Vacation in a Box Complete!

First of all, let me just say that even after seeing and handling the box almost everyday, moving it here and there around my Craft Corner area, I overestimated how much I could actually put inside it.

Secondly, in case you did not know, Sanibel is the Sea Shelling Capital of the world, not Cape Hatteras, so there goes the "shelled" paper idea. Since the box has a really nice "linen" type base through which you insert pins to hold the photos, ephemera etc.., I left the background as is. It serves as a nice contrast with the grey frame and other "cool colored" pics I added. As art would have it, omission is sometimes necessary. Some of the pictures never made it on there, partly because I didn't want to cut them, I rather overlap.

The BIG picture.

The inaugural item for the shadow box was a doodle I worked on while I planned the vacation. Then I fiddled with the layout of the photos and figured out how to integrate a map of the area.  I thought this was imortant because we did quite a bit of traveling up and down the Outer Banks; then a Hurricane hit later that summer, and sliced through that, now familiar, strip of road. 

After much trial and rearranging, I finally had the layout how I wanted it, but I had to cut out the map. Apparently, I subconsciously arranged the pictures in order from North to South to show a glimpse of each area we visited. When I super imposed the map over the photos, it fell right into place, I was pleased. Being a stickler for details, I like for the documentation of a trip, such as this, to be as authentic as possible, it's the librarian in me. : )

A doodle, of the forthcoming vacation rendered last spring at a faculty meeting.

                                                                                                          

Wild horses on the beach, DO NOT DISTURB or you'll be fined!

Cape Hatteras light house, view of Pamlico sound, from the balcony.



Here is the map that runs through it, pretty much aligns with the location

 of the photos, except the horses, I had to hand write that town

as it was on the very northern tip of the island.



These are famous wooden fences, their purpose is to trap the constantly shifting 
sand to preserve the dunes and prevent beach erosion.



One of many boardwalks along the highway for beach goers,
and kite boarders. Swim at your own risk: no Life guards,
lots of wind and wild surf.  Brrr, that water is cold!



An amazing ocean view from an empty lot on Ocracoke Island,
which we explored by golf cart. This island was home to BlackBeard the Pirate.

Once that was finished, I added some color with "beachy" embellishments and a thought reading from top to bottom, can you read it? It says "We are Blessed,"  and we are.  My favorite part is the mounted illustration at the bottom by Mary Engelbreit, and the quote "Sounds of the wind, and sounds of the sea, make me happy just to be." By June Polus.  That really should be my motto, mantra and motivation in life!

Just for your information, below is the footprint left on the Outer Banks by Hurricane Irene, 2011. the Outer Banks usually has the Sound on one side and the Atlantic on the other, you will notice however that there is water all across the land thanks to Mother Nature.