Ocean Themed Home Decor

Hello there! Fall is on the horizon but it is still very summery around here. I like to put up ocean themed decor around the house during the summer months and this is the newest addition!

I also made this for the August Frilly and Funkie challenge where you need to incorporate arches or columns into your project. I was originally going to make this as a wreath but I really like the way it turned out with an arched background as a base.

I used a piece of paper from Graphic 45's Voyage Beneath
the Sea Collection (older) for my mermaid image.

The 'fan coral' replica came from a local craft store.

I finally got to use my new Tim Holtz Seashells die
with embossing folder!

How I did it:

Step 1 – I cut the arched base, shelf and column pieces out of foam core board. Using a brayer, I added Fresco Finish chalk paint to the background. I didn't worry about even coverage, I wanted the added visual texture.

Step 2 –  I added another layer of texture and color using Distress Spray Stain and two different kinds of color crystals. (They are very concentrated!) I misted with water, let the colors drip and sprinkled with water to form splotches as it dried.

Note that I masked off the bottom section with post it notes. I didn't want
color there that would react with the Sand Texture Paste when it was
time to add that.

Step 3 – Using stencils, I added areas of embossing to the background. (Embossing powder used was Seth Apter's Baked Texture in Patina Oxide and Deep Sea.) After the embossing I went back and added a bit more stenciling with just archival ink. I also very lightly added some light colored chalk paint with a brayer in a few areas.

Step 4 –  I added some metal foil tape around the edge and used a metal ball stylus to impress "rivets" into it. I highlighted them with Black Soot Distress Paint. (Dab it on, let it dry for a few minutes, and then wipe most of it off with a paper towel.)

I glued on the foam core shelf parts and when dry, covered all the surfaces with Sand Texture Paste. After that dried I used liquid acrylic paint to add more "sandy" color.

Step 5 – Tim Holtz's new Lumber 3-D embossing folder is a treat to use! The substrate is Sizzix mat board. First I swiped on Old Paper Distress Paint to act as a resist in a few places. The coverage was uneven purposefully. I let it dry and then sprayed it with Pumice Stone stain and swiped on Brushed Corduroy stain in a few places. When it had mostly dried (but was still a little damp) I ran it through my Big Shot in the 3-D Lumber folder. (The texture!! love!) I highlighted the raised grain texture with Hickory Smoke Oxide Distress Ink and Watering Can Archival Ink.

Step 6 – I cut the "planks" apart and inked all the edges, then glued them onto a chipboard base. The mermaid image is from a Graphic 45 collection from a few years ago. I covered it with Crazing Distress Collage Medium. I think the Idea-ology clipboard clips might be retired. Good thing I had one in my stash! It attached to my base with brads and some glue for extra security.

Step 7 – Now came the fun part! I had all my elements ready to go and the plastic fan coral piece firmly glued in place on the shelf. I used Soft Matte Gel and a glue gun to adhere all the different parts.

Thank goodness for hot glue guns!

Thanks for sticking with me on this long blog post! Hopefully you learned a new trick or two. ;-) Have a great week!

Dies:
Sand & Sea (Sizzix / SB)
Seashells (Sizzix / SB)
Garden Greens (Sizzix / SB)
Branch w/ Leaves & Flower - retired
3-D Texture Fades Embossing Folder - Lumber (Sizzix / SB)

Other:

Tim Holtz Stamp Set - Slight Alterations
Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Splash
Prima Stencil - Netting
Ranger Diana Wakely Stencil - Mighty Wave
Color Burst - Turquoise
Paper Artsy Infusions - A Bit Jaded
Ranger Archival Ink - Cornflower Blue, Potting Soil, Forget Me Not, Watering Can, Pale Ochre

Distress Inks - Ground Espresso
Distress Oxide Inks - Carved Pumpkin, Aged Mahogany, Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberries, Hickory Smoke
Distress Spray Stain - Mowed Lawn, Cracked Pistachio, Pumice Stone, Old Paper, Brushed Corduroy, Antique Bronze
Graphic 45 - Voyage Beneath the Sea
Sizzix Paper Leather - pink
Paper Artsy Fresco Paint - Metallic Glaze, Antarctic, Snowflake, Slate, Captain Peacock, Caribbean Sea
Baked Texture Embossing Powder - Patina Oxide, Deep Sea
Prima Glass Glitter - Copper, Gold Rush
Idea-ology Clipboard Clip
Spray workable fixative
Ranger Distress Collage Medium - Crazing
Ranger Glossy Accents
Prima Soft Matte Gel
DecoArt Media Crackle Glaze and Texture Sand Paste
DecoArt Media Liquid Acrylics - Vermillion, Yellow Ochre, Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide

Sizzix and Scrapbook.com links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! (My husband also thanks you!)