SOS 372: Welcome Home!

This week at Shopping Our Stash, we are saying "Welcome home!"  We would like to see projects inspired by your home-- where you live now or where you come from.   (Thanks to Deena on the team-- this was her idea... isn't it great?)

So, what is home to you?

I was born in Maryland, and much of my family is there.  I have only been back three times since my parents lefts the state when I was six months old, but because so much of my family is there, and since my folks met and spent much of their youth in Maryland (my dad is actually a Terapin... Go Terps!), I have ties to the state.  I mean, I grew up with Old Bay and crab (although it's not blue crab here in California...).  I have also always been a huge fan of the flag, the state bird (Baltimore Oriole), and the state flower (Black-eyed Susan).  I'm wishing I had a trip scheduled soon.  One set of my aunt/uncle (I have about 7 sets there, one set in DC) own and operate a vineyard in Newmarket and it's pretty close to heaven on earth.  If you are in Maryland (CHRIS), you should visit.  They are the best people.  And I think you might like their product... :)

Supplies:

• I bought the tin a year ago at an Asian market and this is just the sort of project I envisioned!  I coated the tin initially with alcohol inks in Mushroon, Oregano, and Ginger, but they did not look great on the bright aluminum.  I then coated it with black Liquitex gesso and rubbed it with some DecoArt metallic paint in Espresso.  I also added Pebeo sand to add the corroded look.  I added some Walnut Stain and watered-down Spiced Marmalade Distress Paint to the "corroded" areas to look like rust.
• The Maryland flag (which is awesome... I have flip-flops that look like it!) is from some DP by Echo Park. It was on super-clearance at a scrapbook store I visited two weeks ago for the first time.  It was, like, staring at me.  Meant-to-be purchase.  I inked it with Vintage Photo DI and added water spots.
• I wiped some hemp twine with the above-mentioned DecoArt paint and added it to the inside edges of the tin.
• The flowers are many years old, made by Prima.  They were originally beige.  I paited them yellow with Liquitex acrylic, then added Glossy Accents to the centers and added black Recollections glass beads to make the Black-eyed Susans.
• I used scrap craft copper sheets and metal dies for the "Marys From Maryland" sign.  Then I scribbled with Distress Crayon in Black Soot.  (This tin will go to my cousin Mary: we are the "Marys from Maryland!"  [My real-life name is Mary... Mimi is the nickname that my family and closest friends call me])
• The tiny oriole is from a bird guide that was discarded from the library when a boy destroyed it.  Gotta love him.
• The hanging apparatus is a Paper Studio safety pin.  I glued it with Glossy Accenst.

Hope to see you guys at SOS, and I look forward to your projects and learning a little about y'all!