This week, I'm pleased to present to you a very fun project from Laurie Mika's book, Mixed-Media Mosaics. When we say mixed media, we really mean it! The projects in Laurie's book use polymer clay, mica powders, rubber stamps and more to create beautiful yet amazingly easy custom tiles. In this box project, in addition to some very basic tiling, you'll get to try your hand at a bit of acrylic painting as well as some stamping and découpage. Creating your own tiles is super fun and a great way to instill personal meaning into your work.

If you'd like to try this project today, just click here to download.

And, to purchase your own copy of Laurie's book, click here.

The free project for this week is from Claudine Hellmuth's second book, Collage Discovery Workshop: Beyond the Unexpected. I love Claudine's techniques because they are so organic and while the end results look so artistic, they're really all so easy! This project, which happens to be an altered book spread, makes use of three techniques from the book: Plastic Wrap Crinkle, Sketching Into Wet Plastic and Tissue Paper Layer. Claudine makes it easy to apply her techniques to your own composition, regardless of the imagery you choose to use, which will no doubt differ from hers. So pull some plastic wrap from the cupboard and have some fun!

If you'd like to download this free project and try it yourself, click here.

To purchase your own copy of this great book, click here.

This week we have another curious project for you, from Jane Wynn's book, Altered Curiosities! I have an affinity for honey bees, so this project is one of my favorites in the book. I just love the story that Jane tells in the book (she tells a story behind the inspiration for each and every project in the book) about Rachel the bee charmer and her experience with the queen bee she had named iris.

But Jane is much more than a great storyteller; she is also an Assemblage Master and there are so many cool techniques in this book that you just won't find anywhere else. For instance, in this project, Jane shows you how to add a little light to your masterpiece to give it an inviting glow. There's also inspiration in this book for using egg shells in your work and even instruction on casting your own animal figures.

To purchase a copy of the book, and start creating your own curiosities, click here.

This week's free project is from Josie Cirincione's first book, Collage Lost and Found: Creating Unique Projects With Vintage Ephemera. Josie is a master with found objects and ephemera and she has a meticulous attention to detail that really gives her work a sense of quality. Josie's favorite thing to make is jewelry and you'll find plenty of that in this book, but she also enjoys collage on a larger scale, such as the project featured here. The articulated figure in this project actually comes from a stamp by Invoke Arts (one of Josie's favorite sources for imagery), but you could substitute your favorite paper doll. Shadowbox collages are a great way to quickly tell a story with a lot of depth and as you can see here, you don't need a lot of elements to make a strong statement. 

To see more of Josie working her magic, you can buy your copy of the book here. And be on the lookout for her second book, Bent, Bound & Stitched: Collage, Cards and Jewelry With a Twist, which is due out next month.

Our free project for this week comes from a classic—Collage Discovery Workshop by Claudine Hellmuth. While I love the look of Claudine's Poppets and all of the incredible things she does these days with her whimsical illustrations and bright and cheerful colors, I still appreciate the distressed and vintage look that she enjoyed when she completed the projects in this, her first book. Boxes, like the one used in this project are great for building assemblages and making use of all of your found objects!

If you'd like to purchase a copy of Collage Discovery Workshop, just click here.