Goal settin’ keeps me going, and I was happy to announce that I topped off the big container of beach glass with this instagram picture (find me! Search merrypad! I’ll follow you back!):
What’s next?
Well, as many of you have questioned: What is it exactly that you’re doing with all this beach glass? The honest answer is, “I have no idea… yet”.
For now, I’m fulfilling a simple goal that I set when I bought the house three years ago, the goal to collect as much beach glass as possible while I live in such great proximity to the beach. I like it for a few reasons:
- Its state and form is unique; no two pieces are alike
- It’s colorful (dozens of colors collected on our beach alone, not just shamrock green, browns, and white that are most common among US and Canadian beer distributors)
- Its transparency makes for great window decor. I like it best in a window where the sunlight shines through it. It’s like stained glass, but more randomized and earthy.
In the interest of keeping the collection growin’, I upgraded most of the glass collection to this big wine jug (not mine, found curbside outside a restaurant).
With the label removed and the bottle thoroughly cleaned (I can’t emphasize how much time I spent cleaning the smell of wine from the bottle), it was ready to be filled with beachy treasures.
From the original window sill glass container, I transferred any pieces that would fit through the opening in the jug straight in. It’s a 1″ opening, which meant that most of the collection had a new home.
What I’m going to do with this ginormous and quickly growing collection of tiny beach glass, I’m not sure. Maybe make a whole entryway floor out of it someday like I did with the beach shale in this house. Ooh, or the floor of a shower. Or a tabletop! There’s no hurry, I’m only killing time collecting the stuff while we can now. Did you know man-made beach glass sells for $7.99/pound at the craft store? It’s not as pretty either. Please people, let me mail you some.
How many small pieces (<1″) do we have as of today? And how does the jug look sized next to a lemon?
It’ll be filled this summer easily. Better start looking for a bigger container.
The large pieces were better displayed in the tall narrow container; because it measures 8″x12″x3″deep, it’s scaled nicely for the windowsill, at least more so than a huge jug. And because it’s really narrow and now holding lots of larger pieces of beach glass, the sunlight diffuses through much differently. The colors are intense. Obviously, we need to find some more big pieces. They’re a bit harder to come by, but we can usually find 1-2 nice pieces each time we venture out for a beach walk.
New goal: fill ‘er up.
Side note: Those teal bottles beside the glass container weren’t from the beach. Just an etsy purchase from olivedesignshop. But wouldn’t it be great to find a totally-weathered bottle whole on the beach?
To get a comprensive view, here’s the whole collection:
How does your garden beach glass collection grow?
8 Comments
I heart beach glass! It’s so cool that you’re so close to a great source of the beloved beach glass! I have a small collection (nothing like yours) that I’m not sure what to do with either. If nothing else, it makes for a cool accessory when piled into a glass jar/vase, etc.
Emily,
I remember you starting this collection last summer and to this day I’m still just as jealous! It looks wonderful in your window though, keep it up!
-Shannon
Thanks Shannon! Glad you like, and hope all’s well!
I’m (beach glass) green with envy! I’ve collected some pieces along the Outer Banks of NC but since beach glass collecting has gotten so popular, they are much harder to find. I have them scattered throughout glass jars that are filled with seashells (also collected from NC) on the shelves of my bathroom. As James Taylor would say, “I’m going to Carolina in my mind.”
Perma-vacation mindset! It does give off that vibe.
I love this!! My boyfriend and I started bringing home a few shells or rocks from the beaches that we visit. So far, they don’t have a home. But we are moving into a house VERY soon and I can’t wait to make a home for them. I love the sea glass idea and may have to collect those pieces as well!
I am jealous of your beach glass collection! I am an avid collector as I live near Lake MI. I haven’t been finding much this past fall and now winter. When I do find it, it is a treasure!
Fall and winter is pretty limiting around here too! I have the best luck in the springtime when the lake is churning but less traveled; during the summer it’s just too trafficked and everyone else finds the good pieces :)