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Saturday, September 15, 2012

How I Create Lucky Sea Glass Jewelry

Thank you all for visiting -- approaching 10,000 views!  I thought today I would tell you about the process I go through when creating Lucky Sea Glass jewelry.  It is a labor of love, of course, but also time consuming, costly, demanding, even exhausting at times.

First of all, I have to get to a beach!  Usually, that means a plane trip and a car ride.  Then, once at a seashore, I may walk along the beach for hours over a period of several days.  In Bermuda, I was lucky to find a glass beach, but first had to walk for almost an hour to find it!  Sometimes, I find a few good, tumbled pieces, but other times I find nothing at all. 

When I get home from my trip, I sort through the labelled pastic baggies, and organize the seaglass by place found and color and size.  Rough pieces are discarded.  This sometimes takes a while, especially if I have found a lot of seaglass.

Once I am ready to create a piece of jewelry, say a pendant, I carefully select a sea glass piece that "speaks" to me,  Then I decide on silver, gold or copper wire for wrapping. I usually either order the wire online or at a jewelry show. As I wire work, I experiment with various crystals or gemstones to see what seems to look best.  This can take a while of trial and error, before I commit.  For , bracelets, or earrings certain pieces work best together, so I take a lot of time matching and planning.

I love the freedom of creating unique designs, so I rarely repeat a design unless it is really popular, like my spider pins. ( But, each time, the sea glass is unique and the design is changed somewhat.)  If you see a sold design you like on my website, I can make something similar, but not the exact one.  Each unsold design pictured is the one you will receive.  I create the designs myself, and am very lucky to have no problem with this at all!  It is hard to explain the creative process -- it is almost magical how it happens. 

Friday, September 14, 2012

More China pictures

The Terra cotta warriors at Xian.

Very top of the Red Pagoda on the Yangtze River.  I climbed to the top!

Terra cotta horses, too!
I am slowly making my way through the pictures! Here are a couple more..Soon I'll put up the panda pictures!.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Sea Glass - Real or Fake Continued

It is so important to buy sea glass jewelry from artists you can trust.  There are many vendors who sell manufactured or machine tumbled glass as "sea glass".  Some even take their glass pieces down to an ocean or river so they can claim it has been tumbled by the sea! Nobody can really stop these fakers.  Genuine sea glass looks different, feels different, and, of course, has a unique and special history.

Check out my previous posts for more information about sea glass.  The main reference book, Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte, also provides detailed information about it.  Members of the North American Sea Glass Association try to inform the public about sea glass.  But, for now at least, sea glass is not regulated.

Lucky Sea Glass only uses genuine, pure sea glass found in oceans, lakes and rivers around the world!  I guarantee it.  99% I have found myself!  The rest, from trusted friends who have found a few pieces for me as they travel.

 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Remember September 11!

Always remember 9/11/01.  We are so lucky to live in a free and strong democracy.  I appreciate it even more, having traveled to countries where freedom is not taken for granted.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Reviews of Lucky Sea Glass

Here are some recent reviews from my customers, in case you are considering a purchase of Lucky Sea Glass designs.  I don't always get to see reviews because many items are sold in shops -- but these are from customers I helped myself.

Recommendation from Della Z. Aug. 2012:

Received the necklace this afternoon. LOVE IT! Thank you again for holding it for me. And thank you for the beautifully designed piece. The way you have bent the wire to make it hang down from the chain, well - it makes it feel like I am wearing a piece of art.   I will definitely visit your web page again and find more pieces that I just have to have!


Recommendation from Roselle F.:

Lucky Sea Glass has made 4 pieces of jewelry for me and 3 for my adult daughter. The last 2 pieces were custom to fit as well as design. I have been delighted with materials, workmanship, and creative design. The sea glass which is obtained through world wide travel is deep in color, interesting in shape and good in size. Other materials such as crystals and pearls are of a very fine quality. Each stone seams to be hand picked. I will continue to purchase from Lucky Sea Glass.
Recommendation by Karen M.:
  • Jean is a true artist with sea glass. She collects the sea glass all over the world and then makes the most fantastic pieces - necklaces, rings, bracelets, pins. They are a joy to own and wear! I am one of Jean's first customers and I love every piece that I have! Everyone should have some Lucky Sea Glass!

Recommendation by Mary B:

I am a jewelry fanatic and as such go to a lot of art fairs etc. I must say Lucky Sea Glass has some of the most unique and beautiful pieces I have seen and very reasonably priced. I also like the fact that the sea glass she uses in her pieces often have a story behind them. Also, Jean (the owner and designer) is a delightful person and she really has a passion for her work.
 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

My Most Recent Sea Glass Necklace Design

I thought I'd show you my most recent design (post China!).  This is a beautiful large white seaglass pendant with a sparkling blue crystal.  Perfect for a holiday gift for you or a friend.

P.S.   Over 9100 views on this blog!

White sea glass (Bermuda) with ocean blue crystal drop on a lovely sterling silver plated textured link chain   Item 446

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Another Good Luck Story

While I was on my China tour, one of the group members bought a pair of Lucky Sea Glass earrings and a Lucky Sea Glass pendant the last night of the tour.  That was nice, but the good luck started after she put them on and went to the Farewell Dinner.  At the dinner, we all put our names in for a cash prize -- and her name was picked!  She said it was because of the Lucky Sea Glass -- maybe it's true???

I can't guarantee good luck to my customers, but Lucky Sea Glass does make people happy!

Had some computer problems -- a virus -- but now getting back to those China and Tibet pictures, so keep looking for them soon. 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Jet Lagged

O.K., it has been a week already -- but I am still waking up at 3 A.M. and taking naps in the afternoon.  When is this going to end.  I realize China is a world away, 12 hours ahead at least, so it is tomorrow there when it is today here.  Any ideas?  I guess I will just muddle through....but jet lag is no fun.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

New Sea Glass Earrings

White sea glass (Hawaii), 14K gold filled wire, rubies from India

White sea glass dangles (Hawaii) with sterling silver wire work, silver plated earwires
 I really missed creating sea glass jewelry while on the long China trip -- so now that I am back, I have already created a couple of designs  (maybe Asian inspired?).  Of course, even while I was away, I was keeping track of Lucky Sea Glass -- and even sold several pieces! Here's the latest.  (Oh, by the way, this blog is up to 8800+ views!). 

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Sea Glass in Mongolia and Tibet

O.K., I didn't really find any sea glass in these areas -- they are not near an ocean.  But, I did find some rather old glass atop a mountain when I went to the Ganden monastery in Tibet, that almost looks like sea glass.  And, in the Gobi desert, where the rains and floods sweep across the plain, I also picked up some weathered glass to add to my collection.  My advice is if you find sea glass in your travels, be sure to put them in an envelope or baggie and label it!
Gobi desert sunset

Monastery atop a mountain in Tibet

Although we cruised along the Yangtze River in China, since the big dam was constructed, there are no river banks that I could search for river glass.  Many people were amazed at my sea glass jewelry in China.  In fact, at a Jade Jewelry center, the salespeople thought my green sea glass ring was jade, and they couldn't believe it when I told them it was sea glass!
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