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:

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

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:

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:

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

Creative Artiste #122 December 2025

This is the final challenge of the year for Creative Artiste. Now I can concentrate on making my Christmas cards, buying presents and wrapping them, getting the Christmas food and snacks, attending the Christmas school concerts and putting the decorations up. Phew!

But, before I do all that ....

  ....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 upcycled a couple of boxes to use instead of gift bags this Christmas. The boxes measure 

8.5" (W) x 6.5 (D) x 4" (H)  (22cm x 17cm x 10cm).

The boxes have a front flap with a magnetic closure. One box is gold and the other is pale blue. I decorated the gold box with red and the blue box in blue but the process was the same for both boxes.

1. I started by gessoing the box tops with white gesso.

2. I used texture paste through a stencil across the top.

3. I painted on some DecoArt Glamour Dust on the texture dots for sparkle.

I used a resin frame I made with a Prima mould and some woodchip snowflakes. The metal flowers, metal snowflakes, leaves, stars and numbers are all from Prima. I added some plastic ornaments and some red beads from my stash. Everything was stuck in place with Prima 3D Matt Gel.

I added some pretty papers from Graphic 45 on the front panels, back and sides of both boxes.

I also  lined the inside of the blue box with G45 papers too.

I tied ribbons around the front flaps and added some fussy cut G45 poinsettias to the gold box. I finished both boxes with some fine white glitter to give a frosted look.

Now, just to fill them with Christmas goodies.

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 

December challenge. 

The Creative Artiste Design Team will be taking their usual winter break in January but we'll be back on February 6th 2026 with more mixed media inspiration for you.

Until then, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May 2026 be kind to you xx

I have entered these boxes in the following challenges:

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2025/12/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

Creative Artiste #120 October 2025

  Happy Friday....

....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.

The leaves are changing colour and spilling from the trees. I took inspiration from the rich, warm colours to create this little canvas. 

The canvas board measures 7"x 5" (18 x 13 cms). And I used one of my favourite techniques to create the Autumnal background.

1. I started by scribbling wax crayons on the canvas to give an ombre effect.

2. I then used my heat tool to melt the wax, rubbing it with a tissue to blend the colours together.

3. I used texture paste and a Tim Holtz stencil to add the flowers.

4. I created the leaf colours with Brushos and water.

I used the old Stamping Up set French Foliage to stamp the larger leaves and fussy cut them. The three smaller leaves in the front are die cut using an old Docrafts Dinky die.

I glued the arrangement of leaves onto the canvas with Prima 3D Matt Gel to give dimension and added  some rusty wire behind the leaves.

The sentiment is a Chocolate Baroque stamp on card I'd coloured with Brushos.

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 

October challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

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

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:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/09/miucb-79-anything-goes-optional-fancy.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/09/ltccb-88-anything-goes-ltccb-87-winner.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/classic-design-challenge-08-2025-augsep.html

Creative Artiste #116 June 2025

June already? I've no idea where the first half of this year went. I'm pretty sure the weather has been caught out too as we've had mostly April showers for the past week. I'm hoping  we get some summer weather soon.

Meanwhile ....

  ....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"x 8" (20 x 20 cm) canvas based on an idea I've had for a while.  I started by covering the canvas with black gesso. Once dry I added some hexagons with texture paste and a stencil. I then glued scraps of lace and added touches of silver acrylic paint.

I cut some hexagons from thick greyboard and triple heat embossed them. Once cooled and set I fixed them onto the canvas with Prima's 3D Matt Gel.

I then covered most of the canvas with a mixture of Prima Artstones, some metal nuts and scraps of cotton.

Once everything was dry I painted most of the small elements with silver acrylic and added some splats of the paint 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 

June challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/05/miucb-77-anything-goes-optional-paper.html

https://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/ltscb-173-anything-goes-ltscb-172.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/ltccb-86-anything-goes-ltccb-85-winner.html

https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/06/challenge-126-no-designpaper.html

Creative Artiste #114 April 2025

  ....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 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.

I had some seashells, resin pieces and beads left over from another project and decided to display them all together in an underwater scene.

I've called this "The Shipwreck II".

I have worked on a bigger canvas than I usually use this month. The canvas measures 16" x 20" (40 x 50 cms). I started by priming the canvas with a coat of white gesso.

I randomly stamped Aall & Create stamp #310 Bubble Block over the canvas using Versafine Clair ink. Once dry, I spread 3D Matt Gel through Aall & Create stencil #87 Totally Dotty with a palette knife.

I arranged the shells and resin pieces on the canvas and fixed them in place with Prima's 3D Matt Gel. I added a few extra leftover pieces like the gold leaves, glass cabochons and starfish.

Next I used lots of water with DecoArt Fluid Acrylics in Prussian Blue, Cobalt Turquoise, Cobalt Teal and Quinacridone Gold. I started with the darkest colour and dried the canvas in between each one to set them in place so they didn't run into each other.

I finished the canvas by adding lots of flat backed pearls with 3D Matt Gel and a few silver charms.

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. 

I have entered this canvas in the following challenges:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/miucb-76-anything-goes-optional-layers.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/ltccb-85-anything-goes-ltccb-84-winner.html