Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Showing posts with label Seaglass. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seaglass. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Wordless Wednesday with a little heart
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Wordless Wednesday - Coffee and Seaglass
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Beachcombing Magazine Review
I thought I would share with you my thoughts on my newest magazine subscription.I haven't subscribed to magazines for many years as, well, the internet came along, and it had an abundant array of stuff to read, and it was 'free'.
However, as some of you know, I decided to join the Bead Society of Palm Beach (which I am loving - another post :) and all of the lovely ladies there told me that I just haven't LIVED until I subscribed to Bead and Button. Which I did. In fact, I enjoy getting that magazine so much that I also got a subscription to 'Antique Bottle & Glass Collector' magazine - mainly to try and help identify seaglass shards that I find. So when I got a notification about Beachcombing Magazine, I immediately subscribed.
Well, to tell you I love it would be an understatement! It was a little on the pricey side for me at almost $40 for an annual subscription, however after receiving the magazine, I now think they have under-priced themselves! The magazine is easily twice the size of a standard magazine and it is just beautifully put together. The professionally photographed images are big and bright and the articles were intriguing.
One of the things I loved about this inaugural issue was the introduction of the contributors along with how to reach them on social media. I followed a few of them and to my surprise, some followed back and some I conversed with, such as Jason Sandy, who is an American 'Mudlarker' in London. Don't know what a 'Mudlarker' is? I didn't either! But I found out that they are very similar to Seaglassers, as they search through mud at low tide along rivers for artifacts. His article in the magazine was aptly named, 'Pirates Of The River Thames'. He can be found on Instagram @jasonmudlark . Another great article was 'The Collector Interview' with Leilani Yee. Her GORGEOUS collections of shells and seaglass from her home state of Hawaii were just breathtaking!
The featured item in this issue was Yellow Seaglass. Yellow is one of the rarest colors of seaglass that can be found, maybe 1 in every 6000 pieces found! The article had wonderful full color photos and great facts on its make and origin.
Really I could go on and on about this magazine and would highly recommend you getting this for yourself or perhaps someone you know that is a Beachcomber?
You can subscribe here: Beachcoming Magazine.
Be sure to come check out some Handmade Seaglass Jewelry at Handmade Jewelry Haven!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Winter Sea Glass?!
I really did not have anything to post today.
I have been trying to do the 'responsible' thing and batch my blog posts at the beginning of each month. It's been going ok for the last 3 months...but, the holidays are here, and I am backed up.
So enjoy one of my favorite things (seaglass) during my favorite time of year (winter) at one of my favorite places (the beach).
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Monday, November 5, 2018
Unusual Finds Along Chesapeake Bay
This is a very cool article that I am sharing from my North American Seaglass Organization newsletter.
By Sharon Brubaker
Long, long ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and the skies were pierced with cries of enormous birds, something was happening geologically just below the water. Unusual formations in the silt and mud began to take shape that would, millions of years later, reveal themselves and wash up on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. These “formations,” resembling hollow rock balls, tubes, ocarinas, and more avant-garde shapes, are created from sand, clay, and iron oxide.
When my family and I first moved to the shores of the upper Chesapeake and roamed the beaches in search of beach glass, we also began to find peculiar, round, metal-like objects. We felt certain they were a type of ammunition for guns used during the Revolutionary War because George Washington had munitions created in the Principio Iron Works just a heron’s flight across the bay, near the port of Charlestown.
Being new to the area and excited to show our finds to our neighbors, our newly found friends chuckled and told us that the strange formations were called ‘pop rocks,” small hollow stones of which our neighbors would toss into beach fires and watch them explode. Another neighbor told us that the formations (are) derived from ‘Indian paint pots” and that Native American tribes used the iron oxide inside the stones to paint their faces. But it was not until we met another neighbor, and now long-time friend, Alice Lundgren, that the mystery was solved. The formations, in all their various shapes, are known as “concretions.”
Alice has a collection of well over a thousand concretions ranging in size from a quarter of an inch to about twelve inches, all of which she has gathered from the bay. Alice was a true inspiration to my family and me, and we soon joined forces to not only hunt for sea glass, but to eagerly search for concretions. These unusual rock formations date back to the late Cretaceous and Eocene eras. Even more fascinating than the “pop rocks” are tubular rocks. The tubular concretions are iron oxide formations that reflect a pipe-like structure.
