I’ve never physically met anyone else who collects sea glass (other than my two kids and my husband and a few brief encounters with strangers on the beach.) Sure, I’ve connected online with dozens of other sea glass collectors, but I’ve yet to have a face to face conversation with another sea glass collector. In fact, many people in these parts barely know what sea glass is.
Them: “What are your plans this weekend?”
Me: “I’m going to the North American Sea Glass Festival in Erie, PA.”
Them: “Sea glass?”
Me: “Ya, sea glass. You know. Glass you find on a beach.”
Them: “Oh. Okay. Ya. Glass you find on a beach.”
Me: “But it’s not sharp. It’s been smoothed by the sand and waves and the good stuff is decades old.”
Them: Blank look. Eyes slightly glazed over.
Usually the conversation ends there or changes to another topic.
But things were a bit different this weekend: I was in the company of thousands of sea glass collectors at the North American Sea Glass Festival in Erie, PA.
As one sea glasser put it: “It looks like sea glass is the new buzz word.”
Four years ago, the first North American Sea Glass Festival attracted 1,000 people. This year 6,000 + came through the doors. I think this is only the beginning of the sea glass phenomenon.
An entire industry of jewelers and artisans has blossomed around the sea glass movement. And consumers are loving it. I couldn’t even get near many of the sea glass jewelry booths at the festival because of the crowds.
My passion for sea glass grows stronger each day. What does this have to do with weddings?
Sea glass makes some damn fine jewelry. Stay tuned for posts featuring some of the fabulous artisans who are using sea glass to create affordable and one of a kind wedding jewelry.
(I shot the video above at the North American Sea Glass Festival. Okay, so it’s not award winning footage, but it will give you an idea on how very crazy-busy it was!)
