sea shell fairies – Karla's Cottage

My Mosaic Group Friends and a New Adventure for Seashell Fairies

By Karla Nathan / July 24, 2024

My buddy, Shanna, has hosted a mosaic group in her home studio for years. Its always nice to bring a project and visit with friends.

Not too long ago, she switched it up and rented a studio with our pal, Mary. The group continues in this new location and we have the same members plus a few others joining in.

As artists, we are often working alone. So, an opportunity to hang out with friends while creating, catch up on each others lives, chat about books, restaurants, travel, hear some funny stores, or commiserate over problems, well, that is something I feel lucky to have.

Seeing what’s up with others’ work is inspiring too.

Even though I’m not a mosaic artist, I love the medium. Every once in a while I take on a glass project, but typically, I bring some other, small portable job I’m in the middle of.

This summer it’s been a lot of mushrooms, or beading. I really wish I could attend the group more weeks, but I am pretty sporadic about attending. It’s on a Friday, and that seems to be a hard one for me. Not just First Fridays each month at Juju, but other weekends for travel, or who knows what. Fridays just are a busy day for me.

So, when I get a shot at being there, I make my best effort to pack up a tub of supplies (typically only forgetting a few things I’ll need for the afternoon) and skeedaddling across town to see what everyone is working on and hear about what’s up with who.

Technically, I guess this is a mosaic craft. I decided to make some sea shell fairies that aren’t washed away by the waves, so I took a basket of shells to work on last week. (Oops, after taking the photo, I realized the right wing wasn’t right, so I flipped it around while thinset was still goopy).

These little sprites are something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. On one of my sister trips with Bobbie and Sissy, when I was feeling really bad due to a concussion, along with the anniversary of Ryan’s death, we explored Passe Grille Beach after a walk through the Don Caesar Pink Palace.

The beach we were staying at was low on shells. When I visit Indian Rocks, I always scrounge to find enough to make just one little fairy to leave on the sand.

But this spot? Holy Moly!

Now, the shells I found aren’t what most beach goers are looking for. I like odd shapes and broken pieces, and this place was ankle deep in those. I filled bags with heads, wings, arms, I was in a fairy makers dream location. The terrain was rocky and the beach itself wasn’t as inviting, the parking was awful, but it wasn't crowded and the views were spectacular. My sisters patiently hung out while I climbed around boulders and searched for just the right bits and pieces.

So here I am, a few years later with these baggies full of memories of a special day when my family went out of the way to big sister me, using one of our limited vacation afternoons to take me someplace to gather art supplies. Sis had brought her post cataract surgery sunglasses to help with my concussion headache and Bobbie, who had some mobility issues, hung out with me while we walked this rocky shoreline that wasn’t easy to get around on.

I’m still experimenting with the right technique to transform my fairies into a permanent piece of art. And thanks to my sissies, I have plenty of shells to work with. Each one I create will hold special feelings from our day on the beach.

3 Seashell fairies, 1 hag stone, 10 hearts, and even a piece of seaglass

sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / January 25, 2024

We were blessed with plentiful Seashells at the beaches we walked the dogs on. And very large ones at Walton Rocks, this fairy is at least a foot tall.

Some that I found there were huge.

And one afternoon, Jupiter beach was carpeted with shells.

Most were full, little round ones, but within the mix, I could find plenty of broken shapes to make a sprite.

She is a larger one too, with her long, elegant oyster shell skirt.

This is a rare find for me- Sea glass! I hope to drill a tiny hole in it to make a necklace.

There were multiple hearts scattered across the sand.

This one was tucked into a nest of seaweed.

Most of the hearts I found were rocks, not shells.

This heart rock looks like it is camouflaged and hiding in the shell pile.

Tiny Dorothy even found one for me. Thanks, Dot! It’s as sweet as you are.

There was a funny rock that caught my eye, I thought it looked like a full body. She is very different than most of the beach fay I leave on the shore, but I thought she was cute.