When we go exploring along our nearby beach, Alice, a seasoned concretion seeker, has the ability to spot the stone tubes instantly, yet the rest of us are not so fortunate, as the finds appear camouflaged to the untrained eye. Some of the concretions boast unique shapes, such as small cups, snowmen, and acorns while the tubular concretions often resemble coral, branches, and even small musical pipes (although they do not carry a tune))! Similar to sea glass, each concretion seems to carry its own story and personality.
Having been formed millions of years ago from sedimentary rock, concretions have been significant and mystical to many cultures. Some cultures believe them to be holy stones while other cultures believe the stones bring luck, or perhaps represent the divine feminine. However, theories of modern science suggest the concretions are fossils or meteorites.
As beachcombers, we are treasure-hunters. We are always seeking the next great find. The Shard of the Year Contest, which is one of the highlights of the North American Sea Glass Association’s annual Festival, would be ideal opportunity to view both natural and man made treasures (this year’s North American Sea Glass Festival will be held in Wildwood, New Jersey on October 27 – 28).
*Many thanks to Alice Lundgren for sharing her collection of concretions, and to Meredith Keating and Brandon Boas for their photography.
Why not own a one of a kind find, made by nature, and formed by the sea?
Come check out some of our beautiful Seaglass Jewelry at Handmade Jewelry Haven!
 |
| Bronze Sea Glass Necklace |
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Monday, September 10, 2018
2018 North American Sea Glass Festival
As you all know one of my passions is Seaglass and the 2018 North American Sea Glass Festival will be held in Wildwood, New Jersey on Saturday, October 27, 2018 & Sunday, October 28, 2018. Here are the details:
13th Annual North American Sea Glass Festival
Wildwood Convention Center
Saturday, October 27, 2018, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 28, 2018, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Wildwood Convention Center is located on the beach, has ample parking, and is a beautiful facility. The City of Wildwood is conveniently located close to several area attractions, including Cape May, which makes it a great destination for sea glass lovers.
More details coming soon! Stay posted on the Seaglass Association Facebook page and
website.
Festival Schedule is as follows:
Saturday, October 27, 2018
9:30 a.m. Ticket counter opens
10:00 a.m. Festival Opens –
Purchase Shard of the Year cards all day
11:30 a.m. Beach Marble History in Wildwood, New Jersey and Beyond
– Doug Watson & Mary McCarthy
2:00 p.m. Bottle Bottoms, Lips, and More – Richard LaMotte
5:00 p.m. Festival Closes
Sunday, October 28, 2018
9:30 a.m. Ticket Counter Opens
10:00 a.m. Festival Opens
11:30 a.m. Sea Glass Sourcing: Beaches Known to Relinquish Specific Finds
– Ellie Mercier
2:00 p.m. Hurricane Maria: Renewal, Hope and the Love of Sea Glass
– Carolyn Pigford
3:00 p.m. Shard of the Year Contest Winner Announcements Begin
4:00 p.m. Festival Closes
Interested in Volunteering? Click here for more information.
For more information visit www.seaglassassociation.org
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Need a gift for September? Learn about September's Birthstone here...
The name “sapphire” comes from the Latin sapphirus and Greek sappheiros meaning “blue stone,” though those words may have originally referred to lapis lazuli. Some believe it originated from the Sanskrit word sanipriya which meant “dear to Saturn.”
Sapphires are found in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, China, Australia, Brazil, Africa and North America (mainly Montana). Their origin can affect their value as much as color, cut, clarity and carat size.
Sapphires symbolize loyalty, nobility, sincerity and integrity. They are associated with focusing the mind, maintaining self-discipline and channeling higher powers.
September’s birthstone, the sapphire, has been popular since the Middle Ages. Back then, the celestial blue color of this gem symbolized heaven and attracted divine favor and wise judgment.Greeks wore sapphire for guidance when seeking answers from the oracle. Buddhists believed it brought spiritual enlightenment, and Hindus used it during worship. Early Christian kings cherished sapphire’s powers of protection by using it in ecclesiastical rings.
Ancient Hebrews believed that the Ten Commandments were engraved on tablets of sapphire, though historians now believe the blue stone referenced in the Bible may have been lapis lazuli.
This gem became a symbol of royal love in 1981 when Britain’s Prince Charles gave Lady Diana a 12-carat blue sapphire engagement ring. Prince William later gave this ring to Catherine Middleton when he proposed in 2010.
