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Sea Glass Window Hangings
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When I was a kid, there was no such thing as too much sea glass. On our annual trip to my grandparents' remote cabin on the Down East Coast of Maine, I'd spend hours with my sisters, scouring the gravel spits between shoulders of rock for smooth bits of glass. There was a distinct rank: Brown glass at the bottom, white and green still more pleasing, and blue was like finding the Queen's jewels.
Now that I live in Maine, my kids have inherited the tradition. Trouble is, when you live on the coast instead of just visit, you start to accumulate such flotsam in sizeable quantities. And as it turns out, my husband does believe there is such a thing as too much sea glass. He's seen more than his share of cute bowls and old mason jars overflowing with our treasures.
Enter my wrinkled copy of The Beachcomber's Book (circa 1970, but still available on Amazon.com), pried from what we joke is my mom's "Childhood Museum." Right on page 50, the girls and I found a perfectly good way to employ some of our glass to make window hangings.
Since we didn't have any spare coffee can lids in reserve, we dug through the recycling bin to find some discarded milk jugs. I cut out stars and punched a hole for hanging; Caitlin, Ellie, and Natalie glued on pieces of glass. We cranked out enough to decorate several windows and sent a few off to my sisters.
Now when Matt starts to grumble that there's a little too much window-bling, I remind him of how lucky he is that I like sea glass better than gold.
Member Comments On…
Sea Glass Window Hangings
I am anxious to see if my library carries this book...Also, you can buy sea glass at the craft store although there is something lost in the transition of buying versus finding! On another note, I love the way Tracy always associates a book with an event. She previously wrote an article about snow activities and included some book titles that were perfect for our upcoming snow vacation. It makes a holiday or event more meaningful, and the kids love the association and tradition of it all. To help stay organized, I buy clear storage bins and keep books for each holiday separate, that way when it's time, I can keep those books handy to enjoy. Yesterday, for Mother's Day, our selections included: Mother's Day Ribbons, A Mama Bug's Love and Mommy Loves Her Baby. I'm always on the lookout for books to mark an occasion....keep the suggestions coming Tracy!
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I've always been enthralled with all things seafaring & now live at the Jersey Shore, so I'm in my element! I loved the window hanging idea, but I would also like to see a picture as one of the other posters mentioned. I love sea glass, but haven't found a lot of it - I'm jealous of my next door neighbor who seems to hit the mother lode constantly! But I have used seashells for many things. Large clam shells make terrific soap dishes for the bathroom & holders for just about any small items. I also have a clear glass jar with shells & stones found on the beach in several layers on the bottom - I put my makeup brushes in it, handle down, & they stand up perfectly.
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We just moved to Hawaii where there is a lot of beach glass on certain beaches. I think your idea of what to do with the pretty glass is GREAT! Is there anyway to find a picture of your finished project though? Thank You.
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My Daughter LOVES to collect shells on the few occasions that we get to the beach. You can get plain wooden boxes at the Dollar Store or local craft store. A little glue and she can turn her collection into a beautiful jewelry box that she displays proudly in her room!
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My parents loved to bring home driftwood, (sometimes it was rivers that supplied the driftwood because we didn't make it to the ocean very often) and fashion centerpieces that included flowers, (they were plastic in those days) and shells and stones. We also used terra cotta flower pots covered with plaster of Paris that we stuck shells and stones into while it was still wet. What fun memories you have brought to me today scince both my parents and sister have gone to be with the Lord.
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We live in California, and every year we head to Fort Bragg, Ca. where there is a glass beach and it is just filled with sea glass of green, blue, brown, white, and even pottery pieces. It is just layers that make up the beach and we spend hours going through and the kids pick all kinds of neat pieces. We have made candle centerpieces sorrounded by sea glass. We have also glued them on picture frames with a very special picture from our trip in the frame. It is so much fun and the kids look forward to this and every year they have a new favorite color of glass to collect!
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I too enjoy my beach finds. I have collected small broken shells. They are so easy to scoop up in plastic bags and rinse. I let them dry and then glue them on picture frames, vases, lamp shades and more. I then spray with a shellac to make sure they do not fall off.Others have enjoyed my one-of-a-kind gifts and I proudly have several displayed in my home.
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