Mariners Dream Sea Glass Earrings by Out Of The Blue Seaglass Jewelry, $68
Inspired by nature and the cultures of ancient and primitive people who lived by the sea, Lisl Armstrong has been making sea glass jewelry for over twenty years. She has always loved objects from antiquity, not just for their craftsmanship and natural materials but for what the elements have done to them over the years.
Lisl started making sea glass jewelry in the Caribbean on the island of Puerto Rico, where she first discovered sea glass. She has collected over 100,000 pieces in Puerto Rico where her label ‘Out Of The Blue Seaglass Jewelry’ originated in 1987.
Now based in Englewood Florida and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Lisl’s collection uses sea glass not only from Puerto Rico but from all over the world - Costa Rica, Bali, Italy, England, and Hawaii. She also uses sea glass from the Outer Banks and from the Pacific Northwest.
Using precious metal wires such as sterling silver and copper, the wire working methods she uses in her creations were developed by ancient nomadic people who made jewelry with a few basic tools such as pliers, cutters and hammers. The result is jewelry that is truly handmade bearing a few gentle tool marks, in keeping with the organic look of sea glass.
Each piece in her collection is unique and other than a drill hole, the sea glass is as found on the beach – no cutting, tumbling, coloring, or shaping. It is natural sea glass, broken glass worn smooth only by the sea. Sharp edges softened as the glass tumbles over rocks and further smoothed and frosted as the tides drag it along the sandy ocean floor.
We received the Mariners Dream Sea Glass Earrings from the Kelly Greens, Sea Foam, and Lime Greens Collection. It is made of olive green sea glass found on the beaches of Puerto Rico, paired with Swarovski crystal beads. It retails for $68.
It is quite amazing to review a piece of jewelry made from broken glass that washed up from the sea. It’s kind of romantic actually, thinking of where the glass came from originally, where it has been, and what it has seen. All sorts of images conjure up in my mind that I forget that I’m supposed to be wearing it, rather than staring at it while stories play up in my head.
So, even better, I wear it and conjure up stories with other people who notice it. It’s a great conversation piece, what can I say!
I haven’t a clue how old the glass is but I’m assuming it’s ancient. What’s great is how an antique piece such as this can look so modern and up-to-date, even trendy if I dare say. With green being so hot this season, this piece is perfect for following the trend but in your own way.
The bright shade of green is all the rage. If you want to stand out from the crowd, choose a slightly different shade like this one which is more on the olive side of green. It’s absolutely fabulous with a bright batik yellow maxi dress (another rage) or a yellow cross back hankie hem dress. If you’re not into green, no worries. Lisl has an impressive collection of blues, reds, ambers, whites, and other shades in between, so check them out and enjoy conjuring up sea glass stories in your head and with others!
Reviewed by: Chic Techie
