I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Thursday 13 June 2013

Just hanging at the beach...



Did you see what I did there?!  Welcome everyone, to my final piece (for now) using the amazing new Boardwalk release from Artistic Outpost.  And yes, it's a hanging, and we're at the beach so...

I used one of the delicious papier-mâché hanging boards (PaperArtsy and The Artistic Stamper both have them) as my base and set to work.

The colours just seemed to take me over when I started working with these stamps, so I make no apologies for the fact that we're back with the same palette!

I started with some Fresco Paints and Crackle Glaze to create my weathered background.

The first layer is Beach Hut (but of course!), and then I applied the fabulous Crackle Glaze and let it dry.

For the top coat I had both Mermaid and Snowflake on the craft mat, and applied both with the same sponge, mixing and blending as I went for the variegated look.









The fabulous bathing beauties are stamped in Jet Black Archival, and then I used some more Fresco paints to tint them, always making sure I used the opaque paints with a touch of water so as not to obliterate the stamped image underneath.

It's Beach Hut for the bathing caps, I think... and the skin was done with Nougat and Vintage Lace mostly, as far as I can remember (sorry, it's a while since I made this now!).










I cut a mask, and stamped the beach hut "behind" the women, using Coffee and Sepia Archival inks blended onto the stamp for a warm brown.

I'm very pleased with the effect... only don't look in the crook of the middle one's elbow.  I forgot to cut it out!  Ah well, what does Tim say?  Embrace Imperfection!








I'm also pretty happy with the sentiment - borrowed from the Typography set of sentiments - and
stamped in Black Archival and clear embossed for a glossy look.


I love that the embossing gets you a "two-fer", both the glossy finish and some dimension to the lettering...





This project was actually made before the Boardwalk Bathing Beauty tag, so this was the first place I used the Antique Linen Distress embossing powder as sand.  

Oh, no, it wasn't - I tell a lie.  It was actually on the Underwater ATC, Starfish for Eyes, made even longer ago while I was still in the Czech Republic... Apologies for repeating the same trick so often but what can I say?  When it works, it works!



I've used some more of Cat Kerr's lovely fishing net - such a well-timed and fortunate bit of candy, I'm so grateful for my luck there - to add extra texture.












And there's some more Imperfection to be Embraced, as I'm afraid some sand got onto the Beauties' legs - but that's what happens when you're on the beach, right?  The sand gets everywhere, and stays there...

The little peg got the same weathered painty treatment as the board itself, and is there for a bit of extra interest, and as an alternative hanging method.










And maybe my favourite thing about this hanging is that there's something going on from every angle.  


I did have fun getting the odd slant on the photos!




“When I walk down the beach and smell the salt water, hear the waves crashing against the shoreline, and feel the granular sand under my feet, I can't help but realize why I'm here on this green earth.”
from Sea Witch, by Wendy Joubert,

“...vicinity to the sea is desirable, because it is easier to do nothing by the sea than anywhere else... ”
from Expiation, by E.F. Benson

Update on all the Following stuff... It seems that Blogger Dashboard may still function fine for Blogger blogs - it's others, like WordPress which may disappear from the lists of posts there...  The lovely Chris Warner is offering up some Techy Tips from her expert IT knowledge if you want some more details.  So, for now, it does at least look as though the Followers widget is still favourite - do hope I haven't confused the issue for everyone!

I'd like to enter this at the Craft-Room Challenge, where they are playing Here Comes The Summer - yeah, we wish...

47 comments:

brenda said...

OH don't you just love those beach belles and cossies and the fish net across the bottom adds wonderful texture.

As it happens this is so very topical for me as we have friends whose daughter is getting married tomorrow on a Kent beach and 100 guests for a beach house reception. Fingers crossed the weather is kind.

B x

scrappymo! said...

Wonderful (as always)!!! Off to read your Mum's blog now!

Helen said...

The bathing belles are lovely and your hanging is just gorgeous, the colours are perfect. Enjoy the beach...

Brenda Brown said...

The bathing beauties have a wonderful home here, the colours and textures work perfectly.
hugs Brenda xxx

Jenny Marples said...

Love the attention to detail on this as ever. Great textures added to give even more interest and of course the colours are perfect for a summer's day (we just need one now). Done the Bloglovin switch so following as ever. Hugs, Jenny x

Amanda said...

Another great project using these stamps, love the textures and colours very "oh I do like to be beside the seaside" which I will now be signing all day lol
Love
Amanda x

Katherine said...

That is so beautiful - love the crackling and then the sides are as beautiful as the front :)

Debi said...

as gorgeous as ever, love the glossy words :-) You should enter this over at Craft Room Challenge Alison - our current theme is Summer is Coming :-) Debi x

Willy said...

Wow...beautiful project!!

Unknown said...

This is a cool project, I don't think I've ever seen these paper mache boards but I will keep an eye out for them. They look gorgeous. Love what you have done with them too, the vintage beach theme is so fun and well, aqua is my favourite colour of all time. Beautiful work and very inspiring.

May said...

Fabulous hanging board Alison, Love the colours & those vintage bathing beauties are gorgeous, Love the crackle effect...Simply Beautiful... Hugs May x x x

Astrid Maclean said...

Another fab project Alison, love what you did with the BBs this time and wonderful colouring again.

Your use of the word delicious for crafting items always makes me smile..... are you on a diet? :o)

Words and Pictures said...

In answer to Astrid... I'm just a multi-sensory operator... always going on about "tasting" Shakespeare too!
Axx

Deborah said...

Love the way it wraps round the canvas - and that peg is a touch of brilliance!

