Collecting Seashells by the Sea Shore

Yes. I'm a collector. I collect feathers, driftwood, sea glass, rocks ('cuz hey, my dad was a geologist!), and a lot of seashells! Apparently, for just such an occasion as this!

I love to add nature to my projects, and this one features it all. However, the basis for all this was the new Cling Rubber Seashells set of stamps from Stampendous, and their matching dies. I created this tray/wall hanging using a small painted tray from the Target Dollar section (actually was $3), which I white-washed with some thinned white DecoArt® acrylic paint. I added a heavier coat to the slats inside the tray.

I stamped several of the shells on tissue paper with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, and colored them with Copic Sketch Markers. The shells were then die cut, and decoupaged onto the slats with Beacon® Fast Finish™...my favorite "go to" for decoupage. I white-washed a bit over the shells, brushed more Fast Finish on, and sprinkled Stampendous Color Fragments over the wet surface.

Now I pulled out my nature collection, and began to adhere rocks, shells, sticks, feathers, and Color Fragments, to the inside, along with my favorite May Arts® web ribbon in teal, using Beacon® Quick Grip™. Using a die cut (Fitted Frames) piece of teal blue cardstock, I swiped a bit of white paint in the center, and when dry, I stamped one of the great Perfectly Clear Ocean Wisdom Sentiments on my "sign" before adhering it to a piece of driftwood. I used a couple more pieces of driftwood, wrapped in the rope handles of the tray, and tied with twine to create the handles for the tray/wall hanging.

Finally, for a bit more visual "weight" in the upper left corner, I stamped shells on a piece of May Arts® Cotton Ribbon, tied it in a bow, adding more web, a button, and a tiny twine bow.

Pour yourself a nice glass of lemonside, and imagine yourself at the seaside while you visit the rest of the team players for today...
You can find the links on the Stampendous! Impression blog.