Cape Ann Designs

Sea Glass Accessories

Cape Ann Artisans

Taking in the Pink Craze? Sea Glass Designs Deliver!

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Taking in the Pink Craze? Sea Glass Designs Deliver!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to pull out all the “pink stops!”   From a girlfriend’s trip to see “Barbie” to participating in several wonderful “Play for Pink” breast cancer fundraisers – I’ve nearly exhausted my pink wardrobe!   When I look out at my garden, I am overwhelmed with the sheer beauty of fuchsia pink gladiolas.   So, as I began to prepare for the upcoming Cape Ann Artisans summer mini-tour, I decided to take a pink inventory.

It starts with all my Cape Ann Artisan materials.   Way ahead of the pink craze (in fact, by 40 years), we have branded our tour in pink.   So, if you forget everything else on August 12th pick up a pink brochure and follow the pink flags!

But right here in my sea glass world I took a deep dive into my sea glass jewelry collection and found some wonderful surprises.   For starters, I have a barrette that combines pink sea pottery with a pink striped piece of sea glass – a truly unique find and combination!

 

Using lavender sea glass, one of my newest designs includes many tones that border on pink.   This newest lariat and matching earrings are called “spinning tops” – using bottlenecks and deep pink pearls.

See the gallery of pink and lavender combinations to find your favorite way to celebrate this year’s Pink Frenzy!

The Woven Wonders collection features an exquisite curved, very deep lavender piece of sea glass that is hanging off a multi-colored metal choker. I also found a classic beauty – a necklace that layers a pink patterned piece of pottery on top of a lavender-pinkish piece of sea glass making a statement.  Please stop in to enjoy the full collection this weekend!

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Ready. Set. Go. 10/20/40/400!

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Ready. Set. Go. 10/20/40/400!

When I look out at the sign on my studio, it says Cape Ann Designs EST. 2002, but that’s just because my mother had the sign made for me and her lucky number was “22.”   Cape Ann Designs was actually founded in 2003 under the original name “Beach Glass Barrettes.”  Not long after that, the founders of the first Sea Glass Festival knocked on my door and participating in that show in 2004 was the first time I showed my work and met Carole Lambert, author of the Sea Glass Chronicles.   What Carole didn’t realize at the time is that she started a movement.  Since the publication of her book and Rockport’s tiny, but well attended “shard fest” – sea glass has had its own momentum and brought people together all around the world.

For me as well, it’s been a wild ride.   In 2023, I am embracing many significant milestones – two personal ones – 10 years on the Cape Ann Artisans Tour and 20 as a maker while being part of the larger communities – that of the Artisans which is celebrating its 40th and the City of Gloucester which is celebrating its 400th!  Wow, that’s a lot of bubbly!

As I pause and reflect, it’s good to revisit my goals for beginning this venture.  First and foremost, I need

Carole Lambert Book Signing

ed to recharge the creative side of my brain. My years of working in the corporate field had forced me to rely on others for that…. but I had many roots to nurture.  Secondly, I did, in fact, want to make this a separate business, all on its own.  I truly didn’t need any more hobbies (which I define as things no one would ever pay me to do, e.g. golf, tennis, kayaking, and simply collecting sea glass.)  I also knew I wanted to make something functional, beautiful, indigenous to Cape Ann, and in a niche that would have its own following.  All in all, I do believe I have achieved these things.

Before I ever started selling, I also spoke with retailers and galleries and learned a few things that concerned me.  One is that there were many makers who had “come and gone” leaving them in a precarious position.  This was especially true for hair accessories, a long-forgotten niche of jewelry.  My other goal was to stay with it and not disappoint people.  Furthermore, I wanted to be sure people thought of sea glass designs regardless of geography or time of year.  That’s an ongoing goal as I continue to evolve the designs and move the work beyond the north shore.  But now for the fun part.  The numbers tell a story of their own.  Since I started tracking items sold in 2003 (to the extent that I could – wholesale being a bit tricky) – here are some (not all) fun proof points of what’s sold:

  • 667 Barrettes (across 3 sizes)
  • 555 Alligator Clips
  • 208 Hair Combs
  • 132 Hair Forks
  • 303 Bracelets
  • 269 Pairs of Earrings

Now that’s a lot of sea glass! More importantly, however, have been the hundreds of amazing people that have endorsed my work, are wearing it, provide endless feedback and encouragement, and keep coming back for more.  This part of the journey is the most exciting, unexpected, and appreciated.  It’s all I need to be inspired to bring you the next wave of designs and find new ways to use my collection.  Thank you for being part of my journey!  Here’s to 2023.

