FanningSparks – Page 36 – A DIY and lifestyle blog authored by Peg Frizzell.

Make & Give – 2020 Roundup

Judging from the recent activity on my Pinterest pins, crafting and making for the holidays is in full swing. My Turkish Mosaic Candle Holder, for instance, is getting considerable attention. It’s my most popular DIY tutorial having been featured on at least 3 other blogs and been viewed, pinned or shared over 660 times in just the last 90 days. The candle holder has a pretty 6-point star design that glitters and shines with candlelight. It is a great DIY project—quite doable with the step-by-step instructions. Plus it’s perfect for the holidays either to give as a gift or to decorate your own home!

As much as I like the Turkish Mosaic Candle Holder, several of the other DIY projects I’ve shared are equally noteworthy. Today’s post includes a roundup of Make & Give suggestions from the last year. Every item is unique and special. All have been featured in a blog post here on FanningSparks. Here’s the Make & Give Roundup for 2020.

1. Basic Pillow
2. Pressed Flower Girls Wall Art
3. Landlubber’s Toy Sailboat
4. One of a Kind (OOAK) Mosaic Tray
5. Lucet Cordmaking
6. Ultimate Picnic Blanket
7. Simple Folded Boat
8. Fern & Flower Press
9. AirBee-n-Bee House

1. Basic Pillow
This Basic Pillow is perfect for the beginner sewer. It’s designed to be made with custom fabric from the FanningSparks shop on Spoonflower. There are two collections of designs—the Floral World Tour – Warm Colors Collection featuring 3 colorful flower designs and Bring In the Outdoors – Fern Collection featuring 3 lush fern designs. Custom-matched striped fabric is also available for the pillow backs. That being said, any fabric can be used to make this simple 18” x 18” pillow cover. It is the perfect opportunity to use a fabric with special significance. Check out my previous post, DIY Personalized Fabric-Covered Journal Tutorial Part 1, for ideas about selecting fabric to match your recipient’s passion.

2. Pressed Flower Girls Wall Art
This wall art showcases pressed Rose of Sharon blooms. It’s a fun collage of dried flowers and paper cutout dolls mounted in a frameless holder of acrylic sheets and wooden bars. It could easily be customized with a name or meaningful quote. I didn’t provide a full step-by-step tutorial but the post clearly explains the process I followed. This project goes hand-in-hand with the Fern & Flower Press listed below at number 8. The only difficultly is settling on a pleasing arrangement of the design elements.

3. Landlubber’s Toy Sailboat
The Landlubber’s Toy Sailboat started as a photo prop but it promises hours of fun for children and the young-at-heart. It does an amazing job of floating in still waters and gentle breezes. Simple materials are used. The sails can easily be customized with unique fabric. A name, number or design motif could also be added. Basic wood working and fabric stitching are involved.

4. One of a Kind (OOAK) Mosaic Tray
This One of a Kind (OOAK) Mosaic Tray is as functional as it is pretty. The glass tile and stained glass mosaic is seated in a thrifted serving tray. The mosaic design combines a charming fern motif with a playful tic-tac-toe grid. The background is laid in a spiral pattern. The design could easily be customized to reflect the interests of the recipient. This project may be a little ambitious for a first mosaic project but is ideal for someone with a little mosaic experience. My post includes a description of the process along with helpful tips but does not provide detailed step-by-step instructions.

5. Lucet Cordmaking
A lucet is a simple tool that resembles a two-pronged fork. It is used to make a knotted cord by manipulating fiber strands around the prongs. My full step-by-step tutorial explains how to make a wooden lucet and use it to make cord. The lucet requires only a few supplies and basic woodworking skills. Cordmaking may require a little patience but the repetitive movements quickly become relaxing and soothing. Cord can be made in a variety of fibers, such as yarn, string and floss, in an endless array of colors.

6. Ultimate Picnic Blanket
This picnic blanket has several features earning it the “ultimate” title. It provides a protected place to sit keeping moisture, bugs and pokey things at bay. Plus it’s durable, easy care and machine washable. Fabric and sewing notions are needed. It requires basic sewing skills. The red-and-white gingham check and daisy motif could easily be replaced with different design choices.

7. Simple Folded Boat
The Simple Folded Boat is another great project for children and the young-at-heart. It would be perfect packaged as a kit with plans to make it together. It doesn’t get much easier than this project. The fabric for this project is available in a rainbow of colors and could easily be personalized with a name, number or design motif.

