Happy New Year Everyone! All the best in 2020!​

Time for another giveaway. The prize: One "Sea Glass & Coastal Theme 2020 Desk Calendar”.
To enter tag someone who would like this giveaway in the comments section of this post. Each person has 1 entry.
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You also need to like this page or our instagram page.
The draw will be made November 15 at 2:00pm MST.
​Don't forget to share this and tell your friends.
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Entry Update: After 30 entries from Instagram and Facebook for the calendar giveaway we have chosen a winner.
Thank you to all who have entered the giveaway.
A big congratulations goes to Marion @mladymarion from Nova Scotia, Canada. A package containing the calendar will be on its way!

NEW Sea Glass & Coastal Theme 2019 Calendar 

We are excited to be offering our NEW Sea Glass & Coastal Theme 2019 Calendar  (SOLD OUT)
This Wall Calendar features Sea Glass from England, Greece and Vancouver Island, Canada. Other Coastal Theme photographs are included in the calendar.  It measures 11” x 17” and is made of high quality satin paper stock.  The images on the calendar are both calming and refreshing making this an ideal Gift for any friend or family member.
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https://www.hightidepictures.ca
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With the growth and popularity of sea and beach glass collecting here is a list of some of the sea glass upcoming events and festivals. There were two held this year already one in Cayucos,California for The Cayucos Sea Glass Festival and another in St. Michaels, Maryland for the Eastern Shore Sea Glass and Coastal Arts Festival.  There are many more happening this year from April to November 2018, have a look below...




April 14-15, 2018 • The Event Center at the Hamburg Fairgrounds, Hamburg, New YorkThe Inaugural Buffalo Beach Glass & Coastal Arts Festival
Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm — Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm
Join us for two days dedicated to beach and sea glass! Over 85 talented sea glass and beach glass artists, jewelers, and collectors from all across the U.S. and Canada will be showcasing their creations, sharing their knowledge through our lecture series, judging our Best Beach Find Contest, and enjoying a great weekend with fellow beach lovers.
Go to https://www.glassingmagazine.com/festival/  for more information.
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Northeast Sea Glass Expo, May 5-6, 2018 - Seabrook,  NH
Grab your friends, grab your husband, grab every  mermaid you know and head on down to The Northeast Sea Glass Expo!   We have a super exciting weekend planned.
There is something for everyone. For more info visit The Northeast Sea Glass Expo Facebook page: 
https://www.facebook.com/TheNortheastSeaGlassExpo/.
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 2018 Mid-Atlantic Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival - Lewes, Delaware
Sat & Sun, June 23rd & 24th, 2018
2018 is the ninth year for this event, and it’s expected to be better than ever! It will feature nearly seventy sea glass artists, joined by other coastal artists- including decoy carvers and waterfowl artists. Vendors come from up and down the East Coast, and as far away as the Virgin Islands.
More information here: https://www.historiclewes.org/events/2018-mid-atlantic-sea-glass-coastal-arts-festivalc
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Ashtabula Beach Glass Festival, June 23-24, 2018
Ashtabula, Ohio
Annual gathering of Beach Glass Artist and collectors.More information here:https://www.facebook.com/beachglassfestival/
 
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Mermaid Tears Sea Glass Festival,  Sat & Sun, July   28th & 29th, 2018
The Mermaid Tears Sea Glass Festival is the largest sea glass festival and was the first ever in Canada. The festival is held on the LAST full weekend in July each year be sure to save the date. It celebrates Sea Glass AKA Mermaid Tears.
For more info visit https://peiseaglassfestival.com/
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Santa Barbara Sea Glass and Ocean Arts Festival, Sat & Sun, Sept 8th & 9th, 2018
Handmade, ocean-themed art and authentic sea glass jewelry created by dozens of talented artists from across the country, this festival is the only one of its kind in Southern California - and one of only three on the entire West Coast.
For more info visit, https://www.santabarbaraseaglassandoceanartsfestival.com/
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2018 North American Sea Glass Festival  Wildwood, NJ  
Saturday, October 27, 2018 & Sunday,  October 28, 2018.  Please join us for our 13th North American Sea Glass Festival!
www.seaglassassociation.org
For more information visit:
https://www.facebook.com/NorthAmericanSeaGlassFestival/
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10th Annual Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival - Santa Cruz, California
November 3 – November 4, 2018
10th Annual Festival celebrating authentic sea glass and coast art of all kinds. You'll find one-of-a-kind pieces, from ceramics, soaps, sea salts, photography, fabric arts and stunning sea glass jewelry.  $5 admission includes a chance to win a spectacular gift basket chockfull of amazing sea-inspired goodies donated by the artists themselves. Four gift baskets given away daily.
And Special on Sunday: 12pm-4pm we have the 'Collectors Showcase'! Local collectors will be displaying their favorite sea glass finds and talking about their hunting history.
For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/348758248940902/

Agate Hunting Leads to a New Type of Treasure..

