Sea Glass History & Museum

O.k. sea-glass lovers, you have to check out the photos linked within this article.

The article is interesting as well, but it’s the beautiful sea glass photos and the bits of history about them in this piece that caught my attention. If you are wondering where some of your own sea glass pieces may have originated, you might get a clue in this piece.

Also, how fun would it be to go to a sea glass museum? http://www.pressherald.com/news/Maine_woman_wants_to_build_a_world-glass_collection_from_the_sea_.html?pagenum=2

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I’m Back: Hingham Farmer’s Market May – Oct. 2011

After going through a major life change which involved changes at home and in my work life I’ve figured out a way to balance my love of sea glass and jewelry making with the rest of my personal and professional responsibilities. I am happy to say I will be showing my work at the Hingham Farmer’s Market at least once a month starting in May of 2011. This time, my aunt will be joining me and adding an entire new dimension to the sea glass. While all of our pieces will have sea glass and I still focus on wire wrapping using recycled sterling silver, my aunt has a great sense of color and uses beads to compliment the wire wrapped sea glass. I’ll be posting pictures again soon as well as sharing more about the hunt. It’s a warm spring day and the sea glass is calling!

WHERE:

Hingham Farmers Market

WHEN:

MAY: 5/14 
JUNE: 6/11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    JULY: 7/23 
AUGUST: 8/13                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        SEPTEMBER: 9/10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        OCTOBER: 10/1    & 10/15   & 10/29 

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Returning to the Sea

I sorted through pounds of sea glass in the last few months.

It has been a time of transition in my personal life. I have d-cluttered with the same energy I nested with when I became a mother. Now though I am pairing down. Everywhere I seem to see where I have collected, held, saved and clung to so much. Too much. More than I want or need.

I cleared the closet of the white blouse I wore at dinner the night before I was married as well as the pink sandals I wore. I got rid of the platform sandals I wore with my wedding dress. I even gave away the red and gray flannel shirt I wore the day my Nana died. It always made me think of the day she died and not of her or her life. So, with so much clearing and with new eyes I looked at my collection.

In my early days of collecting I picked up every piece of teal or aqua or purple I found regardless of how rough the edges were or how clear the glass was. At first I held on to every piece saying, “I can use these to show the difference between ready and uncooked sea glass.” Then I thought these less than jewelry quality pieces could be used for mosaics or wind chimes.

But, years later, I have decided I need not hold to what if. If what if happens I will find what I need. So, I went to beach with a full bucket of sea glass. There were bottle necks that were sharp and bottle tops and clear glass with letters or numbers that made them seem as though I must grab them.

And in truth, there was the hunger, the type which can’t be filled unless it is overfed. Instead of waiting, trusting and knowing I’ll find the pieces that are ready when they and I are ready, I rushed and filled my hands too soon with junk that wasn’t quite what I wanted or needed.

So, there will be more sea glass in future years for me and other hunters. Maybe I will recognize an old piece or two. My daughter who was with me wants to check the beach daily to see how much the glass has transformed and how far the ocean will pull each piece. We will let the ocean do her magic and appreciate the clear space where there is enough room to figure what is needed next.

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Playing with Sea Glass in the Winter

There are small bits of pottery shards in one bowl. There are light blue, purple and white pieces of milk glass in a vase. In tiny candle holders are my prized bits of red sea glass as well as a larger bowl with all of the dark blue glass. On the fireplace mantle there is a collection of bottle necks in mostly thick white (all sizes) as well as some blue, brown and green and one turquoise one as well).

These bits of sea glass hanging around my living room as the wind chills through a closed window and the snow accumulates warm my spirit. It’s a harsh feeling winter and the light and bright colors are a boost. I haven’t been creating much jewelry but I’ve been touching and moving around sea glass and it feels good. There’s a pile of sea glass and huge shells together on what I think was originally meant to be a cake display plate.

I LOVE SEA GLASS!!!!!!!!

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Bookmarks

These are a huge hit with reader, book club members and people giving gifts to teachers. They were popular at the craft fair. And, people are being so careful with money this year. I am sure it helps that they are a low cost item. Here are some pictures:

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Sea Glass Crafts: Displaying & Decorating

I hear from many people who have a lot of sea glass but don’t know how and don’t want to know how to make jewelry. What they want to know is how to make the most of the collection they already have which far too often ends up in a bag, a drawer or in the trash after hours, years or even decades of collecting. You don’t have to be a jewelry person or a decorating guru to make it look pretty. Here are some easy and simple ideas. Also, if it’s getting cold where you are (as it is where I am) it’s nice to pull our your treasures and think of the sun, sand and beach. Here are some ideas:

http://www.ehow.com/way_5166235_unique-ways-display-sea-glass.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2045659_showcase-sea-glass-collection.html

http://www.completely-coastal.com/2009/02/sea-glass-love-decorating-craft-ideas.html

If you have any simple display ideas you’d like to share, please do, and if you give permission for me to post them I will.

