The Idea

1995 - I'm a pack rat, I know it. When we moved into our house and found the stash of antique glass topped canning jars I knew I would use them "someday." So I saved them from the dump. I washed them and stored them safely in the basement for when that day would arrive.

July 2, 2010 - Someday just arrived. My friend Aimee asked me to be a craft vendor for an event she was putting together at the Newmarket Community Center in less than two weeks. Sure, I've done lots of different crafts, but I'm not a vendor. I told her I had an idea of making seascapes in these old glass jars that I had tucked away somewhere, maybe I had 100 of them. I'd see what I had and get back to her. I found the stash - 15 years later. So far I have uncovered about 40 jars - that might be enough to get started.

Last winter I had gone to the beach and collected seaweed, shells and sand so that I could make some seascapes for Christmas presents. The seaweed had dried nicely and was now ready for me, but I didn't think I had enough. I needed more so I headed out with my dog Buster and we collected seaweed and shells (the sand came from parking lots so I wouldn't break any laws). With about 10 days to go, I had to get this stuff dried out. First I washed it with the hose and then I strung the seaweed up all over my yard. We were in the middle of a heat wave and the seaweed dried out in no time at all.