“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach.  One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few.”
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Okay, after spending countless hours searching for sea glass, you are pleased with your collection this season.  Are you tempted to add it to that one big jar you have in some nondescript location?  Don’t do it!  There are better ways to put these beautiful treasures on display.  Here are five great and easy ways to use your favorite pieces of sea glass…no drill, glue, or special talent required.  (Be sure to click on the photo collages below to see the sea glass treasures full screen.)

IN YOUR GARDEN  Sea glass looks great as a decorative touch in your garden.  It gives a fresh look to a birdbath or garden container.  It is also a neat way to finish off a potted plant by covering the top of the soil.  Maybe the thank you gift for the weekend you spent at your friend’s beach house is a plant finished off with the treasures you collected while visiting. 

ON A SHELF  A great way to display favorite pieces in your home is on a shelf, bookcase, or coffee table.  Just use a couple favorite pieces to highlight them as special, or group them by color for some great impact.  They look wonderful used in combination with other natural items like driftwood or a bird’s nest.  A unique piece can look great under a small dome on your mantle.

AS A VASE FILLER  Using sea glass to fill a vase is always a great way to bring the beach into your home.  Pieces can be used in a vase with fresh flowers or to anchor a candle in a jar.  Putting pieces in a mason jar and adding an old nostalgic black and white beach photo is a great addition to a summer mantle.  If you have a large collection, filling a glass lamp is another option.  I like to use a filled vase to serve skewered summer appetizers or desserts.

MAKE AN EASY AIR FRESHENER  Gather some pieces of sea glass into a small dish or teacup to use as an air freshener.  Just add your choice of fragance oil.  I found some really great oils at a local herb store, but most craft stores also carry it.  You can pick a floral scent or something reminiscent of the sea and surf.  Yard sales or Goodwill stores are great sources for pretty dishes that are sure to sell for under a dollar.  Or, use that odd teacup you haven’t been able to throw away.

TO CREATE WRAPPING PAPER  Take a photo of some pieces of your collection.  Get a color print of it on your home printer or at the local copy center to use as wrapping paper.  An easy way to add the beauty of the sea to a gift.  Use raffia or pretty sea-colored ribbon and tie on a shell to complete the look.  Use your new giftwrap for any occasion.  It is a great departure from the giftwrap typically used for the holidays..using it brings recollections of  warm memories of the sand and sea no matter how cold it may be outside :)

Thanks for visiting, Jackie

This project is being submitted to Celebrating Everyday LIfe recycled & repurposed diy project linky party