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Sea Glass: My Christmas Tree Ornaments

O.k., so these ornaments have been a blast to make. They are fun and fairly simple but require some chunky pieces of sea glass. So far, the triangle shapes work best. I know some trees are more round but they don’t seem to translate that shape and look winterish when I attempt a rounder shape. you’ll see one or two photos below where I’ve tried.

Also, for many of the trees I did use some gold coated copper wire which is a departure from my usual recycled sterling silver. These are so fun because they can be hung on a tree, in a window, attached to a pin and worn on a coat and I’ve left a bale for those who want to wear them as necklaces. They are fun and unique gifts and I’ve enjoyed making them. Here are my recent creations. At this time of year, I get bogged down in the crafting and have trouble maintaining my blog. I apologize to those of you who check my site regularly. I like to post weekly at least and it seems monthly is what I’m getting to do.

Here are some photos of the trees.

I sell my trees from $9.99 to $14.99 depending on the size/shape of the sea glass and color as well as the sterling silver used and the beads/crystals. I want them to be affordable as the economy is hitting people so hard this year.

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Beach Rocks: World Beach Project – “Our House’

The home created last week out of stones from our local beach is now on the World Beach Project website.
Check it out:

http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/lawty/world_beach/map_gallery/

Unfortunately, our little balloon pin is in the water in MA (off the coast of Scituate) rather than on the land. Small details and close enough. Fun. Fun.

If you are near a beach and want to make a stone project ALL are welcome!

Sea Glass Girl (who had to hold back from making windows and a roof out of sea glass) and learn to appreciate the other beauty and bounty at the beach!

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Heart in Hiding & World Beach Stone Project

My daughter has saved for a camera for over a year. She purchased it and took this photo.

 

 

My wonderful friend and neighbor artist told me about this World Beach Project and it’s a fabulous concept. People from all over the world are making designs on beaches using ONLY rocks. Anyhow, here is what my daughter did at the end of the project. If you want to find out more about the project here is the link: www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/lawty/world_beach

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Sea Glass Soothes

Sea glass soothes. I love the hunt. I am at the Farmer’s Market and even my jewelry is a must-touch item. It wants to be held and it calls out to be picked out. My aunt was telling me how much she enjoys looking at a big pile of glass and sorting it by color. She admires the various shades of green and blue. There’s lime green and kelly green and citron. The blue is cobalt or corn flower. Even the whites aren’t always white but can hide hints of yellow or lavender or grey that isn’t immediately obvious unless you are looking at sea glass pieces all together. My neighbor says it’s calming to sort. And for me, to put my hand in a pile of sand or sea glass makes me feel the same as when I have my hands in dirt gardening.

Maybe it speaks to those of us who seek balance, who love nature but are also busy bees and can’t just sit in a hammock without a book or doze on a blanket. There are those of us who relax by being busy, who get lost in the seeking and sea of colors when playing with sea glass. It’s a timeless tradition this hunting of sea glass. I’ve met neighbors I didn’t know I had by talking about sea glass, sat across the table from boys about 10 and women about 80 who tell me what they have done or will do with their own collections. It’s a hobby many families share or something done alone.

Last week, while pondering a personal situation I wrote about how I always return to the sea which is a place where I can bring my “big” questions, the ones that can’t be answered by another person or are maybe so big they can’t yet be voiced. They are dreams or fears incubating or plans not ready for action and they need time to be mulled over.

At times of major transformation my fingers rake sand, stone and glass. I rub granules close to skin, thumb the inside of a frosted white piece of sea glass and marvel at the shape of a broken blue mussel. Leaning into the hot rocks I let the earth massage my shoulders and relax in the air. I stare up at the clouds and wonder what it would be like to be sea weed floating in open waters. Does it wriggle and swim and get set free once wet? Or, does it revel in the heat of the sun as it becomes dry on sand?

Nature is my manicurist as my soul is buffed by the sound of the water and my own rough shards are softened. Broken fragments of glass soak in embryonic waters to be soothed and made whole. Some pieces seem to hide, staying close to the shore line and I do not force them from hiding. One day they will be dry and ready, even if naked and bare as a newborn, to emerge on dry land and leave the familiar tub of Mother Nature’s belly. Ready for solo adventures, able to fly from the nest of their mother’s hip they will seek new lands and adventures, hop up and into hands and try their invisible feet on dry land.

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