8. Fern & Flower Press
The Fern & Flower Press can be used to preserve flowers, ferns, leaves, grasses and other plant materials. It’s straightforward and simple to construct. It is a generously-sized press specifically designed for large plant elements like fern fronds. It would be easy, however, to adjust the size to make it smaller. The cover design could easily be customized. Basic woodworking materials and skills are required.

9. AirBee-n-Bee House
The AirBee-n-Bee House is an attractive insect hotel designed for a backyard or garden. It is targeted to tunnel-nesting native bees such as Mason Bees and Leaf-Cutting Bees. It features natural materials such as reeds and branches. Basic woodworking materials and skills are required. The nesting materials can be arranged as desired.

For a few additional options, consider these Make & Give projects from the 2019 roundup.

1. Turkish Mosaic Candle Holder
2. Woven Statement Necklace
3. Personalized Fabric-Covered Journal
4. Pyramid Trellis
5. Bespoke Pillows
6. Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse

More Info

Don’t miss last year’s Make & Give Roundup.
Please share this image or pin for later reference.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Hand-crafted items are unique and special.
2. Tailoring a hand-crafted gift for the recipient sends a message of love and caring.
3. Consider making and giving gifts this holiday season.

Gardening Nature

Our Garden Prepares to Leap

There’s a popular adage about perennial gardens: “The first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap!”. The thought is a new perennial garden takes 3 years to mature. The first year perennials put down roots, the second year they spread their foliage and the third year they leap into full growth. Perennials, by the way, are plants that persist year after year—they die back at the end of the growing season and grow back again in the spring. Annuals, on the other hand, last only one season.
The sleep-creep-leap analogy is a good reminder of the ways of Mother Nature. She can’t be rushed. The growing cycle is reassuringly predictable. These thoughts were running through my mind as I strolled around our garden recently.
Our front garden is ornamental consisting primarily of shrubs and perennial flowers under a canopy of mature trees. As with most gardens, it is ever-evolving. The main section, however, is about to leap into year 3. It’s come a long way from when we first saw this property in the spring of 2018.

We moved in the midst of a Georgia summer so all gardening was on hold for several months. The delay worked to our advantage giving us time to assess the characteristics of the site. This section of the yard faces south and receives ample sun with a canopy of tall, mature trees providing some shade. Water drainage is good but the soil is heavy clay. I came to appreciate the gently, curved concrete walkway as well as the concrete retaining wall along the driveway. And I quickly fell in love with the beautiful Japanese maple. We started working on the new garden in late October 2018. A truck-load of amended garden soil can be seen in the photo below.

A few weeks (and lots of hard work) later, a new ornamental flower garden emerged. Several small trees, shrubs, and perennial plants were settled into their new home. A set of colorful pyramid trellises were added to support climbing plants and add visual interest (see post DIY Pyramid Trellis Tutorial). A layer of pine straw, commonly used as mulch in the Southeast, was added. Stepping stone paths were laid out. The below photo shows the new garden as it looked in early November 2019, at the beginning of year 1—the sleeping stage.

Fast forward 1½ years to this past spring as the garden enters the creeping stage. I love spring in the US Southeast! It’s a full-on extravaganza of blooming plants and gorgeous greenery. The daffodils (Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’) started the show in early March. This coming season, I’m hoping for an even earlier start with late-blooming camellias (see my previous post Camellia Road Trip). Pictured below is the garden in mid-March of this year.

About two weeks later, the Japanese maples had leafed out and the clematis (Clematis ‘Ramona Blue’) hit its stride.
This was also peak season for the spectacular bearded irises.

Two more weeks, and the air was heavily scented with the aroma of Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).
A couple more weeks and several of the hydrangeas bloomed for the first time. Pictured are a Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifola ‘Snowflake’) and a Big Leaf Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer’ (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’).
The floral show was outstanding but flowers don’t last long. The trick is to stretch it out by selecting plants with different blooming times. Another option is to include a variety of foliage with different plant forms, leaf shapes, patterns and colors.
The challenge is to add just the right amount of variety… too much variation appears jumbled and haphazard while too little variety can be bland and uninteresting. I’ve found layering and repetition are key to adding variety effectively. By visualizing the garden as multiple layers, both on the vertical and horizontal planes, there are more opportunities to include a variety of plantings. Hardscapes and garden structures can also contribute to layering. Pictured here, is a variegated hosta (Hosta ‘Paul’s Glory’) in the foreground, Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’) to the right and Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) growing on the pyramid trellis in the background.
Another way to add interest and variety is to strategically place large, potted plants in the flower beds. I first noticed this technique during a Garden Tour (see the post Spring Into a Garden Tour). The hosta planted in this large, burgundy-colored, ceramic pot provided lush, green foliage the entire season.
It’s fun to incorporate interesting elements into the garden. In the below section, for instance, I created a focal point with 3 rustic, turned-wood posts. The idea is to draw the eye across the garden to the far left side. I love to include salvaged, paint-chipped porch posts, balusters and newel posts in the garden. Admittedly, I’ve gathered quite a collection over the years and more than one mover has questioned why I would bother to move old wooden posts from one home to another!
Strolling around the garden, especially in the early morning, is something I look forward to every day.

