Nothing says fall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina like fresh oysters. These beauties are sustainably harvested for your creative enjoyment!

My personal obsession with oysters goes way back. Not only do I love to eat them here on the Outer Banks or anywhere, but I have jars full of shells on display in my home. Growing up my family had a little 1940s built cottage on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia where the variety of colors of oyster shells is endless and changes from summer to summer on into fall. I love how each one is so unique and beautiful and no two are the same. There is a painting study waiting to happen with these treasures.

The shells in our design are of the harvested culinary variety found on your platter after enjoying a dozen steamed with lemon and hot sauce. This is the first Mixed Media Club design where you will make your own template by painting your oyster shells and cutting them out. There is a step by step bonus video if you want to see a closer look at the paint techniques used at a slower pace.

If painting the oysters is not your thing or if you prefer an embellished oyster shell, we have got that covered! You can skip the detailed painting part and have fun making a variety of colored or themed collections for your canvas(es) or cards. Yes! These beautiful little mixed media components can also be used for card making!

A simple distressed wood plank background seemed appropriate for this design and offers a fun technique that could be used on a number of projects around the house! Painting the knots in the wood is optional and your can get super creative by adding your own color choices for the dry brush painting technique.

I had a lot of fun playing with different combinations of my little mollusk creation collage! It was almost like setting the table for a fun dinner party! Honestly, I had a hard time committing to just one combination so I know I will be making a lot more of these for my future mixed media projects!

I have already started on the Mix It Up versions that will be released next week, using another favorite background technique. Here is a peek! Can you guess which other design I repurposed here?