Beach Canvas

I know I promised to share my beach themed canvas weeks ago and I wish I had a good excuse as to why it's taken so long, but alas, I do not. I'm just lazy...pure and simple, lol. I've been quite the neglectful blogger of late and I apologize if anybody was left hanging.

I'm finally here to show you guys the canvas from beginning to end. I tried several times to get photos that really portrayed the true look of the finished product but I was never quite successful. Unfortunately, a photographer I am not. You guys probably won't really notice because you didn't see it in person and I am not being vain when I say the photos really don't do justice to the completed canvas.

Here is the finished canvas, which was a Christmas gift for one of girls and I think she really loved it. If she was faking she did a great job, lol.

Remember that if you click the photos you'll get a larger image for more detail :)

I'm now going to show you the canvas "before"

I picked up this canvas from Goodwill for $2 and knew as soon
as I saw it that I'd find a good use for it. I'm always on the prowl
for larger or odd sized canvases to alter and this one was perfect at
about an 18x18 size. My first step was a couple coats of
Gesso to prepare the canvas to work with.

If you click the photo for a larger image you might be able
to see the texture I added to the canvas once the Gesso had
dried. I used texture paste and paper towels to get the texture.

Most of the elements on the canvas itself were made by me,
including the mermaid. I cut the design with my Expression and
then used water colors to paint the body and hair.
For the "tail" or "fin" I used a form of gold leafing--I think
the flakes were "magic flakes" but I can't remember for sure. If you
need to know I'll dig it back out and let you know.
I used a gold pen to add some highlights to her hair just for
added dimension. I drew her face on and I hate it but not
enough to redo it ;)

This is the actual message that is inside the bottle on the
right hand side of the canvas.

The anchor is cardstock and also cut with my Expression.
I used Tim Holtz distress embossing powder to give it
a rusty effect.

Just a couple of cute little seahorses also cut with the Expression
and embossed with Frantage Embossing Enamel. 

There's the bottle I was talking about :)

The chest was handmade by me and embossed with
Frantage Embossing Enamel.
The shells on the canvas are a combination of real shells I've
brought back from a Florida vacation as well as some craft shells
purchased form the Dollar Tree.

I used several different Glimmer Mist sprays once the paint had dried
and there are lots of gold speckles as shown here.

There are really so many details but I know you guys get bored reading through all that. The quote is one I found online and there was no name attached to it and I saw it on several different quote sites while searching for the perfect quote for the canvas.

And that's it....I really do love how it turned out and like I said before, the photos seriously don't do justice to this. But you'll all just have to take my word for that.

Thanks for having a look and I'll see you all soon!

Rhonda