A Return

 It's been a little while since I took hold of a canvas but having a recent tidy (for 'tidy' insert - 'open boxes to see what's in them') I found some 6 x 4 canvas boards long forgotten!
In the box with the canvas was all kinds of stash saved for mixed media including a massive bag of shells which were collected over several years each time I had a trip out anywhere beachy!

I painted the canvas first with Gesso then mixed some Mermaid Lagoon ink with texture paste and covered the whole board.

When dry, I randomly sponged over it with Salty Ocean and a little bit of Chipped Sapphire.

I wanted to create something that looked like a wave of white foam and this proved quite a challenge!

After trying out different things on a piece of scrap, I remembered I had a Funky Fossil stencil of a surfer riding a wave - the wave bit was just what I needed so back to the texture paste, this time with white acrylic paint and lots of masking so the surfer didn't appear!

Arranged a couple of shells so they looked like they were being tossed in the waves (I hope) and fixed some hessian, pearl beads, more shells to the bottom.

Popped on a few blue Dew Drops to imitate water droplets and found two tiny metal fish (from I know what where) in my stash.

The sentiment is one of my all time favourites stamped on vellum with Memento Danube Blue and heat embossed.

Quite pleased with the way it turned out in the end, and it reminded me how much I enjoyed the odd venture into mixed media - am sharing this over at As You Like It where the option is Fussy or Clean and something which gives you an inner glow of pride - well I am proud of this fussy make as it's been so long before I did anything like it!

Have promised myself I'll use up the other canvas very soon and thanks for looking today - hope all is well in your part of blogland! x
Also sharing over at -
We Love 2 Create - Anything Mixed Media
Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media
Stencil Fun - Using my Funky Fossil Surfer stencil
Darnell's I.D.E.A.S - week 4 - the letter 'A' - Anything Goes

Just Beachy!

I made something similar to this some time ago as a thank you to a friend who had given us the use of their beautiful lodge down on the South coast for a few days break.

Whilst having a sort out I found this square shadow box so I replicated the scene only on a much smaller scale. The scene measures just 3".

It was a project that I enjoyed doing although I am fast running out of wall space - I have a tiny spot in the downstairs cloakroom for this!

Heavy watercolour card for the background as I wanted some texture and some loose watercolouring.

The boat was in a box of bits - at some point it came from a laser cut sheet I think - that long ago I've forgotten. It was a little tatty but once glued it looked OK!

The 'sand' is in fact sandpaper ( dear husband won't notice that a little scrap has gone from his tool box!).

I sponged some Gesso along the torn edge to try and replicate foam (not sure I managed it) as the waves reach the beach

The shells are really small but I collect a few every time we go to a beach - I am actually quite fascinated by sea shells - I love the tactile feel of them and the array of colours.
These were from a trip to one of my fave beaches in the North of Scotland at Lossiemouth.
The 'rope' is a tiny scrap of string.

The outside of the box was given a wash of gesso and some light brushing of Weathered Wood randomly.

Linking up at
TIOT _ Here comes Summer

I hope the sun is shining in your part of blogland! x

CAS Mix Up Mid Month Reminder

 Half way through our challenge this month at CAS Mix Up and the challenge is a mixed media one set by Coni who wants us to use Alcohol Inks on vellum.
I had a little bit of inky fun using some of the blues from my AI collection and came up with this.

I was a little apprehensive about heat embossing the sentiment - thankfully the vellum behaved itself and didn't warp!

This wavy stitched die is one of my more often used.
I stamped and heat embossed the shells and starfish then fussy cut, a couple of heat embossed seagulls finished it all off.

I rarely use my Alcohol Inks so it was good to dust them off for this challenge and it reminded me that I do like making an inky mess from time to time!

I'm particularly happy as the vellum used was a left over piece as were the 3 wavy die white pieces - so it's off to visit Miss Di in the Playground too!

We have some great cards done by the DT and in our gallery - lots of inspiration to be found. Grab that vellum and come along and join us!
Also sharing over at
Krafty Chicks - CAS

Just Beachy!

