No Seaglass on Sanibel Island!

A fun and impromptu trip to the Florida Island of Sanibel this past week produced zero seaglass but some lovely memories and photos! My two beautiful daughters convinced me this was going to be our yearly mother/daughter trip and off we went.

Looking out towards Fort Myers from our bicycle ride to the Sanibel Lighthouse...

A dolphin and a cormorant (I think) out on the Captiva end of the Island! We really liked the less commercial, more tropical ambiance there and if we ever go back, we will stay down in Captiva.

Captain Jack drove us to the Sunset Cruise and lo & behold, he was a Connecticut & Fairfield native! The trolley ride was quite enjoyable and the Sunset Cruise with a glass or two of wine just SO RELAXING.

We saw white pelicans and other birds...please help me if you know what this first shot was!!! I will research.

Reflections are always on the top of my photo list and before leaving for our little cruise I couldn't help myself!

And of course the sunsets....

Now everyone knows that Sanibel is world reknowned for its shells. I think we either hit a busy  season when they were scooped up at sunrise or I was too picky!

I collected my favorites and have a nice jar full at the very least! I think some may be used to display my seaglass necklaces!

The End.

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!

Accidental Watercolors

I wrote about coming upon some accidental art quite a while ago and I find myself in the situation once again. Sometimes if you open up your eyes, you see more than the obvious, more of the moment. 

I am trying without much success to find my niche in the world of watercolors. But where do I see something worth sharing? The palette! The place I mix in abandon, not a care in the world...it should be a sign for me to put down the pencil, forget the initial drawing and just paint.

These washes have so much life! I am not an abstract artist at all but if I could find the place where I belong in this medium it would be a blessing.

Someday, I will show my adventures in watercolor; past, present & future. For now, I will continue to experiment and enjoy the ride!

Strawberry Dipping Sunday

In honor of the feast of Saint Valentine, I couldn't resist having a little chocolate. What better way to eat what some people believe is their daily dose of heaven, then on a big ripe red strawberry!

They were hard to resist in their unadorned state...

and even harder after they were dipped! Saved for a bit later & Sunday dinner dessert, hopefully. They may not make it past "I had you at hello".

But one last thought which absolutely cannot go without mention. What do you think of when you see a big, red, ripe strawberry?

One of our family's favorite children's books and a story I think of each and every time I bite into a sweet juicy strawberry! Can't wait...yummmm.

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!

Seaglass Superbowl Sunday

I know there are two teams, both playing their hearts out to win the coveted Super Bowl Trophy, Super Bowl Ring and whatever else that goes along with the win. Grocery stores were crazy, Connecticut is divided and fans just can't eat enough buffalo wings! I am going to watch the game but I already won my trophy.

"What is this?" you may be asking and it is a TROPHY?

To me, this is a trophy. On my seaglass walk today I saw the tip of this rusted old oarlock poking out from the wet sand...a little kick (for the extra point) and I scored!

Still attached to the sea worn gunwale, this "oarlock trophy" will find a spot somewhere in my home. I love it and consider it a true gift from the sea.

Can't rain on my parade!

Last week I took a rainy day walk with my friend Alex. She was reintroducing me to an old mill pond I must have passed a million times but never ventured down the path. I love finding unexpected shots and seem to lean towards very graphic, shape inspired landscapes...even in the rain!

While waiting to get started on our trek I watched the rain through my windshield, droplets glistening.

Reflections just amaze me and even here without bright sunlight the shadows cast as mirror images are so beautiful.

Roots, glorious in black & white and in color are crawling appendages, reaching towards their ground.

Gray treed landscapes with hints of color are holding out until the warmth of spring unleashes them! I can't wait, especially with teaser weather this first of February.