"Beach Fantasy" Art Quilt

"Beach Fantasy" Art Quilt

I believe we all feel a pull toward the ocean. Just look at a map of the population!! I am fortunate to live within a 20 minute drive of the beautiful beaches of the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida. I can feel it calling me almost daily. I don't make it that often but I feel good knowing that I could go almost any day. 

 This small art quilt was created using curved piecing, then free motion quilted using 6 colors of thread. It was then embellished with natural shells from my extensive collection :) of hand picked treasures. A couple of pearls for a bit of whimsy. The borders were then applied and it was mounted on a 9 x 12 inch canvas. 

This is my entry on Finish it Up Friday at

Check out the many great finishes at

 

http://www.crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/ 
Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party  

 Close ups of the quilting and embellishment.

Thank you for visiting. Please leave me a comment. I would be honored if you choose to follow me.  

Update: 9/28/14

Lets get to quilting!! 


 

Shell Box

Shell Box

Small, 3.5 x 3.5 x 2" paper box. Painted in lime green and light blue. Topped with Sea Shells.

Rustic Shell Art

Rustic Shell Art

Rustic Shell Plaques. Painted (by me) :) wooden frames. These are about 8 x8 inches each. The opening that is covered in burlap is about 3.5 inches. The shells are weathered fighting conch shells.

Hope you like these Rustic Shell Plaques. Some more of my finds from Honeymoon Island State Park, near Dunedin, Florida. Wonderful, peaceful place that is about 12 miles from my home. Great beach. Great Shelling.

Shell Art on a Glorious Day on the Coast

 

These are Clam Shells on a Stacked Frame. The top frame is an old gold salvaged frame that I whitewashed. It is glued on top of a plain wood unfinished frame that I painted then whitewashed. The shells were then glued with an industrial adhesive. It has a plastic hanger on the back. 

Shell Frame:

I have collected a LOT of shells from Honeymoon Island and a quick Christmas week trip to Sanibel Island, world famous for shelling.  Also, a number of frames have been salvaged from clearance aisles, and thrift stores. 

So, I decided to take the plunge. The frame was a 10 x 13 frame with an 8 x 10 opening. It started off with a dark wood finish. I lightly sanded it and gave it a coat of some white paint, to create a whitewash effect. I love using the broken shells to see the beautiful interior architecture of the shells. Amazing.

 

I have since added more shells.

 Detail views:

Will list in my Etsy shop one day when I get better pictures.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/15SeptemberArts?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Shell Art

Since being in Florida I have found a passion for seashells. I like all of them. Pristine and perfect. Broken and fossilized. I am fortunate to have one of the top shelling beaches in Florida about 12 miles from my home. Honeymoon Island State Park. http://www.floridastateparks.org/honeymoonisland/default.cfm
Although Sanibel and Captiva are better known, there are abundant shells on Honeymoon Island. I have been trying to go "shelling" at least once a month. Winter is a great time. Low tides are best. Each outing yields at least one bucket full of "treasure". I love bringing them home, cleaning and sorting them. 
I have learned much about shells and shelling from www.iloveshelling.com/blog. The blogger is Pam Rambo and her husband Clark. They live in Sanibel, FL and have a cult following in the shelling world.
 I have started using my shells and sea life in frames, boxes and other art creations. Here is one of the latest.. These are 6" square 1.5" deep commercially prepared burlap stretched over wood, as canvas would be. The shells are natural and handpicked by ME :)
I plan to list them in my Etsy shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/15SeptemberArts
I think they make a great group.