DIY Mixed Media Home Decor - Where is my ship??

 

If you love creating textured mixed media projects, this one is full of inspiration! 

I transformed an oval wall décor piece into a weathered pirate-themed artwork using chipboards, rich rust effects, and a subtle touch of steampunk.

By layering texture pastes, metallic paints, and rusty patinas, I created an aged, dark vintage look. The dimensional chipboard embellishments add depth and tell their own story, while the combination of industrial details and nautical elements gives the project a unique character.

Mixed media is all about experimenting, combining different materials, and letting creativity lead the way. Don't be afraid to embrace texture, imperfections, and rusty finishes—they often create the most beautiful effects.

 

 

 

 some details

 

 

 

 

 used chipboards 

DA2771

Ocean Elements #5 

DA1910

Seaweed #1 

DA1912

Seaweed #3  

DA1563

Antique Frame  

DA1679

Ships Wheel Medium

DA0405

Mini Chains

DA2370

Cogs #3

DA2776

Mini Octopus 

 

  I hope this project inspires you to create your own pirate-inspired mixed media masterpiece.

 Happy crafting!

 

 

 

The Forgotten Amphora # MDF Base

 

MDF Cauldron - Sunken Amphora

Sometimes a craft project develops a life of its own — and that’s exactly what happened with this mixed media piece. What originally started as an MDF cauldron base slowly transformed into something entirely different: a mysterious sunken amphora resting on the ocean floor of Atlantis.

The beauty of mixed media art is that there are no strict rules. Layers, textures, colors, and found elements begin to tell their own story while you create. And this project became a perfect example of intuitive crafting.

Instead of a mystical potion scene, the artwork evolved into an underwater fantasy filled with:

• coral structures
• oxidized metal details
• tiny fish
• seaweed textures
• aged stone surfaces

The result feels like a forgotten treasure hidden beneath the sea for centuries.

 

 

Creating Texture and Depth

One of my favorite parts of mixed media is building texture. For this project I worked with several layers to create the illusion of erosion, saltwater, and ancient surfaces.

I combined: chipboards related to the underwater topic

• texture paste
• acrylic paints
• rust and patina effects
• metallic waxes
• gauze and mini pearls

The soft coral and sandy tones mixed with turquoise patina create a beautiful underwater atmosphere. The rusty gears and metallic elements add an industrial touch, almost like remnants of Atlantis technology lost in time.

The Underwater Details

The tiny fish and coral embellishments help bring movement into the composition. I wanted the amphora to feel partially buried beneath sand and sea growth, as if nature had slowly reclaimed it over hundreds of years.

The layered textures around the bottom create the impression of shells, reef structures, and ocean sediment collecting over time.

Even the worn edges of the MDF shape contribute to the illusion of an ancient artifact.

 

 Why I Love Mixed Media Art

Projects like this remind me why I love mixed media so much:
you can begin with one idea and end somewhere completely unexpected.

That creative transformation is the true magic of mixed media art.

 

used Dusty Attic chipboards

 

DA4060 MDF Art Base #7 - Cauldron 

 

DA3183 Columns

 

DA2370 Cogs #3 

 

DA3364 Mini Cogs #3 

 

DA0270 Vase

 

DA1912 Seaweed #3

 

DA1929 Fans #3  

 

DA2771 Ocean Elements #5 

 

 

some details 

 

I hope this piece inspires you to look at your MDF bases differently and allow your imagination to guide the process. Sometimes the best creations happen when we let the project decide what it wants to become.

Happy crafting!

DIY Altered Book Diorama – Little seashell girl

Creating a Romantic Altered Book Diorama

If you love mixed media art, altered books, and vintage-inspired décor, this DIY Altered Book Diorama project might inspire your next creative adventure. My last one was autumn-themed in forest.

 Altered Book Diorama - Autumn Forest

Today Summer by the sea 😀 another favourite theme of mine.

Combining natural elements like driftwood with delicate details and a romantic seaside theme, this handmade piece tells the story of a little girl collecting seashells by the shore. 

