Mixed Media Ocean Collage

I love the beach, the sand, the shells, the water, and the sound of the waves.  Whenever I'm having a tough time, if i go to the beach it all seems to melt away.  All my worries, hurt, anger, or whatever is troubling me, all seem to get washed away with the tide.  And the crisp clean air....ahhh....so cleansing and refreshing.

                            Here's a 8x8 mixed media piece about the beach and ocean that I just finished.

This piece started with inspiration from this paper from  Cavallini with star fish on it (pictured above), combined with these cool pewter shells I bought a while back(one is pictured below). 

I first glued down the papers, then spread crackle paste all along the outside and sides of the canvas.  When it dried, I did an antiquing glaze over everything to age it and bring out the beauty of the cracks.  Then I added bits of yarn, fibers, red spiky fake plants, etc.. to look like seaweed, coral, and whatever else might be found in or near the ocean.  I also added some shells that I collected long ago, along with tiny broken shell bits that I found at a craft store and a piece that reminds me of driftwood.  To finish it off I painted and doodled a wave pattern around the main image, and wrote a list of things you'd find at the beach all around the starfish image.