Hunting Season

 

I know it is still summer - but the air has that coolness that fall is close approaching.  Fall and winter are the best sea glass hunting times.  Storms and rough seas churn up the oceans floor exposing more gems on the shore.  You can find me on the beach in the dead of winter on a stormy day... snow falling... winds blowing and I am out there collecting when everyone is sipping hot coca fireside. 

I was out collecting recently at a couple of my favorite spots at an early low tide and realized that the pickings were just not that good.... and at places that usually yielded great loot all year.  It got me wondering if someone had been there before me... had more people discovered my "secret" spots? Or is it the fact the shore and sea are changing and just not producing the bounty it used to.  Or could it be a fluke day? I hope it is the latter and that the bounty returns this fall - I really don't want to go out of business!

 

Sightseeing in Salem... Fort Pickering at Winter Island

A couple of weeks ago on a warm Sunday we spent the day at Winter Island in Salem, MA.  We packed a picnic lunch and soaked in the sun and scenery.  Winter Island is rich in history and a great place to wander around with your camera.  There is so much to see and Waikiki Beach is great for collecting sea glass.

 

Fort Pickering (prior to 1799 was Fort William dating back to 1634) was a working fort during the War of 1812, as well as the Spanish-American and Civil Wars.  You can still see the bunkers and parts of the fort while walking the grounds.  Prior to being active during the wars - Winter Island was at the heart of Salem's fishing industry. The "Essex" ship was also built by mater shipbuilder, Enos Briggs, and then the launch in 1799 was viewed by 12,000 townsfolk. Winter Island Light has been a guide for many ships into Salem Harbor. You can read more about the history of Winter Island at Salem Web.

There are many places to picnic and camp if you choose!

After the Storm...

The pictures above are of the three day storm from last weekend - and a few pieces of the glass collected from one of my secret spots after. The wind was so strong when I was taking the storm pics - that it was rocking my van. It was a very high tide and the waves at times were coming over the railing.  Storms rally up the ocean floor bringing new goodies to the shore!

School Daze.... Saying Goodbye to Summer...

For most kids…. School has already begun… for the lucky few… they can savor the last days of summer for just a little bit longer.

You can tell fall is in the air… the sun sets earlier… mornings are just crisp enough for a sweatshirt… back yards are more quiet during the day… parks more empty… and streets more crowded in the afternoon. The smell of suntan lotion slowly starts to fade as the aroma of freshly sharpened pencils take its place. In the hall… backpacks now take the place of flip flops and wet towels.

Alarm clocks don the new day instead of a lazy late morning phone call from a friend down the street. Life guards are leaving for college and beaches show little trace that summer was even here…

The lazy, hazy days of summer soon start to fade from our minds…. As the hustle and bustle of school days… schedules… dirty cleats and paper bag lunches move right on in.

Soon… apple pies will be baking… turkeys will be carved and sleigh bells ringing… And summer won’t seem that far away anymore…

Photo From Frank Scallo on Flickr

PS: There is one place you can be sure to find handmade beach inspired goodies all year 'round - The Boardwalk on 1000 Markets.

First Ever Boston Handmade Marketplace - Fabulous Handmade Items from New England Etsy Artists

The Somerville Arts Council and The Boston Handmade present an ArtsUnion event! Also in conjunction with Etsy and the Mass Cultural Council - the Etsy Boston Handmade Street team will be well represented by a diverse group of New England Artists.

This is the first show in which the Boston Handmade team has come together to present fabulous handmade goods - art, jewelry, photography, handbags, children's items, clothing, home goods, pottery, glass and more!

Local artists include: Stonehouse Studio, Lucky Monkey, Made In Lowell, Amy Olson Jewelry, Little Wishes, Lucie Wicker Photography, Designs by Lulubelle, Two Guitars, Elizabeth Brennick Designs, Reclaimed To You, Nancyrosetta, Fern Animals, Fraske Designs, Tanner Glass, All Dunn, Blue Alvarez, Sea Glass Things, Bergman's Bear, The Hole Thing, Mimi Kirchner, muchacha K, Pogibabies Handmade, Vintage by Crystal, Glamourpuss Creations, Twigs and Heather, Amy Burhoe Designs, Paper Menagerie, and Cozy Cottage Creations






Come join in for craft demonstrations and live music with local bands: The Grownup Noise & James Christensen - an event you won't want to miss!












