Hi, my name is Cathy Kelly! When I was introduced to sea glass I didn't know that it would become such a passion for me. Whether it's walking on a beach or wading in a river searching for sea glass and pottery, creating jewelry and crafts, searching out the history of a piece of glass or pottery, or marketing and selling online and at craft fairs, I enjoy every aspect to it's fullest.
I am always thrilled to be able to find fabulous sea glass pieces with which to create pendants. This is an undeniably fabulous piece from California.
Sea Glass Pendant
This piece was found in the Tiburon Bay, California. It is in perfect condition, has perfect frosting and is a perfect size, just shy of one inch long.
I top drilled this piece and created this lovely and unique pendant. It hangs on a 20 inch sterling silver rope chain and is a perfect gift for any sea glass lover.
What has happened in the almost year since I’ve created a post here, actually a lot and I have to admit that I don’t know where the time has gone.
Most of the time I was trying to keep up with the need for stock for my Etsy shop and three consignment shops I am represented in and sometimes wondering what I’d gotten myself into! I was often adding new jewelry and art items in each of these venues. There is also keeping up with posting on Facebook and Instagram. Believe me, there was quite a lot of creating and bookkeeping going on, and I was very proud to keep up with all of it!
Last year I also created a line of photography that I am calling “as found” and I’m very excited about selling this photography in Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery in Severna Park, Maryland. I am planning to have these photos to sell in my Etsy shop within the next month.
The owner of Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery had often commented on how much she liked my photography on my Facebook and Instagram pages and suggested that I try to sell the photos. I finally took her very good advice!
Unlike posed pictures of sea glass these photographs are a collection of how these treasures were found by me on the beach. They include photos taken on beaches in Maryland, California, The Caribbean, The Bahamas, Greece and Norway!
I’m thrilled to have had such an appreciative audience for these photos. I’m always thrilled when a piece of jewelry or art, and now a photograph, that I have created is being enjoyed by someone else!
As Found Sea Glass Photography by Sea Glass Visions
This photo is one of my “As Found” collection that was framed for sale by Side Street Framers.
Please stay tuned for upcoming events and new sea glass jewelry and art!
I’ve really been enjoying playing with beads lately! This started in the Spring when I was looking for a way to make jewelry that was colorful and fun and Spring themed, and it’s still going on! With Mother’s Day holiday I decided to use more freshwater pearls as necklacing.
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These beautiful sea glass and bead bracelets are made on memory wire.
Most of these pieces went to two of my consignment shops in time for Mother’s Day and were very popular with buyers. I have had requests for custom orders of these bracelets and pendants and had a request to make matching earrings for the lavender sea glass pendant shown below!
Lavender Sea Glass & Freshwater Pearl on Freshwater Pearl Necklace
So it’s late February again. Grey, rainy, cold. The rush of the holidays is over and summer seems light years away. Year after year I find myself wondering how to handle this lull.
I found myself at a small local bead show just a week ago and found some very fun inspiration. Paper beads. Light weight, colorful, fun shapes and handmade. I was seeing lots of possibilities before I even completed the purchases!
Colorful Bead Mix including Yellow & Pink Sea Glass and Handmade Paper Beads by Sea Glass Visions
I created colorful and fun bead mixes in shades of yellow/pink/orange, blue/yellow/red/green and lavender/pink/aqua. Each mix has lots of different shaped beads in coordinating colors. I already had fun three strand bracelet connectors so I was off and running!
These are just a few of the beautiful sea glass and paper bead bracelets I have created . This mix includes yellow and pink sea glass. I am so excited about these colors and looking forward to Spring!
I’ve been doing a bit of indulging myself lately, focusing more on sea glass art than jewelry. While I enjoy creating both, I really enjoy creating art, especially playing with the frames. I like to customize each one, refinishing them to enhance the overall piece. It is the perfect finishing touch and really adds to the uniqueness of each one.
Custom sea glass art created by Sea Glass Visions
This is a very simple design, and one created by many sea glass artisans, flowers. It’s my first piece creating flowers. I made it even more unique using aqua sea glass and hand finishing the frame. I also added a sweet bumble bee with glittering wings. I used sea glass that I handpicked in Northern California and yes, that is a small piece of sea pottery used as the center of the larger flower.
This piece is available for sale locally at EL & Company, an artisan shop in Pasadena, Maryland.
This is “what’s on my workbench” today. Adorable “Soul of a Mermaid~Mouth of a Sailor” charms on adjustable bracelets. These and other designs are also available in my Etsy Shop! They are created with jewelry quality California sea glass and high quality jewelry findings.