Today, top-quality blue sapphire remains one of Mother Nature's rare gems.
Of course...if you prefer Seaglass to to Sapphires come see our Cobalt Blue Seaglass Necklace...a 'one of a kind' find indeed!
 |
| Cobalt Seaglass Necklace |
Need a gift for a someone born in September?
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Monday, August 13, 2018
Wordless Wednesday - Cool Beach Finds!
Here is just a little teaser for next weeks post! Enjoy!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Find out about August's Birthstone here!
I have a fascination with birthstones and August's even more so as it is one of three months
August did not always have three birthstones, in fact, the other two were only added in 2016, because...well, why not! But seriously, each stone is represented by certain qualities that align with each birth month and as more and more precious stones come into being, I expect that you will see more birth months being associated with more than one stone.But isn't that the fun of it? If you don't like one...well now you have a couple more to choose from!
For the sake of time and space, this year we will concentrate on the Peridot.
BIRTHSTONE FACTS & FOLKLORE
Peridot has been found in volcanic lava in Hawaii and in meteorites that have fallen to Earth.
It was once believed that the green peridot crystals found in volcanic ashes were the tears of the volcano goddess, Pele.
In the 1700s, a meteorite that landed in Siberia contained many Peridot crystals that were large enough to be used for jewelry.
When set in gold, this gem was said to protect the wearer from nightmares.
Peridot is believed to help depression. If you dream that you find a Peridot while digging in the garden, you will have an unexpected visitor.
Though peridot is widely recognized by its brilliant lime green glow, the origin of this gem’s name is unclear. Most scholars agree that the word “peridot” is derived from the Arabic faridat which means “gem,” but some believe it’s rooted in the Greek word peridona, meaning “giving plenty.” Perhaps that’s why peridot is associated with prosperity and good fortune.
Peridot is the rare gem-quality variety of the common mineral olivine, which forms deep inside the earth’s mantle and is brought to the surface by volcanoes. Rarely, peridot is also found inside meteorites.
Peridot’s signature green color comes from the composition of the mineral itself—rather than from trace impurities, as with many gems. That’s why this is one of few stones that only comes in one color, though shades may vary from yellowish-green to olive to brownish-green, depending how much iron is present.
Most of the world’s peridot supply comes from the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. Other sources are China, Myanmar, Pakistan and Africa.
Peridot only measures 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, so while the raw crystal is prone to cracking during cutting, the finished gemstones are fairly robust and easy to wear.
Also known as “the Evening Emerald” because its sparkling green hue looks brilliant any time of day, peridot is said to possess healing properties that protect against nightmares and evil, ensuring peace and happiness. Babies born in August are lucky to be guarded by peridot’s good fortune.
Peridot jewelry dates back as far as the second millennium BC. These ancient Egyptian gems came from deposits on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea called Topazios, now known as St. John’s Island or Zabargad.
Ancient Egyptians called peridot the “gem of the sun,” believing it protected its wearer from terrors of the night. Egyptian priests believed that it harnessed the power of nature, and used goblets encrusted with it to commune with their nature gods.
Some historians believe that Cleopatra’s famed emerald collection may have actually been peridot. Through medieval times, people continued to confuse these two green gems. The 200-carat gems adorning one of the shrines in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral were long believed to be emeralds as well, but they are also peridots.
 |
| Peridot colored Seaglass |
This gemstone saw a revival in the 1990s when new deposits were discovered in Pakistan, producing some of the finest peridots ever found. Some of these “Kashmir peridots” measured more than 100 carats.
The most productive peridot deposit in the world is located on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. An estimated 80 to 95 percent of the world’s peridot supply is found here.
Thanks to these rich deposits, the modern demand for Peridots can now be met easily, giving people born in August affordable options for wearing this beautiful green birthstone.
If you are not into gem stones per se hop on over to Handmade Jewelry Haven's website to see some beautiful green peridot colored alternatives to wear!
source; The Farmers Almanac; The American Gemstone Society
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Monday, July 16, 2018
Wordless Wednessday- Cobalt Seaglass
Just a little teaser for another great Seaglass post!
Can you guess what it is going to be about?
 |
| Blue Seaglass Candy |
 |
| Blue Seaglass Necklace |
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)