Mermaid Frame
Materials:
Small unpainted wood frame
Acrylic paint (white and an additional color—I used gold)
Sponge paint brushes
Crackle medium
Spray acrylic
Hot glue gun and glue
Assorted seashells
Assorted bits of sea glass, acrylic chips, colored stones, beads, or baubles
To create the faux driftwood frame, apply three layers of paint to the frame, allowing each to thoroughly dry. The first coat of paint is the color that will peek through the crackle. It can be any color you choose. I used gold for the example, but a gray tone, black or brown will look natural too. Or for fun, you could use purple or teal for a fantasy look—it’s up to you!
Apply a layer of Crackle medium. Allow to dry.
Apply your contrasting acrylic paint layer. I prefer white to achieve a bleached driftwood look. Tip: avoid overlapping your brushstrokes because doing so will diminish the cracks. Allow to dry.
Give the frame a coat of spray acrylic to protect your layers. Allow to dry as well.
Fire up your glue gun for the adornments. This is the fun part! Think about creating a cluster that feels like a collection of a mermaid’s favorite things. I usually start with three larger shells to form the basic shape. Then when they are settled in place with enough glue to create a firm bond, I add smaller shells between them to fill the gaps, then tuck in contrasting bits for a pop of color or more texture.
You can use anything in your craft bins or find objects in the floral or hobby departments of your favorite store—including colorful aquarium gravel, pearl buttons, mosaic bits, and jewelry findings. You can even sprinkle in a little glitter or sand while the glue is still wet. I love to center one bead in the cluster as though the mermaid is showing off her prize possession.
Florida Woman
Jamie is a Florida Woman. She grew up on the beach, thrives in humidity, has weathered more hurricanes than she can count, and now, after going viral for an outrageous crime she never meant to commit in the first place, she has the requisite headline to her name. But when the chance comes for her to escape viral infamy and imminent jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys, it seems like just the fresh start Jamie needs to finally get her life back on track — until it’s not.
Something sinister stirs in the palmetto woods surrounding her cabin, and secrets lurk among the three beguiling women who run the shelter and affectionately take Jamie under their wing for the summer. As Jamie ventures deeper into the offbeat world and rituals of Atlas, her summer is soon set to inspire an even stranger Florida headline than she ever could’ve imagined.
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