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

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 #117 July 2025

Even though we are now into July and most of the UK is enjoying a sunny heatwave, I'm still getting rained on doing the school run....

  ....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.

We were blessed last month with another beautiful granddaughter. I have decorated a canvas to go in her nursery. The canvas is 12"x 9" (30 x 23 cms).

1. I started by giving the canvas a coat of white gesso and when that was dry, I used a Tim Holtz stencil with some dark blue Memento ink to create a pattern of stars.

2. I chose a mix of chalk paints and acrylics in pastel colours to paint the canvas in random patches.

3. I stamped the word Dream using an old Bee Crafty stamp and the same blue Memento ink.

4. Once the stamp had dried, I dry brushed white gesso over the canvas to mute the colours and blend the patches of colour.

1. I bought the dream catcher from Samantha K Crafts. The MDF dream catcher came in a set with two other dream catchers.

2. I gave the dream catcher a coat of white gesso.

3. I then used the same 3 paints as on the canvas to paint the dream catcher.

4. I used Versamark and Utee to heat emboss the dream catcher to brighten the colours and give it a nice shine.

I used some Stampendous embossing powders to cover and decorate the canvas. 

One of the embossing powders is Shabby Blue Frantage which has a very fine shiny blue powder. It has given the canvas a lovely shimmer.

I heat embossed a selection of small metal elements in gold. Once the catcher was glued onto the canvas with Prima 3D Matt gel, I added the gold decorations.

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:

https://mixitupchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/miucb-78-anything-goes-optional-mixed.html x

https://lovetocraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/ltccb-87-anything-goes-ltccb-86-winner.html x

Creative Artiste #49 May 2019

...Welcome to my May challenge 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 #48 in April. Your projects were all fabulous and our winners have been announced on the blog.

Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"

I have a small canvas to show today.

This is a 5"x 7" (13cm x 17cm) canvas board. I started by using Distress Oxides (Lucky Clover and Broken China) with water to colour the canvas for the background to my scene.

I used Woodland Nature stamp set from Samantha K and stamped the large toadstools onto the canvas with black Versafine. I then painted the stamped image with black acrylic to create a solid shadow. The toadstools were also stamped onto watercolour paper and painted with watercolours. I fixed these toadstools to the canvas, slightly offset, with a thick layer of matt medium.

All the other images were stamped onto the canvas with Versafine and coloured with watercolours and Posca pens. To finish, I added Anita's 3D Clear Gloss to the bee wings and dew drops.

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 our May challenge.

I've entered this project in the following challenges:

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