Found this on Keri Smith’s website today. It’s time to relax and make my own uncool.

Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping,…Stop it and just DO!…

Don’t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world. If you fear, make it work for you – draw & paint your fear and anxiety…

You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to DO!…

Try to do some BAD work – the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell – you are not responsible for the world – you are only responsible for your work – so DO IT. And don’t think that your work has to conform to any preconceived form, idea or flavor. It can be anything you want it to be…

I know that you (or anyone) can only work so much and the rest of the time you are left with your thoughts. But when you work or before your work you have to empty you [sic] mind and concentrate on what you are doing. After you do something it is done and that’s that. After a while you can see some are better than others but also you can see what direction you are going. I’m sure you know all that. You also must know that you don’t have to justify your work – not even to yourself.

excerpted from a letter from Sol Lewitt to Eva Hesse

I got some new sterling silver bails a couple of days ago and I love how they look with sea glass!! These beauties are all made from glass found on Seaham Beach in England. Old glass, in great colours.

It was so much fun to fire up the Dremel again. I wish I had the time to make jewelry more often. I do cherish the free moments when I get have some ‘me’ time in the arts and crafts room.

Check out my Etsy shop.

We haven’t been out to our favourite beach in Colchester, Ontario for at least two months. The girls were at their grandparents today – which gave us a perfect excuse to head to the beach.

The water is high right now – the highest I’ve seen it. I’ve also never seen so much driftwood on the beach. I was tempted to collect a bunch, but unlike our border collie, we haven’t found a good use for it.

We found very few pieces of sea glass. I sort of gave up looking half way along the beach, and started taking photos.

Farley, waiting patiently for a piece of driftwood to be thrown:

Rosie, staying close:

The only ice to be found on the beach was a clump of icicles hanging from a branch along the shore:

Peace. Clarity. Sunshine. Two happy dogs. Two happy humans. Who cares if our sea glass buckets were empty?

Here are some of my latest items on Etsy:

I never get tired of the way light ignites the colours in sea glass. It mesmerizes me.

I put these pendants up in my Etsy shop tonight. They really are stunning!

My 8-year old daughter and I are heavily into Artist Trading Cards. Here are two of her sea-glass inspired Artist Trading Cards.

If only I could get my hands on the giant red piece in the upper left:)

I wrote this after reading Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. It has nothing to do with sea glass.

The Sylvias

By Christina Friedrichsen

The Sylvias do not stray.

They are obedient

to the word.

They are not distracted

by thingism.

They do not create

bubblegum for bling.

They do not dazzle in boardrooms

or dance for Men in Suits.

They refine their magic

when the children are in bed.

Warriors, they are,

those Sylvias.

Goddamn warriors.

But they pay.

They pay.

By Christina Friedrichsen

I live in the land of crescents,

not moons,

cul de sacs

all grey and smooth

and

litterless.

Houses polite and clean

like wedding invitations

in letterpress,

where neighbours wave

all Stepford-like.

Do they smell like apple pie?

Where is the crazy-ass

neighbour with fifteen cats and no satellite?

The one with bourbon on her breath

at 8 a.m.

Where is the mad man?

Moonshine in his pockets

and moon glow on his page.

Hiding under

a suburban smile.

A soft suburban grin.

We went sea glassing at our favourite beach near Colchester, Ontario on the weekend. It was raining for several days – and I think this helped to bring in some great glass. Not a huge amount – but really nice quality!

Found a gorgeous little turquoise piece (top photo, near the top, in the middle) and my daughter found an interesting aqua piece. Also found a piece of Blue Willow pottery.

Here is a photo of the ‘gem’ quality pieces: (It also was a good day for otoliths. We found four. A heart stone too!)

I love this.