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Tim Blair. Tim is a Washington state beachcomber who has made an intentional quest to map out the Olympic peninsula in search for good beaches producing interesting treasures for beachcombers.
   
     Tim mentioned his family moved to the Puget Sound area in 2002 but as many of us do focused mainly on life’s daily rat race not fully appreciating the beauty of the natural surroundings.  Friends later sparked a renewed interest to begin exploring the beaches in the area when they bought a house in Ocean Shores, WA on the tip of the peninsula that looks out on the water.  
 
After attending a local craft fair Tim discovered that Damon Point beach at Ocean Shores held many treasures that he might enjoy hunting for.  He stated, “Agates were out there and only needed someone to hunt for them! So each trip out to Ocean Shores I tried to set aside some time for the hike out onto the Damon Point peninsula and wow did I begin to find many treasures. This particular beach acted like a type of rake that gathered in the treasures as they were swept out to sea after being washed down out of the local mountains and river”.

It was a few years ago that Tim began contemplating making an intentional  attempt to begin mapping the Puget Sound, and the Olympic Peninsula area in search of good beaches that may provide interesting treasures for a beach comber.   He began taking his days off to go on exploratory trips in search of good access points and locations.  Tim’s true passion initially was to locate good beaches for agate hunting but would later discover a new treasure would soon consume his hunting trips.  

In the later part of 2015 he made a trip up to Port Townsend, WA in search for a good place for agates. Tim stated, “That day I went on a hike heading east from the parking lot and found a great beach covered with many rocks. I did find one great agate specimen embedded up against the sandy bank and very interesting bright green piece of sea glass with several holes running through it. It appeared to be an old florists glass frog used for arranging flowers. Upon my way back to the parking lot I did notice that the beach there continued in a westerly direction but the point immediately west of the parking lot looked rocky and not very wide. I wondered what could be out that direction on North Beach. It didn't seem very promising and not very passable as the tide was rising. So, I went home and began doing a little internet homework to find out if there was anything interesting about North Beach that I might learn. “

Tim noted that his internet search uncovered several blogs about the North Beach area and an intriguing place called "Glass Beach" beyond a McCurdy Point that was formally the local town landfill area until the 1960s, some websites even mentioned sea glass that could be found there.  This peaked more interest in further exploration out that way.
He also began exploring the whole realm of sea glass and the informative websites that described the rarity, qualities and types. Tim said, “This new type of treasure would be something quite interesting to explore and begin a new hunt for local beaches that contained these gems made by man but shaped by God. “  

In January of 2016 Tim made his  first hike out on  North Beach  heading to  McCurdy Point.  After  several hours of difficult  climbing  and avoiding the  waves due to high  tide conditions he made it out  to  McCurdy point and onto  Glass  Beach area proper.  
 Tim said, “I began exploring the rock beds that were exposed as the high tide receded. Many pieces of sea glass began appearing with every scoop of rocks. The pile of sea glass within my pockets just exploded as I realized I had hit the mother lode of sea glass.”
Since then Tim has made his way to a few other beaches to explore for sea glass treasures but has not found any other beaches as bountiful and with the same quality of sea glass as the North Beach hike out to Glass Beach.  Because of the tide conditions or storms the beach is always different.   Tim says, “Every day is a good day to be on the beach and combing for treasures!”
When I asked Tim what was his best find he said, “…a large piece of red sea glass, and a large cobalt blue piece."  With his new found love for sea glass hunting he now focuses on the more rare colors like cobalt blue, yellows, pinks, aquas and sea foam greens . Once in awhile he has also found a marble or two on the beach.  Marbles are very rare to find but do make for an exciting moment of discovery.
Tim has made several videos about sea glass, the North Beach hike and the cautions a sea glass hunter needs to be aware of if going to that area.  Below is one of Tim’s videos.  You can find others on his YouTube channel “Tim Blair”. 
A special thank you goes out to Tim Blair for taking the time to answer a few of our questions. 
You Tube link below
 
https://youtu.be/ICCpObJTt0M
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