It's Summer! at Frilly and Funkie

Hello and welcome! Over at the Frilly and Funkie challenge blog I'm standing in as host for Nancy with her choice of theme, 'It's Summer!' Here's what Nancy has to say about the theme; "Let us know what you love about Summer. Do you enjoy travelling, growing a garden, or laying on the beach? Create a vintage or shabby chic project, card, or layout showcasing what you enjoy most about this wonderful season."

What can you win by entering? Our overall winner gets the opportunity to be a Guest Designer on a future challenge at Frilly and Funkie, there's a randomly picked winner of a $25 shopping coupon at The Funkie Junkie Boutique and now we are also awarding Top 3 badges!!!

I got thinking about what Summer means to me... 

 (click on each image for a closer look)

To be honest over the past few years it's meant doing jobs around the house, day trips out and (whoopee!) exam results for one or more of my sons. I figured that's not really where Nancy wanted me to go with this!!! So let's go WAY BACK to my childhood (I know, prehistoric times but they were good!) Long-standing followers will have heard me reminisce about summer holidays spent with my Nana on the North-East coast. The North Sea may be cold but there are some incredible beaches up there with beautiful shells and pieces of sea glass just waiting to be collected. Inspired by these memories I set to work on altering a bottle to capture some of that Summer feeling.

This plain bottle was coloured from the inside using slightly diluted 'Time Travel Teal' Magicals before adding plain gauze and stamped bubbles to the outside. The shells were glued on top along with alcohol ink altered pearl beads. Extra colour was added by applying a little white gesso to parts of the shells then spritzing various Lindy's Stamp Gang Flat Fabio and Starburst sprays. 

The top of the original bottle featured a plain aluminium and rubber stopper - doesn't it look better transformed with alcohol inks! Then I took twine, beads, chains, jump rings and some of the fabulous metal charms from The Funkie Junkie Boutique to dress up the neck. You might just spot that the charms were also altered with the alcohol inks and a little white gesso. If you are looking for something slightly different in the way of charms I can highly recommend Linda's range - there are lots of themed sets and the most gorgeous designs with glass cabochon settings just right for adding your own images or words.

Now all this bottle needs is a message! So what do you love about Summer? For more inspiration head on over to Frilly and Funkie see what my Funkie team mates have created and then it's over to you. Thank you for joining me today. Whatever you're up to for the rest of the week have a great one and take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx