Out and About

Oh hello again :)

Just thought I'd check in and let you know what I've been up to. I've been lucky enough to have another Sunday off and went out for a nice seaglunk with the whole family :) Mr. Seaglunker is amazing at spotting marbles- well clay marbles. Between the two of us we spotted 7 marbles and LOTS of pottery. The dogs got good and worn out from all that running into the sea. Here's a picture of the marbles.

Some marbles we found 4th Sep :)

So it will be a wee while before these marbles go on sale as I like to wait until I've collected a few of the same colour and sell them in groups as supplies for jewelry makers. Of course you may have spotted the totally unique orange swirly one in this group that may get a little special treatment.

On a completely different note haha- when we got home from the beach totally covered in sand and the dogs looking pretty yick I decided today would be the day they got their haircut. We got these animal clippers and since they were out there getting a total wipe down I finally figured out how to use these clippers and found that it is extremely theraputic to clip them and it is extremely easy to do! Why hadn't I done it before now- a total mystery. I took a couple pictures of the boys with their new doggy hairdos. What do ya think? I think they are so much cuter than they were before and here's hoping this will help with the awful shedding problem we've got in the house.



Penguin on the left and Gizzy on the right with their short hair!

The day was nice and sunny not too warm or cold and our miniglunker was happy enough in her cosy jumper riding in her baby carrier. I may not be able to carry her just now but I'm glad her daddy can manage her as she grows big. We are lucky to be able to have all of this time together :) Tomorrow we've got the day together again as well since my 20 week scan is tomorrow morning. So we'll know the sex of our new addition very soon I HOPE. Apparently its not an exact science this baby sex thing.

But back to the beach booty. Today's haul was pretty good and to appease folks who like pictures here's one of the goodies we found. I know its not a picture of the beach- I will take one of those if I ever remember that we do take the camera with us on these outtings lol. However I hope this will suffice for now.


Beach Booty collected in Musselburgh 4th Sep 2011.


I guess that's all for today. I'll try and check in again soon! Happy hunting out there :) xx Sarah

Back in Full Swing

Well Hello There!

Hope the weather has been nice where you are. Here in Scotland it has been a bit sprinkly and overcast but nice enough for summer. I've been back into the swing of seaglunking and etsy selling again for the past couple weeks. Yes, a THOUSAND apologies for being so out of it over the last few months. I suppose its ok to tell you all now since I'm 19 weeks in and no troubles so far that yes I'm pregnant again. It was a pretty difficult first trimester this time around. I was sicker and more tired than I was last time and I guess with the added bonus of looking after a toddler has taken its toll on me physically. I know it's not gonna get any easier but I really can't let that stand in the way of my most favourite hobby, seaglunking of course!

So this is a bank holiday weekend and usually my husband and I indulge in another of our hobbies, Larping. (Its like RPG but you dress up as your character and spend a weekend killing monsters and making friends.) However, this year due to money or rather lack thereof, we have forgone going down south for this festival and instead decided to spend some much needed time together.

So we went to the beach. Not my normal beach BUT up the coast a bit to a lovely town called North Berwick to the gorgeous sandy beaches overlooking the North Sea. Honestly, if you didnt know it was too cold to swim in you could almost be tempted in because the water is so clear and the beaches are so pretty.

Here is part of the beach we walked along. So beautiful! Anyway of course we are seaglunkers so the name of the game is finding beach booty. And the reason I like going to these more northen beaches is because they offer a sandy tumble from a harsher sea making the glass you find here just amazing high quality. Because the Musselburgh beaches I venture out on are much more rocky, I tend to find more but not nearly as much of that totally tumbled stuff.

We also find a great selection of rocks here. Scotland has lots of ancient valcanoes and the beach is littered with quartz and volcanoe rock that has been surf tumbled for centuries. Mr. Seaglunker is particularly enamoured with the quartz rocks you can find on the beach and of course geodes are a special favourite. He's found a couple of those in his time. Great big oyster shells are dotted around as well as lovely tumbled small cone shells.

Anyway we'll be back but not anytime soon for a couple of reasons. I'm getting bigger and unable to hike as far (I have got ailments in my hips and back from you know being pregnant lol) and our little mini glunker is such a handful when she's out on the beach. Watching her is a full time job that takes two parents and of course leaves no time for dedicated seaglunking. Challenges are coming but I'm sure in the next couple years we'll figure out a good routine. Or at least something workable.

But as I'm on a high from yesterday I'm going out today to my normal beach with just me and the dogs. They aren't nearly so demanding of my attention and are happy to chase the ball and hang out with me while we walk along the beach. So hopefully I'll have a few more rarities by the end of the weekend Seaglunking and tomorrow we can all get busy on the task of totally relaxing! All the while I'm sure I'll be planning my next outing lol

Catch up with you all again soon!
Happy Hunting xx Sarah

The Computer Died and was then ressurected... it was a miracle

Hello All,

It's been a wee while since my last bloggy bloo me goo goo. Blah. Yes today has been rather pants. Mostly I was stressed out last night about the computer. I have no idea what essentially was wrong with it then or what exactly happened today. It could have been a series of very complicated technical jabber. All I know is that it has been restored to what it was before all the... weirdness and stressfulness. For about an hour I was desperate to get on to google to look up some lyrics and it just didn't happen.

Technology can make life worse sometimes I think.

Anyway lets change the subject. Pooey things can just remain in todayland and I'm going to join tomorrowland.

Oh I met Nicole on Saturday night- she's very cool :) Go check out her shops here are some links.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NorthSeaTreasures
http://www.etsy.com/shop/roadslesstraveled

After a nice night out I'm feeling totally inspired with my jewellery. So I am thinking I might make some plans to do a craft fair this summer :) Just need to make some stock. Now I've posted a few things in my etsy shop
www.etsy.com/shop/SarahSeaGlass BUT here is something that remains unlisted. What do you think?

I am starting to feel a bit more confident with my wire wrapping. These were done in silver plated wire. Anyway these are mine :) because they are the first ones I made and I like them and its for market research lol.




As usual when I'm stuck indoors doing mommy/wife things I miss the beach. It's a new and weird feeling needing to be outside :) I'm planning a nice long outing on Thur. Too much going on tomorrow and wed.

I really need to post some pics of me soon *sheepish* lol

xx Goodnight

-Seaglunker Sarah-

An ugh Day

Oh hi... *in a tone Ross from friends might use*

I'm not really the most chipper today. I have been pretty hard on my body today in a real effort to lose weight I've done a LOT of exercise. Part of this was hiking along the beach. Normally this fills me with delight but for some reason it was really ugh today. I should have gotten excited about a black kick up (a real wow). I should have been really excited when I found my first beautiful piece of blood orange glass. Nope. Nothing. Not a glimmer of affection. I feel kind of guilty about this now. I believe the doctor has ordered... chocolate cake ;)

So I'm just putting it down to just a bad day.

I have a few new projects on the go so I will hopefully be in better spirits tomorrow when I get a photoshoot done. I am inspired by Hybrid Handmade http://hybridhandmade.blogspot.com/2011/03/snoop-my-stuff.html and may organise my work space. I have a few decoration things that need attention.

Righto best toddle off. Oh yes. This the miniglunker walking :)
Yes I am a proud mommy lol.

xx Seaglunker Sarah

Wee gems

Ohhh hiya hiya how ya doin??

Well I've got some nonglunking news. The miniglunker is WALKING. WOWSA! Yes she came out of her little bubble of scaredy bum and just took those few steps to the toy box at the toddler group today! Huzzah. And all before she turns 1. (She turns 1 tomorrow btw lol) Oh, I cast my mind back to a year ago and the joy and PAIN of labour. Good times.

Anyway I've been experimenting with my jewellery. I have been so inspired by fellow Etsians that I decided to give making pendant "cages" a go. I think the two wee pieces I've put together look amazing. They are much pretty caged up than meticulously wrapped. I think it takes to long and hurts my fingers too much to do it the "old" way. Anyway I've been showing off these two pendants at work and trying to gauge if the ladies like them or not and I think I'm onto a winner. One of office ladies said they look like sweeties. :D Awww.

Pics will be forthcoming tomorrow as I plan one big ole photo shoot. I got loads of stuff to catalogue and list on etsy so I just need to get crackin.

I've got some plans for selling locally. I think my new caged pendants will go down a treat here at Mercat's shop. I'm going to see if my boss is interested in trialing a few and seeing how they get on. Mercat is big on "going green" and these pendants are just so fab because sea glass is totally Eco friendly. We'll see how I get on with that after I've made a few more. There's also this lovely shop http://www.frugalcool.co.uk/ called Re-Made which is just over the road that I'm going to approach with my pendants as well. Of course I need to make some more.

I've also been buying some craft supplies from my local bead shop in Musselburgh and I'm tempted to make some of my seaglass into beads and selling wholesale to her. It does of course require me learning how to drill through glass... urgh. I may delagate that task to Mr. Glunker and this business can be a family one.

Rightio that catches you up with me for now. I haven't been down to the beach properly since Sunday and of course I'm itching to glunk. I am hoping to meet up with Nicole http://www.etsy.com/shop/NorthSeaTreasures?ref=pr_shop_more a fellow Edinburgh based seaglunker for a bit of beach combing. :) I'll let you know how that gets on later too.

As always thanks for stopping by. Have fun out there and maybe if you look down you may see a wee gem of your own.

xx Seaglunker Sarah

Out with Mr.Glunker

Oh hello there :) Thanks for poppin in.

I'm sat down having a cup of coffee (much needed!) after and incredibly long afternoon seaglunking with my hubby and the miniglunker and of course my deputy fur-glunkers.

I let Mr. Glunker look after entertaining the dogs who are both totally worn out now form all the ball throwing and chasing activities. The mini-glunker didn't like the wind today so she was kind of out of sorts but perked up toward the end when the sun came out properly and she warmed up a wee bit.

It has been really nice having a day off together and enjoying each others company. It rarely happens that we have time off together since I work when he doesn't and vice-versa and we balance looking after our little one that way. It does mean we never hardly see each other.

We have made some big plans about going further afield and checking out other beaches. I think he's just indulging me and I know it was a lot of work for him to stay interested. Of course he isn't really used to having the baby rucksack on like I am so of course he made a few complaints about his feet and his back. But he did find a few things I would have missed out there.

We found lots of pretty blue and white pottery today and two marbles as well as a couple of pieces of yellow/orange glass. :) I love finding rare colours. Also, I discovered some vital information about some of the natural pottery on the beach. I believe what I'm seeing is chunks from old ceramic ginger beer bottles. The one I found today had a stamp on it that says "Buchan, Portobello, Edinburgh" on it and that company made all kinds of stuff but there is a picture of the warehouse in 1926 and they are producing bottles with a brown glazed top (like old liquor jugs). Further research has turned up bottles in good nick with ginger beer companies logos and information on them. So one little mystery seems to be solved... kind of. I'm sure the next time I'm out there I will discover more.

So time for relaxing, looking through the beach booty and maybe making some cookies. For a job well done of course ;)

xx Have a lovely Sunday!

-Seaglunker Sarah-

Wowsa Life's a Beach!

:) Hiya hiya,

I am in amazing spirits. This wee hobby turned on-the-side job has got me using my brain. I have now done several serious hunts along the Fisherrow Beach and I am learning a thing or two about Musselburgh's history. First of all, there is a  TONNE of pottery on the beach. There is so much pottery that I got too tired and too annoyed to try and check if all of it was good enough for the discerning jewellery makers.

I started to wonder why there was so much pottery. Now most of it is plain cream but some is a very ugly but very unique grey. I have found partial jars, lots of them actually and lots of jar bottoms. Today I stumbled upon one with writing which I didn't keep (wishing now I had grr) but the dogs had decided to pee on it. Anyway it said "Musselburgh" across the bottom and "beer" on the top somewhere. I think what's scattered along the beach is beer mugs/jugs.

Now after done some really preliminary research there is an old pottery that used to make all kinds of different ceramics based in Musselburgh called the Newbiggings pottery. According to one archeology report I read they made ceramics out of grey clay that was sourced in Musselburgh. I'm gonna make myself pick a few of these jars up next time I'm out and have a proper look for one with a stamp to see if it is Newbiggings.

Anyway :) I found lots of amazing stuff out on the beach today. I got a new marble and she's a BEAUTY! I found not one but TWO more bottle stoppers and yellow glass for the first time today!!! It was quite a haul if I say so myself. No really it was quite a heavy haul and I am shattered now. Here's a picture of 2/3 of it.

But the best is to come when I wash my stash and see exactly what I picked up.

The miniglunker slept through most of our hunt today and I was confident letting the dogs free as the tide was out. That is totally the best time to seaglunk I've decided :)

Righto have fun out there today and hope you find a nice stash too!

xx Seaglunker Sarah

First Sale and Other fun Things

Hello hello :)

Well today has been lovely. I don't mean the weather has been nice and the birds are singing lovely (because as usual the sky is grey and overcast, the wind is bitter, and winter is still here) but the day itself has been nice!

The miniglunker woke me up early today but I didn't mind as she didn't wake up at all during the night! So I woke up refreshed and ready to face the day. I got online to check my email and Etsy and I was alerted to my first sale :) The two pieces with writing on them went. The one that said "OLD" had wee hearts on it and I knew it would appeal to the Etsy buyer. Now I am feeling confident that I'm doing something right.

So... then I had a look at the tide forecast and decided I needed to get to the beach. So out we went glunking away the dogs romping in the sand. I found lots of pretty little pieces of nice jewellery quality oh and a marble :) I love it when I find those. Then my miniglunker decided she was miserable. To be fair, we usually wait until she's a bit more worn out from playing in the floor and ready for some kind of sleepy. She just wanted to walk around. So halfway into our walk we went home. I can't concentrate with an angry baby. I bet you can't either if you were put to it.

So indoor activities, I got us both some lunch and then I nibbled away while I set up a photo shoot. The light wasn't fantastic but I am a quick photo editor. If I was on my computer at home I could show you a nice before and after shot but I'm at my day job... ahem night job... at the moment.

Its funny just how much multi-tasking you can do on a lunch/dinner break.

Now I've got a fair few things I can list on Etsy. I basically went through the rare bag pile and got them ready to list. There is still quite a lot to photograph but I figure on another angry baby day we can do just that.

:) Righto best get back to work. Sometimes the most inspiring and creative ideas happen when your mind is otherwise occupied. That's why its always a good idea to have a pen handy.

-Seaglunker Sarah-

Midmorning Hunt

Hello Hello :)

Hope your day has been nice. Mine has been sooo long. (Yes I realise my one follower is you, Tristan, and it was lovely to see you this afternoon home early. Congrats on passing your CA assessments xx)

Soo I feel like a zombie. I've had a few LARGE cups of coffee but nothing can shake the feeling of sleepy. It could have something to do with the fact I was in bed late, up in the middle of the night for a hungry baby, and early up. And of course a late shift at the day job.

But my seaglunking was GREAT. I got a few firsts. I found my first bottle stopper. I found my first totally intact kick-up. I also found a pretty patterned piece of glass that is kind of rose tinted. So all in all a good day at the beach. I say that but actually it kind of was a work out on the ole vocal pipes. The tide was coming in and Penguin (the collie dog) is pretty obsessed with waves. I know it isn't the best scenario when one is trying to make a living as a seaglunker. Yelling doesn't really work. After he gets about hmmm 50 metres he just can't hear me anymore. So unfortunately he had to be stuck on the lead. He is really bad on the lead because he pulls. So, I had that to contend with in addition to Gizmo plowing other dogs down and chasing seagulls.

My glass doesn't come by easy :) It is collected with love, enthusiasm, and possibly a bit of madness.

So all I want is a big glass of wine but alas there is no wine. So a cup of tea and a cuddle into the sofa with my knitting is what I'll have instead. 

G'night xx

-Seaglunker Sarah-

Friends

Well Hello There :)

Ooo ooo I've posted more Etsy things. It's fun and exciting and I feel like a little kid who's had too many sweeties. Had some friends round today and didn't manage to get much done in the way of... well anything. Oh wait I did try and look up the tide times and unfortunately they did not coincide with our walk this afternoon.  According to http://www.odysseyseaglass.com/collecting-sea-glass.html if one starts planning their day around tide times... one is no longer a casual collector. Hmm.

I like that site by the way its got a genuine fun-loving vibe :)

Would you like to see the fun we had instead?

Miniglunker made a new big friend today :) Was sweet.

So we drank coffee and chatted and I shoogled and unhappy sleepy baby who even now is refusing to have a nap. I have given up hence why I'm on here blogging and let her loose in the high chair with a baby biccy and part of a donut. I suppose sugar is really the last thing she needs to inspire the sleepy but it is buying me half an hour.

So I'm trying to get the hang of this blogging etsy world and there is so much to learn. I may need a few weeks to suss it all out properly.

Aww isn't that a sweet face over there? Yea she melts my heart sometimes too. She's been into everything today including... well all of it. The really great thing about a baby who crawls around on the floor. When you pick her up you are reminded that the floor needs to be swept because of all the dog hairs. Eww I know. Haha.

Just not enough hours in the day to do all the things I long to do.


The tide was in and the glass was out today. Perhaps I can make some sense of the tide times soon and catch the waves at the right time tomorrow.

Remember to look down and if its shiny pick it up. Or if its fat and squishy and is googooing at you pick it up and give it a huge smooch!

-Seaglunker Sarah-

More Admin

Today has been a lovely relaxing day. I've had to take a load of my foot as its just not getting any better with all these walks to the park. So baby H and I have been doing indoor activities today. For her thats meant dusting the floorboards with her knees and for me its been a bit of relaxing with some nice music and knitting. I know I can't be seaglunking all the time but its odd how much I wanted to go out today even though it was raining this morning.

But I have to be hard on myself. My foot needs to heal.

So today has been filled with listing etsy items. I tell you what just listing one item is a lot of work. I had to think about my shipping costs and my policies and what I would write to my customers. It has taken quite a lot of thought but I think I'm at a good jumping off point.

Oh would you like to see one of my pendants? I took a picture of it today as I have listed it on Etsy now. I'm actually very proud of it. I know this is just the beginning and I'll get better with time but you have to agree :) its pretty nice.

What do you think?

Well my time is fast approaching where I should be getting ready to leave. I work some nights and weekends at a part-time job. So as much as I would love to stay and gab and list a few more etsy items I am going to just have to leave it for today.

Have a lovely day wherever you are and of course if you have any beach booty why not turn it into something new??

-Seaglunker Sarah-

The Interwebs

Hello and Good Afternoon!

My miniglunker is fast asleep for a much needed nap. Yay! She can be one cranky baby when she wants to be and going down for nap-time was pretty hard today. But *whew* sit down to a cup of tea is much nicer now that I can get onto the Internet. I am looking for a suitable picture of me but I am thinking that may have to wait for a photo shoot out on the beach.

We haven't gone out glunking today. Its possible we just won't today as I have many busy mommy things to do. But admin is important and I think its time to get a few things listed on Etsy and organise some of yesterdays finds of which there were many flawless jewellery making pieces. I guess I'm learning about that from my fellow Etsyans, some bits are for crafting and mosaics while others feel great to the touch and look stunning when worked into jewellery.

Rightio well I guess I ought to get back over to etsy and list a few things. I have some knitting to do today and more experimenting with seaglass in knit/crochet projects. I have my afternoons work cut out for me and of course we all know babies don't stay asleep for long. My miniglunker will be up soon and ready for fun.

:) Look down and all around you may spot a treasure that someone else has missed.

