The Perilous Sea

This is my first attempt at altering a tin. I have wanted to try something like this for ages and last week managed to get hold of some old small tins. After picking the brains of nearly every person I know who likes to alter stuff asking daft questions like 'how do you get the glue to stick ' and 'do I use primer or can I paint straight on it', my patient (if long suffering) fellow crafters gave me lots of encouragement and lots of useful tips!
So with tin on the desk I then sat and stared at it whilst I decided on a theme. I had bought the metal mermaid recently with no particular project in mind, but decided to use it as a base for the 'tin adventure'! I have seen lots of projects where mermaids are seen as 'cutesy' but I wanted this tin to reflect something a little darker. One of the greatest sights is surely watching huge white frothy waves crashing onto a shore and it reminds me of how powerful the sea can be. So with that in mind, on the inside of the lid I tried to portray the image of the ship sinking (by the small hand painted miniature- not painted by me I hasten to add!), and above I added the 'Sailor's Hymn' music sheet which was distressed with 'antique linen', and the cross.
The base of the tin was made by using tissue paper painted with acrylics then the gold glitter added to give a 'sand' effect. I used a heat gun on the base and mixed some 'Tropic Blue' shimmer powder onto it whilst heating.
I hand painted the little metal mermaid, sat her on some shells and positioned her above the sunken ship - this can be interpreted either be her being the bringer of bad luck to the ship and it's crew, or as the beautiful rescuer of stricken sailors.
On the outside lid I placed some string through the metal anchor running it around the wording. Finally I added some shells, sticking a small pearl in the centre of one of them.
I was really apprehensive about tackling something like this, particularly as a lot of my friends have made some tins into beautiful art objects, but it gave me great pleasure to do!
Theme Thursday have set the theme of 'Nautical' today! So have submitted this for the challenge.