We’ve been cruising for many moons, starting when my “baby” was still riding around in a baby bjorn on my belly. These days she struts out the door, oftentimes in my high heels, with great ease, and sometimes it’s hard to imagine she’s one and the same. In those early days I always kept a “craft kit” on board so the kids and I could be creative for a few hours each day. I had to have the basics on hand, because once we left the dock, finding glues, papers, paints, colored pencils, etc. would be nearly impossible.
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Some of the best projects were those that started with a walk on the beach or in the woods to collect items from nature to incorporate into the creations. The natural surroundings were always an inspiration for our works.
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Over these years, we’ve developed wonderful friendships with other families who boat. Each year this group gathers at one of my favorite spots, Mink Island. On the island my friend hosts an annual birthday party for a group of August babies at her cabin. This is summer weekend is a highlight for all, to catch up with these friends, see how the kids have changed over the previous year, dig clams in the isthmus, and swim around Little Mink, amongst other things.
In a setting like this you don’t really need much when it comes to decor. But I asked my friend if she wanted me to put together something for the tables this year.
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I had some of my favorite sea~blue glassybabies on board, but felt a little more color and texture was needed to make the tables look right.
Contemplating the situation overnight I remembered this incomplete craft project from years back.
We had started gluing shells and beach glass on plain glass votives.
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The vision was to have them completely covered with objects from the sea, so they’d look something like the votive below in the end. But, we were using basic craft glue and the chunky pieces would slide unless we held them in place for a long time, so it’s no wonder the project had been abandoned.
But over the years. I haven’t been able to bring myself to completely give up on them, and I guess I’ve always harbored hope that one day we’d somehow finish them off so they’d bring a coastal glow to our evenings on the boat.
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When I closed my eyes that night I was thinking there was something I could do with these remainders to make a splash at the bash at the point the next night, and somehow my mind drifted to flowing seaweed. Then I remembered some sheets of green and blue tissue paper that were wrapped around a thoughtful hostess gift I’d received. The next morning I tore the tissue paper into long seaweed~like strips,
then dipped them into a mix of craft glue and water. I started wrapping the wet strips around on the exposed glass of the votives, weaving them in between the pieces of glass and shells that were attached and patiently held into position by tiny fingers so many years ago.
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By layering the greens and blues I was able to recreate the colors of the sea and the mountains I was gazing at, as I sipped my morning coffee and became reacquainted with the pleasures of papier~mâché.
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After letting my renewed votives dry for a couple of hours I loaded them onto on my trusty paddle board {my favorite mode of transportation these days} and brought them to the “Pointhouse”.
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This paddleboard has been stable and spirited mode for transporting dogs, food, and forgotten objects from boat~to~boat or boat~to~shore on this summer. Here’s a shot of the prawns I paddled over for dinner the previous night.
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The Pointhouse is a rustic oasis on this tiny island in the Salish. It offers just enough shelter and creature comforts for those who stay there, while perfectly blending in with the natural surrounds.
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When I got there, the party preparations were well underway. I wish I could somehow share with you the incredible fragrance of these steamy~hot cedar planks, just off the grill, loaded with plump fillets of salmon.
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As I’d hoped, the votives were a perfect contrast to the weathered wood picnic tables.
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and looked great paired with the blue glassybabies.
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but they looked even prettier as the party went into full swing, after the sun went down.
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The overlapping layers of tissue paper were reminiscent of the views this salty society seeks each summer when we head to the Salish.
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I loved sharing this glow with all of these friends as we reconnected, reminisced and enjoyed great food and wines together in a open field on the island.
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But I was also warmed by the secret satisfaction of knowing the history of these long tucked~away treasures; and the blissful anticipation of enjoying the warm glow from these creative collaborations for many evenings to come on the Salish.
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Ah the life you live Emily!! The votives turned out beautifully!!
xoxo
Karena
Feature: Artist Anne Harwell
Thank you Karena, you and your featured artists continue to inspire me, heading over to read about your latest.
Emily, I love this! Your creativity inspires and I just love the story behind your beautiful lights. When I was little, my mother would always have craft projects at the ready for rainy summer days at our beach cabin – I think that the drizzly Puget Sound summers are why I became an artist! I love traditions that continue year after year, and yours seems to be a remarkably special one. Thanks so much for taking us with you – I'm glad your having such a beautiful time on the boat! XOXO