I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Greece for two weeks this fall with sea glassing friends. We spent time touring Athens and also sailed for a week on a private sailboat visiting some of the Cyclades and Saronic islands searching for sea glass. It was an amazing time. Naturally as we were sailing the wind and weather dictated our travels. We visited the islands of Kea, Kythnos, Paros and Hydra. Each island was beautiful and unique. On the first island we visited, Kea, we docked the boat right up to the street of restaurants and shops. I felt like I was on a movie set. On each island we had a wonderful time meeting new people, eating amazing food, exploring the shops and searching beautiful beaches for treasures! My friend Sue and I also took a quick dip into the Aegean Sea while on Hydra!
Our sea glass sailing adventure thru Greece
On a beach on Kea I found some wonderful sea glass and sea pottery and this, my very favorite find, a ceramic whistle in the shape of a figurine. Amazing!
Ceramic Figurine Child’s Whistle found on Kea Island, Greece
Some projects take longer than others and are joys to create, and this was definitely one of them. This frame started out life as a plain wood frame. It was lovingly sanded, painted, distressed and then decorated with Hawaiian sea glass sand, California sea glass and pottery, shells of all types, starfish, sand dollars and a fish net. This project took several months to complete.
Then I held this frame for months after I completed it. First off, I loved it myself, but outside of my “sea glass room” my home doesn’t have a nautical/beachy theme. Even my hubby’s suggestion “you can put our wedding picture in it” didn’t feel quite right. So, I decided that it would be best with someone who would really appreciate it. Then I couldn’t decide if I should sell it in my Etsy shop or as a consignment. While it’s true Etsy would bring me a much larger audience, I do think that some handmade items are better appreciated when seen and touched, and when the natural “quirks” of the handmade piece can be felt accepted as every creation is unique.
So, with that thought in mind I recently took this frame I named “Mermaid’s Catch” to a local consignment shop in Pasadena, Maryland called EL & Co. My visits to EL & Co. always include catch up time with the owner, Tracy, and it’s always fun to see the new items she has in the shop.
“Mermaid’s Catch” handcrafted frame by SeaGlassVisions
It was while we were catching up that a customer walked into the shop. Tracy pointed out the frame to her. The customer had been married on the beach in Florida. The bridal bouquet she held was made of sea shells, she was a beach theme fanatic. She fell in love with the frame and bought it on the spot. She even sent me pics, now posted on my SeaGlassVisions Facebook page, that show the frame in her wedding display.
It’s always an honor when a customer choses a piece of art I have created and incorporates it into such a place of honor in her home.
I was so lucky just a year or two ago to find out about, and be accepted as a vendor with Bay Country Crafters. Bay Country Crafters is a group that organizes two major craft fairs a year in Millersville, Maryland featuring dozens and dozens of talented artisans. They have been doing this for 32 years this Fall. This craft fair runs for at least ten days, this one from November 1st – November 12th. This means there are a LOT of shoppers and it takes a LOT of jewelry to keep my displays filled!
Bay Country Crafters Initial Display
The setting is the Historic Baldwin Hall, a well known local site, and one worth a visit even without a craft fair. The fair is set up like a large boutique, incorporating everyones work into beautiful displays that have a surprise around every corner. Along with the jewelry you’ll find items for your pets, babies, holiday decorations of all kinds, wreaths, trees, ornaments, organic soaps and lotions, herb blends for cooking, homemade cookies and chocolates, hats, scarves, pictures, furniture and much more! A lot of these items are one-of-a-kind.
Getting ready for this craft fair has kept me very busy. I’ve created new pendants, earrings and bracelets as well as Christmas ornaments and sea glass display jars filled with Maryland sea glass. For my jewelry designs I used sea glass from Maryland, England and California.
This is a pic of my second restocking with newly made pieces…
