Mermaid Tales

Here she is! May I humbly present Madame Melody Mermaid, the latest in my Say It With Letters altered creations. When I first got her in the mail, I had to admit that I was a little intimidated by her unique shape. I wanted so badly to alter her in a way that was true to my style yet keeping with the magical qualities that mermaids possess. After working around her on my scrap desk for two weeks...FAR AROUND HER...it hit me how to tackle this project. Here are a few of the techniques and materials that helped the magic happen.

To me, the key was in the mermaid scales. I already knew that I wanted to use a scalloped punch to create them, but I wasn't sure how to achieve the shimmer I wanted. I started digging through my stash and found papers that I had in my "donate" pile for my son's elementary school. I used silver hologram paper from WorldWin and silver glitter paper from The Paper Company and covered them with blue and green Ranger Alcohol Inks. (Thanks, Tim! ♥) Once the papers were dry it was just punch and layer until my arm fell off. Well, my arm didn't fall OFF, but it was a little sore from all that punching! The end result was pretty close to my original vision.

Miss Mermaid has achieved her bronzy tan thanks to Copper Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels. I think this is the first altered project that I haven't base-coated with paint (it felt like cheating!)

Then I just played with details. The mirror was cut from silver paper; her top was tied with twine; her scales were trimmed with colored jute and a shell. But scrappers who know me best will be pleased to see just how much fiber I have managed to incorporate into this design. Layer upon layer of auburn fibers with highlights of gold were added, then enhanced with some tiny beads. A lovely ocean creature like this needs a few accessories, right? The whole mess is held together with Ranger Glossy Accents - and I mean a LOT!

If you'd love to tackle this fun project be sure to check out the mermaid shape in the Say It With Letters online store. My pal and fellow DT member Julie Ann has the same shape to play with. I can't wait to see her version soon!

ETA: Check out all the SIWL Design Team versions of the mermaid by clicking here!