What Do You Sea?

Hello.  Welcome.  I have been working on a project for Crafty Individuals where this month the theme is Autumn Fashion.  Yep, another month over and I am posting on the deadline again.  I have been working with elements all month stamping, cutting, shuffling them around.  But it wouldn't come together.  So it would vanish under the stash on my desk only to resurface, get rearranged and submerge again into the chaos of paper and card.  Then I realised the problem was two seemingly disparate subjects that I was intent on using.  I mean, really, why not combine ladies underwear with giant turtles????..........

Then yesterday, with time against me, visitors in the house and day trips planned, the ideas all seemed to come together.  I'm hoping to explain a bit about why this has become a meaningful piece to me but I would also like to hear your thoughts.  Maybe it will mean something to you as well.  Or not.  What do you see??

I started making a background page using Crafty Individuals (CI) French Corsets and Oriental Fans stamps relating to ladies fashion.  Hats, bags, parasols, corsets, fans.  I coloured with Distress Inks and Stains in Fired Brick, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick, Dried Marigold.  Autumn Colours.  So there's fashion and autumn.   I mounted on a Tando Creative chipboard frame and backed with a sheet from one of the CI background paper books.  

And here's the turtle.  I stamped CI A Bright Future onto various CI background papers because I couldn't decide which colour I liked the best.  Then I ended up layering all three together and also onto a piece of black paper to give dimension.  Isn't she gorgeous!  The sentiment is the same stamp set on CI papers cut with a tag die

Some more Tando chippies coloured with Distress Stains.  The letters are a cuttlebug alphabet

Another CI stamp, Seagull Adventure and some fish cut from one of the seaside background papers

Here it is partly assembled with some more of the cuttlebug alphabet letters.  

The finished project.  

• The save the whales isn't just for whales.  It's for everything and everybody but I couldn't think of a better phrase to engender the feeling of all-ness.  Also save the whales mentality is something I still consider fashionable.  
• Live, laugh, love.  I was going to stamp laugh on the seagull but he has taken on a more serious persona.  Live, let people live and respect how they live.  And the whales and the turtles.  Love.  When you love there is no room for petty emotions and deeds.  
• The seagull.  Is he a witness.  Or just a spectator.    Letting things pass by with no thought, deed or comment.   Or maybe he's more sinister.  Just waiting for his chance to grab whatever he wants.  
• Turtles are so majestic.  Nature, freedom, hope.  And we must believe in a bright future.   

 

Sorry, I'm getting all philosophical and heavy.  And it's not even midnight.  Maybe it's just a turtle swimming through a load of ladies underwear.  May she swim a long time.  

Joining the fun at

Crafty Individuals - Autumn Fashion

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Tando Creative Challenges August Challenge - Lovely Layers

7 Kids Challenge 107 - Anything Goes

Dream It Up - August as an Adjective 

Thanks for your visit.  Big hugs