I’m not the only one drawn to the garden. Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) started visiting in early spring. We have a handful of birdhouses (see previous post – DIY Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse Tutorial) around our property and the bluebirds were busy nesting and feeding.
Here’s a beautiful male Eastern Bluebird sharing a perch with the metal bird on our bird bath.
Meanwhile, a charming Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) built a nest in this rustic, condo-style birdhouse.
Later in the summer, butterflies became frequent visitors (see post Chasing Butterflies). Here’s an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) enjoying a zinnia feast.
It’s now the beginning of November and the garden has slowed down. But there are still a few highlights to enjoy while I continue to tweak and refine. The Beautyberry (Callicarpa rubella), for instance, adds a jolt of unexpected color.
There’s nothing like before and after photos to illustrate progress. Our front garden has undergone quite a transformation in the first 2 years. I’m eager to see it leap into Year 3—something tells me I’d better get my pruning shears sharpened!

More Info

The colorful pyramid trellises featured in our front garden were made from lath strips using simple tools. I shared step-by-step instructions in the post DIY Pyramid Trellis Tutorial.
Step-by-step instructions for the birdhouse mentioned in this post can be found in DIY Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse Tutorial.
Garden tours are a great opportunity to admire other people’s gardens and to get ideas for your own. I’ve posted about a few garden tours including Spring Into a Garden Tour, A Virtual Stroll in Ticehurst and Charleston’s Glorious Window Boxes.
I’ve also had the pleasure of visiting several public display gardens. Check out A Virtual Visit to Lisse, Camellia Road Trip and Chasing Butterflies.
The posts A Before Tour of Our New Casual Lake House and Zinnias Rock! And More Cutting Garden Tips include more info and photos about our house and gardens.
For reference, I garden in Georgia in the southeast US, in a plant hardiness zone of 8A.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Perennial gardens sleep in the first year, creep in the second year and leap in the third year.
2. Consider building (or refining) your own perennial flower garden.
3. Take comfort in these words of encouragement from New Hampshire’s Bedrock Gardens: “In these trying times, we can agree that the power of gardens is all the more important and relevant. From the psychological benefits of connecting with the natural world, to the health benefits that stem from direct contact with a rich soil microbiome, we all understand that gardens are places of healing and wellness. It is our hope that gardens will continue to provide moments of joy and opportunities for reflection.”

Canada Make Nova Scotia PEI Photos Travel

Beacons of Light

When you grow up in a province with 13,300 km of stunning seacoast (as I did), it’s easy to take the ocean and its associated characteristics for granted. Take the lighthouse, for example. There are about 175 lighthouses in the province of Nova Scotia. The Lighthouse Route, along the province’s South Shore, has been touted as a scenic drive as long as I can remember. Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, an iconic Canadian image, is a must-see attraction for visitors.

But, I can’t honestly say I’ve given much thought to lighthouses and the important role they play. That is… until recently. During a visit to Nova Scotia’s neighboring province of Prince Edward Island (PEI or simply “the Island”), my husband and I set out on a short lighthouse tour. PEI, we discovered, boasts the highest concentration of lighthouses in North America. There are 63 lighthouses and range lights, averaging one for every 34 square miles, along the deeply-indented coastline of Canada’s smallest province. I walked away with a whole new appreciation for these historical structures. One of the lighthouses we visited is the Panmure Head Lighthouse on Panmure Island.

It’s common knowledge lighthouses emit beams of light to warn mariners of hazards and aid them in navigating safely. Lighthouses are typically built as towers to hold the guiding lights as high as possible. In the below photo of the Felgueiras Lighthouse in Porto Portugal, the rocky shores, thick fog and crashing waves bring the purpose of the lighthouse to life.

