What is sea glass?
Sea Glass is quite simply discarded glass, thrown into the ocean and recycled by the sea. Over time, glass is worn down by salt water and sand and after decades of being tossed around by the waves, the glass is polished and refined. This process usually takes anywhere from 30 years to over a hundred! Glass was often used in production of drinks, homeware and medicine bottles in the Victorian era.
It can also be known as Beach Glass or Mermaid Tears (or pirates treasure as my kiddies often call it).
Sea glass can be found glistening in the sun when the tide is low, usually amongst a shingle bank on the beach. Certain beaches tend to have more sea glass than others depending on where they are located and on the tides and currents. In Guernsey, you can usually find sea glass along the East and West Coast beaches however I occasionally find some along my favourite South Coast beaches. This can be a fun family activity to do on a sunny day.
I love how every piece of sea glass tells a story, whether it be from a Victorian medicine bottle or a pirate smugglers rum bottle dating back to the 1700s. No two pieces of sea glass are alike, just like a snowflake. That makes every piece you find unique!
The colour of the sea glass can give you an indication of where it originally came from. Common colours found are clear, brown, amber and green. These can easily be seen on most beaches as they were mostly commonly used for wine, ale, and medicine bottles. The rarer colours such as blues, reds, yellows and pink are much harder to find!
Aside from collecting sea glass and making jewellery, I enjoy being outdoors growing my own fruits and vegetables. I am also a keen baker (self professed chocoholic here!), and am passionate about anything arts or crafts related. In my spare time, I have been learning how to use Affinity Designer to create art work for Jasons games found here @ Granite Games.
THE BEGINNING OF SERENITY
After leaving my finance job in 2023 to spend more time with my young family, I decided to try and utilise my creative skills and learn how to start making jewellery. Inspired by nature and the beautiful coastlines of Guernsey, I wanted to incorporate sea glass into my designs.
To begin, I made gifts for friends and family before I took the plunge and started selling my jewellery at a local christmas market. Since early 2024, I have expanded by selling my designs in some local shops (find them here).
