Introducing Georgie

Hello Everyone!

Today I am here to introduce you the next member of the Anything But Cute design team. I found Georgie out there in blog land, when it seemed like every time I clicked on a thumbnail that looked interesting, it took me to her blog. I fell in love with her work instantly! Please hang around and learn a little bit more about this talented artist and see some of her gorgeous mixed media creations!

Georgie - Little Blue Craft Box

Helloooo!! My name is Georgie from the Little Blue Craft Box blog, I’m based in the quiet county of Dorset on the south coast of the UK. Artistically, I am a lover of altered art, shabby chic, vintage grunge, art journalling, paper crafting… anything arty/crafty really, I love it all!!! My biggest love is mixed media within any of these forms.

Colours really entice me!!! From light and airy, to dark and gothic (and everything in between). I believe the way hues ebb and flow together is what really makes a project, and gives it that ‘wow factor’. I adore how colours are enhanced by mediums used beneath, around, or over them. The possibilities are beautifully endless…

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Georgie has picked out a few of her favourite mixed media projects to share with us today. No matter what type of project she makes, the beauty and skill of her creations shine like the North Star!

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Treasures of the Sea

A mixed media altered chest, using dry wall tape, texture paste with stencils and fibres. Then some gorgeous Lindy's were used give it a worn, yet magical shimmery feel.

 I Dream In Colour - Scrapbook Page. 

I love to create layouts, in various styles. I find they give me some great creative freedom. I see a photo and a light bulb nearly always hits me and I just know it has to be 'scrapped'!!

Prima Wedding Card

This is wedding card I made using Prima products, I love creating layers and dimension, adding paint, and where possible including some stitching! :)

Ten Tiny Toes - Scrapbook Page

Lots of goodies and dimension! I love taking a sketch and just running with what feels like the right direction, bringing elements and colour together.

By The Sea - Scrapbook Page

One of my biggest achievements was accomplished with this page, winning the November 2014 BAP (Build A Page) at Prima!! This was made using nearly Prima products, I love how you can create colourful yet delicate projects with their product lines. This one was using Seashore.

Scrap-Tag - Time for a Vacation

I love exploring new ideas and concepts. This version of scrapping was one of them, and far easier to store :) 

The Keeper

LOVED making this!! I wanted to create something for someone who keeps and love bees and when I thought of the phrase The Keeper, the mental image of an old book cover kept springing to my mind and then this came to life.

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Well, I think you will agree that Georgie is a mixed media artist like no other, I am on the edge of seat, waiting to see what she comes up with for our challenges!

Please come and visit us again on Monday, April 20th when we introduce our next Design Team member, and don't forget to hit that Follow button while you're here!

19 DAYS UNTIL OUR FIRST CHALLENGE GOES LIVE - MAY 5 - DON"T MISS IT!

Happy Crafting!

Pamellia :)

Introducing Niki

Hello Everyone!

Today I am here to introduce you the next member of the Anything But Cute design team. I only recently discovered Niki's blog, but I knew instantly that she was a talented lady that I wanted to get to know better. Please hang around and learn a little bit more about this fabulous artist and see some of her amazing mixed media work!

Niki of Pawsitively Creative Crafts

Hello there y'all! I am a Southern girl (but not a Southern Belle) that loves any and all animals. I have been a Veterinary Technician for over 12 years and my fur babies are my heart, my DH is on that list as well but he is my heart and soul. Awwww! I love being able to help any and all animals (even the slimy ones, and ones with scales-snakes are one of my favorites) stay healthy and live long, amazing lives. Every day I work with animals I feel that unconditional love and am overwhelmed by the depth of their devotion to their human. Amazing creatures!

I am relatively new to mixed media and challenge blogs. Back in April 2014 my husband bought me a couple of canvases and an acrylic paint set for my birthday. I wasn't thrilled about it at first. When I was younger I drew, painted, and crafted all the time but at age 17 I broke both of my arms, and never got back into my art because I couldn't use my left hand/wrist like normal. I gave up my art. So when I saw the art supplies my husband bought me I figured I would give it a go just to make him happy. Boy was he (and I) in for a huge surprise when I finished my first piece. At the time, I loved my first piece but kept thinking that I could improve and I like to believe that I have improved by leaps and bound due to the challenge blogs that I found and also because of the wonderfully talented and supportive people I have found in Blog lang. You all make me challenge myself every time I create something and I just want to say thank you very much for that.

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Niki has picked out a few of her favourite mixed media projects to share with us today. She has such an amazing way of combining textures and her ideas are so unique and simply brilliant!