Genuine Sea Glass and Mermaid Bracelets by Sea Glass Visions
These are similar to my “Mermaid Soul” bracelet recently featured in Glassing Magazine, The Mermaid Issue, May/June 2018.
First, let me say I don’t know where the time has gone since I last wrote in March. I had promised myself I’d write more often, but sadly haven’t kept that promise. The time seems to fly and I don’t know where it goes. I’m still creating both jewelry and art with sea glass (of course) and selling in my consignment shops. My Etsy shop is very well stocked and I have many new styles I plan to release as the summer weather gets warmer. The Bay Country Crafters Show was a success and I am looking forward to their Fall Show as I will introduce my sea glass snowflakes there for the first time!
One BIG thing that has happened to me since writing in March is that I have a piece of my jewelry featured in Glassing Magazine! It is in the May/June 2018 issue, also known as “The Mermaid Issue”.
Mermaid Soul Bracelet with UV sea glass
The editor, Rebecca Ruger-Wightman, wrote that she “was hoping I could include your fabulous mermaid bangle with the Mermaid Soul charm and sea glass in a page dedicated to Sea Glass Mermaid items and art.” What could I say! This beautiful adjustable bracelet, featuring a Mermaid Soul charm and light green UV sea glass that will glow under black light, is included, along with many other beautiful artisan creations, in a spotlight called, “Ode to a Mermaid – Sea Glass Style”.
Needless to say I’m absolutely thrilled by this! I have a well established Etsy shop, which will be six years old this year! I have an active Facebook and Instagram presence as “Sea Glass Visions” and have sold hundreds and hundreds of pieces of jewelry and art over the years at a variety of art and craft shows. Over the past six years I’ve made a LOT of upgrades and changes in the quality of my sea glass, my designs and in the quality of jewelry components.
Even from the first time I created a piece of jewelry six year ago, I have strived to improve my techniques and designs and I’m so proud, that even with a simple bangle bracelet, the decisions I have made have proved successful and are being recognized and honored in a BIG way in the sea glass community!
This week my focus is on creating sea glass bracelets. I have at least three different styles planned using lovely aqua and light blue sea glass and some of the beads in the photo below.
I have been a bit better this year having jewelry available in my artisan shops and in my Etsy shop in plenty of time for the season/holiday. Yes, I know it’s only been two months and 5 days and the only holiday has been Valentine’s Day. I decided that I will not be creating jewelry for St. Patricks Day. The next holiday I will focus on will be Mother’s Day, and I already some really lovely sea glass pendant and earring sets available in my Etsy shop. I have had many people ask for matching jewelry, it’s the perfect gift! I’m also going to hold off introducing styles too early for the season. I’ll hold off introducing boho jewelry until warm weather when sun dresses and bathing suits are the preferred clothing of the day! So, I’m going to start creating sea glass bracelets with a beachy theme and be ready for the upcoming summer season!
This is the outcome of the sea glass art project I wrote about in my prior post …
And I couldn’t have been happier! Not only did I change the paint color on the frame, I changed the sea glass “LOVE” letters too. That fabulous cobalt blue “o” is actually an old light bulb insulator. This is truly a one-of-a-kind piece.
I posted this picture on my SeaGlassVisions Facebook page and had a purchase request within a few hours. HonestIy I wasn’t even sure I wanted to sell it, but the request came from someone who I have met, who has purchased jewelry from me, and who wanted it for her sister. How could I say no?
And, we should always “share the love” in whatever form it takes.
Things around my house have been quiet for the past few weeks so it’s been a good time for me to do my favorite thing, create with sea glass. I have an upcoming craft fair next month – The Bay Country Crafters Spring Marketplace. This fair is a big one, which I’ll need a lot of jewelry for. I am also going to offer art pieces at the fair. I have jewelry and art in two local artisan shops and like to change out my stock often to keep my offerings fresh and I want to update jewelry in my Etsy shop.
But the past few days I’ve put the jewelry aside to focus on creating sea glass art. I enjoy this change of pace, it actually is a welcome rest as it’s easier on my hands than creating jewelry. And, just like creating jewelry, there are always times when what was planned doesn’t work as planned and becomes something even better.
This is how it was with this frame. At first I thought I’d color wash it with the bright fuchsia color. Well, it was a bit too bright, actually much brighter than I thought and wasn’t going to work at all. I wasn’t sure what to do, I thought I might have to start over. Then I figured I’d try to tone down the color. So I added a buttermilk and pastel pink and loved the result.
But this happy outcome meant that the background colors I had planned and the sea glass “love” I had chosen needed to be changed out too as the colors I thought I’d use now didn’t work.
So, I’m getting ready to head back up to my workroom to start playing again. I still have no idea how this piece will look when it’s completed, and that’s the fun part.
