A Shell in Your Pocket

The Inspiration challenge over at Split Coast this week was a wonderful Shell board on Pinterest.  Here is the card I created.

I was inspired by two photos - my background was inspired by

this photo  

and the colors for my shells and star fish were inspired by 

this photo.

I made my background using encaustic wax and a small iron - you melt the wax onto the base of the low heat iron and then run the iron over special white encaustic paper - there are all kinds of youtube videos out there on how to control the design you come out with - but I haven't played with it enough to control it - so I get what I get! Here is a link to where I purchased my encaustic supplies. I just LOVE the depth of the design the wax creates and I thought this piece looked just like the bottom of the ocean might look!

I picked up the small shells on the beautiful shores of Sanibel Island, FL. We vacationed there several years in a row - several years ago - and if you have been there, you know the shelling is super - and you just cannot walk along the beach without picking them up!! The tiniest ones like those here, don't add TOO much thickness - although they might not survive mailing unless padding was added.

I colored my shells with Shell Pink and Butterscotch Alcohol Inks - just adding drops over the shells - then drying lightly with my heat tool. The starfish is from a Tim Holtz die -Sea and Sand - and I embossed it with 3 colors of Wendy Vecchi embossing powder, Pink Peony, Orange Blossom and Tree Branch (one at a time) to achieve a mixed color.

I used the Story Book 1 die from Pretty Pink Posh to die cut the sentiment rectangle out of white.  I stamped the sentiment from Gina K Gifts from the Sea with Archival Jet Black Ink and sponged it all over with Distress Salty Ocean Ink. Then I spritzed it with water to create water drop marks.

I'm also linking this creation to:

Cut It Up challenge - Back toNature - use a die cut of things you find in Nature  - (my star fish)

So, just as I'm happy to welcome fall weather - I'm thinking of summer days at the beach again!! OR maybe a nice winter vacation on Sanibel Island again??!!

Stamps: Gifts from the Sea - Gina K
Paper: Encaustic card stock, white and true black - PTI, Little Sizzles Mat Board - Sizzix
Paper Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Ink: Archival Jet Black, Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch, Ranger Distress Salty Ocean.
Accessories: Dies- Story Book 1 - Pretty Pink Posh, Sand and Sea - Alterations/Tim Holtz, Wendy Vecchi Emb Powders Pink Peony, Orange Blossom, Tree Branch, Adirondack Alcohol Inks Shell Pink and Butterscotch, ScoreTape, Foam Dots, Rhinestone - Kaiser, Encaustic Wax, small iron.