What may not be as well-known is that every lighthouse is identified by its own unique markings and flash patterns. As explained by the Britannica website: “Most lighthouses rhythmically flash or eclipse their lights to provide an identification signal. The particular pattern of flashes or eclipses is known as the character of the light, and the interval at which it repeats itself is called the period. The number of different characters that can be used is restricted by international agreement through the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities.” This critical information is distributed to mariners by the relevant national authorities. In Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard publishes Notices to Mariners (NOTMAR). Here is the relevant section about the lighthouse on Panmure Island.

The 3 data points under Light Characteristics are Rhythm, Colour and Period. The Light Characteristics of the Panmure Head Lighthouse are:
. Rhythm is “Fl” for flashing which is defined as “a light in which the flash is clearly shorter than the duration of darkness (eclipse) and in which the flashes of light are all of equal duration”.
. Colour is “W” for white.
. Period is “4s” for 4 seconds. The period is defined as “the time taken to complete one rhythm cycle”.
More simply, as stated in the Panmure Island Lighthouse visitor brochure, “Panmure Island has a white flash, with a flash of 4 seconds followed by an eclipse of 4 seconds.”
The NOTMAR also includes a brief description for each entry. The below photo illustrates the “White octagonal tower with red top” of the Panmure Head Lighthouse.

During tourist season, it’s possible to enter the Panmure Island lighthouse and climb up the stairs to the top. There’s a lovely view of the Northumberland Strait waters, beach and causeway from there…

…as well as a closeup look at the light in the Lantern Room. This light, from 2010, works with a photo sensor to activate the light at night or during conditions of fog or low light. The flashing light can be seen for 9 nautical miles.

Interestingly, the previous light, a 4^th Order Fresnel beehive lens was visible for an even greater range at 19 nautical miles. It is on display on the second floor of the lighthouse.

The Fresnel lens is noteworthy for its history. Nearly 200 hundred years ago, in 1822, a French physicist named Augustin-Jean Fresnel revolutionized lighthouse illumination with the invention of this lens. He innovatively encircled the light source with glass prisms preventing the light from scattering. The prisms collect and redirect the light producing a significantly stronger beam of light.
The Panmure Island Lighthouse, built in 1853, has a heavy timber frame built with construction techniques typical of shipbuilding. It is considered a “first-generation” or colonial lighthouse. But it is not the oldest lighthouse on the Island—that honor goes to the Point Prim Lighthouse.

The Point Prim Lighthouse has been in service since 1845. It is one of a few round, brick lighthouses in Canada. Note the brick has since been covered with wooden shingles which are visible in the below photos.

It stands 18.6 meters above the ground—surprisingly the exact same height as the Panmure Island lighthouse. The Point Prim flash pattern is “Flash 0.2s; eclipse 4.8s. Operates at night only.”

Arguably, the most photographed lighthouse on the Island is the one at Brighton Beach. Located in Charlottetown, at the west end of the ever-popular Victoria Park Boardwalk, it is perfectly positioned for dramatic sunset scenes. To be accurate about it, the Brighton Beach structure is actually a Front Range Light not a lighthouse.

The distinction between lighthouses and range lights was new to me. Range lights are a pair of light beacons positioned near one another. The two light structures are carefully constructed so one range light is in front of and below the other. At night, mariners visually align the front and rear range lights to provide a bearing and navigate safely. During the day when the lights are not clearly visible, the range lights may be equipped with large painted flags, called daymarks or dayboards, to be aligned in the same fashion as the nighttime lights.
A fun fact I learned from the Lighthouse Friends website (see More Info below) is the “Brighton Beach Range Lights did not escape the notice of Lucy Maude Montgomery, Prince Edward Island’s most famous author, when she vacationed at the Brighton Shore in 1923. Montgomery wrote the following to her pen pal George McMillan in a letter dated September 3, 1924. “My first week was spent with an old college chum in her summer bungalow on the south side, built just where the North River empties into Hillsborough Bay. It was situated between two range lights that burned enchantingly through the twilights, pearl white against the ethereal skies. Down the harbor there were more rangelights and far out, seemingly in mid-harbor, shone the far away lighthouse on Point Prim — a beacon in ‘fairylands forlorn’.”
We visited another Range Light on the Island; the Leards Front Range Light is located in the charming village of Victoria-by-the-Sea.

In addition to visual aids, some lighthouses also provide aural aids to mariners. Examples of sound producing aids include bell buoys, whistle buoys and fog horns. The East Point Lighthouse, shown below, provides some insight into the historical use of fog horns. The building shown to the right of the lighthouse was originally a Fog Alarm Building. It is one of the few intact fog alarm buildings on PEI and currently serves as a gift shop and café.

