Sojourn Curiosities

Musings on Life and Lost Things Found

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Follow me




I've got a new blog, friends!

It is called Little Cabin.
There I will share what's new with Sojourn Curiosities, the adventures I go on, and the small things in life that undeniably make it so wonderful.

I hope that you will follow me there!


Monday, May 30, 2011

Pocketful of Inspiration


This weekend we took a mini-vacation to Bar Harbor. While there, we spent lots of time walking on the waterfront, exploring.

One afternoon, after walking out on the sandbar to the island, my fellow and the girls built fairy houses and cairns while I sat down and just looked closer at all the little stones and shells. I discovered so many tiny, beautiful (uninhabited) periwinkle shells among the rocks and larger shells. I have a plan for a new product line which I can't wait to share. Think simple, natural beauty!


Sunday, April 10, 2011

Cabinet of Curiosities




Through a bit of luck, I have acquired my dream storage cabinet for all of my keys, shells, sea glass, and other supplies. It is a specimen cabinet with wide, deep drawers. I can fit all of my materials, my wire and tools, and my packaging supplies within its drawers. It is perfect!


As I am amidst a move, I am every few days bringing to my new home a box of sea glass or sea pottery from my old home. Yesterday, the greens came over. I spent some time on the deck, seeing what was fit for wrapping, what I might pass on to those who could better use it. I found some real gems. One of my favorite things about sea glass is the three hues any piece can have. Dry, it can appear frosty, and deep in color. Wet, the color is more intense, clearer. Held up to sunlight, brilliant, sometimes unexpected hues are revealed. Here are a few of my favorite discoveries from yesterday.


Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Winter Wonderland


The presents are long unwrapped, now a part of our daily lives. The Christmas tree, the long-staying harbinger of the season, has been taken out to a summer burn pile. All of the trappings of holiday-time are gone, and yet this winter seems to grow ever more perfect, week by week.

Certainly, this is the snowiest winter that I can recall since childhood. The snow falls, and it stays, layer upon layer altering the cartography of our backyard. Our homespun sled-racing trails are fun until they get covered over by a new storm, and then we begin the joyful toil of forming them again. Twinkle lights draped from the trees above the racing trails now touch our heads when we walk beneath, boosted ever closer by numerous snowfalls.

Amidst the flurry of snow days, snowshoeing,
snowboarding, and other SNOWY things, I have also been at the work table, creating some pieces that bring a bit of summer to mind. Sea glass, sea pottery, and the occasional key, too. Here is one of my recent favorites.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Where is Sojourn?

I have been so busy with getting my new kindergarten classroom up and running.
It's my second year, and it's looking great, so far. Jewelry work will resume in the coming weeks, as things settle in at school for me.

In the meantime, if you're interested, I've started a blog about my experiences as a teacher.

It's called Journeys in Childhood. Hope you'll check it out!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Personalize Your Packaging

In your business, presentation is just as important as the product itself.

Here's an easy way to personalize your packaging, on a budget.

1) Choose a strong, unique component of your logo, maybe it's a bird, a star, or a nouveau-style woman's profile. For me, it's a tree.

2) Find a rubber stamp designer who does custom work, to create a stamp with your chosen image. Here's the artist I worked with on Etsy! Be sure to grab an inkpad or two!

3) Stamp tissue paper in your choice of pattern. I chose to create alternating rows, like bricks.

Here's how it turned out:


Saturday, August 15, 2009

Fall Wishes



Gathering Apples, 2009 Collection

In the fall of the year, when warm days give way to crisp nights, the work of plant and man culminates in a bounty, offerings for the harvest basket.









Sweet pendants, rings and earrings in this collection are winding their way into the shop, now. Pick your own!