Creative Artiste #121 November 2025

November started with a fabulous weekend of crafting in Lincolnshire at the second Triple Fusion craft retreat run by Sue Tucker from North East Art Workshops for me. The tutors were the same as last January, Finnabair (aka Anna), Olga Heldwein and Nuneka Box. Over 40 of us had a fabulous time creating four wonderful mixed media projects over the weekend.

Now it's back to reality ....

  ....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.

November is the month for remembrance services and thinking about those who served our country and sacrificed their lives. Remembrance Day is symbolised by a red poppy. I think it should also be to remember those we love who are no longer here. 

I have lost quite a few family members in the last few years. Notably, my brother, my mother in law, my auntie and my daughter. 

I decided to make a canvas of remembrance for them.

The base canvas measures 8"x 8" (20 x 20cms) and the four small canvases are 3" (8cms).

1. After gessoing the canvas, I dabbed blue and white DecoArt acrylic paints all over with a sponge to give a mottled effect.

2. Once I was happy with the result, I left it to dry.

3. I used the same technique on the small canvases with a Pebeo pale blue chalk paint and a blue DecoArt acrylic.

4. I also dabbed acrylic paint on a wooden butterfly to use as that's my symbol for my brother.

1. To create the poppies I rubbed Barn Door and Festive Berries Distress Inks on both sides of a page of mixed media card and activated with water.

2. Once dry I stamped the poppy images using various stamps in my stash. I stamped several times so I could layer up the poppies.

3. I cut the poppies out and layered them up for dimension.

4. I glued the poppies, the butterfly and a sentiment onto the small canvases and fixed them on the larger canvas with Prima's Heavy Body Gel.

    Now I have my own little remembrance display.

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 

November challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2025/11/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/11/miucb-80-anything-goes-optional-cas.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/ltccb-89-anything-goes-ltccb-88-winner.html

Creative Artiste #111 December 2024

  ....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've made a festive wreath to show you.

The base of the wreath is a 7.5" (19cm) wooden embroidery hoop. I made all the snowflakes using a Stamperia snowflake mould with Hearty Soft Paper clay.

I prepped all the pieces before assembling the wreath.

I first gave the hoop and the snowflakes a coat of white gesso. Once dry I diluted some DecoArt Prussian Blue Fluid Acrylic with plenty of water and painted the hoop and snowflakes. 

The next step was to cover the hoop with DecoArt Crackle Paste and let it dry.

I then wrapped a battery powered string of little lights around the hoop.

Finally, I painted the snowflakes with DecoArt Glamour Dust and sprinkled them with a fine white glitter while they were still wet so the glitter would stick. I added some silver Tim Holtz metallic droplets to the centres of the snowflakes.

I arranged the snowflakes around the hoop and glued them in place with Heavy Body Gel, overlapping them to cover the hoop and lights.

I arranged some plastic pine branches, some mini pine cones and a few little metal bells on one side of the hoop and fixed them with Heavy Body Gel. I tied a bow with wide white ribbon and added some more of the branches, bells and a cone to cover where the battery pack for the lights is attached.

I finished by tying a ribbon onto the hoop to be able to hang it up. 

The wreath looks so pretty when it's lit up from the back.

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. 

It remains for me to wish a fun festive season to you all, however you celebrate!

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

Creative Artiste #109 October 2024

  ....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.

Whilst having a clear out recently I came across this wooden unicorn head. One side of it had been decorated with inks by the little princess. I decided to commandeer the unicorn so I could paint and embellish the other side.

1. I started by painting the head with white gesso and sticking down some resin cogs and domes with Prima's Heavy Body Gel. The cogs are mostly from Prima's Machine Parts mould.

2. I gave the cogs a coat of white gesso and then added watered down DecoArt Prussian Blue Hue fluid acrylic to the wood with a brush. I sprayed more water to spread and lighten the colour in some areas. I added the paint to the sides of the head. Then I dried the paint to fix it.

3. I next added watered down DecoArt Cobalt Turquoise Hue fluid acrylic. I sprayed with more water and allowed it to run down the sides. I used the brush to help to blend it in and dried it to fix the colour.

4. I dry brushed the cogs with white acrylic paint to lighten them and make them look more uniform. I painted the unicorn's eye with black acrylic paint.

I dabbed a sticky glue onto random areas of the cogs and sprinkled them with IndigoBlu Royal Peacock gilding flakes and brushed off the excess. I also did the unicorn's horn.

I gave the flakes a good buffing to make it all shine.

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 #108 September 2024

  ....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've made an 8"x 8" (20 x 20cm) canvas.

I started by gessoing the canvas in white. I used an old Tim Holtz flourish stencil from Set 10 for the canvas and the wooden hearts.