In the same way that lighthouses have distinct flashing pattern, fog alarms have a distinct pattern of blasts. The East Point Fog Alarm characteristic consisted of a 6-second blast every 54 seconds. The below fog horns were removed from the original 1908 fog alarm building.

Not surprisingly, fog horns like these are no longer used. Advances in technology, especially the wide-spread adoption of GPS and depth-finding equipment on board marine vessels, have diminished the role of the lighthouse. But for many, lighthouses will always represent strength, guidance, hope and safe harbor.
I’ll wrap up with one final shot—this splendid sunset scene of the St Andrews (North Point) lighthouse from St Andrews, New Brunswick.

More Info

Learn more about Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia in my previous post, First Light at Peggy’s Cove.
The Prince Edward Island Lighthouse Society (PEILS) is a non-profit group formed to aid in the preservation of PEI lighthouses. Check out the PEILS website for a directory of lighthouses on the Island including an interactive map, photos, descriptions and histories.
The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), previously known as International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1957 to collect and provide nautical expertise and advice. You can learn more on the IALA website.
The Canadian Coast Guard Notices to Mariners – NOTMAR can be found here. Select the “Atlantic Coast” tab to find the list for PEI. The United States Coast Guard publishes similar information—the US Atlantic Coast Light List can be accessed from here.
The Lighthouse Friends website is packed with information about the lighthouses of the USA and Canada. The author, Kraig Anderson, reports he has visited all the lighthouses in the US and nearly all in Canada.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Lighthouses have a fascinating story to tell.
2. Find comfort in the good vibes associated with lighthouses: strength, guidance, hope and safe harbor.
3. Consider visiting a nearby lighthouse to enjoy some socially-distanced, time outdoors.

Make Nature Other Media

Heaps and Stacks of Stone

Along the Camino Portugués, an ancient pilgrim route from Portugal to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain, traditional wayfinding methods have been replaced with modern, bold, yellow arrows. (See my post Following the Yellow Arrows about my adventure walking this trail around this time last year.) I do recall, however, one spot along the forest path between Esposende and Viana do Castelo (shown below) where a fork in the trail was marked with a pile of stones. I didn’t know it was called a “cairn” nor did I know that a cairn is “read” by looking for a small stone at the side of the pile. A small stone on the right indicates you should turn right. While a stone on the left side would indicate turning left. Luckily, I guessed correctly and continued along my merry way.

A cairn is defined as “a heap of stones piled up as a memorial or as a landmark”. Throughout the ages, people built cairns to indicate various items of significance including trails, graves, altars, property boundaries and hunting grounds. Cairns are still used for wayfinding in some backcountry locations.
Nowadays, a different version of cairn—the stacked stone tower—is popping up wherever an abundance of stones are found. These stacks don’t serve any specific purpose; they are typically created for amusement and entertainment. I confess to building a few myself. Here’s my first attempt created with the beautiful red sandstone of Prince Edward Island.

My next attempt resulted in this precarious version.

Obviously, the point is to build a tower that doesn’t topple over. Oops!
This third version, built with river stones, looks a little more promising.

My rudimentary attempts pale in comparison to some of the ornamental stacked stones I’ve seen in my travels. Here’s a stunning accomplishment I spotted along the Camino between Viana do Castelo and Caminha, Portugal. My online research reveals this would likely be considered “rock or stone balancing”.

“Rock balancing or stone balancing (stone or rock stacking) is an art, discipline, or hobby in which rocks are naturally balanced on top of one another in various positions without the use of adhesives, wires, supports, rings or any other contraptions which would help maintain the construction’s balance.” says Wikipedia. Here’s a closer look at the structure.

Here’s another impressive example of stone balancing. I spotted this one at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia.

The below figure, a specific version of a cairn called an inuksuk, was also spotted at Peggy’s Cove.

Inuksuit (plural for inuksuk), were traditionally constructed by the Inuit and used to communicate throughout the Arctic. Inuksuit are sculptures of piled stone in the shape of human figures. Turns out, building an inuksuk, especially one that’s stable and graceful, is more difficult than it appears.

While researching tips for stone stacking, I learned there is quite a controversy around this practice. Back in 2012, David B. Williams, author of the book Cairns: Messengers in Stone gave this advice: “I would offer the idea of leave no trace, meaning don’t build cairns unless they serve a purpose”. But a recent article on BigThink, headlined “Stone stacking destroys the environment for clicks and likes”, makes a much stronger statement. The author Kevin Dickinson reports that “stone stacking has surged in popularity” and that “stone stackers have flocked to national and state parks to enjoy the discipline among nature’s beauty”. This view of stone stacks atop the granite rocks of Peggy’s Cove provides visual evidence.