Details:
Saturday June 28th, 3-7PM
(Rain date June 29th)
Union Square, Somerville, MA

Visit the Boston Handmade site for more information and directions!

Etsy Product Review #1 - Logo Design by Curious Ink

I have decided to do product reviews of items and/or services I have purchased on Etsy. I find it helpful for customers to know quality and the total ins and outs of customer service when purchasing an item and/or service.

The first product review will be Curious Ink. I put in an Alchemy request on March 14 , 2008 for a professional logo design. I had decided to change my branding image and get everything professionally done to have a more unified and streamlined look to my shop and blog. So first things first - I wanted a logo - one that represented me and what I do. I also needed a logo for advertising purposes and to be of high quality and resolution to be reproduced into print work as well. I received 16 bids on my Alchemy request. I carefully went through each bid - inspected the work of each bidder and made my choice - Curious Ink. That same day, Amy (from Curious Ink) accepted my request and contacted me. We were off! I had originally but my bid at $15 - basically just ball parking. Her bid came in at $30 - however, you totally get what you pay for. I was impressed with her work from the start - her attention to detail was astounding - she has insane talent! She was on the ball and I was a part of every step in the process. I felt like I was the decision maker in how my business "image" was going to be developed.



In my Alchemy request I stated: "I need a logo designed for my shop that I can use for advertising purposes.. print and Internet. Must match the mood of my store - be timeless and fresh." and with Amy that is exactly what I got.

From initial acceptance of the Alchemy bid, to delivery of images the process took 13 days... every bit worth the wait. I didn't have a time stamp on when I needed this done - so I am sure if time were an issue she would make every effort to meet specific deadlines. Check out the process via the pics. I highly recommend Curious Ink for all your graphic needs!

Check out her work at two different sites below and click here to email Amy regarding custom graphic needs for your business or self:
http://www.ifreelance.com/pro/35489
http://www.jonahstudios.com

April 11th Contest Give Away: A Pair of Caramel Sea Glass Hoops!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Kind Clay aka Jenny won the sea glass earring giveaway!! Every player was assigned a number and using a random number generator she was picked - CONGRATS!! Stay tuned for more contests in the upcoming months.


Since it is my birthday tomorrow - I have decided to do a contest! This April 11th Give Away is for a pair of caramel sea glass hoop earrings that measure 3/4 of an inch in diameter (RV $20) and will be a perfect addition to any wardrobe!

Contest Rules:

1.) Add a comment to this post
2.) Sign up for my newsletter (that will be starting in near future) in the left column

A name will be selected at random next Friday - April 18th. You will be contacted via the email you used when signing up for the newsletter - the earrings will be shipped first class mail. Gook luck to everyone and thanks for playing :)

Etsy Featured Artist - Week of April 7th: Snitter Dog

Oh boy... looks like I will be posting featured artists randomly now - seems like I just can't make it to the computer to post as much as I would like. Last week was crazy busy so I didn't get anyone posted. So - here it is April... and the April 7 - April 11 featured Etsy artist is Kerry from Snitter Dog. Read her story, check out her store and leave comments!

Snitter Dog by Kerry: http://snitterdog.etsy.com/

If you are looking for some fun and funky artwork to spruce up your bare walls... look no further! Kerry, of Snitter Dog, may have just what you need... color, passion, talent... and artwork that tells a story. Whether you are in the mood for cute, mod, or something slightly bizarre... she has it. Kerry's bold colors, and attention to detail sets her apart - and she has something for everyone. Since being on Etsy only five months - she has already built a client base and continues to thrive. Oh - and if she wasn't talented enough already - she also creates jewelry and paper goods that she sells in her two OTHER Etsy stores: http://thegreenefairy.etsy.com/ and http://pookietown.etsy.com/ - Check out her amazing talent in her store and find out more about her below!

