A Weekend to Revitalize

Well, it's officially one week since I left for Long Beach Island, to enjoy some R&R with the hubs, and do my sea glass festival.  I love that island, and enjoyed my time away from the chaos, just relaxing.

 

We got down there around 11am Friday, unpacked and had some lunch at a favorite place.  Then, it was off to the beach.  Since we stayed in the shore house we usually rent, we could walk to the beach easily, its two houses from it!

 

 

It doesn't get much better then this.  Me and my hubs, with the whole beach to ourselves.

 

 

The weather was perfect, and we had a great night, nice dinner, light rain and breeze to lull us to sleep.

 

Saturday we set up for the sea glass festival, and it was a lot of fun!  Though we really didn't have the turn out from years prior, its always nice to hang out with fellow sea glass and beach lovers.

 

Cheryl, of Things a Drift, the shop that hosts the show, tried to get into the Guinness Book of World Records with the most people blowing the conch horn at one time.  We are still waiting to hear if we made it!  How cool would that be?  It was really fun!  Here is Justin practicing, he is great at it.

 

Here is my set up.  Pretty much the same as usual.

 

 

Sunday was a very slow day business wise, but it was relaxing.  Justin and his cousin hit Chowda- Fest all day, and then the three of us hung out that night and all day Monday. 

 

Monday was gorgeous.  We spent all day outside.  After sleeping in, and a nice breakfast, we hit Barnagat Light to hike to the end of the island.

 

 

 

 The boys climbed Old Barney, but not I!  I took in the scenery.  Just look at that sky.  NOTHING better then a cool clear day at LBI. 

I loved this bench- isn't that so sweet?

At the end of the island- where the bay meets the sea, we got to see these little guys.  They were so fun to watch.

 Then we went home and had some snacks for lunch, packed the cars, and we were off to the other end of the island- Holgate, or Shell Beach, as my kids call it.

And this here is why the kids call it shell beach.  It went on like this for a mile.

We found lots of sea glass!

And this old tree was decorated with shells on the dunes.  I had to add one, I just loved it.

'till we left the beach it was dinnertime.  We didn't get home until after 8pm, but I still got to hug my babies and tuck them in.  One of the best parts of going away, is missing them so!!!!!  This week I did alot of snuggling them.  And coming home Monday night, I got thrown right into homework, school, hockey, ect......OH, and clothes and shoe shopping cause nothing fits them, AGAIN!  But I loved it.  Being away, and coming home.

Thanks to my dear family for caring for my kids while we were away.  Thanks to my Dad for making sure they got off to school Monday too.  You guys rock, and I am so thankful for you.

LBI Sea Glass Festival at Things a Drift NJ

Well- I made a lot of jewlery for this show, in fear I wouldn't have the variety I needed.  I came home with all of it!  I think with the NASGA show in NJ this year, (and it's this coming weekend), we were competing for business.  Last year I sold WAY more, with less then half the turn out we had this year.  I mean, I would do the same thing asa buyer, wait until the big show to spend my sea glass money!  Lots of lookers this year and many fun folks came out to talk sea glass.  So, although it wasn't a big money show,  I love to do it anyway, and I love sea glass fans, and the other vendors were just great too!  Plus- I get some time on the island with my husband and no kids.  No more to be said there.  Its all good.

I did do demonstrations of how to drill sea glass, and sold some loose glass and drill bits.  I always have people ask me about it, so I was glad that I thought to bring all that stuff this year.

I didn't take any photos, and I really wish I had. I caught the cold that was going through my house last week, and had no voice, and was run down and tired.  I mostly sat and just played with sea glass and beads (and gabbed with the other vendors, though  my voice sounded like I smoked two packs a day for 50years!)

Here are some pictures I took of the newest sea glass necklaces I made for the show.  Hope you like them.....I will be listing some next week.

Anyone going to the big festival next weekend??????  NASGA in Long Branch NJ?

Getting Inspired

You may have been wondering where I've been.  Well, I have been getting inspired.  We had our annual family trip to LBI NJ.  I love the beach.  Everything about it inspires me, and I had ample time to find little treasures that will continue to inspire me in the months to come.

I found some great shells, and sea glass, and REALLY cool beach stones.  I love textures, and looking at this beach loot is inspiration galore!
I am all ready to get into the studio to prep for the LBI Sea Glass festival, Chowderfest Weekend.  Its a great time.  For details, check out my website.

I was not the only one who was artistically inspired at the shore.  Here are some drawings and projects my kids did.  I am so very proud of them and their ability to express themselves through art!

These three were done by Aiden 9yrs old

The colorful one is by Julia 7yrs old

And these were done by all three kids, but Collin 4yrs old came up with the idea!

Here are some pics of the kids getting braver and braver each year in the water.  They swam and boogie boarded until we called them out to go home each day.  I think Julia may be a surfer when she grows up!

They all handled crab pinches and wipes outs without much fuss at all.  Even my littlest bub had TWO HUGE wipe outs, and went back for more!  I just love those guys!

us at the beach after dinner....we were there every chance we got

Theres Jules...she even made a pen pal friend this year

Bub couldn't hang all day, but he tried

It was a refreshing time, with friends and family, and I am already looking forward to next year.

Now I can't wait to get into the studio and make some stuff with my new finds. 

What inspired you this week?