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My Interview with MSONEWSports by Rick Moore

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Rick Moore is a pro!  A beloved, retired Math teacher, Rick has found another calling, interviewing athletes and artists (among others) for his amazing internet radio venture.  Go Rick!  Here’s my recent interview with him.  I am humbled by his generous spirit.

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A Creative Challenge: Preparing for two amazing events!

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There’s nothing like an artistic challenge from a fellow artist to get the creative juices flowing.   With a fall full of tying up loose ends for the seARTS event, Celebrate Wearable Art III (of which I am chair), it was imperative that I found some time to wear my artist hat and create something new over the summer.  Thanks to the collaboration with Camilla MacFadyen for her “summer” look for the runway show, I stared out the window of my studio into my garden, looked at my tray of small pieces of glass, and thought long and hard about what might possibly show up on a runway?  This by far is the biggest challenge for the Celebrate Wearable Art show – to make a statement piece that can be seen from far away.

The result is a theme piece called “The Rains of Summer; Tears of Joy.”  This thought directly aligned with the first “rain” that hit my garden and the shape of a raindrop and a tear-drop – both of which are soothing in their own special way!  The piece is actually a series of five tear-drop shaped pendants uniquely tied together in one piece to fully cover the neckline of the model below the neckline.   After the show, this piece can be taken apart with each piece of it, its own pendant unless of course, it sells as one piece.    Along with this, earrings that mimic the pair I made for the 2011 runway show that often get significant attention when I wear them – long and slender with one large bead or pear at the end – inspiring a “runway collection” of similarly constructed earrings!  Since I cannot reveal the pieces until after September 27th, I can only tease you with the pieces that I mention here that were the precedents to the final product and of course, the garden that I look at from my studio!   Here's a "Summer Sail" piece in the teardrop shape.   

Then I look forward to showing you ALL the new work on October 10-12 at the Fall Cape Ann Artisans' Studio Tour!

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Textures of the Cape Ann Artisans Open Studios: This weekend!

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Every time I start a new piece, I have the chance to dump loads of sea glass on to a table and peruse each piece to see how it would like to end up – a barrette? a brooch? a hunt for its mate for a pair of earrings?  Texture makes a big difference.  Nice flat pieces with even edges make great barrettes – while funky, chunky pieces work well for bracelets.  Sometimes, I just set aside a piece and look at it to see if it inspires an entirely new item in the collection.  Sea marbles and other odd shapes inspired a new type of "enclosed" pendant.  Flat chunky pieces inspired new post earrings (finally) as well as scarf clips.  Lariats were born of bottlenecks.  Then there is a matter of what feels good in your hair.  My newest silver  combs feel great – really stay in well and create an elegant addition to the collection. 

Generally speaking, the french clips that I use for barrettes feel solid and functional, while adding glamor your lovely locks!  It's no secret, that I love making and sharking hair accessories – since my quest for quality hair pieces started me on this artistic journey over 12 years ago.  The only way to see the full collection is to come to the studio and this is one of two weekends that the studio is open for two full days.   Whether you are a neighbor or visitor – please stop in to see me and my 21 fellow Cape Ann Artisans!  Look for the magenta flags and pick up a map either online, at the Chamber of Commerce on Commercial Street, or at almost any tourist attraction, Artisan Studio, hotel, or restaurant in town. 

And if you are looking to adopt a puppy, stop to see Judy Wright or Pam Stratton who are hosting "meet & greets" with Cape Ann Animal Aid!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Upcoming Winter events for Cape Ann Designs!

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Cape Ann Designs is very pleased to be joining “ART FROM THE HEART” CRAFT FAIR sponsored by the Marblehead Arts Association in February.   I will be there for the entire day (10-4PM) to help you choose something special for you or a loved one just in time for Valentine's Day!   We will be donating 20% of our sales to MAA and I am thrilled to be part of a diverse and enthusiastic group of artists presenting a wide variety of work.   MAA will also be donating 5% of its proceeds to the American Heart Association.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, THE MARBLEHEAD ARTS ASSOCIATION, King Hooper Mansion, 8 Hooper Street, Marblehead,  For more information call (781) 631-2608.  

On March 26th, I will return to MAA to give a talk on arts marketing – a sneak preview of the Arts Marketing workshop I designed last year for the Cape Ann Artisans.

In the meantime, I am working on new designs for earrings, making many more silver combs, and bracelets due to popular demand during the holidays!   

And while you are saving dates — mark June 20-21 for the Spring Cape Ann Artisans Tour!

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