Mermaid in a Shell
By: Jennifer Willis, Artistic Guide

Supplies:
Stamps:
Sea Goddess (Sweet Pea Stamps)
Inks:
Black Staz-On Ink Pad (Tsukineko)
Papers:
White Cardstock (Unknown)
Other:
Glue Dot (Glue Dot)
Glue Stick (Scotch)
Polymer Clay (Sculpey)
Pencil (Unknown)
Scalloped Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter (Unknown)
Glazes: Burnt Umber, Violet Earth, Pink Coral (Golden)
Pearl Ex Pigments: Pearlwhite (Jaquard)
Paintbrush (Unknown)
Copic Markers: 2 Shades of Green, Blue, Red, Pink, Peach, Yellow (Imagination International)
Chipboard (Unknown)
Seashells (Found Objects)
Mulberry Paper Flowers (Prima Marketing)
Stickles: Pink (Ranger)
UTEE (Suze Weinberg)
Pearl (Found Object)
Melting Pot (Ranger)
Metal Muffin Tin (Wilton)
Brayer (Unknown)
Oven
Scissors (EK Success)
Knife (Unknown)

Directions:

1. Stamp the image in black ink on the white cardstock, attach the cardstock to the chipboard and allow to dry.
2. Trim the mermaid out neatly and color with the markers, using the two shades of greens on her tail, the peach color on her body and face, yellow on the hair, pink on her cheeks and blue for the eyes.
3. Add paper flowers to the neckline of the image with the adhesive, and dot the Stickle in the center of the flowers. Set aside to dry.



4. Using a piece of cardstock, trace around the cookie cutter to create a seashell pattern, adjusting the areas at the top to round it out and square the bottom. Trim it out neatly.



5. Work the clay with your hands, squeezing and rolling, until it is pliable.
6. Roll out with the brayer to .125" thick, position the shell pattern on it and cut away the excess clay with a thin blade knife.



7. Lay the clay cut out on the bottom of a metal muffin pan, forming the clay with curves for character, and bake, following the manufacturer's instructions.



8. Allow the clay shape to cool.
9. Paint the shell with the glazes, beginning with the darkest color first, middle color, second, and lightest last using the paintbrush. To avoid brush marks, I pounced the brush rather than applying the paint with a stroke.



10. While the last coat of paint is drying, heat the melting pot and UTEE per manufacturer's instructions.
11. While the shell is still a bit tacky, shake a small amount of Pearl Ex on the outside and smooth it around with your finger. Repeat on the inside of the shell.



12. Pour seashells randomly inside the shell, coat with the melted UTEE and quickly position the mermaid image in the UTEE. Allow the mermaid image to set up before removing your hand so it will not fall over.



13. Attach a pearl to the hand with a glue dot.
14. Enjoy Sharing!