-Seaglunker Sarah-

Valentines on the Beach

Welcome and Hello!

I'm Sarah and this is my blog devoted to all things Seaglunking. I know you might not know what that is. I didn't either until about a week ago. A seglunker is one who wanders around beaches in search of sea glass, pottery, and other goodies. I sometimes refer to the other gumf that I find  "sea booty". I mean it in the pirate sense and not in the badunkadunk way.

Hopefully as my skills develope as a blogger I will be able to showcase some of my best finds here and where I found them and maybe even shots of me finding them. This of course won't be that easy because of the way I hunt for my beach treasures.

I am a full-time mommy of one amazing little girl who is nearly *gasp* one year old! I am also a fur mommy to two scroungy beach loving mutts. So you can imagine I certainly am not your typical leisurley seaglunker. With the baby snuggled nicely in her babyrucksack which happens to be on my ruck (the bodunkadunk meaning here) and two dogs chasing waves I sometimes get distracted from the sands and pebbles to tend to the needs of my little ones. This is often a harsh "no do not eat that!" followed by "oh crap I think he just ate a... ewwww"

So picture taking will be a challenge. I will try and appease you as and when I can manage such a task.

In the meantime, perhaps you can just take my word for it.

I think its awfully fitting that I should find what I found today. Today is Valentine's Day (as if that could escape your notice) and is full of love and romance and other nausiating things. Don't get me wrong I love receiving chocolates and flowers as much as anyone else so I'm really not complaining. Really. So with love on my mind I ventured out on what looked like a soggy morning. The rain had stopped by the time I got myself and the baby and the dogs all ready. It was actually sunny and warm and after the initial start to our walk where I picked up the poo from tall grass and shouted at the dogs not to run off, I actually took my gloves off.

Now if you are at all familiar with Scotland and specifically any beach pointed toward the North Sea, you'll know that on a bleak February day, venturing out without a hat, scarf, and gloves is just well plain bad for your health. But off the gloves came anyway and although I'm surprised I am quite pleased. I just hope that this is not a bad sign for more snowy days to come. So I felt slightly more comfortable, but not entirely as I still had 10 kilos (possibly more) strapped to my back and was sweating in akward places under the rucksack. The rucksack is one of those professional things you know that straps round your waste and over your chest so the weird places are really in weird places. I guess thats enough about the odd warm weather.

As I was wandering toward the quay letting the dogs run along the beach I felt inspired to pick up more bits of pottery. I usually pass up collecting the red clay pottery but I just felt like I should snag some today. To my surprise hiding under one of the larger pieces of pottery was a beautiful light blue glass heart (light blue is a fairly rare colour for me). It was a flawless piece (that means it didn't have any chips or glossy places) of seatumbled glass. Yippee!

The reason I collect glass is two-fold. Firstly, I love it. I feel like a right pirate or gypsy or hippy or whatever you want to call me. I love shiney objects and I love the thrill of the chase. (All these qualities will undoubtedly make me a very good fisherwoman as and when I am ready to take up fishing as a hobby) Anyway the second reason is to sell my goodies on to the artisans of the world and see them made into something even more beatiful. Ok there is a third reason, I am also one of these creative types  making little trinkets and DIY jewellry as well.

So you can say I have mixed feelings what to do with this beautiful little heart. I know I couldn't really do it justice if I decided to make something with it but I do love a challenge and would like to try. But I also know that there are artisans out there who would love to have it for themselves to make something truly special with it. What to do? Luckily I don't have to make a decision about it right away as I've just set up my Etsy shop and have lots of other things to list first.

Speaking of my etsy shop if you'd like to visit it the address is www.etsy.com/shop/SarahSeaGlass. There isn't anything up just now but as I've only had internet installed... today (I know today is the day!) it will be just a wee while longer before I put anything up. You'll just have to steady your anticipation for just a bit more.

So this is to be the first of many blogs about my seaglunking adventures. Its likely to be a good read with babies and dogs involved so stay tuned in. Remember to keep your eyes to the ground as you never know what's glunking around.

-Seaglunker Sarah-