Ciao Bella Sound of Summer Beach Shaker Card and Altered Bottle
Hello, Friends! If you’re longing for the sound of surf hitting sand, then today’s Summer Beach Shaker Card and Altered Bottle is just what the doctor ordered! My clever son turned another little apothecary bottle on his lathe. He’s experimenting with his carving tools, and added some neat details to the face and back of this cherry wood bottle. The moment I saw it, I imagined an old bottle washed up on the shore. Thus, I dubbed it, “The Castaway.” Peter was kind enough to let me alter it into the vision I had in my head. Then I just had to make a card to go with it. And here we are.
The Castaway
I’m always a little nervous about altering these apothecary bottles because they are so beautiful in their natural state. Peter works with primarily reclaimed wood. Lots of it is really old, salvaged from falling down barns, estate sales, fallen trees, etc. The goal when altering these bottles is to let the beauty of the wood shine through while creating a vignette that tells a story.
Sometimes a tag is all it takes. Fill a little glass vial with beach sand, a real shark’s tooth and itty bitty shell. Tap a copper starfish charm with Speckled Egg Paint to age it. Then cluster up some Spanish moss, sequins and beads to add texture and shimmer. Add a feather, some burlap string and BAM! You’ve got a miniature beach on your hands.
Highlight the bottle edges with more paint. Then tap the carved areas with gold mica gel to add a little shimmer. Burlap trim adds the perfect rustic touch.
The neat wood piece at the bottom of the bottle is something I picked up after a storm. I love it clustered up with some little shells and beads. Create a sandy beach with Distress Embossing Powder. I’m not gonna lie…this was fun!
The Shaker Card
Since I already had my Ciao Bella Sound of Summer collection out on the desk, I decided to go ahead and make a card to keep The Castaway company. This is a 5″ x 7″ top fold card with a 1/2″ spine. The shaker box is a Reneabouquets Shell Frame that I altered with Shabby Ivory Embossing Enamel. It’s hard to see in the photo, but there are little flecks of gold that shimmer like the sun on water.
To keep with the shell theme, I added a vintage ribbon slide. This came in a big box of buttons that our son and his wife gave me for my birthday one year. It looks to be carved from Mother of Pearl or Abalone. The delicate carved edges are simply elegant. Striped ribbon mimics the sails on the little boats.
A Peek Inside
I had as much fun designing the inside of this box pocket card as I did the outside.
This little flap feature opens to reveal a gorgeous seaside view. It also has a little tea bag pocket.
The box pocket is a “two for one” creation. Three small folios fit into the little pocket on top, while a bookmark, seashell spoon, cookie, chocolate, and magnet fit into the larger space.
These little folios are a great spot to write secret messages or quotes. They are also great for tiny photos or gift cards.
Here’s a closer look at the magnet, bookmark and spoon.
If you’re interested in purchasing either The Castaway or the Shaker Card, you can find them in my ETSY shop.
To see more projects made with Ciao Bella Sound of Summer, Click HERE.
Thanks for sharing a cuppa with me this Saturday morning! I hope you find time to make something beautiful today. Creativity is good for the body and good for the soul!
Thanks for stoppign by!
Cheerio,
kathy
SUPPLY LIST
- Ciao Bella Sound of Summer
- 12×12 Paper collection
- A4 Paper Pad
- 6×6 Paper Pad
- Ribbon
- Capri Blue Double Faced Satin
- Ivory Burlap String
- Blue Stripe…discontinued?
- Mixed Media
- Reneabouquets Square Shell Frame
- Stampendous Shabby Ivory Embossing Enamel
- Versamark Ink Pad
- Distress Brushed Corduroy Embossing Powder
- Speckled Egg Distress Paint
- Stamperia Gold Glamour Gel (sold out)
- Charms, trims, bits and bobs from my stash