Monday Musings

Disclaimer:  I know it's Wednesday...but Monday was my birthday so I moved the Musings to today for this week.  :)

 

I am a great one for planning.  Growing up, we were 30 minutes from anything (except the post office).  Even getting gas was a 30 minute trip to town! 

 

And what about holidays???  You had to make sure you had everything you needed because NO ONE was open Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, Easter, Good Friday...  If you didn't plan ahead, you learned to do without!

 

But looking too far ahead when searching for sea glass means you miss what is right in front of you. 

 

  

On my last trip, I wish I had looked up a little more than I did...I almost walked into a dead fish that was really high up on the beach.  My friend saw me heading towards it and warned me just before I stepped on it.  

    

But the odd dead fish aside, another good rule of thumb is to look carefully where you are walking, not 3-4 feet ahead. 

 

Most of the jewelry-grade sea glass I find is the size of a quarter or smaller.  They can be hard to see until you are right on top of them.  And when you are looking near the surf and the glass is wet, it almost seems to disappear.   

  

  

This is a picture of what I found on my last sea glass trip.  A nice mix of brown, white and green sea glass in a variety of sizes, which is perfect for all kinds of jewelry designs!

   

 We also found a lot of really amazing shells this trip.  As soon as I get the drill fixed (drilling sea glass is harder than it looks!) I'll be drilling a small hole in these beauties and creating some amazing necklaces with them! 

 

So I guess it's safe to say that while planning ahead is really important, don't forget to enjoy where you are right now!  After all, this time won't ever come again so enjoy it while you are here in it!



Friday's Inspiration

While color is an important part of each design, texture is often an unsung hero. 

 

 

 

The vivid color of the sunset is what first captures your attention in this picture, but it is the beach that keeps it.  You would expect small grains of sand, but here the beach is created with vibrant stones.  And you can imagine how the gentle waves would feel running past your feet...

 

 Golden Elegance

 

Texture was an important part of designing this bracelet.  The wave-like pattern was created by increasing/decreasing the size of the beads.  But the real impact was created by using various finishes and colors throughout the pattern. 

 

A fun way to train your eye is to go window shopping.  Take notice of what gets your attention...is is the color?  The shape?  The texture?  You can do this for jewelry, clothing, flowers...anything you shop for. 

  

Once you can recognize what you are drawn to in other's designs, you will be able to better create your own. 

 

Monday Musings

I've learned a few things from collecting sea glass over the past year or so.  They are the beginning of my "Monday Musings."  

 

   Sea Glass Bracelet

 

 I love looking for sea glass.  The sound of the waves is like an old friend to me.  A lot of my memories have this sound etched into them.   
     
Occasionally, my family or a close friend will come with me when I go to look for sea glass.  One of the most important things I tell friends when they come with me the first time is to "take your time." 
 

 

Most of the sea glass I find is either brown or white and blends in really well with the sand.  It takes time to train your eye to pick out what you are there to find.

 

I guess it's important to remember this for our lives as well.  Each day is a gift and a treasure, but what you find depends on what you are looking for.  Look for the unexpected.  Be prepared to walk for a while without anything amazing happening, but learn to enjoy those times as well. 

 

And while it's always more fun to walk with a friend, learn to appreciate the solitude and quiet that comes from walking alone sometimes.

 



The Need to Create

I've been watching reruns of "So You Think You Can Dance" and something that one of the judges said has stuck with me. 

 

One of the dancers from last season had no formal training but was able to hold his own with all the other dancers and in all the styles he was asked to dance.  And one of the judges said that one of the things that made him stand out is that he "had" to dance. 

 

   As any business owner can identify with, it's discouraging when sales are slow.  But every time I start to think that I need to just put it all away and close up the shop, I find myself doodling new designs.   And looking how I can re-design a necklace in a more modern way. 

 

I guess its true...I just have to create. 

 

  So here's my latest "creation"...bracelets created with a simple peyote stitch and various sizes of beads to create a wave effect.  I want to try to work on this design as a necklace, but it's going to take some work for it to lay correctly.

 

 

This first bracelet is named "Sand and Surf."  I showed a friend of mine and she said that it had all the colors you see at the beach so the name seemed appropriate. 
 

 

I really liked how the colors I used in this bracelet give the design a whole different feel.  It reminded me of walking on the beach at night...dark water broken up by the reflection of stars on the surface.  I named it "Midnight Walk on the Beach."  

  

 

 

I decided to go a different direction with this bracelet and use earth tones as the inspiration.  I like how the dark and light beads help create movement along the waves in the design.  I named this "Golden Elegance."

    
I love how just changing something as simple as a bead size can create such dramatic results!  And when you add in the color combinations, it truly is amazing!
 
These bracelets are all available for purchase in my Etsy shop...here are the links!
 
Sand and Surf 
 Midnight Walks on the Beach
 Golden Elegance