The BigThink article goes on to explain that environmental damage can result from widespread stone stacking and shares the findings of a scientific case study conducted on Maderia Island, Portugal. The scientists wrote: “We use this case in point to argue that, in areas of conservation concern, authorities should impose restrictions to this practice and quickly dismantle stone towers to avoid a contagious effect that often encourages the construction of more such structures“.
An article by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, reinforces these concerns and then goes on to offer an easy alternative. “By respecting the following recommendations we can keep our wild spaces wild, while enjoying rock stacking, and the freedom of expression that comes along with it.
. Leave What You Find, officially designated cairns need to be left in place. Altering these cairns in any way poses a threat to visitor safety, and the ethic of the area visiting.
. When making your own rock stacks stick to durable surfaces. Many times along streams and rivers, one will be walking in riparian areas. Use designated trails and durable surfaces to minimize impacts.
. When collecting rocks only collect ones that are loose from soils, sands, and silts. This will minimize the impact of erosion.
. Build your stacks, take pictures, and then return all of the used rocks to their original locations.
. Leave the area how it was originally found to maintain the wildness of the area.”
Duly noted!
Another option I find intriguing is to build a few stone stacks in my garden. Perhaps a few carefully-constructed stone stacks, similar to the one pictured below, would work. This one is actually very small as all the stones fit into the palm of one hand. But with larger stones, probably reinforced for safety, I think it would be amazing nestled in amongst the flowers.

More Info

You can learn more about my experience walking the Camino through Portugal in the post Following the Yellow Arrows. Check out more of Nova Scotia’s rugged beauty in the post First Light at Peggy’s Cove.
Here’s the link to the Rock Balancing article in Wikipedia.
Amazingly, there’s a World Rock Stacking and Skipping Championship held in Llano, Texas as part of Llano Earth Art Fest every year.
You can learn more about inuksuit on the Canadian Encyclopedia website.
David B. Williams’ book Cairns: Messengers in Stone can be found on Amazon. Here’s an interesting interview of the author from the Wandering Educators website. Or you can learn more about the author on his Geology Writer website.
Here is the link to the BigThink Article on stone stacking and to the Leave No Trace article which offers the easy alternative shared above.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Humans have used piles of stones to communicate for centuries.
2. Stacking stones, when done with respect for nature, can be an entertaining challenge.
3. Help protect the outdoors by adopting Leave No Trace practices.

Canada Nature Nova Scotia PEI Travel

In Pursuit of Sea Glass

Imagine the rhythmic song of the waves, the tang of salt in the air, the cool grit of sand underfoot and, with a little luck, a glimpse of light reflecting off a small surface. The glitter of light catches the eye and brings one in for a closer look. Is it a sea shell? A shiny stone? Or a piece of ocean-worn glass? Is it sea glass—that elusive treasure that lures beachcombers to shorelines around the world?
While the pursuit of sea glass may be a romantic endeavor, its origin is anything but. Sea glass, as I’ve learned, originates from old bottles and broken glass which was discarded along the shore or dumped into the ocean. Over time—between 20-40 years—the push and pull of the ocean tides combined with the chemical transformation from the salt water turns the glass trash into sea glass gems.
For many sea glass fans, this unlikely transformation is part of the appeal. According to Jane Claire McHenry of Sea Glass Jewelry by Jane “…sea glass is symbolic of renewal and healing. I believe that a well-worn piece of sea glass is a testament to strength and survival, something that is almost spiritual. Sea glass philosophy is about accepting one’s imperfections and believing that persistence and time will smooth and soften them just as a jagged piece of sea glass is transformed over time into a new creation that is even more beautiful than before.”
Just to clarify, the terms “sea glass” and “beach glass” are used interchangeably but, to be quite accurate about it, sea glass is formed by salt water while beach glass is formed by fresh water. The physical and chemical differences between the salt and fresh water environments produces slightly different characteristics in the glass. Another, more whimsical, term often used to describe sea glass is “mermaid’s tears”.
Sea glass can be found in a variety of colors. The most common colors are clear (which becomes a frosty white), green and brown. Colors can often be traced back to their origins. For instance, the most common source of brown sea glass is beer bottles. Wine bottles produce medium-dark green sea glass. Fragments of early, ordinary window glass transform into very light blue, almost white, sea glass.
Shown below, beside a naturally-rounded piece of sandstone, are 4 different colors of sea glass including clear (frosted white), seafoam, green and brown.
The availability of different colors has led to designations of rarity. Categories such as of common, uncommon, rare and extremely rare are often used. But for the more sophisticated sea glass collector, sea glass guides provide more detailed categories. One guide I found online, the Carter Sea Glass Color and Rarity Guide, sorts sea glass into 81 descriptively named colors and rates them for rarity on a scale of 1 to 10.
The below photo features clear sea glass gems which have transformed to frosty white.
Blue-colored sea glass is less common and eagerly sought after but it’s not as rare as orange and red.
Just for fun, here’s a sundae dish serving up pieces of clear and seafoam sea glass topped off with a piece of green sea glass.