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This is the first canvas I ever created. I leave it hanging up on my wall because it reminds me of how far I have come with my mixed media. I think it is certainly lacking in a lot of areas but I did make my own texture paste and had fun using sprays, mists, and inks on it. Do you still have your first art piece? We all improve with practice and the willingness to create outside our comfort zones. :)

The title says it all for this canvas-Dark Paradise. I just lost my baby girl Raj on 9/30/14. She was 15 years old and had Mast Cell Tumors/Cancer. I did 7 surgeries on my baby and also chemo. She was wagging her tail and happy until the last surgery. She just couldn't recover from it and she looked at me, I asked her if it was her time to go and she layed down. That let me know she was done and I had to let go. This was the hardest decision I have ever had to make but I loved her enough to let go. She is greatly missed more and more each day that she is gone and will never be forgotten. Some people may wonder why 7 surgeries, at first I wasn't going to do any more after 3 but the tumors ulcerated and had to be removed.

This next piece is an ATB, my first ever ATB-Artist Trading Block. I made the box by hand and kept with my inspiration of Breakfast At Tiffany's. This was given to another artist in a swap. It was fun to make a decorate all the different sides but the best part is what is hidden in the box-a washcloth cupcake! I didn't want to ship a real cupcake. Lol

I have always been a fan of anything Steampunk and it is my go to for creating. I made this flat back canvas using Rusting Powder and materials that I upcycled/recycled. Rusting powder is interesting and fun to use-plus you have to use vinegar to activate it-wait WHAT! Yeppers. Intrigued? Want to know more about Rusting Powder? Check back here on May 26th to learn more!

My next art share, is along the lines of Steampunk as well. I have been on the lookout for a wonderful shaped top hat to make some Steampunk creations but could never find anything I liked. A month or two ago I happened upon this wonderful template and have been creating these mini top hats with glee. There are so many possibilities!

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Well, I think you will agree that Niki is a mixed media genius, I am so excited to see what she comes up with for our challenges!

Please come and visit us again on Thursday, April 16 when we introduce our next Design Team member, and don't forget to hit that Follow button while you're here!

22 DAYS UNTIL OUR FIRST CHALLENGE GOES LIVE - MAY 5 - DON"T MISS IT!

Happy Crafting!

Pamellia :)

Introducing Branka

Hello Everyone!

My name is Pamellia Johnson and I would like to welcome you to Anything But Cute Mixed Media Challenges! We are a monthly mixed media challenge blog with a new challenge the 5th day of every month at 7:00 am EST.

Please make sure to check out our challenge details and rules HERE and feel free to grab our badge HERE.

I would like to introduce you to the first member of the Anything But Cute design team. I haven't known her for long, but in the short time I have been following her, I have fallen in love with her sweet-hearted personality and her amazing art!                                                                                                                                                        

Branka of Vintage Handmade

Hello! My name is Branka (also known as Vintage Handmade). 

Let me introduce myself. I am a proud mom of two amazing children - a boy (17) and a girl (11) and I am a wife of a wonderful husband. We live in a small town in Croatia in our family home, we have a huge yard and a sweet little puppy that we all love. My main profession is an interpreter/translator.

In December 2013, I discovered scrapbooking/paper crafting by chance. It was love at first sight :) I am not consider myself as an artist but Tim's (Holtz) genius techniques are so fun and easy to follow that everyone can express himself in an artistic way using them. I started with my blog last year and my first challenge entry was in last October. My style is rather masculine and grunge but I try to express myself in other styles as well. I am in love with mixed media art and art journaling and I like to mix Tim's and Dyan's (Reaveley) products and techniques when I do art journaling. It is so fun! I also create cards, mini albums and journals for my friends, relatives and people I love. 

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Branka has picked out a few of her favourite mixed media projects to share with us today. She has a wonderful versatility with her art and she can do just about any type of project!

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Journal Pages
I started with art journaling for about a month ago. It's a fun way to express yourself and I enjoy very much doing it. I almost never have a plan in art journaling. Usually, I start playing with different color combinations and techniques without any idea of the final result.

Card and tag
I create cards for my friends and relatives to make them happy. I love to use Tim Holtz's dies and techniques a lot and the color combination of brown and blue tones I love the most.

This tag is one of my favorites. I used Tim's Rock Candy Distress Glitter technique on the background, Perfect pearl mists on the layered butterfly, Rub'n'Buff in gold for a final touch. I love to play with layered Tim's dies very much.

Faux metal plate
I am in heaven when I am playing with rust powders and metallic paints. For the background of this plate I used Tim's industrial technique and added some bronze antique paste. All the metal embellishments are rusted with the help of my rust powders.

Altered book
I am in love with cogs and gears. This altered book was made in steampunk style which I love probably the most. All the cogs and gears there were cut from the craft heavy weight cardstock and rusted with several different distress stains and paints.

Mini album
This mini album was totally made in Tim's style full of stamping, distressing, ephemera and other fun stuff. It's a Vintage valise shaped mini album with lots of pockets, tags and embellishments.

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Well, I think you will agree that Branka is a wonderful artist and I am so looking forward to seeing what she creates for our challenges!

Please come and visit us again on Monday, April 13 when we introduce our next Design Team member, and don't forget to hit that Follow button while you're here!

ONLY 26 DAYS UNTIL OUR FIRST CHALLENGE GOES LIVE - MAY 5 - DON"T MISS IT!

Happy Crafting!
Pamellia :)