Not all hearts are solid bits, this floral-y sprig of seaweed is a lovely shaped one.

And some are a little wonky, but still count.

Most are left where I see them, but every once in a while, one goes into my pocket I kept this one.

Typically, the ones I find are flatter, this puffy heart was a special one too.

Walton Rocks was a great beach for finding hag stones. This one not only kinda looks like it has a face, its “eye” was extra large. A good one to look through for spotting mermaids out in the surf.

Both of these beaches had unique personalities. I love the way various shorelines offer differing loot. Even along the stretch of a single beach you can find variety. I studied one patch of Jupiter where many of the shell fragments were worn as smooth as worry stones. My guess is that there were rocky areas off shore where they tumbled themselves smoother than other parts of the beach.

Each step is the possibility of a new discovery that I never tire of. I’ll miss my walks in the sand, it has been a beautiful break from the iciness we left behind.

Blessed by A Year of Sea Shell Fairies in 2023

sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / January 1, 2024

2023 was a light year for sea shell fairies, at least compared to other ones. I was very lucky to have lots of trips and family visits, but only a couple were beachy. This sprite is from my impromptu visit to see my sissies on the gulf coast.

Over the years, my sisters and I have gotten into the groove of planning an annual trip to the seaside each fall. Then, they started sneaking in an extra visit in the spring. Which I’ve partially joined in on, but have not been able to stay the full amount of time they’ve gone. For this one, I knew I was just too busy. After bonking my head again, I’d taken a lot of time off work and needed to catch up.

Then, the day they left, I decided to go anyway. I just packed up, got a Southwest ticket (free with points, but still more points than I’d have used if I planned ahead) and told them I was on my way.

What a fantastic idea! And I loved every single moment of the trip, even with post concussion syndrome, and being behind on work. Looking back, I wish I’d just said screw work and stayed the whole week instead of a few days.

And for such a home body, I LOVE travel. But taking on this booth at Good Juju has stolen some of my flexibility in getting away. 6 weeks in an RV full of dogs to get away from winter and do some beach hopping didn’t happen last year.

Funny, the sale is only two days a month, so it sounds easy to get away. But I have to put so much time into shopping, cleaning, repairing, tagging old stuff, then crafting new things, plus setting up displays, that I am constantly working.

We’ve managed to get around that by taking smaller trips in the middle of the month. Where I can be at First Friday weekend, then flip the space in the next few days.

So we were able to visit our North Carolina family and spend some time in the mountains. And I’ve had a couple of trips to Indiana to see my family there.

Then October our sister trip was even more special with nieces and aunties. I saw the Guncles, and snuck in a Disney adventure with Terry, all in one, tight week.

I made this fairy on Venice beach while we were shark tooth hunting. I feel very blessed for the getaways I’ve managed to tease out of my time.

And after a year and a half of getting back into the swing of being a dealer and building up some inventory, I’m feeling like I can squeak out even more time. I have plenty of small crafty items to work on while on the road, too. We are planning a January camping trip right now, where I’ll be away most of the month. Taking off right after the Juju sale and just scooting back in time for the next.

My business income would suffer if I made this a regular practice, but for a couple of longer stretches I can pretend to be retired like my husband is and head to the shoreline. I think it’s doable.

I need more beach fairies in my life! Thank you, 2023 for the loving family visits, and the beautiful views.

Venice Beach seashell fairy

fairies, family, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / November 8, 2023

My trip to Florida was just the best. It was broken up into segments, a Guncle visit with crafting, Disney with Terry and Holly, then beach time with Sissies, Aunties, and sweet nieces.

We stayed at Turtle Beach on Siesta Key, and while I loved the company, I wasn’t thrilled with the beach, my shelling was limited until we took a day trip to Venice to hunt for shark teeth.

Hey, I do not mean to sound down on Turtle Beach, it is a lovely spot. I had just never stayed there, and expected a similar experience from further north on the island where we usually stay. It was so nice to be directly on the water and to walk right out on the sand.