To increase my odds of actually finding a sea glass gem on my first hunt, I did a little research online and quizzed an experienced “picker” (Thank you Bert!). Here are the tips that worked for me:
1. Location Select a destination that is known for being a good source of sea glass. Be aware of the rules and regulations since some locations do not allow beachcombers to keep their finds. Keep in mind, sea glass picking has been popular for many years and desirable locations may not be as prolific as they once were. Beautiful Inverness Beach on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is a great location for sea glass picking.
2. Timing Ocean waves carry sea glass to the shore so it makes sense to go at low tide or when the tide is on the way out. Another factor to consider is weather—picking is reported to be better after a storm. Getting to the beach early to be the first picker, or simply to enjoy the sunrise, is another option. The below masterpiece, courtesy of Mother Nature, was sunrise at Crowbush Cove on Prince Edward Island’s north shore.
3. Technique Walk slowly and scan the ground. Some people recommend walking along the “wrack” which is the furthest point the tide has carried debris. Alternatively, sea glass gems can be found by sifting through small stones or searching amongst rocks.
4. Logistics Bring deep pockets or a bag that won’t rip. Keep both hands free for picking.
5. Attitude Be realistic—don’t expect to find a large piece of extremely rare red glass on the first outing. Be patient and enjoy the experience!
Here’s the first piece of sea glass I found. For the record, I drew the arrow in the sand so it would show up in the photo—there are no arrows pointing to sea glass gems on the beach!
One final tip: when getting creative and staging photos of sea glass in the waves, remember the ocean can reclaim that glass as easily as it delivered it in the first place! (Don’t worry; no sea glass was lost in the making of this photo.)

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Special thanks to my always generous mother-in-law, Bertha, for kindly sharing her passion for sea glass as well as a considerable portion of her own collection.
There is the question, of course, of what to do with all this lovely sea glass. Incorporating it into a necklace or other piece of jewelry is a popular choice. Displaying it in a clear glass bowl or vase, especially under water in a shallow dish, is a great option. There are dozens of possibilities. I’ve started a Pinterest board to collect ideas and spark inspiration. Check it out here.
The North America Sea Glass Association provides resources on sea glass, hosts sea glass festivals and “educates the collector, consumer and retailer as to the properties and benefits of genuine, pure, natural beach unaltered sea glass”. Interestingly, as the supply of natural sea glass dwindles, there is a growing trend towards creating sea glass artificially. This can be done by altering, grinding, acid etching, sand blasting or tumbling pieces of glass to replicate genuine sea glass. Since it’s much easier and less expensive to make artificial sea glass than to find genuine sea glass, it’s important for consumers to be aware of this practice.
Beachcombing magazine (formerly Glassing Magazine) has lots of interesting articles about sea glass. “Beachcombing is a print and digital magazine dedicated to beachcombing, beach travel, coastal arts, and coastal living. Each issue is full of stories about sea glass and beach glass, shells, fossils, beach rocks, driftwood, and more from shorelines around the world.”
Check out the beautiful Sea Glass Jewelry by Jane on her website or Instagram account.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Arguably, Mother Nature’s power and beauty is most evident where the ocean meets the land.
2. Consider strolling a shoreline in pursuit of sea glass gems.
3. Sometimes the most beautiful treasures have the most unlikely beginnings.

Fiber Make Tutorials

Simple Folded Boat – DIY Tutorial

In my previous post, Falling Leaves and Floating Boats, I introduced these small, floating boats and promised to share the instructions for making them. I’ve had the opportunity to test these little boats in a few different settings since that post. They handled the swift current of a small stream without any mishaps.

This little creek would have been a great place to stage a race or host a regatta.

I also tried the boats in the gentle surf at the beach.