Question & Answer with Snitter Dog!

Q: Tell me a little about yourself… your background and how long you have been involved in your art/craft/hobby…
A: I am originally from southern WI, and have been doing art since I was a very small child...When I was a kid I was always doing something creative-- drawing, painting, making friendship bracelets...I wound up at UW Madison at age 18, where I studied fine art. I received my bachelor's degree in 2001....It was here in college where I started using watercolor a lot-- It's the medium I use most frequently now.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration?
A: I get my inspiration from a variety of sources...While in college, I was very interested in dream imagery and personal symbolism...I use this occasionally still--if something is on my mind, I will try to create a piece of art based on what I am feeling...Also, I often just see something in the world-- and it inspires me-- like certain color schemes, textures, and it makes me want to create!

Q: What mediums are involved in your work?
A: I currently use a lot of mediums-- I have trouble sticking to just one!...I probably use watercolor and gouache most often...I also am very fond of a fine point bic pen, colored pencils, and embroidery thread....

Q: What would set you apart from your competition?
A: I think what sets me apart from the competition, is that I am reluctant to throw just anything out there...I spend A LOT of time on most pieces....I like to make sure that if I am trying to sell it, that it is worth the price I put on it...often more....

Q: What piece are you most proud of?
A: I am probably most proud of my painting, The Conception of Dorothy Gale-- it is a watercolor/mixed media piece...I worked on it on and off for a couple of years, and it's fairy large scale in comparison to the sizes I usually work in...I think it turned out pretty well :)

Q: How do you market your products in and out of Etsy?
A: I try to market my products in a variety of ways-- I am a member of Indie Public, Flickr, Marmalade Pink, I blog, and I also participate on the Etsy Forums....there's probably more ways I market...these are the first ones that pop into my head! :)

Q: If I were to ask you – “Where do you see yourself in five years.” – What would you say?
A: In five years, I will probably still be a poor artist!...Although I hope I won't be :)

Q: Lastly, tell me something I should know about you – funny, quirky, profound etc. anything you would share with the Etsy community?
A: ...something to know about me-- my Dad was my high school principal :)...It was actually not that bad-- if I ever forgot my lunch money, I just had to go and hunt him down...and I got to alter my class schedule to get my favorite teachers :)

Thank you to Kerry for taking the time to answer the questions and much continued success in the future!

Stayed tuned for more great artists to be featured in the up coming weeks!!

Feel free to drop me a line of someone you would like to see featured as well - just email me!

2nd Annual Salem Jazz Soul Festival

The Annual Salem Jazz Soul Festival was founded to bring jazz back to Salem, MA and support music education in the city. Through the efforts of many community members, corporate sponsors and In A Pig's Eye Restaurant - last years event brought over 5,000 people to the festival. The festival will be held again this year at the Salem Willows on August 18th, 2008.

Please visit: http://salemjazzsoul.com/ for more information about the festival, events, and how you can be a sponsor or make a donation.

The 2nd Annual Spring Fundraising Gala will be held April 12, 2008 at The Knights of Columbus - 94 Washington Square - Salem, MA - 8PM to Midnight. The doors will open at 7PM and there will be live and silent auctions held, raffles, prize and lots of great music by Ken Clark Organ Trio, The Mystix, Boston Horns with special guest Barrence Whitefield. If you live in the area - don't miss this event as tickets are going quickly! You can also purchase tickets at In A Pig's Eye or online at http://salemjazzsoul.com/ - Tickets are $15.

I was asked to donate a sea glass jewelry set this year. Look below to view my finished pieces that will be at the fundraising event April 12th. This set is valued at $1800 and consists of 65 total pieces of cobalt blue, seafoam and white North Shore sea glass (hand cultivated by myself and drilled), swavorski crystals, deep blue freshwater potato pearls, and peridot freshwater pearls. The focal points for the set include Karen Hill Tribe Sterling Silver Starfish - purchased directly from the tribe located in Thailand. The necklace features a 53mm starfish that is stunning.

The "North Shore" Collection