The Shell Seeker by Lynne Moncrieff

Hello

My project this week has a little story to it.

I have a lovely friendship with the incredible Catherine Moore (designer of Character Constructions stamps). She recently sent me a gift of natural elements she gathered from her walks along the beach.  My first instinct was to incorporate as many of the elements into one piece but I couldn't bring myself to be so indulgent so I decided on this lone shell, piece of driftwood and fabulous fibre.

Catherine knows me so well, she thought I would appreciate the shells which were worn by time and elements, forming holes in them, allowing me to use the holes to stitch the shells to textiles, which is exactly what I did.

Supplies

That's Crafty! Clear Stamp Set Lynne's Affirmations Set 10
That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF Panel 8"x8" Pack of 3
That's Craftt! Flat Matte Sprays: Raspberry, Maple, Walnut
That's Crafty! Walnut Ink Crystals (for stained shipping tag)
That's Crafty! Multi-Surface Paint Chocolate, Interference Gold
That';s Crafty! Texture Paste
That's Crafty! Liquid Acrylic Wax 
That's Crafty! Tea Bag Paper
PaperArtsy  Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Caramel
13Arts Clear Stamp Script Stamp
13 Arts Ayeeda Mist Pearl Clear
Archival Ink Designer Series Potting Soil 
Palette Knife
Extas: Shell, Driftwood, Coconut Fibre, Sewing Thread, Shipping Tag, watercolour/cotton rag paper

Instructions

Apply Gesso to the paper, in a random fashion. To this, apply the Flat Matte Sprays, concentrating colour towards central area. While sprays are drying, towards bottom area, apply paints, softening the colour towards left side. Scrape away areas with palette knife.  More Gesso can be applied to knock back any areas of colour or using the Gesso to create cohesiveness between the spray colour and paint.

Stain shipping tag with dissolved walnut ink crystals. My favourite ways are either to scrunch the tag to soften the fibres, mist with water before applying the dissolved walnut ink crystals with a soft, large brush or prepare the tag in the same way and then dip it into a large jar of walnut ink crystals.

Also stain Tea Bag paper with the dissolved walnut ink crystals and just before paper is dry, apply Interference Gold Paint.

To build the collage, the coconut fibre was the first layer, to this, a fragment of the stained tea bag paper.  Create a wee assemblage on the shipping tag, first attaching the tag's strings around the piece of driftwood.

 A piece of rice paper which had been eco dyed and then saturated with the amazing Liquid Acrylic Wax, was hand-stitched, along with a piece of the stained tea bag paper (the Interference Gold Paint creates beautiful highlights) to a piece of dyed cotton. The shell, stitched to another piece of eco dyed cotton is the final piece added to the tag.

Snuggled beneath the tag, a piece of rice paper which had been stamped with the 13Arts Script stamp and then the Liquid Acrylic Wax was applied.

Seek beauty, stamped onto a scrap piece of paper.

The final touch, to provide a gentle shimmer, the lovely 13arts Ayeeda Mist in Pearl Clear. The Clear is a favourite of mine as I like the subtlety if provides.

Until next time,
Wishes
Lynne