Wednesday 16 May 2012

specimen box !



One of the many things that's been on my to-do list for ages is this box (btw I blame ALL YOU other bloggers for my VERY LONG to-do list. Can you please stop being so creative and posting about it - please, I can't keep up, and sometimes I just go and sit on the sofa with a cup of Earl Grey, because my head is spinning. Actually, that's a lie, I sit on the sofa quite a lot !!!)



Sorry, this is the only photo I took, but basically, it was full of dried petals and stuff, but I wanted it, because it was deep.
I needed a deep box frame for one thing. One thing that I found on the beach months ago, and which I treasure. One thing, like many other things I have found, only bigger. One thing, with such great colours, that the old geezer thought I had done a paint effect on it.
When I did a beach junk post over at A Place 2 Call Home I showed some of the other things to go in the box frame.


But I hid my favourite thing under that crab shell at the top. I needed to showcase the one thing that still amazes me.
Here she is.


Ok, so now you're thinking 'Fiona's lost the plot, she's going round the bend'. Seriously though, I can't get over the size of it. My hands are quite long, so this claw must have come from a really big old mama of the sea. I also love the colour and the fact that it looks like the colours have been painted on - especially with that arrow shape on the top claw.
Unfortunately, she cracked (hence the ribbon) - maybe being brought into the heat of my house (although I did try and blame it on my inebriated house guests at the time. I reckon they went to have a look at it, after we'd gone to bed - and dropped it !).

So mama needed a special box, and when I took the thing apart I discovered that the wooden dividers were really stuck to the bottom, so I put that section away for a different project.


I already had a large piece of beadboard given to me. So I cut a piece off for the back. I painted the frame white - what else, and distressed it. The beadboard I did dark brown, then put some crackle stuff on it, painted it white and did a bit of distressing and dry brushing. 




That's not coral, just a bit of seaweed I painted white.


All the crab claws are pretty amazing, and this worn crab shell has really pretty colours.


There are a few small fishing boats along the beach, and I'm guessing that many of the creatures get caught in the nets. I'm a bit squeamish, so if they look too real, I can't pick them up.


I couldn't touch this wee beastie because of the tentacles and eye sockets, but I was just amazed at the colour - it looks way too exotic for the South Coast of England. 
Weeks later, I found smaller sections of the same lobster so I was able to collect some specimens !


My big old mama's claw is the same size as that whole other lobster's body !


The box frame was £5, but as I said earlier, I've made two things out of it, at no extra cost, so £2.50 for my crab and lobster specimen box is pretty good, and goes well with my stencilled 'coral' walls.

So, it's back to the long list. I wish all my blogging friends could just come over for a coffee and help me focus. Perhaps we'd make some cakes and swap stuff. I have so many things to decoupage, I'd love to give some away. I have a trunk full of fabric, a box full of beads and numerous ribbons. There are paintings stuffed under a bed and loads of blank canvases. There is furniture to do and citra solv to buy and try. There's a chair needs covering and a pelmet needing to be made and ..........................

I think I'll get an Earl Grey and go watch some trash on tv !
Happy blogging x

Linking up with
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Terrific under ten Tuesdays @ At Home With K
Cowgirl Up @ The Farmhouse Porch

Weekend wrapup Party @ Tatertots & Jello
Saturday Showoff @ Nutmeg Place
Spotlight Saturday @ Classy Clutter
Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer



12 comments:

  1. ok I'm coming over to help you out... not with crafts, but watching trash TV with you! lol! In fact this sounds lovely to my tired ears right now!

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  2. OMG - I have to have that!!!!! Oh Fiona that is so cool. xxx Nat

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  3. i'm amazed how big that one claw is! you never know what is in water--last year we caught a baby octopus while fishing in san diego! creepy looking thing! great display, fiona:)

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  4. I sure loved reading your post today (some good laughs there)and your box turned out very nice! I think that little ribbon adds a special touch! Great job Fiona!

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  5. Love it Fiona! So jealous! Have a fabulous day!

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  6. I never find things like you do on the beach. I'm weird, but my favorite thing was the rusty hinge. Rusty Hinge is actually a blog I started following. Beautiful specimen box and finds.

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  7. very nice Fiona! That big mama´s claw look fabulous there!!
    We don´t have anything so pretty in our beaches! I wonder if it´s the weather! Not even junk!

    www.tatianadoria.blogspot.com

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  8. I'm with you, some of these are a little creepy! I think it got broken when it came alive in the middle of the night and was creeping around your house! Seriously, the box is really pretty and the claws are really quite elegant.

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  9. Fiona your specimen box is neat and you have some unique specimens; I can't imagine how long it took you to collect everything!

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  10. Fiona, I love your new project, I love things from the beach. How did you mount it all onto the beadboard? I am right behind you with the to-do list. It grows every day, espcially with the change of seasons! Now there's all the work to do in the garden!
    Enjoy your Earl Grey!

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  11. That is so great! I love that you tied a little bow around it. My hubby and I have been talking about making something like this. It's fantastic!

    Thanks for sharing on SOS!!

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It's always a pleasure to receive your comments. I really enjoy reading them, and a huge thank you if you are following as well !