SUMMER ELEMENTS Blog Hop by TOLTEC JEWELS

Dear sweet Rita (Toltec Jewels) of Jewel School Friends decided a while ago to get us all ready for the Summer festivities, by having a hop to feature what ever we enjoy most about it.

For me, living here in Florida that can only mean "beach time". Not that we didn't also love the Jersey shore when we lived there, but it is so much easier to go when the kids have to pack up their kids, and we just go along for the ride!

Now you know when you are packing that carry-all, there is one thing that can not be forgotten. No, not the towels or beach blanket, no, not the SPF50 sun screen. It's the nylon bag of plastic pails, shovels and shapes for the obligatory sand castle creations that are planned, by you know who.

Did you ever wonder why, when the little ones have a whole ocean to play in, they HAVE TO dig a hole and then try and fill it with water, one pail at a time?

Of course, if you have older cousins, that pail of water may have a whole 'nother use.

 

One day after one of our wonderful adventures, I decided to create a beach theme pendant to memorialize those precious moments, which I call "A Day at the Beach". I stamped and painted a skinner blend to mimic the sky and the ocean coming together. Then I took some of that sand that always finds its way into your clothing and included it into the shoreline of the pendant. Of course, the plastic pail that was used for all the water fun, and then a collection bucket for sea shells, shiny stones, some sea glass if we were lucky, had to take its place on my beach. No self respecting shore is complete without sea grass, and gulls flying over, so they too got created and attached.


To complete the scene I added tiny real sea shells that had a special meaning for our family, and used even more of them to create the necklace for the pendant. Our oldest son got married at Sandals in Antigua, and our two other sons went with my husband and I to be there for it.

You know there is more to the story though. One evening, my youngest son drove me to a secluded, rocky beach to enjoy the sunset, and it was full of these amazingly perfect miniature shells. Why did we collect so many? Well, since he dropped the rental car keys almost immediately upon getting there, it then took us an hour to comb through and find them again. To this day he still cringes when he sees any of those shells.


Please enjoy the other blog posts from so many wonderful entrants in Rita's Blog Hop.

Toltec Jewels (Hostess) http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

Marlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Ailsa Cordner http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk/

Robin Reed http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Nan Smith http://www.wirednan.blogspot.com/

Sherri Stokey http://www.knotjustmacrame.com/

Christie (Charis Designs) http://charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Carolyn Lawson http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com/

Susie Harris http://jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com/

Andrea Glick-Zenith http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Nelly May http://smellynelly.blogspot.com/

Melissa Trudinger http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Dini Bruinsma http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com/

Kathy Lindemer http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

Cory Tompkins http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com/

Gina Hockett http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com/

Karen Martinez http://www.fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/

Liz http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com/

Jasvanti Patel http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com/

Solange Collin http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com/

Gerda http://gerdascraftsblog.blogspot.com/

Karla Morgan http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/

Anindita Basu http://alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Andrea Trank http://heavenlanecreations.com/

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com/

Mischelle Fanucchi http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/

Tanty Sri Hartanti http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/

Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Becca Sirevaag http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier http://windbent.wordpress.com/

Regina Wood http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com/

Sue Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Breeding https://www.facebook.com/99BOBOTW