

I started by priming the canvas with a coat of white gesso. 

1. I used my own texture paste through part of AALL & Create stencil #87.

2. Once dry, I sprinkled on Lindy's Gang powder Guten Tag Teal and Lindy's Magical Caribbean Blue with water to add colour.

I then prepped the elements and left them to dry before adding to the canvas.

3. I die cut some foliage using Tim Holtz Holiday Greens dies and coloured them with Lindy's Gang shaker powder Lederhosen Laurel and water.

4. I die cut the Fantasy octopus and Spellbinder's anchor several times each. I layered and glued them together for strength before painting them with DecoArt acrylic paints (in photo) by dabbing the acrylics on with an old brush.

5. The bubbles are laser cut greyboard from Tando. I sprayed them with a DecoArt Mister in Primary Cyan.

6. I dabbed the shells with a watered down orange acrylic.

To assemble the canvas I fixed the Tando bubbles to the canvas then added the ferns and the octopus with Prima 3D Matt Gel.

I tucked the anchor in the corner and finished the canvas with a couple of strings of beads.

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 

May challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore May 2026

This is the first of two blog posts today.  

April just seemed to fly by and now it's time for the May 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:

Gecko Galz

who are offering a prize of $25 to spend in the shop for our lucky winner.

I have made a pretty birthday card that measures 8"x 6" (20 x 15 cms)

I used one of the images from the C'est la Vie ATC sheet for the background paper and mounted it on blue pearlescent card. I then wrapped white seam binding ribbon the length of the card.

I printed one of the images from Butterfly Blues  collage sheet twice. I cut out just the butterfly from one of the prints and fixed it to the entire image with foam pads for a dimensional effect, then mounted it onto the blue pearlescent card.

I created the sentiment on the computer and finished the card with a bow and some gems.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful cards created by our talented team using Gecko Galz 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:

Creative Artiste # 125 April 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 made an 8" (20cms) mixed media canvas this month. I have used Lindy's Magicals set Beauty School Dropout to colour all the elements.

1. I started by sprinkling Lindy's Kissing Kenickie Coral all over the canvas and adding water to activate it.

2. I sprinkled some wooden hearts and paper straws too.

3. I wanted a bit of a contrast for the paper flowers, so, I used Pink Ladies Pink.

4. Some die cut leaves were sprinkled with T-bird Turquoise.

5. Once the Magicals were dry, I splattered some diluted gold acrylic paint over the canvas, hearts and flowers.

I coloured a torn piece of watercolour card with Lindy's Pineapple Crush from Caribbean Cruise set and added that behind the hearts and straws arrangement.

The hearts were added to the straws using Prima's 3D Matt Gel.

I arranged the roses and tucked in the leaves  using the 3D Gel

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 

April challenge. 

Have a lovely Easter weekend everyone!

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

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