She sells sea shells on the seashore

Although we have had a rather chilly weekend the weather has been warming up slowly. It is that time of year when I have a grand clear out and spring clean of my studio. It was time to open the blinds and get cleaning. I haven't worked out here since late November.

Check out my freshly oiled desk..you will not see it this clear again this year.

My radio was plugged in and I was ready to go. 

Everything got a sort out and a dust.

My Rascog trolley is now installed in his rightful place.

It is always a good chance to look at stash which has been forgotten and as I cleared things up I found some long forgotten scrapboard size papers.

 Sadly a couple had got their edges creased. I also found some lovely retro seaside Nicecrane images and decided that I would use a sweet girl for my art journal pages for the dictionary challenge over at the Craft Barn plus some other challenges. This fortnight the dictionary challenge is to use the letter S with a little twist to have a shell somewhere too.
I looked through my dictionary and chose the word "she" to use under my vintage girl. I didn't know how to link her to the shells with a quote or verse. I asked my Hb and he came up with the fun suggestion of "She sells sea shells on the seashore.  Once I had this tongue twister in my head I could see my finished piece in  my head.  Isn't it great when that happens.

I added a wash of gesso to my bottom layer and I started stamping some Crafty Individuals and Rubber dance seaside themed stamps around the edge.

 I used my dymo to create the quote as I felt this fitted my retro theme. I used lots of snippets of papers to die cut some Memory Box shells and crabs.

 I also found a snippet of textured "sea" I created using acrylics for an old project. I then put my ideas into place and worked to put my page together.

Here is my finsihed art journal page

I tore the the top page so that my girl appeared to be bursting into the scene and also to let the lovely sea card peep  through.

She certainly has plenty of sea shells to sell....! ;0)

I would like to enter my art journal page into the following challenges;

The craft barn S with a shell my s is for she.
Pixie's snippets playground #226
Noor UK anything goes
The Ribbon Girl 3/3 any image goes
As you like it favourite animal I love all but my favourite here is the dog. We "Bear sit" our son's gorgeous dog and I love him because he is such fun company and gets me out walking, which I also love.
We love to create anything mixed goes mixed media 1/2 #9
Mod squad water
Frilly and Funkie It's not easy being green my whole piece has been made from scraps I found whilst spring cleaning and the backing piece might have been binned had I not rescued it as it was so creased.
Memory Box anything but a card I have created an art journal page.
That's crafty faces


Thanks for visiting, I'm keeping really busy in my studio at the moment building up my card stock for the tea rooms which are going to stock my cards. I have made some using this gorgeous beach girl too as I think they will sell well.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x