This is another one of those cards that didn't really end up like I thought it would!
Looking back I had no idea how it would turn out as I simply wanted to try out the Ghosting technique again. 

I have lots of odd pieces of watercolour card perfect for practicing with (Playground for me!) so made a couple of backgrounds using different colours - mostly blue and greens with varying degrees of success and this one which was done in shades of orange DI's, lifting the colour by spraying with water, leaving for a few seconds and lifting the stencil off.

The stencil is by That's Crafty.

I stamped and embossed the shell and the sentiment in gold and cut the frames and sentiment frame from the left over base card - there was no waste left from this particular piece of card!

The shells were collected from a trip last year and the seed beads were from my stash.

I am not sure if this is CAS enough for the CAS Stencil challenge but am linking anyway!

Also linking at the Mixed Media Must Use a Stencil challenge at Stamplorations

A2S+M - Holiday (and right now I can't wait to get on a beach somewhere!)

The Card Concept also have a lovely Inspiration Pic and I chose the shells and the overall beachy theme to inspire this make.

My kitchen floor has finally been laid today - the whole project has taken 7 weeks - there is just the skirting boards to be fixed now so my house is almost back to normal!

Thanks for visiting today - have a great day whatever you are doing! x
 

Sunny Days

Another scheduled post!
The August challenge at Stamping Sensations is 'ANYTHING GOES'!!
Don't forget we are a STAMPING challenge so stamping has to be the focal point of your entry!
Another great prize on offer... pop over to the blog for the deets. Here's my share for the DT this month.

Made from scraps too so am quite pleased with myself!
Background square masked and inked with Tumbled Glass and Mermaid Lagoon DI.
The stamp is of course from SU - an old set but I really like this pic of the little man building his sandcastle.

Painted the image with Promarkers - long time since I had those out!
I fussy cut round it and  tried to blend the edges where it met the sea with a teeny dab of DI - then raised it up with foam pads.
Punched a sun out of some yellow card, stamped a couple of birds then put it into a frame cut from linen card (another left over - it wasn't big enough to make a card with!)
Added the sentiment and a couple of shells all stamped in Vintage Sepia.

Am hoping that by the time August comes, we will be having some Sunny Days - not least because I am away for the month at the National Championships!

Thanks to everyone who is still visiting me and commenting. I am really enjoying my Presidential year but am sooooo missing my craftie space and blogland. x 

I am missing days.....

Where has this week gone???? Can't believe it's so long since I last posted.

Unusually for me, I was asked to make a card similar to one made some time ago - normally I don't do two of anything but as I liked the stamp (!!) and because of the special circumstances I said 'yes'! It is for the same recipient and the last card (although kept tucked away in a drawer) is rather the worse for wear so this duplicate will be put into a box frame and hung on a wall as a piece of artwork.

I love this stamp! It reminds me so much of happy days spent collecting shells on the beach with my Mum. Hence the sentiment.
I coloured it with Distress Inks then stitched it onto a scallop frame.
The papers were just found in my paper collection download box and the colour reminded me of sand.

Added some striped ribbon and a Martha Stewart shell type border and a printed vintage style postcard before using some scrunched up fabric, a pearl buckle and a variety of seashells.
The little tags were found in a drawer and I put a tiny silver metal flip flop charm to finish.

Challenges -
Eclectic Ellapu - (Purple team) Favourite Holidays
Glitter n Sparkle - Summer Sunshine
Pile it on - By the water
Suzy Bees - A/Goes - Twist - On the Beach
Craft for the Craic - Summertime
Fussy and Fancy - Beach Fun
Crafty Catz - Summertime
Dragonfly Dreams - Midsummer delights

Have stamped up a few images today and have a free day tomorrow so am hoping to do something constructive craft wise!
Am away at the end of the week at the Junior Womens Internationals - hoping that the weather is a bit more beach like than it is now - cos it's pouring down!!!
Thanks for keeping with me whilst I am blogging so infrequently - I appreciate it very much.xx