Won't You be My Neighbor!

Garden Expo weekend was quite an experience. I give the Expo Committee a huge congratulations for  job well done. Being a local yocal, I saw many Fairfield people that I had not connected with for many years...and that was an extra bonus for me! I did not run through the halls of my high school, 

but I could have :) sorry, I couldn't help saying that.

Sitting all weekend at the expo could have been long and lonely had it not been for my fellow vendors! So I want to thank my neighbors at the Expo. First, Bruce David Photography.  He is an extraordinary photographer and it was great sharing the space with him!

 What did Mr. Rogers say....won't you be my neighbor? Well, Bruce would "bee" an awesome neighbor. He is a beekeeper, raises egg laying chickens, works full time and then still follows his real passion, photography! He can be found at Bruce David Photography.

My other neighbor was the lovely Ellen Hoverkamp.

 I have been a fan of hers since I visited the Expo a few years ago and came upon her unique scanner photography. I bought a tomato print and love it to death! It lives in my hallway looking out towards my back yard. 

Ellen's botanical photographs appear in a new book, The Natural Companion, written by acclaimed garden writer Ken Druse. I bought a signed copy and can't wait to sit down and read it! Ellen's website is entitled My Neighbor's Garden, quite coincidentally! You can find it here.

Ellen also had a fantastic display. She is a true professional at these things and gave me some great pointers going forward. I know I will invite her to my neighborhood Seaglass Jewelry Party! (TBD).

This was my display on the first morning...sun streaming through the gymnasium windows really made the seaglass and sterling sparkle. I was very happy with the entire look but learned that location, location, location makes a huge difference.

The second day of the Expo we were fortunate to be able to move our table to a better location (thanks Alex!) and business picked up a bit.

Next up, possibly a neighborhood Open Studio or in my case, open kitchen table? Who knows, but there are plenty of beautiful necklaces still available and they are safe and sound until I decide how to progress from here!

Selling Seaglass Necklaces

So I think I am almost ready! A little cataloging of necklaces made, more photographs of individual pieces, buying more pinch bails (the part that goes into the drilled hole) and open an etsy account? Not sure if that is the route I want to go yet. In the meantime, more studio shots, more fun!

Some of the first necklaces...

 and from whence they came, are years and years of more seaglass collected – just waiting to be worn by a fellow seaglass lover!

Jars and bowls full of my treasures fill my home, just ask my family!

Be still my heart, I could spend hours arranging my glass!

Wishing for Spring, a cute little seaglass flower to tide me over.

as my excitement spilleth over!

Seaglass Studio

Last week I was fortunate enough to have a real pro set up some great lighting and use real pro equipment to photograph some seaglass. I used my new camera to take some of my own shots but alas, it is still only a point & shoot! I did get a few good good ones though....and really, a point & shoot is all I wanted so that I could literally pull it out of my pocket on all my beach walks!

Water droplets, antique punch bowl cup and that wonderful light from below all give my seaglass a little extra impact.

Mostly blues and lavenders although my photo makes them look pink. (Wouldn't that be nice?) This is where the better equipment and better editing by a pro really make a huge difference.

My little bit of fun included making "flowers" of my first drilled seaglass pieces since I did not have the silver chains ordered yet! I wish I had sprinkled these with water too!

 

We did a few variations of "necklace display" using an awesome piece of driftwood, an antique frosty milk bottle and more but these were the only ones I can even think of showing here!  I am looking for more display bottles in my collections and I am hoping to have many more finished necklaces for the next studio session. I know the seaglass flowers are a little cutesy but I want to shoot more of them now.

(plus a few seaglass hearts?) I am excited!

Last Seaglass Walk 2011

Today was optimum seaglass searching weather, tide and falling on a Saturday, it was perfect to take a long last walk along my favorite beaches. I was very fortunate on my search, just as the end of 2011 brought good fortune to my family as well.

Along with seaglass, I found my very first "seacoin". A penny eaten away by the elements...but found face up, another harbinger of luck for the year to come!

Lastly, I found a seaglass heart. What a way to wrap up the year! Happy New Year's Eve to all and wishes for a healthy & happy 2012.

(This shot is a bit out of focus....hopefully 2012 will bring my photography skills into better focus along with many other goals for the new year!)