I have always embraced the wind. That feeling of the breeze on my skin, how it carries the scents of blooming citrus trees in springtime, how it transforms the clouds one moment to the next. Being an island girl, the wind brings the call of the sea to me wherever I am.

Working with my hands has long been an outlet for creative expression. I have used a variety of materials such as paper, ink, flowers, fabric, metal, clay and more. Yet, I particularly enjoy seashells; finding them abandoned by the sea on the beaches of my favorite islands, carefully cleaning the sand from each while feeling their unique textures on my fingertips and preparing them to use in my creations.

When I first began using seashells, I sought simply to experiment with the sounds of the sea. How could I create with these little found treasures a visual, auditory and tactile reminder of the sea for those moments when I could not be near it? Discovering how each type of shell sounded when strung up together and caught in the breeze led to my focus on wind chimes. What better way to honor the wind and the sea? Just hearing them reminds me of where they come from, where I come from, where I belong.

A fondness for the wind and seashells comes together in ways that I want to share with others. The wind tells me whether there will be an abundance of shells exposed on the sand from one day to the next, and the shells I find inspire my creative process.

My creations are made with good intentions. I craft handmade seashell wind chimes with only empty shells exclusively collected one-by-one by me from the beaches that I have visited around the world. I know exactly where they come from and under what conditions they were collected. And each time I send them to their new homes, some beach vibes tag along with them.

Thank you so much for stopping by Messy Workshop, where creativity and chaos go hand in hand! And thank you for supporting small, ethical businesses.

Era from Messy Workshop