Do you know What is a Diorama? 
is a three-dimensional miniature scene designed to tell a story

 By combining decorative elements, textures, and layered backgrounds,you can create a small world that brings imagination and memories to life. 

For this project, an old book was transformed into a charming diorama in a soft shabby chic style. The focal point was created using a decorative mould frame, which adds depth and an elegant vintage touch to the composition.

Natural driftwood around the frame was incorporated to bring texture and an authentic coastal feel to the project. Together with carefully selected embellishments, the driftwood helps create a miniature seaside scene full of nostalgia and romance.

The inspiration behind this altered book art came from peaceful summer days childhood memories by the sea. 

 

 

 

Soft colors, distressed finishes, and vintage details enhance the dreamy atmosphere. 

 

 Materials Used

• Altered book
• Decorative mould frame + air drying clay
• Driftwood
• background paper Maritim (La Blanche) 
• paper laser cutouts
• Acrylic paints
• Seashell elements
• Shabby chic finishing techniques

some details

 

Cutting the book always takes a bit of time, but the design and decoration are always a wonderful creative process and always completely unique.

 Kerstin

Ocean Waves in 3D Mixed Media Art

 

 For this project, I created a textured ocean wave artwork with a strong 3D effect using an MDF base and chipboards. The main idea was to make the waves flow out of the frame, creating movement and depth.

The chipboards helped build dimension, while texture paste and acrylic paints added the dynamic feeling of crashing ocean waves. 

This piece combines mixed media techniques, coastal inspiration, and layered textures to transform a simple frame into a dynamic ocean scene.

 

  

 

  

Materials Used

For the foundation, I worked with an MDF base, which provided the stability needed for heavy texture and layered elements.

To build dimension and structure, I used a stencil and added chipboards throughout the composition. These layers helped shape the movement of the waves.

• MDF base
• Chipboards
• Wave stencil
• Texture mediums and modeling paste
• Acrylic paints in ocean-inspired tones
• Metallic and white highlights for wave details

 

 Sometimes the most interesting artworks happen

 when we stop treating the frame as a limitation — and let the art break free.

Pirate's World

 

 Hello creative friends!

And here's another pirate project, but this is definitely the last one! 😅
This beautifully engraved pirate should take centre stage, and I have left it in its original state. The result is a Shadowframe in an underwater setting, complete with a treasure chest. This is also very elaborately engraved, and has been highlighted with silver wax to make the details more visible.

 

 

 

 

 

Book Bottle - Yo Ho

 

 Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me ... Drink up me hearties, yo ho

Yo HO Ho and a bottle of Rum ...

( Pirates of the Caribbean) 

 

 

 

3d effect

 

 

some details

 

 

 

 

Picture Frame - Hello Friend

 

 Hello!

 

Today an upcycling project, it was an old wooden frame, now it's an eyecatcher

 where you can add an special photo or an wise saying. 

I decorated it with a nautilus from a fantasy Steampunk land 

and supplemented the nautilus with a kelp, split in the centre, 

this is how wonderful tentacles were created. Chain was made with the help of a mould,

 on the body I added two cogs, a capnut and a thin metal ornament.

 

  

 

some details

 

  

 

 Creative greetings from Kerstin

Nautical Steampunk

 Hello!

I created a centerpiece for a themed party and decided in favour of the Steampunk style.

I used an old cardboard spool holder and fixed the frame to the top with some pieces of driftwood. It holds quite well, but for greater stability, I would recommend doubling up the frame. On the bottom, I glued three half cogwheels to create a border. As the chipboards are made of cardboard, they can be easily moulded into shape after being lightly moistened.

 

  

 

used DA chipboards

 

DA 3363 Industrial Gears 

DA 3357  Marine Mechanicals – Angler Fish small 

DA 3362 Industrial Frame square 

DA 3381 Industrial Cluster #9

DA 2696 Impact ABC Singles – F-U-N