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It may only be April, but beach season will soon be upon us.
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I love the details of this piece, from the lake glass inspired translucent paper to the tiny message a bottle that the little girls found adrift in the water. By the way, the message says, “Make art!”
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To make “She Sells Seashells” I began by covering the Layered Frame Erin with gesso
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I then drybrushed layers of acrylic paint onto the top portion of the frame.
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I added Versamark embossing ink to the lower portion of the frame, covered it with Seth Apter’s Dirty Sand Baked Texture Embossing Powder and heat set it.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.papercalliope.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/she-sells-seashells-by-Betsy-Skagen-002008.jpg?resize=600%2C831)
Next I trashed my studio searching through about a 100 old books until I found a passage about the ocean. It is ridiculous that I am such a perfectionist. I doubt if anyone would notice if I had used text from an old algebra textbook instead.
After finding the “perfect text” I apologized to the book, tore out the page and ‘dirtied’ it up with brown ink, paint and stamps.
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I then painted a piece of deli paper with blue paint and stamped script imaging onto it.
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I adhered to to the page with matte medium.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.papercalliope.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/she-sells-seashells-by-Betsy-Skagen-003212.jpg?resize=600%2C676)
Next I tore out shell graphics from another part of the old book, applied Versamark embossing ink and covered them with Seth Apter’s new translucent embossing powders.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.papercalliope.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/she-sells-seashells-by-Betsy-Skagen-001200.jpg?resize=600%2C600)
I adhered these to the page, added ribbon and drips of white gesso.
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After adding the frame, I adhered the girls from Going to the Beach with foam adhesive.
I used my best handwriting skills (which in my case means trying to at least be legible ) to write the tiny “she sells seashells by the seashore” message on white cardstock, and then cut it out and adhere it to the picture.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.papercalliope.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/she-sells-seashells-by-Betsy-Skagen-104108-1.jpg?resize=600%2C845)
To the corner of the frame I adhered tiny seashells and of course the message in a bottle filled with teal microbeads and a micro message.
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I mounted the finished project on a mixed media foam core board that I had earlier painted.
I hope you stop by the Gypsy Soul blog and drop a note! Thanks! -Betsy
Great Stuff
- Layered Frame Erin
- Paper Calliope Going to the Beach
- Gesso
- Versamark embossing ink
- Seth Apter’s Dirty Sand Baked Texture Embossing Powder
- Seth Apter’s Aegean Sea Baked Texture Embossing Powder
- Seth Apter’s Dusk Baked Texture Embossing Powder
- Vintage Photo Distress Ink
- Acrylic paints
- Deli paper
- Script stamp
- Page from vintage book
- White cardstock
- Shells
- Miniature bottle
- Micro beads
- Ribbon
- Beacon Adhesive
- Previous made mixed media foamcore board
Very very nice composition – and lovely colors! I really like the way you’ve gotten into using Seth’s textures on your pieces – you’re using them in very effective ways.
Good job, woman! 😉
Thanks Tristan! I keep learning from Seth. My current challenge is to continue building my own voice while using new skills!
Love the colors, vintage beach images and the beachy vibe! <3
Thank you Tonya. I am so ready for some beachy vibe.