I made some some texture paste with a pink acrylic paint this time and passed it through the stencil onto the canvas. I left it to dry.

I then spattered some watered down Salvaged Patina DOX and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink refill across the canvas.

While that dried I painted two wooden hearts with Pebeo matt Fairy Pink acrylic paint, dried them and used Picked Raspberry DOX with the stencil over the hearts.

I glued some lengths of ribbon across the canvas before gluing the hearts in place with Prima Heavy Body Gel and adding the pretty paper roses from Prima.

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/2024/09/miucb-73-anything-goes-optional.html x

https://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2024/09/challenge-170-not-card.html x

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2024/09/ltccb-82-anything-goes-ltccb-81-winner.html

Creative Artiste #107 August 2024

  ....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.

One of my beautiful daughters loves vintage roses so I made her this hexagon canvas. It measures 11.5" (30 cms) from point to opposite point.

All the ephemera is from a very old set by Kaisercraft, apart from a die cut heart and the Cheery Lynn die cut leaf flourishes.

I started by using texture paste through a DecoArt Americana Decor text stencil randomly over the canvas.

I then tore up up some old book pages and coloured them with watered powders from Lindy's Magicals Nantucket Pearls set.

Once stuck down with Soft Matt Gel, and dried, I gave the canvas a coat of white gesso.

Next, I used the Magicals to colour areas of the canvas and gave another coat of white gesso.

I used the texture paste on the some of the sides of the canvas and extended the book pages around the sides too.

I assembled the floral elements by layering some of them up on blocks of differing heights that I made from acetate. To do this, I cut the acetate into strips and scored it to fold it into 5 equal squares. I then folded each one into a cube and glued it into place under a flower with Heavy Body Gel.

I die cut the leaf flourishes and coloured them with green Copics. I glued several layers together for stability. I chopped the flourishes up and tucked the pieces in between the roses.

I die cut a small heart and coloured it with the Salt Water Taffy Magical. I added the frame, the birds, a little butterfly and the word Adore. I finished the canvas with some clear glass flat backed 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 

August challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/07/miucb-72-anything-goes-optional-veggie.html x

https://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/ltscb-168-anything-goes-ltscb-167.html x

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2024/08/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/07/classic-design-challenge-07-2024-julaug.html x

Creative Artiste #104 May 2024

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 have created an ever lasting Springtime bouquet on an 8" (20cm) canvas this month. It was a birthday present for a lovely family member.

I started the canvas by covering it with black gesso. Once dry, I added a layer of DecoArt Weathered Wood followed by a coat of DecoArt Dark Chocolate Acrylic paint topped with some DA Burnt Sienna acrylic paint.  This gave me a nice wood effect background to work on.

I made an assortment of resin flowers from the collection of moulds I have. The butterflies are from Prima's Mecha Moth mould. 

I painted the flowers and butterflies with Gansai Tambi Pearl watercolours. I blended the pink and blue to create the gorgeous purple.

I die cut some leaves from card and layered them up with Soft Matt Gel so I had two rigid leaves. I painted them with the Gansai Tambi watercolours too.

I started building the bouquet by fixing the two leaves to the canvas with Heavy Body Gel and building up the flower and butterfly arrangement from there with more 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 

May challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

https://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2024/05/may-challenge-166-flowers.html x

https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2024/05/challenge-114-flowers.html x

https://beautifulblossomschallenge.blogspot.com/2024/04/beautiful-blossoms-challenge-anything.html x

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/05/miucb-71-anything-goes-optional-inlaid.html

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/ltccb-80-anything-goes-ltccb-79-winner.html

Creative Artiste #102 March 2024

  This is my second post for today. Please scroll down for my Cards Galore Encore challenge post.

March is going to be a busy month for us with family visits, a much anticipated school trip and Easter holidays.

But before 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 was sent some gorgeous embellishments a while ago by my lovely friend Pam.  I've been waiting for the creative urge to do them justice and it finally came to me. 

I have made a 10" x 12" (25 x 31cm) canvas board that I've called Diamonds and Pearls in honour of the sparkly embellishments.  

I started by priming the canvas with white gesso.  I then lightly stamped some text in random areas.

Next,  I used Prima Soft Matt Gel to fix strips of cotton and lace to the canvas.  I twisted the fabrics to give interest,  dimension and create little pockets to tuck some of the elements into.

Once the fabrics were dry and stiff I added little blue fabric cornflowers,  some white paper roses,  pearl strands,  flower buds,  Prima Artstones and the all important diamond and pearl embellishments.

The main focal piece is a 7" (18cm) resin moth I made using the Prima Mecha Moth mould.  I painted it with DecoArt Fluid Acrylics blended with water and added it to the canvas with Prima Heavy Body Gel.