I’m happy to report the boats fared well in all these settings. But be forewarned, these boats are light and swift and could be heading out to sea before you know it. Ask me how I know!

These folded boats are easy to make. They are simply an upscaled version of the boats children fold from paper. But there are a few things I learned from trial and error that are worth calling out.
First is the material used to make them. Traditionally, these boats are folded from paper. Paper boats float beautifully—the first time. But they get waterlogged quickly. I tried several other materials including clear vinyl, adhesive vinyl, lightweight coated nylon and marine vinyl. The material that performed the best, though, is a polypropylene fabric called Oly*Fun™. This fabric repels water and floats perfectly. Oly*Fun™ is readily available from fabric and hobby stores. I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby. It is sold in sheets or by the yard and comes in a variety of deep, rich colors.
After trying a few different configurations, I found the ideal size and proportions to be a 7” x 10” rectangle of fabric. The finished boat is about 7” long by 3” wide by 2 ¾” high.
Fabric doesn’t hold folds as well as paper but I discovered that tacking down the folds solved that problem. I used matching thread to make a few simple stitches at pivotal spots. This served to hold the folds, keep the fabric in place and maintain the shape of the boat. I suspect you could use glue to accomplish the same thing.
These 3 key learnings are incorporated into the Simple Folded Boat Tutorial instructions that follow.
Supplies Needed
The following supplies are needed to make 1 simple, folded boat:
. Fabric: 1 – 7” x 10” rectangle of Oly*Fun™ which is a 100% polypropylene fabric made by Fairfield
. Thread: Matching thread. Alternatively, waterproof glue could be used.
Tools Needed
. Scissors
. Ruler
. Pencil/Marker
. Binder Clips: 2 small ¾” clips
. Sewing Needle

Instructions for Simple Folded Boats
Step 1-4 Fold Peak Place fabric rectangle on working surface with 7” edge along bottom.
Step 1: Fold in half bringing top edge down to match bottom edge.
Step 2: Fold in half, again, bringing left edge over to match right edge. Use binder clip to hold in place while pressing firmly to crease the fabric. Once creased, remove the clips and unfold. This crease serves to mark the center line.
Step 3: Bring top left corner down to align with the center crease. Hold in place with a binder clip.
Step 4: Repeat on right side bringing top right corner down to align with the center crease.

Steps 5-6 Stitch Peak Tack down folds with hand-sewn stitches. I used contrasting thread for clarity in this tutorial but I recommend using matching thread. I found cross-stitches worked well and looked nice. Alternatively, you could use glue to secure the folds.
Step 5: Carefully stitch through all layers EXCEPT the back layer. Otherwise, the boat cannot open. Insert fingers inside peak to hold fabric in place while stitching. Knot ends and hide inside folds.
Step 6: Make a second cross-stitch. Remove binder clips.

Steps 7-10 Fold and Stitch Sides
Step 7: Bring bottom edge up to match bottom edge of peak.
Step 8: Fold again, bringing folded bottom edge up by the same amount as previous fold.
Step 9: Tack folds with a cross-stitch about ¾“ from the left edge. Carefully stitch through all layers EXCEPT the back layer. Repeat on right side.
Step 10: Turn over boat so back side is facing up. Repeat steps 7-9.

Steps 11-13 Open Boat
Step 11: Position boat on working surface with front facing up. Refold boat forming a diamond shape with the center front positioned along the top left. All the ends of the sides will be at the bottom point. Starting with the ends sitting on top, neatly tuck the right ends inside the folds of the left tip. Flip over the boat and repeat with the back set of ends.
Step 12: Lift up the boat holding a set of folded, tucked ends in each hand. Pull hands apart to open up boat. Flip up sides and open peak fully.
Step 13: It’s that simple! Your new Simple, Folded Boat is ready for action.

Find some water and let the fun begin!

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Please share this image or pin for future reference.

Check out my previous post, Falling Leaves and Floating Boats, for fun photos of these boats in an autumn setting.
You can learn more about Oly*Fun™ fabric on the Fairfield website.
These Simple Folded Boats are suited to shallow waters while the Toy Sailboats I featured in the previous post, Sunrise Breakfast Picnic, are better suited to water that is at least 1½ feet deep. Check out a A Landlubber’s Toy Sailboat – DIY Tutorial for instructions.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider making simple, folded boats to share with children or enjoy yourself.
2. Enjoy spending time by a stream, lake, ocean or other natural body of water.
3. Find joy in the simple pleasure of floating a boat.

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