Venice just happened to have more shells. And Shark Teeth, too! I found a couple but was more interested in making my beach fairy there.

And I found a treasure trove of broken shells to use. I think the wings are some of the nicest I have ever found. I was tempted to pocket them, but I like to leave my Faye behind as a thank you to nature, and pulling off her wings did not feel right at all.

Lots of shells do come home with me, but those haven’t been used to create my little friends yet. I did gather up a lot of potential fairy shells last year to make resin shell fairies at home, but they are still packed away, waiting their turn to get Pinocchio-ed into being.

Seashell Fairies and a sand portrait

sea shell fairies

By Karla Nathan / June 11, 2023

Previously when I have gone to Indian Shores, I hadn’t been too impressed with shelling opportunities. I’d had to scramble to find a handful, and my sissies had even had to drive me to other beaches to collect a few.

This visit was different. It wasn’t exactly the shell capitol of the world, but I also had no trouble gathering up a few to make fairies.

Like everything else on this last minute, quick getaway, everything was Just Right. I saw lots of dolphins from the balcony, had so much beach time in ideal water conditions, even found the perfect beach umbrella and chair left in the condo closet.

Did I mention that I swam within a few feet of a manatee?

And that my headaches were better?

It was just the best time with sisters, I was so glad that I went.

Before leaving for the airport on Saturday, I went for one last walk and saw a pile of seaweed washed up on the beach. I used them to make a quick portrait in honor of Ryan. If I’d had longer, I think I’d have looked for better shells for his eyes, but if I walked away, the seaweed blew off. It was pretty windy, I had just moments to do this.

I can just hear Ryan if he’d seen this. “That’s cool, mom” was the phrase he always used. He loved watching me create and always appreciated it.

I miss having him over my shoulder while I do them.

Beachy Blessings

fairies, family, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 28, 2022

My time in Siesta Key was way too short. It always is. But it seemed even more so since I had four days while my sissies stayed on for a full two weeks! After I got home, I could see all of their fun without me in photos on FB.

I could’ve used a couple more days there. Between arriving in the afternoon, getting food and supplies, then settling in, and then needing more supplies that we missed the next day, first days are typically hectic when staying at a condo.

Plus, with being gone ten days I was feeling the pressure of not getting any work done, so I brought supplies. In the first few days, I made four dozen Sugarplum Fairies.

I was a bit resentful that I had to work so hard on vacation, but I reminded myself that creating at a table over looking the Gulf, and taking breaks to go on the beach, while talking to my sissies as I worked did not suck.

Overall, I am blessed that my job consists of making pretty things. And making pretty things while at the beach makes me feel even more blessed.

Adding a sunset over the water to my day? It is hard to count that many blessings. They just keep racking up.

For a moment, I complained that I finished my work just in time to go home. Then I reminded myself that as a slightly, over reaching, workaholic, I probably would’ve just started another project.

I mean, hey, I still had supplies with me, didn’t I?

Some Precious North Carolina Time

family, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 22, 2022

My recent trip was a buffet of travel. Visiting family in Charlotte/Asheville mountains/ scenic downtown Charleston and a dress up art event in Jenn’s spectacular home/ then sister beach time in Florida.

All I was missing was some snowy venues or desert time.

My boy treated me to breakfast at his favorite spot in Asheville to start off our visit and after dripping sweet potato gravy down my shirt, we had a full day of exploring thrift shops, riverbanks, and downtown.

He and I can both spend hours just looking at rocks by the water and that is just what we did.

I had hoped to visit one of the construction sites where he has been creatively doing his woodwork art installations, but time was short.

But then, any time I get one on one with my son is too short. It has possibly been years since we have had this kind of time together.

While in NC, I got to visit the latest family members to become Ashevillians. Our oldest grandfairy and her mama now live in the area. And I was there for Dewdrop’s first day at a new school after she and her mom moved across town.

She already met a new friend on the bus. That kid is such a social butterfly, I fully expected as much. But was still relieved to hear it.

