Something and More

Nancy Tanke started collecting sea glass twenty-five years ago on her first trip to a Caribbean Island.  In her own words: For the next twenty-four years, my three friends and I vacationed at a different island each year.  We all collected sea glass but my friend who scuba dives amassed the most. Not until five years ago did we see it made into jewelry.  Since I was the artisan, they all gave me their collections and I started to make jewelry for all of my friends.  As my obsession with these beautiful gems grew, I started to search out beach combers from all over the world.  I now get my glass from oceans, lakes and rivers.  I have recently found exquisite colors in buried glass.  In the past year I have become intrigued with sea glass pottery.  I have found some beautiful shards where there was once a Victorian dish factory.  I spend hours and hours searching through thousands of pieces in my collection to match earrings for color, size and shape.  It is truly a labor of love.  All sea glass comes in a colorful organza gift bag with a card telling about the journey of sea glass.   Each piece of sea glass might have been from a colored bottle, vase, lantern or dish and each has traveled a unique journey after it was discarded into the sea.  By the powerful elements of sand, tide, water and weather, it has been transformed into a frosted gem. 

Where can you find sea glass?, read more about sea glass under our section on 'Crafting Tips'.