For a moment, let’s consider the story of the sand dollar. As a small, flat sea creature that travels from the depths of the ocean to the shores of our beaches, the sand dollar is a treasure to find. Any of us who spent time by the sea shore during our youth probably had a collection of them. They were a challenge to find, neat to look at and fun to gather. As we become adults, our hunt for the sand dollar may continue but our assortment from the past may not. My collection and the shells that were with them, are long gone along with my own childhood.
But Sarah, one of our artists, has found a way to revive these memories and honor the sand dollar’s natural beauty—by creating them into pendants.She has mastered transforming the remnants of these small sea creatures from the brittle shelled objects of desire we collected into something that won’t gather dust on your shelves.
It all started with a spilled glass of wine. Sarah and her husband were enjoying an evening by the fire, each with a glass of red wine. She had placed a handful of sand dollars by the fire to dry out. Over toppled a glass, and before she could save it, the red liquid had been absorbed by one of the sand dollars. Sarah and her husband observed that the stain of the wine brought out the texture of the sand dollar; a beautiful display of nature’s patterns.
That was just the beginning. Since then, Sarah has discovered that she can dye these a multitude of colors and combinations. Once the color is set, she then adds layers of a clear coat in order to strengthen and ensure ultra-violet protection. The result?A lovely, unique necklace that will be the perfect accent to any outfit. There are such a variety of colors and sizes to choose from that you are sure to find one that fits your personal style.No two sand dollars are alike, so even if treated with the same shade of dye, the result will change every time. It’s magical in a way, and with every one of Sarah’s Sand Dollars that leaves the shop, the lucky recipient will be able to take a piece of Maine’s coastline treasures home…and acknowledge that sometimes you don’t always have to cry over spilled wine. 🙂
See a variety of Sarah’s Sand Dollars available now >>