While there, I decided that I definitely need more time in NC. Not only is the sand full of semi precious stones like garnets, mica, and quartz- the state is full of very precious family members.

And I found a boulder shaped like a throne.
I belong there!

A Blessings Angel fund raiser for Florida’s hurricane victims.

fairies, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 17, 2022

My trip to Florida was short but so,so, very nice. We were in Siesta Key, our favorite city and were relieved to see so little sign of damage from the storm.

Many places weren’t so lucky. To help out, (in a small way, but every bit helps, right?) I decided to craft one of my sea shell fairies into this spectacular shell that I bought. Oh my, it’s so pretty! I had thought about using a shadow box, but when I saw this, I knew it would be the ideal home for my little Blessings Angel.

Here she is in her iridescent shell at the beach.

While still in Florida, I posted about her on FB. I am asking for bids to raise money for the official disaster relief fund set up by the state.

If you are interested in making an offer, please contact me at:

karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

I will announce the person with the highest donation Tuesday evening, send their donation to

https://www.volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf/

and mail the Angel to them.

Seashell fairies at Indian Rocks

fairies, Ryan, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / June 7, 2022

I had a restful, and much needed vacation with my sisters at the beach.

Indian Rocks is not my favorite beach, mostly because of the lack of shells. But the ocean was beautiful, the sunsets were colorful, and the company was the best. Plus, I managed to find just enough shells to make two fairies.

And I am being very precise with my words telling you that, there honestly were not many shells.

I was pleased to be able to make one fairy and felt very lucky to have scrambled enough shells together for her, then told myself on the last day that I wanted to find a heart and create an Angel for my Ryan before I left. The wind was rough that day so I decided to walk into it for the first part of the stroll, knowing it’s always easier to return with the wind at your back, not in your face.

These bits and pieces came my way on that last, windy walk and I was able to construct this for Ryan, just as I’d hoped to. I sprinkled a few more of his ashes, listened to his song again, and told him that I love him.

But he knows that.

Here is the first sprite I made. Her hair looks like she was battling the wind as much as I was, doesn’t it?

I consider her more of a fairy, and the second one is an Angel. But I guess it is all in the eyes of who sees them and what they think of them.

That is, if anyone actually sees them. But that isn’t the point of making them.

The beach fairies are a blessing and a thank you to nature that I make for the pure pleasure of crafting them.

My sissies took me to another beach, where I also gathered some shells to bring home. I’m hoping to craft some shellfolk in epoxy with those, so will have some to share that aren’t just memories that wash away in the surf.

The rest of the ice resin

cottage, Hearts, Ryan, sea shell fairies

By Karla Nathan / April 26, 2022

While in Florida, I found a never ending treasure trove of hearts on Walton Rocks beach near Ft Pierce. Some rocks, some shells, all eliciting squeals of joy from me. These were found in three trips.

I had big plans for a beachy toned display, but then decided I wanted to fill this black tray and use it in Ryan’s apartment. I pressed the hearts into tile adhesive which was a sandy gray tone.

Sorry, no pics of that stage. But- the hearts all sorta disappeared into the background and the adhesive was blah. So, I tried some gemstone flakes in aqua shades, still not enough contrast.

I decided to use fluorite chips for more distinction. I’m not a person who has much purple in their life, but I have nothing against the color. And Ry’s room has pops of bright colors in it to brighten up the grays, so in theory it should work.

But overall, it was just kinda messy. I should’ve done something else with my treasures. Plus, the hearts were all different thicknesses and it wasn’t functional as a tray, and too heavy to be a wall hanging.

That is when I decided to use ice resin. Which was a good idea, but maybe I should’ve used more? There are still some high points. But, overall, it did make the tray more functional.

Many of the rocks had holes, and I tucked heart shaped garnets (Ryan’s birthstone) into them before pouring on the resin.

Ryan would’ve liked it, and I am enjoying using some colors in his room that I don’t typically use in my cottage. And I think I will probably try out more resin projects in the future.