Not ready to say goodbye to summer...

so many lucky stones

wishing stones

looks like candy 

sorting the haul

beach glass lips?

ancient sea creature fossils

fossilly weirdness

my happy place

my first yellow!

Mystery Fungus

It's been very humid and rainy in our region lately (Northeast Ohio) and these popped up in the mulch this week.
I tried to find out what they are. Closest guess is Peziza Recurved Palamino cup mushrooms, or some such thing. If anyone out there knows, do let me know in comments below!

Update: So after some searching I think I have found it.
Peziza repanda, commonly known as the Palamino cup or recurved cup.
Click here.

A perfect spider web

I discovered the most perfect spider web in my hosta patch this morning. I am afraid my photos just don't do it justice.  But I tried.

Focus on the Garden

It's hot out there! Leave your best friend at home. Just a friendly reminder.

Report from the Ashtabula Beach Glass Festival 2011

Yesterday I dragged my husband to Ashtabula for the third annual Ashtabula Beach Glass Festival. I have been working with beach glass for several years and though I am not big on selling my work at shows, I do enjoy supporting other artists and seeing what they are creating. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too windy. There weren't huge crowds, but the vendors I knew said that they were doing well over the 2 day show. I especially enjoyed seeing my Cleveland Handmade teammate Jacquie of Jlynncreations, whose work sells like hotcakes on Etsy, and the beach glass fine silver jewelry made by Dottie Gilbo of DMG Creations. Her pmc work is just lovely. Another stand out was the booth of Youngstown native Marcie Roepke-Applegate of Flybird Designs. I had a thing for her cast bronze metal clay maple seed pod pendants. 
Another great Youngstown jewelry artist was Kathy Grantonic of Just Sayin'. Her booth was perpetually crowded for obvious reasons. You can see her whimsical work in her Etsy shop here.

Thought you might enjoy a few photos from the event.

Wow. Beach glass mosaic windows!

Afterward we headed the nearby Walnut Beach and did a little beachcombing of our own. Actually found some great stones and beach glass in spite of the fact that there were a lot of like-minded beachcombers there that day.

Walnut Beach, Ashtabula, OH