I used Distress Oxide Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire with water to add the blue colouring to the fabrics,  paper roses,  Prima Artstones and canvas. 

I finished by rubbing the moth and Artstones with Pebeo Silver Gilding Wax.

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://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2024/03/ltccb-79-anything-goes-ltccb-78-winner.html Top Pick

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/03/miucb-70-anything-goes-optional-fancy.html x

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/02/classic-design-challenge-02-2024-febmar.html x

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2024/03/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html x

Creative Artiste #100 December 2023

 This is my second post for today. The first one is a set of Christmas cards for Crafts Galore Encore. Please scroll down for a look.

I am approaching the end of 2023 with mixed feelings. The year started off with such promise with two much anticipated weddings in the spring. Then it took a terrible turn with the events of the summer, ending with my beloved brother passing away with hardly any warning. I really don't remember much of autumn. It's all a blur through the tears. Winter is going to be a difficult season with Christmas and birthdays to get through as the family still grieve. But, I'll wear a smile and soldier on through.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 2024 will bring only good news and happy events. For everyone.

*I've copied this introduction from my earlier post as there really isn't anything more to say.*

Now, on a happier note ....

.... There is a celebration going on at Creative Artiste this month as it's our 100th challenge!

 Welcome to the 100th 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"
But we have decided to add an optional theme of

'Christmas' for December.

And for this month only, there will be a prize for our winner!

We still have opportunities to be a Guest Designer for all our winners though, as per usual.

As we have the optional theme of 'Christmas' this month, I've made a very typical Christmas decoration.

I made a nativity scene using some foam characters our little princess was given at church last year. They were to make an advent calendar but she wanted to play with them instead. This year they have been given a more permanent purpose.

The stable measures 7" w x 6" h x 3" d (18 x 15 x 8 cms).

Most of the project was prepping and creating the stable. I started by cutting out the pieces for the stable from strong greyboard and giving them a couple of coats of DecoArt Dark Chocolate acrylic paint. I then used a Tim Holtz woodgrain stencil with Black Soot Distress Ink to add the appearance of texture.

I assembled the stable using Heavy Body Gel. And then mixed texture paste with the Dark Chocolate acrylic paint and tapped it around the arched entrance. The tiles for the roof were created using greyboard, painted with Docraft's Burnt Sienna acrylic paint and fixed in place with more texture paste coloured with the paint. The last bit of prep was the 'straw'. I coloured some tissue paper with Squeezed Lemonade DOX and Scattered Straw DI before cutting it into thin strips.

I arranged the characters and fixed them in place with Heavy Body Gel before scattering the straw around them. Some of the pieces were glued to the outside of the stable.

The last angel is dangling on a thin strip cut from an acrylic sheet and fixed to the roof so she can happily  bounce around.

All the characters are firmly glued in place, so, it's not an interactive plaything. Instead, it makes for a cheerful, and thoughtful, decoration lest we forget the true meaning of Christmas.

Now it's your turn to have fun and create your mixed media projects. The 'Christmas theme' is only an option for December so you can still play along with your 'Anything Goes' 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 creations in our 

100th challenge. 

Have a fun festive season everyone, however you celebrate!

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

Creative Artiste #98 October 2023

Grief affects everyone differently. I find myself just wanting to hide away since my wonderful brother was so cruelly, and suddenly, snatched from us. I have very little interest in all the things I previously enjoyed. However, I did manage to create something personal this past week ....

  ....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 have not been in the mood to do any crafting lately but I did want to sort out a photo frame to display a picture of my beloved brother. This is the result.

I wanted something in masculine colours but couldn't find anything in the shops I liked.

Then, my wonderful friend Pam sent me a beautiful glass butterfly in memory of my brother and that became my inspiration for this frame. Thank you Pam!

I started with a plain white wooden frame. The frame measures 6"x 8" (15 x 20cms). I deliberately crinkled strips of tissue paper and stuck it onto the frame with matt Mod Podge to create texture. Then I painted it all with DecoArt Dark Chocolate acrylic. Once dry, I gave it a coat of Weathered Wood and applied a top coat of grey acrylic to create the crackle.

I created the butterflies from clear resin. I used Prima's Mecha Moth and Artyco Crafts Steampunk Butterflies moulds. 

To colour the butterflies I added some sprinkles of Ultra Marine, Turquoise and White Brushos to the moulds before pouring the resin. When they were dry I coated the backs of the butterflies with a white Posca pen.

I shaped the wings before the resin had completely set to give more dimension around the frame. I attached the butterflies with Prima's Heavy Body Gel.

Now I have a lovely frame to display my treasured photo alongside the beautiful glass butterfly.

It's now 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 challenge:

https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-perfect-time-to-craft-open-challenge.html