MDF Seaside Plaque with Sheena Douglass' Stamps

Hi everyone!

I'm off away to a conference for a couple of days so quickly sharing something this morning that I made at a Sheena workshop a little while ago - I hadn't blogged it and I thought I should share.

Before using MDF you must gesso the background.  The Pebeo gesso (in the link) is fabulous quality and inexpensive.  This isn't a step that should be skipped as MDF sucks in your paints if you don't gesso first! It dries quickly and then you lightly sand it with very fine grade sandpaper.  Sheena showed us a technique that I had not used before which was using distress inks with Pebeo Studio Matt Gel Medium.  For the sky I used  faded jeans, the greenery was pine needles and I think it was tea dye for the sand.  I splodged the inks on my non stick craft sheet, squirted a bit of the gel next to them and made paints to create a light washed looking background. After stamping the puffin, beach and birds with staz on, I then used the technique again to paint them in.  These stamps are from  Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Scenic Stamp Set - Sea Scapes.  I then inked the edges of the plaque with faded jeans distress ink and cut and dry foam. 

The shells were made by applying Luminarte Silks Acrylic Glaze - Set 7 randomly to the reverse side of a piece of Centura Pearl card.  I dusted over with an anti-static bag and then stamped all of the shells from Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Scenic Stamp Set - Sea Shells with Versamark.  I then heat embossed with an antique gold embossing powder.  The shells were then cut out - this took a little while but I don't mind cutting out!  I added the shells in a formation I liked by playing with them before sticking them down with sillicone glue.

The plaque was finished by tying a ribbon through the holes to allow it to hang.

I really loved making this project as I love the seaside and I love MDF as I think papercraft is more than making cards and scrapbook pages.  Home Decor is a great way to show off your work.

As I said earlier, I made this at one of Sheena's workshops, so I'm certainly not taking credit for the design as it is of course the wonderful Sheena's!  The workshops are great fun and you always learn lots.  She will be doing more in November time so it's worth popping over to her website to find out more nearer the time - I think they will be announced in the summer.  

Thanks for looking and enjoy the sunshine this weekend!