Beach Life

Happy Monday!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!! It was a scorcher, here, with high temps and humidity. It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I have a couple of beach-themed cards to share with you today using several Die-Versions dies. If you use the code lisa15 you'll receive 15% off your regular price Die-Versions order.

With summer in full swing, I decided to created a couple of cards to celebrate fun times at the beach. I dug out some of my old DCWV Tahiti Beach papers. For this card, I used a Whispers Tiki Hut die. It was popped up with foam tape for dimension. A Whispers Stitched Nesting Squares die was used for the background.

For this card, I used the Whispers Beach House die, and I popped it up with foam tape as well. Beach was cut from a Cute Cube Life is Better at the Beach die, which is no longer available.

The tag is a Shapes Ocean Tag, which is still available in the Farewell Sale, but you better hurry before it's gone.

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Anything But Cute July Challenge - Summertime Fun

Happy Tuesday!! It's time for a new challenge at Anything But Cute. The sweet and wonderful Anne of Redanne is our hostess for this month's challenge and she has chosen the theme "Summertime Fun". Here's what she has to say about the theme:

What does Summertime fun mean to you? Spending time by the seaside, foreign travel, camping in the great outdoors or simply enjoying time in the garden? Create a MIXED MEDIA project focusing on how you like to spend your Summertime. Don't forget to tell us how your project relates to our theme.

Summer to me means the beach. I love spending time by the water, whether it be a creek, lake or the ocean. For my summertime project, I created my perfect vacation spot...a cabin by the ocean :)

I started by covering the canvas in super heavy gesso, using a pallete knife to give it texture. I added some crackle glaze to the corners and let it dry.

Next, I started building color. I used sprays and gelatos in colors of yellow, green, blue and tan.

More color, using DecoArt Media Sprays and Dylusions Sprays.

Once the colors dried, I used Paper Artsy Grunge Paste to adhere cheesecloth to the bottom of the canvas, as well as Liquitex Glass Beads gel.

To create the rocks, I cut thin pieces of styrofoam packing material into rock shapes. Then I mixed gray and metallic paint to cover them.

On the part I wanted to be the sandy hill, I dabbed on acrylic paint and while it was wet, I covered it with real sand.

For my shabby beach cottage, I used a Tattered Lace Cabin die. I covered it using Andy Skinner's Mega Crackle technique.

I selected what die cut pieces I wanted to use and cut them in grunge board. I then covered them with gesso. I sanded down the fence for a shabby look and used acrylic paint and distress ink to color the remaining pieces.

Mr. Pelican enjoying the view :)

I used gesso to create the sea foam.

A close-up of the crackle texture.

The sign is a Die-Versions Life is Better at the Beach Cute Cube. I covered it in gesso and then used DecoArt Antiquing Medium. Viva Inca Gold Metallic Rub was randomly brushed over it. I adhered the cube to a piece of double sided tape and then covered it with sand.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
2) Dies R Us - Outdoor Fun
3) Little Scrap Pieces - Show If Off Saturday
4) My Sheri Crafts #185 - Down At The Beach

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Anything But Cute to see the amazing projects my design team sisters have created for today's challenge!! Then link up your Summertime Fun mixed media project!! I can't wait to see what you create :)