Lucy Edmondson said...

I adore this, Alison, perhaps my favourite so far of the Boardwalk makes. I love the sand and the overall impact of the piece,

Lucy x

hazel said...

This is wonderful Alison - great design and fabulous colours and images.
xxx Hazel.

House of Bears said...

Oh yes, sandy legs are to be expected from a day at the beach. We love this, makes us want to be bathing bears. S

Chrissy said...

Fabulous Alison, my Nana wore bathing suits like these..lol..I still remember them..lol..fantastic colours and textures, love it.

luv CHRISSYxx

Anonymous said...

It looks perfect to me Alison! Love your bathing belles! xx

Maggie said...

fabulous hanging love it

maggieH

Lindsay Craftymonster81 said...

This is so beautiful, I love the textures and colours of the background and the vintage image is fab
Lindsay xx

catherine said...

This just looks amazing Alison and beautiful images. I'm really liking the look of this stamp set and you have worked them so well
x catherine

craft-roomjulia said...

Hi Alison, this is just beautiful. I love the colour palette and I adore the texture you have created. I love the Artistic Outpost stamps and you have used them to perfection, there are no imperfections that I can see. Thanks so much for joining us at Craft Room Challenge and good luck with the draw. Julia xxx

Sandy said...

Well I think you must be a brainiack - if there is no such word we might as well invent it now.
Are you a member of Mensa? Anyone who can taste Shakespeare - well what can I say? Wonderful hanging piece of art work - love the sand! And then that netting is perfect! But I don't seen any reason I should describe your delightful artwork to you - do you!?!
Love watching you at work pretty lady!
Sandy

Inkypinkycraft said...

A fabulous. Make....love the embossed sentiment and all the textures! Looks fab!
With the blog thing ... I thinki am going to try blog lovin too...and cross my fingers that ggoogle followers are not lost! Thanks for the tips xx hugs trace x

cathylynn said...

I love this!! Of course I love everything that you create. The colors and textures are fabulous! Love the sand on their legs too. After all this is realistic. Great artwork Alison!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Mrs.B said...

These bathing beauties are having a perfect day at the seaside!
Love the background you've created and the fishing net is a lovely finishing touch.
Avril xx

Dianne said...

Brainiack thats a perfect fit for you, I love how your brain works, then how you express it is so elegantly mixed with your sweet humor and then we get to see all the beauty of your creations. Its one of the best places to visit in blog land. Your little hanger is a work of art,love the colors, the texture, even a perfect little peg to match.. You fabulous artist a Artistic Output have made some stunning art work with these stamps, I've enjoyed seeing all the creations, a big shout out to you and your team mates. Have a wonderful creative day..

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wow, a fantastic project - great details.

Netty said...

loving your terrific hanging Alison, hugs Annette x

Tincan Crafter said...

I make soap on the side sometimes and when I saw this I thought that it would make a really gorgeous soap wrapper too for a salt-bar soap. Totally love what you did here!

Unknown said...

What fun this piece is! A lovely feel of the seaside. I love the words you've used for this, very lateral, fab. xxx

Terry said...

Lovely beachy hanging, Alison! The AO bathing beauties look right at home! Have a fabulous weekend! Hugs!

toni said...

Loving your beach work! If only the weather was as sunny as the atmosphere you've created with this lovely make ! Xx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Oh how I long for the beach! Love the grass at the bottom! WOnderful make!

Ana K. said...

Totally stunning!

craftimamma said...

Wonderful hanging Alison which seems to tell a lovely story of three friends and a wonderful fun day at the beach. Don't blame you for using the distress embossing powder for the sand more than once. It definitely works!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Margaret said...

I am thoroughly enjoying your beach theme, although they are making me long to visit the ocean again...

Another beautiful creation and the netting is perfect! As far as your imperfections-I don't know that I would have noticed the missing background and I have yet to walk on the beach without sand all over my legs!

Mervi said...

Hi Alison,
gorgeous hanging, beautiful textures, love the embossed text.
Thank you so much for joining us at Craft-Room Challenge,
happy summer;-))m

Esther said...

A gorgeous summery hanging - love the colour palette and great images ! That antique Linen EP makes perfect sand (Oh and you should have kept quiet about the imperfections - we never would have noticed !) - thanks so much for sharing with us at Craft-Room..Esther xx

Marjie Kemper said...

So many gorgeous details! Love the way the sand and sky wrap around the edges, and of course the great texture in the sand. I've got to deal with that new follower stuff too but am not ready... thanks for the reminder!

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

This is simply over-the-top fabulous, Alison. Love the color palette and that crackly background is wonderful too. Terrific backdrop for this lovely bathing beauties!

Hugs,
Linda

Maria said...

Oh, this is really gorgeous Alison. I love the Bathing Beauties, and the colour scheme is lovely. The distress ep makes brilliant sand, btw, and looks great with the net! Thanks for joining in with our challenge over at the Craft-Room this fortnight, and also for your lovely comments on my blog, which I really appreciate.

I will be back, I have just spotted something very interesting on your blog above this post :-)...

Maria x

Zoechaos said...

Great board and the perfect colours for your scene. It's the little touches like the net that bring this to life. Thank you for sharing with us at Craft-Room challenge XOXO Zoe

Tracy said...

Gorrrgeous!!!
xoxox

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow I am so loving the beach style creations you have been doing. I love the stamp set, I think I shall need to take a closer look lol. Hugs :-) Kezzy xxx

Debi said...

;-) brilliant summer creation. thanks for sharing with us at Craft Room challenge, Debi x