sea shell fairies – Page 6

A river rock fairy in Missouri

By Karla Nathan / September 28, 2016

Over the weekend, we visited Ava, MO again for a festival my son's family was co-hosting. While there, I spent some time down in the nearly dry creek bed gathering stones to make a fairy to leave on the beach. And just like last time I was there, I found one, single, tiny shell for the fairy to hold.

As I played with pebbles, I had a view of the circus rig and could watch the kids practicing up on the bank of the creek.

My grand fairies were giving lessons to the campers' children and at the big performance the next night, all the little ones got to come on stage and show what they'd learned.

I was serenaded by one of my favorite singers. Michael Lay, who was up on the nearby stage. His voice floated down to the shady spot along the bank where I was searching for the perfect set of wings for my fairy.

The stage itself was pretty cool, my son draped it in fabric, and did this string art installation on each end.

Dewdrop and a few friends joined me and created their own magical creatures.

They helped me put a ring of rocks around my own sprite. She is placed right by the foot bridge.

There was a larger river on the other side of the campground, where I spent hours walking through the crystal clear water, and parking a lawn chair in the shady shallows to watch kids and dogs splash around.

As I found the most perfect wing shaped rock, I got excited about making more sprites, and as I waded along, I quickly spied all of the bits that I needed to make another one. I figured I was on a roll and would have a whole flock of fairies!!! But all of a sudden, the river bed no longer had rocks that stood out as wings, faces, dresses, etc, all of them started to look like plain, old rocks and nothing stood out to me.

I decided to pocket the pieces I'd found to make the second faye, and brought her home to assemble in the mosaic I'll be doing in front of the fireplace. After all of the beach fairies that I've left behind on various shores, I figured it would be fun to have one in my own home. I think she'll be very happy living here with us, and I'll have pictures to show you when she is grouted down. Although, I do feel a little odd about locking her in place, all of my previous fairies have been thank yous to the beaches I've loved spending time on. I guess I'll think of her as a love token to my home instead, and a memento of the weekend with family in Ava.

A beach fairy in Missouri and revisiting some seashell fairies of the past

fairies, sea shell fairies

By Karla Nathan / May 3, 2016

While in Missouri at the campground, I made a little fairy on the bank of the creek that ran behind our tents. It was a challenge to do since I had to use rocks, not shells like I have to work with on most beaches.

But look, I did find one little shell for her to hold!

And look at what cute feet I found to use!

She could be one of my favorites.

Oh, but how could I chose a favorite from my little fairy children?

This was Jacksonville where Guncle Randy helped me find the ideal shells to use.

This gal is from Maui, where there are gorgeous bits of heart shaped coral washed up on the beach.

This glittering, white fairy is on Siesta Key Beach where my sisses and I spread our dad's ashes.

Siesta Key has become the home of many of my fairy babies, including this mermaid.

This sand dollar skirted sprite is a Sarasota girl too.

It's funny how varied the personalities and looks are from one beach to another. This Coronado Beach fairy is also wearing a sand dollar skirt, but looks nothing like the girl from Siesta key.

I've made a stone fairy in Missouri before too. This one is from another visit to a music festival that my son was a part of.

When I was on St Pete beach with my sisses at Halloween time, I made a Sand Witch fairy, with a little broom, inspired by that hat shaped shell.

Ft Lauderdale in winter had me scrambling to find suitable shells, but I loved my little Atlantic sprite once I finally found the right ones.

Each one is created with items found right there on the beach I make them, with no alterations. There are times I wish I could snap a shell in half to make it fit, but I make myself follow the rules that I've set. to only use the pieces as is.

All of my babies are also filled with memories of the beautiful time I spent on their beaches. I leave them behind, as a thank you to express my love of the place I've visited. I like to picture a little girl coming across one after I've left it nestled on the beach.

I hope that the fairies bring someone else joy too.

A sea shell “Farewell Fairy” at Coronado Beach

sea shell fairies, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / March 9, 2016

For the last few years, every time I go to a beach, I leave behind fairies made from the shells I find while walking the shores there.

I've been told that Coronado Beach can be shell heaven or be totally bare. And I caught it on one so-so day then a few days of bareness. So I was lucky to have found enough to create this little sprite, my beach treasure hunt didn't yield many shells. Lots of sand dollars though. My husband was a champion sand dollar finder, he even found living ones that we couldn't pick up. They were everywhere he looked.

I never break or alter a shell for my fairies, so I was happy to have him find this 3/4 sand dollar that made a pretty skirt with the ruffled conch shell topper.

The shore was a bit rocky, lucky for me, one was just right for the fairy's head, because I couldn't find a shell that worked anywhere.

There might have been a lack of shells, but the sand itself more than made up for it. There were GOLD FLAKES OF GLITTER throughout on my first day there!!!!!!!!!!

Real GLITTER!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently, the waves are filled with Mica flakes that wash up on the shore. When the surf is light, they are big, fat, flakes of gold glitter. On rougher days, the mica is pulverised into a shimmer of stardust. Every day, the sand along the water is different, but it is always sparkling.

I was in love.

I just wish the sparkles had photographed better. The glitter (and that is what real glitter is made of, MICA flakes) was one of the most unexpected treats I've ever come across on a vacation.

Well, beaches each have their own personality and specialness, like the quartz crystal on Siesta Key that keeps cool to the touch no matter how hot the sun is. And the heart shaped pieces of coral that wash up on Kaanapali in Maui. Or the shark's teeth fossils all over Venice Beach.

Why oh why do I live in the smack dab, middle of the USA, as far from any beach as you can get?

Of course, I really can't complain. We have made it to the ocean quite a bit in the last few years for Kansans.

Which is why I make all these sea shell fairies to leave behind, I want to show my love of the shore, and my gratitude for the opportunity to be there.

I treasure each moment I get to be by the water. And thank my lucky stars that I had a chance to be there.

Every day should be considered a gift, but a day by the beach is a true treasure.