What The Sea Left Behind

“In every outthrust headland, sale in every curving beach, mind in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.” ~ Rachel Carson After boarding the ferry home from Martha’s Vineyard, my head was swimming with beachy DIY ideas. I’m somewhat obsessed with collecting things the sea left behind – sea glass, beach stones and shells. The weathering forces of the salty ocean, with its abrasive pounding and then sun-faded drying, transforms shells, discarded glass and stones into alluring objects.

For years, I kept the rewards of my beachcombing in jars and bowls around the house. Now is the time to dip into those beach treasures and harvest some beauties for DIY projects.

Come back for more econesting posts with projects from what the sea left behind. Let’s start with beach stones…

Beach Stone Closure

Do you need a closure for an outdoor shower or garden gate? This clasp is secure enough to keep peeping Toms out, and easy enough for a child to open. You’ll need an array of beach stones, a drill, hemp twine and this Care2 tutorial to make this simple clasp.

Credit: Remodelista.

Ditch the Plastic: DIY Knitted Shopping Bag

“Hey, check where’d you get that great shopping bag? Oh, it’s so cute. Can I touch it?” Did you ever carry a little puppy around? If so, strangers clamor for a touch and to oogle the precious pup. If you needed any more incentives for ditching the plastic bag, this DIY knitted bag will elicit the puppy effect at the grocery store, farmers market and food coop. Creator of the Monteagle Bag, Kay Gardiner from Mason-Dixon Knitting says, “One ‘eco’ thing about the Monteagle Bag is that it can be made in almost any linen or cotton yarn (including the cheap-but-tough dishcloth cotton brands), and it looks great made of several leftover colors. So it’s a way of using yarn that would otherwise be wasted or (shriek!) thrown into the landfill." CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Unplugged: A Mid-Summer’s Reprieve

For the first time in three years, I have not written every day. When I left teaching in 2007, I stumbled into a few writing gigs and landed as a blogger. Discovering this newly creative habit has unleashed a gush of productivity from me. My first year out, and searching for reinvention (from teacher to whatever), writing everyday added a creative challenge to my work life. The self-imposed rhythm of writing everyday also provided some unexpected and truly amazing perks -- new friends from all corners of the world, as well as a few new ones discovered right in my own backyard. Lest I forget, writing has become a steady source of income also. All this growth sprang from my constant companion, my computer. Now, I am on an island with such beauty that it is difficult not to be moved to write. Coupled with the ocean breezes and the sunshine, the offerings of my family and friends become all the more evident. I can’t imagine a more satisfying reprieve. Computers and vacations don’t mix well. The Internet connection here is funky to say the least, and being plugged-in limits meaningful face-to face interactions.

Instead of downloading stockpiled posts like I have done in years past, I took a few weeks off. My main writing gigs (Care2 and Planet Green) seem to be surviving fine without a steady flow of posts from me. Actually, Care2 has reissued some of the oldies in my absence. You can read them here.

Since writing is now what I do and love, and a reprieve from the ordinary (and the computer) is always a good thing, I set myself adrift to see where and when I would reconnect with my readers before boarding the ferry back to my nest. I quickly discovered that a reprieve is not without stirrings and observations about work.

5 Things I’ve Learned From A Mid-Summer's Writing Reprieve

1. Slowing down allows for more reflection. 2. More reflection provides for more space. 3. More space gives way to a different intention. 4. Different intentions delve deeper. 5. Delving deeper blows the lid off everything.

I hope your life has also been enriched by a mid-summer’s reprieve.

Main photo: Ben Scott

Other photos: Osprey nest, friend Hilary and I (in the red hat), and my son unplugged.