#TBCCrafters Craft Hop - How to Create a Mini BeachScape

Check it Out! I am a beach bum at heart and given my inner-most desires, would live at the beach!  I just love it but unfortunately I don't get to go often enough.  I have to settle for decorating with beach themed items.  My guest/kids bathroom is done in that theme so my newest craft fit in perfectly!  

I got this idea from my neighbor Jessie.  She has a piece of art hanging in her home that immediately grabbed my attention.  It was a large wooden sun soaked frame that surrounded a sand and shell center.  She told me some background on the piece that an art friend had made for her and I knew that I could do the same thing only on a smaller scale.  

Jessie had given me a stack of silver plate chargers that she no longer wanted not too long ago. Using one of them along with my very small supply of shells and beach items, I put together a wonderful mini beach scape! 

At first I thought I could do the whole craft with Mod Podge.  I cleaned my charger plate and then laid down a thick coat of the Mod Podge to the center of the plate.  This created a well for my beach.  As soon as I had the area coated, I sprinkled my sand all over the Mod Podge.  Once I had all white spots covered and layered up nicely, I used the pads of my fingers to push the sand down into the Mod Podge.  Then I had to wait for it to dry!

I am not great at waiting when I am in the middle of creating so I moved the drying process along by covering the plate with a newspaper and then used the blow dryer on a low setting to dry up the Mod Podge. 

I wrestled with how I was going to affix the shells and other items to the sand without messing it up.  The sand was still falling off and I just knew that it wasn't going to last long.  I looked through my stash to see what kind of sealers I had that would be thicker than Mod Podge yet dry completely clear. I didn't want the sand turning yellow. I wanted to keep it as natural looking as I could.  I found this bottle of Save a Puzzle and knew it was the answer.  Little did I know how perfect it was!!  

I poured a very generous amount of the Save a Puzzle over my sand creating a puddle over it.  I let it fill the well of the plate and completely covered the sand.  I started with about half a bottle and used it all. I added my shells and other items to the puddle, spacing them out like you might see on the beach.

Then I had to wait again!

As I said I hate waiting!  I left the plate over night and then set it in the sun this morning to finish up and I can not get over how awesome it turned out!

I found that as it dried, the Save a Puzzle soaked up the sand and hardened to create a tidepool effect!  I love how the edges look like there is still water there but the center looks and feels just like dried areas of the beach.