Indoor Sand Garden

Materials:

wooden shadow box frame
sand
hot glue gun & glue sticks
sandpaper
tack cloth
wood sealer
nautical blue acrylic paint
swirl rubber stamp
opal green Interference paint
paint brush
foam brush
glitter
hand drill
5-1/2" of a 3/16" wooden dowel
2-1/2" small craft stick
nine 3/4" escutcheon pins
super quick dry glue
2 pairs flat-nose jewelry pliers
river rocks, cabochons, sea glass, resin button shapes

1. Sand shadow box frame. Remove all dust with tack cloth and paint with one coat of sealer. Let dry.

2. Run a line of hot glue all around the inside bottom seam of the shadow box to prevent any sand from leaking out should there be any open spaces (figure A). Allow to dry.

3. Paint entire box with nautical blue acrylic paint and let dry (figure B).

4. Apply opal green interference paint to stamp with foam brush and randomly stamp swirl rubber stamp on shadow box (figure C).

5. Add random dots of opal green interference paint with end of paint brush handle. Allow all paint to dry thoroughly.

6. Fill shadow box with sand to within 1/2 inch from the top. Mix a little glitter in with the sand if desired for extra sparkle.

7. Place river rocks, cabochons, sea glass resin buttons, sea shells or whatever you want to play with in your sand garden. Set aside.

8. To make the rake: Sand the cut end of the 5-1/2-inch length of dowel until smooth. Mark dots along the 2-1/2-inch craft stick, 1/4 inch apart. You should end up with nine dots. Note: If you are unable to locate the short craft sticks, it is easy enough to cut a standard length one down to 2-1/2 inches. Round off the ends and sand smooth.

9. Use a hand drill to make holes at each of the nine dots you marked (figure D). It helps to do this on a block of wood using a clamp to hold the craft stick.

10. Use flat-nose pliers to hold one of the escutcheon pins. With a second pair of the pliers held just behind the tip of the pin, bend pin to a 45-degree angle (figure E). Repeat with all nine pins.

11. Put a pin through each hole in the craft stick (figure F). Put a drop of super quick drying glue in each hole just before you press the head of the pin down. Be certain that all of the tines are facing in the same direction. Allow to dry.

12. Glue the 5-1/2-inch dowel to the space just above the middle pin (figure G). Let dry; then add another drop of glue.

13. With a very small paint brush, paint your rake. Though it would make sense to paint the rake before adding the tines and handle, the glue seems to grab better on the bare wood.