Easter Bliss

Friday 1 March 2024

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 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:

Crafts Galore Encore March 2024

Well, February was short, but not too sweet. Both of our cars decided to have problems which resulted in one being scrapped and being replaced with a new car and the other car having a host of expensive repairs. Fingers crossed that's all our car trouble done for the year now.

Today there is a new challenge starting at

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:

who are offering a prize of 3 digi stamps from their store for our lucky winner.


I have made a circular scalloped card die cut from an 8" (20cm) card blank.  As it's Mother's Day this month in the UK,  I thought the image I chose to use would be perfect for this card. 
Also,  as it is March 1st this is the perfect image for today's St. David's Day!


I used a combination of X-Cut scalloped dies and plain circle dies.  The cheerful yellow card is from my Papermania stash.

I chose to use the lovely  Jo's Daffodils image.  I printed it twice and used the second print to colour and cut out four of the flowers.  I mounted them over the originals with foam pads for dimension.  Can you spot which flowers are decoupaged?


I finished the card with a ribbon bow, the computer printed sentiment and some gold 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 Sheepski Designs images.

Friday 2 February 2024

Creative Artiste #101 February 2024

 ....Welcome to a new challenge at

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 our centenary challenge in December. Your projects were all wonderful and our winner and Top Three 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 a made a memory box to store some precious photos and  mementos from my beloved brother.
 I've stuck with the theme of blue butterflies for him, to match the photo frame I made last year.
 


This project started out as an empty chocolate box measuring 10" x 7" x 3" (25 x 18 x 8cm) . I gave it a couple of coats of black acrylic paint before adding a layer of DecoArt Americana Weathered Wood Crackle Medium.


I then added a layer of DecoArt Americana Baby Blue acrylic paint and watched the crackles develop. Once that layer was set I dry brushed white gesso over the box to lighten some areas and add to the distressed look.


To decorate the box top I made some resin pieces using Prima's Clock Faces and Machine Parts moulds. I coloured them with DecoArt Fluid Acrylics in Cobalt Teal Hue, Cobalt Turquoise Hue, Prussian Blue Hue and Hansa Yellow Light with lots of water. I arranged them on the top of the box with Prima's Heavy Body Gel.


I used part of an old stamp for the word Remember. I stamped it with Memento Paris Dusk and sealed it with clear embossing powder before mounting onto blue and black card.


I lined the inside of the box using some butterfly paper napkins and glued them in place with Prima Soft Matt Gel. I added a couple of magnets to make a secure closure.


I finished the box by decorating it with some of the butterflies from the napkins and gave the whole box a coat of Prima Soft Matt Gel for protection.


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 
February challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

Thursday 1 February 2024

Crafts Galore Encore February 2024

 So far this year has been a challenge healthwise. We've been plagued by a range of viruses and bugs causing everything from chest infections and flu to pneumonia. Finding the time, or desire, to be creative has been difficult. But I'm hoping we'll soon turn a corner and that February will be a better month.

At least I've managed to create a card for the a new challenge starting today at


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:


I have made an 8"x 8" (20 x 20 cm) card using one of the image sets from our sponsor. I thought the set was perfect for Valentine's Day.

I took a section of one of the watercolour areas from an image and enlarged it to create a matching background paper. I fixed a length of pink lace across the card before adding the images.


The image set I used is Water coloured Pandas set 3. There are eight different images in this set. I couldn't decide which of the adorable images to use, so, I used four of them. All the mats are made with a Papermania pink card and a pearlised silver card from my stash.


I created the sentiment on the computer. I punched out some hearts and dotted them around the card. I finished by adding lots of tiny 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 Last Minute Manda's images.

Monday 1 January 2024

Crafts Galore Encore January 2024

 HAPPY NEW YEAR

EVERYONE!

I'm hoping that 2024 will be a year full of good news, laughter and lots of joy for all.

To start the new year off I have a card to share with you and to Thank You for your support ....

.... there is a new challenge starting today at

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:



who are offering a prize of $6 to spend in store.


I have created an A5 (21 x 15 cm) card to celebrate the New Year.

I started by covering the card base with a glossy turquoise card from my stash. I then layered a paper from The Gift of Giving 12" paper pad by Craft Consortium. I used another of the papers  to create the band across the centre of the card.


The image from our sponsor that I chose to use is from the Happy New Year digital stamp set. I coloured it with my Copics and matted it onto the turquoise card.
This champagne bucket image is also part of the New Year's Eve digital stamp set.


The sentiment is from the Happy New Year digital set and I've matted that onto turquoise card too.


There is a page of extra images with the Gift of Giving paper pad. I've cut out the champagne bottle and some glasses to add to the card. I finished the card with some 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 Jan's Digital Stamp Shop 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: