Original, High-Quality Gifts, Wind Chimes and Suncatchers

SOLD

Stock is Depleting
But Still Lots of Awesome Wind Chimes
and Suncatchers

No New Stock Until 2018

Visit Coast Chimes Now for the Best Selection

Every spring and summer, I work really hard to prepare as much stock as possible for the annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl. Just before the Art Crawl, I put away all my tools to more than double my gallery space. After the Art Crawl, I now no longer immediately put my workshop back together, instead concentrating on internet sales, packing, shipping, and also keeping the gallery space for locals who drop by for holiday shopping.

This is great, except that my stock goes from relatively huge to dwindling pretty fast. I try to let all my customers know that they really need to order early to get a great selection. Also, it's a great idea to order early because although I pack and ship fast, closer to Christmas I can get backed up with the packing, and the border services / post office can also get overwhelmed somewhat.

So the message is clear: order sooner rather than later. Visit Coast Chimes now, or view my work on Etsy.

Coast Chimes: New, Free Shipping

Artist-made Sea Glass with Handcrafted Brass Chimes
Coast Chimes: Now with Free Shipping

For a long time I have paid most of the shipping on my orders to the USA and Canada, but not all the cost. I thought that people would not object to pitching in a bit, as postage is so high. But the trend on the internet has been more and more towards 'free' shipping. Recently Etsy has been rather aggressively urging their sellers to offer free shipping, or discounts, which I think is a little too bad, but I guess they know what they are doing.

So to continue selling on Etsy, I realized I had to probably offer free shipping. That means that the same goes for my website. So now all orders to the USA and Canada ship no additional charge. 

See all the great works on Coast Chimes, and enjoy the free shipping.

Handcrafted High Quality Large Outdoor Wind Chimes

Kaleidoscope Wind Chime
$175 by Coast Chimes

The popular kaleidoscope wind chime by Coast Chimes is popular for a reason: it's awesome! Built extremely well, too, with artist-made sea glass, tung nut oiled red cedar, and copper. Suitable for year round outdoor use.

Fine it, and many other amazing wind chimes and suncatchers, at Coast Chimes.

7th Wedding Anniversary Gift

7th Wedding Anniversary is Copper
Coast Chimes Copper Wind Chime
Perfect Gift
$135 at Coast Chimes

Coast Chimes has wind chimes and suncatchers that make the perfect gift anytime, for anyone. But for a 7th wedding anniversary, the all copper chimes are really awesome! The wedding date can even be engraved onto the copper windsail.

Hang a set out on your porch or deck, and you will remember your sweet love each time the breeze gently sways the beach stone clapper, and you hear the sweet chime.

Visit Coast Chimes to see all the great wind chimes and suncatchers. They are naturally beautiful.

Beach Combing Wind Chime

Beach Comber's Natural
Pacific Driftwood and Beach Stone Wind Chime
$195 at Coast Chimes

Can you believe that part of my job description is beach combing? How cool is that! I am fortunate to live in a place where there are great natural stones and driftwood, and that I just have to do a long hike to find them.

A big difference between the stones and driftwood and my usual artist-made beach glass is that the glass looks its best in sunlight; the stones and driftwood when it is raining, and they get dark and glossy. But whether glass or stone or driftwood, all my designs look great anywhere, anytime.

Visit my website to see all by designs: Coast Chimes.

Freestanding Naturally Awesome Wind Chimes by Coast Chimes

Freestanding Double Wind Chime
Handcrafted by
Coast Chimes

I love freestanding wind chimes. They look great on a deck, or a porch, but best of all, in my opinion, is in your garden with a bit of mulch piled up around the natural beach stone base.

These are gorgeous, and the chimes are not annoying (ie, not horribly loud). The chimes are handmade from brass, treated with a reactive to be nice and dark instead of gaudy yellow, and suspended from handcrafted copper hangers with 49 strand nylon coated stainless steel, with sterling silver crimps (no rusting).

These freestanding wind chimes are completely happy outdoors all year round: snow, rain, wind, sun, nothing is going to bother this chime.

See all my wind chimes by visiting my website: Coast Chimes. Enjoy $10 shipping to anywhere in the USA or Canada.

Fall Hikes, Fall Chores

One of my favourite trails
Mount Elphinstone, Roberts Creek, BC

After many months of preparation, the 2017 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl took place last weekend, and it was the best one yet! The only real glitch is that after investing in several thousand awesome fairy lights, for the first day the power was out the entire time! It was kind of fun, getting everyone to take out their cell phones and to use their flashlights. Still, I am sure that cut down on the sales for Friday a bit. Especially Friday and Sunday, but Saturday too, were all far busier than past years (which were already super busy!). Excellent!

It is now time to unwind. Today I went on a solo hike through one of my most loved trails, above Roberts Creek on Mount Elphinstone. It was delightful taking time to stroll, breath, let nature wash over me. Really nice!

I have also already started and made good progress revamping my website. First I had to clear out over a hundred sold items-- nothing like browsing on a website where it appears everything is sold! Now it is a much nicer experience. I changed pictures on the homepage. Polished some of the language. If you have time check it out: Coast Chimes.

Tiny Mushrooms, Mount Elphinstone Fall Hike

2017 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl Starts Tomorrow, October 20

The Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2017 Starts Tomorrow
October 20- 22 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The 2017 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl consist of 144 locations: the Sunshine Coast rich in talent! Although I've been making my creations for about 25 years, this will be just my 3rd year participating in the art crawl, as I did not have suitable studio space before moving to our new home.

The Art Crawl is a wonderfully exciting event to participate in, with an estimated 500 people visitings my studio last year. Despite a rather gloomy weather forecast, I hope for another fun weekend this year. I have improved lighting in my studio, so cloudy skies do not concern me as much as  they would have.

Hope to see you at Coast Chimes, 535 Woodland Avenue, Gibsons, BC (map below). 604-229-5560. Be sure to pick up the Art Crawl brochure-- there are no shortage of great places to visit!

Update, Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2017, Coast Chimes

A busy weekend preparing for the
2017 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl
Oct. 20-22
535 Woodland Avenue
Gibsons BC
Gallery no. 9

A very busy, but rewarding, weekend preparing for the 2017 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl. I finally had some success solving my long time lighting issues. Number 1 was making quite cool perforated  sheet metal shades for the bare light bulbs. Those bare bulbs have annoyed me enormously, and I am very pleased to have resolved that issue. No. 2 is the fairy lights, a few of which you see in the image above. Previously I had used strip LED lighting, but was not at all satisfied with the look. These fairly lights are a lot more interesting. The only issue with them is that they are not quite bright enough to illuminate my glass from behind, but at least they give some idea of what the glass might look like in the sunlight, and they do not throw the colors as badly as the strip LED.

There are just 4 more days to finish preparations, and I have a lengthy list. It is going to all get done, but, as usual, just barely!

Looking enormously forward to the big weekend!

Sunshine Coast Art Crawl October 20 - 22 2017

Cedar Framed Indoor or Outdoor
Suncatcher by Coast Chimes

Preparing full speed ahead for the annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, this year happening October 20-22. 144 artists from Langdale to Powell River take part in the awesome, fun event. This is a free event, your chance to check out all the many talented Coast artists, and their studio / galleries.

I have personally been working since the end of April preparing for the Art Crawl, knowing that if past years hold true I can possibly have over 500 visitors. Just finishing making the final works (see picture above), and about to start the massive annual clean up of my workshop, to double the display area of my home gallery.

Almost every item I have for the Art Crawl is available for pre-viewing on my website: Coast Chimes. currently over 190 large wind chimes, smaller chimes, and suncatchers. All the prices on Coast Chimes and Etsy are in US dollars, but when you come and shop in person, you get charged in Canadian dollars, saving a fair amount (ie, if the website says $50 US, you get charge $50 CA when you visit in person).

I look very forward to seeing many people at the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl!

Outdoor Natural Beach Stone Wind Chime, Copper Wind Chime

Natural Pacific Beach Stone Wind Chime
Five Copper Chimes
Beach Stone Clapper
$175 at Coast Chimes

This has been an extremely busy past few weeks, as I work hard preparing for the annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl (October 20-22, 2017). This will be my 3rd year participating, and if past years hold true, I can expect north of 500 visitors to my studio gallery. It is very enjoyable to see people meeting my wind chimes and suncatchers face-to-face (face-to-chime?), as they typically seem to love what I do.

As I make extra stock for the art crawl, I also photograph most of it, and place them on my website (Coast Chimes), and in my Etsy Shop.

This means I will hopefully be in good shape for the Christmas rush, too, which will allow for more time to promote on line (blog, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.). The only trick is to remember to photograph each item that sells during the art crawl, so I can remove it from my online sites. I really try hard to keep things accurate, because I know how frustrating it is to invest time choosing something online, only to be told it is no longer available. Not good!

Modern Suncatcher: Artist-made Sea Glass with Driftwood

Framed Artist-made Sea Glass with Natural Driftwood
Coast Chimes

I love this framed glass piece. It took me a long time to find just the right piece of driftwood wood, but it all came together very nicely in the end.

Almost all of the works in my studio gallery are photographed and available on my website, and Etsy, but a few I hold back, including this one. I am reserving some of these for the fast approaching Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2017, October 20-22. A few others are just too big to ship. A few are just not ready for me to say goodbye to yet.

If this framed piece does not sell during the Art Crawl, I will probably put it on my websites, and say goodbye to it pretty fast, especially with the Christmas rush soon to start, the busiest time of year.

Add caption

Color for Your Garden

Kaleidoscope Large Outdoor Wind Chime
Five Copper Chimes
$175 at Coast Chimes

Always a popular choice, my kaleidoscope wind chimes and suncatchers look awesome anywhere, anytime, but they truly shine if they can be hung where early morning / late afternoon sunlight can filter through the glass from behind. I say the glass 'wakes up' when the sun shines through, and you  are treated to that kaleidoscope of color.

The small pieces of artist-made sea glass are loosely trapped between two extra-thick plates of glass in a well crafted red cedar box frame. All the cedar is treated with an exceptional tung nut oil finish that will never peel or flake.

The five hand cut copper chimes are double brushed, treated with a reactive (that will also never peel or flake), scrubbed down with steel wool, and polished: gorgeous!

The beach stone clapper, or striker, produces a sweet sound against the copper chimes.

An absolutely amazing additon to any garden, yard, patio, or deck.

Awesome Handcrafted High-quality Outdoor Wind Chimes

Soothing, Cool Blue and Greens,
Artist-made Sea Glass
Wind Chimes $175 at Coast Chimes

When the sun shines through the glass, you are treated to a kaleidoscope of color! The small artist-made sea glass pieces are loosely trapped between two plates of extra-thick glass in a well crafted cedar box frame

The five copper chimes are double brushed, treated with a reactive (not paint, this finish will never peel or flake), hand polished, and suspended with handcrafted copper rings-- no string or fishing line to wear and break.

The beach stone clapper, or striker, produces sweet sound against the copper chimes.

See this and many other wind chimes, chimes, and suncatchers at Coast Chimes.

New Wind Chimes and Suncatches, Maximum Selection Right Now

Kaleidoscope Artist-made Sea Glass
Large Outdoor Wind Chime
Five Copper Chimes
$175 at Coast Chimes

This stunning kaleidoscope wind chime would be a welcome addition to any garden, yard, or patio. Some people even use it inside, as kinetic art. When the sun shines through the loose glass morsels, you are treated to a kaleidoscope of colour!

I am currently working hard making lots of new stock for the annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, October 20-22, 2017, and, yes, already for the fast approaching Christmas rush. This is a great time to visit my website, as it has the yearly maximum selection, before a big slump from stock cleared through art crawl sales, and then early Christmas shoppers.

My website can be found here: Coast Chimes

Sea Glass Freestanding Kaleidoscope Suncatcher

Freestanding Kaleidoscope Suncatcher
Perfect for a Sunny Windowsill
$75 at Coast Chimes

My freestanding kaleidoscope suncatchers can really jazz up your sunny windowsill. When the sun shines through the artist-made sea glass, you are treated to a kaleidoscope of color!

The glass morsels are loosely trapped between 2 plates of extra-thick glass in a well crafted cedar box frame. The cedar has been treated with an exceptional eco-friendly tung nut oil finish that will never peel or flake.

See all the awesome suncatchers on the Coast Chimes Suncatcher pages. $10 expert shipping to anywhere in the USA or Canada.

Home on the Sunshine Coast, Good to be Back

Beach, Gibsons BC, Canada

After a short camping trip into the interior of British Columbia, as lovely as it was, I am reminded on returning to the Sunshine Coast just how lucky we are to live here. I have been back and forth across Canada, and through much of the USA, and the Sunshine Coast is awfully hard to beat.

We had a long, dusty trip home, much of it on gravel roads. That back country is wild and awesome. But an afternoon reading on the beach back home, swimming, and maybe a short snooze, is just about perfect.

This picture was taken near Granthams Landing, which is just steps from the small town of Gibsons. There was no one else on this section of beach. And the water was super clear, and warm.

If you visit the Sunshine Coast, try to leave time to visit Coast Chimes. You can see some real west coast works of art, perfect for gifts.

Wild British Columbia, Tenting Near Gold Bridge

Carpenter Lake, British Columbia, Canada

A road less traveled in British Columbia is the Lillooet Pioneer Road, or Carpenter Lake Road, heading east from Lillooet. It is maintained, but can be pretty rugged. However, during the summer 2 wheel drive is okay. It passes through some awesome scenery.

We just returned from 2 nights of camping at Tyax Wilderness Resort, on Tyaughton Lake, just off the Carpenter Lake Road. The whole area abounds with camping opportunities, including some decent free sites.

This entire area feels very remote, even though it is just a day's drive from Vancouver. The main town, Goldbridge, has a population under 50. There are a lot of rivers, lakes, and some grizzly bears. A mother bear with 3 cubs was frequenting the area where we camped in our small tent: a bit of a sleepless night. It's funny how acute your night hearing becomes, when you know a bear is in the area. All those leaves rustling, twigs cracking. We never saw the bear.

Fun trip.

Frosty Glass 'Ice' Cubes with Black Beach Stones Outdoor Wind Chimes

Frosty Glass 'Ice' Cubes with Black Beach Stones
Five Antiqued Copper Chimes
Wind Chime
$175 at Coast Chimes

This is a wind chime of contrast: black and white. The frosty white glass cubes are treated glass from a vandalized bus shelter. The beach stones are very black, from a local beach where there is an abundance of this type of stone. Together, they make a very interesting combination.

With my usual high-quality deluxe copper chimes that have been double-brushed, treated with a reactive, and polished with steel wool. The beach stone clapper produces a very sweet sound against the copper.

See all my wind chimes and suncatchers at Coast Chimes.

Outdoor Well Crafted Blue Glass and Antiqued Copper Wind Chimes

Cobalt Blue Glass with Antiqued Copper
$87 USD at Coast Chimes

Cobalt blue glass somehow just really goes perfectly with antiqued copper, as can be seen in the picture above. The glass looks awesome anytime, but really comes alive when the sunlight shines through from behind.

All the glass is artist-made beach glass, upcycled from old bottles. The copper is cut, brushed, treated with a reactive, steel wool brushed, hammered. The chimes are cut from brass and also treated with a reactive (a finish that will not peel or flake, but only look even better over time). These chimes are made to last, and may be enjoyed fully exposed to the elements all year long.

See all the Coast Chimes' wind chimes and suncatchers by clicking here: Coast Chimes

Freestanding Sea Glass Inspired Kaleidoscope Suncatcher

Freestanding Kaleidoscope Suncatcher
$95 at Coast Chimes

This freestanding kaleidoscope suncatcher is perfect for a sunny windowsill. When the sunlight passes through the small pieces of glass, it comes alive with beauty! The artist-made sea glass is loosely trapped between 2 plates of extra-thick glass in a well crafted red cedar box frame.

Coast Chimes has many styles of suncatchers, with and without chimes. Visit those without chimes  in the Suncatcher Section of Coast Chimes.

Large Glass and Copper Outdoor Wind Chimes

Color for Your Garden
$185 at Coast Chimes

It's hard to believe this beautiful glass comes from old bottles: talk about great upcycling! It truly is awesome glass, with smooth edges and a mat finish. It is artist-made beach glass.

And it is hard to beat copper for outdoor decor. This wind chime is all copper and glass, with the exception of the solid red cedar wood roundel from which the chimes are suspended, and the beach stone clapper. All the hardware is handmade from copper (hooks, hooklets, rings). Even the wire used for the beach stone clapper is copper. So nothing is going to rot or break: this chime is made to last!

Find lots more wind chimes from glass, beach stones, driftwood, starting for as low as $55,  at Coast Chimes.

Beach Stones Naturally Beautiful Wind Chimes

Natural Pacific Beach Stone Wind Chime
Five Copper Chimes
$175 at Coast Chimes

Beach stones are awesome. One of the cool things about them is that they look even better when they are wet (like from the tide going out), and this copper wind chime is not afraid of the rain. So hang this up, enjoy it all year round, and have a good look at the intensified colours and shininess of the smooth rounded beach stones when it rains.

Visit the beach stone section of Coast Chimes to see lots of different stone wind chimes: Beach Stones.

Forest Fire Smoke, Gibsons, Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada

Forest Fires Across British Columbia
Cause Grey Skies on the Sunshine Coast

It's selfish , as there are many people across British Columbia effected much more directly than the inconvenience of filthy air-- many have been are are currently under evacuation notice, and some have lost their homes. So obviously I am grateful not to be running from active flames. However, I still can not help but feel bitter, as selfish as that may be.

We have wet, grey winters here with far too few blue sky days. Last winter was also cold, with snow in my backyard for months. Everyday through the winter I walk, often along the ocean, and dream of coming warm summer days, and, yes, blue skies. All that waiting, dreaming, and nothing...

Well, at least the ocean is warm. I hope the wind shifts and the blue skies come be back soon.

New Beautiful Blue Glass and Copper Handcrafted Wind Chimes

Cobalt Blue Glass & Copper
$185 USD Coast Chimes

After 25 years, my glass continues to impress me by its beauty. To think, it all comes from bottles that were going to be thrown away or smashed!

Because my glass comes from bottles, I have a fairly limited colour palette. But those few colours I do have are all gorgeous, especially when the sunlight shines through from behind. When the early morning or late afternoon sunlight shines through the glass, I think of that as the glass coming alive: amazing!

The copper I use compliments the glass so well, too. I just can't imagine a better combination. Check out my website to see all the different wind chimes I make, and suncatchers, too: Coast Chimes
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Driftwood: Naturally Awesome

Naturally Beautiful Pacific Driftwood Wind Chime
$325 USD, Coast Chimes

As soon  as I saw this piece of driftwood on the beach, I knew it would made a spectacular wind chime. This wood is overflowing with character. At 6.5 feet long, it will need space, but most people can easily find room by suspending it from the eves of their house. It could also be hung under a high deck, or from the branch of a large tree.

You can find many interesting driftwood wind chimes in the driftwood section of my website: Driftwood.

If driftwood is not your thing, you can see all of my glass and copper wind chimes at suncatchers elsewhere on the site: Coast Chimes.

Below is a detail image of the intriguing driftwood in the chime above.

Hiking, Roberts Creek, Sunshine Coast, BC

One of My Favourite Spots
Just Above Roberts Creek, BC
Sunshine Coast

From Powell River to Port Melon, the Sunshine Coast is without doubt rich in awesome hiking options.

Before moving close to Gibsons, we lived in upper Roberts Creek, and that is where I first discovered the almost countless trails this area boast. Every once in a while, I enjoy returning to this part of the coast, to revisit those trails. Just yesterday, I took a friend through one of these routes. A beautiful blue sky day, and early enough so we did not wilt from heat. Perfect!

The picture above is one of my very favourite spots on the coast. It's such a peaceful spot. But it is also typical of many of the trails on the Sunshine Coast.

One thing: because there are so many trails, it is pretty easy to get turned around and loose your way. I recommend the free app, Maps.me, available at the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Apps. Unlike Google Maps or Apple Maps, Maps.me actually has a lot of hiking trails on the maps. If I did not know the area well, I would not go to a place like where I took this picture without it, and even though I know the area well, I still reference the maps from time to time.

Beach Combing, Gibsons British Columbia, Canada

Driftwood Found Near Gibsons, BC
Soon to be a Coast Chimes Wind Chime

Most summer days, I take at least an hour off from working on my wind chimes to go on a walk down to the ocean. There I can stroll along the shore, and, with luck, find something interesting to bring home to make into a wind chime (so is that really taking time off from work?). Yesterday I found an especially attractive piece of driftwood: so much character!

You can see all my driftwood wind chimes in the driftwood section of my website: Driftwood

Or visit the beach stone section to see some driftwood mixed with beach stones: Beach Stones

Beautiful Simplicity: Cobalt Blue Glass Wind Chime

Cobalt Blue Glass & Copper Wind Chime
Handmade Antiqued Brass Chimes
$87 at Coast Chimes

As a designer, I love simple. There is something very appealing to the eye, when things are taken to their least complicated level. That is why this chime is one of my favourites: simplicity.

Quality is important, too. Over the years, I have searched out the finest materials, and my designs always take durability very seriously. I do not want my wind chimes and suncatchers to be one summer affairs. The nylon coated multi-strand stainless steel I use to secure the chimes is an example of that, along with the sterling silver crimps (no rusting away). The chimes are treated with a reactive: not paint or polish, and this finish will never peel or flake away.

You can find this wind chime and other awesome works on my website: Coast Chimes. $10 flat express shipping to the USA and Canada.

Urban Organic Food Garden Success

A Small Yard
Produces Lots of Organic Goodness

We moved into our new house 3 years ago, and while I got going in my new workshop producing wind chimes for the world, my wife got going on what at that time was a barren, scorched earth landscape.

My only stipulation was that I would not be cutting any grass. We moved from acreage where there was A LOT of grass, and I felt strongly I never wanted to walk back and forth with a lawn mower again. She agreed, and the result is what you see pictured above: food.

She did invest many, many hours, but that turned out to be something she really enjoys; pulling weeds, planting seeds, and, of course, harvesting. This little yard produces so much, we had to buy a freezer.

As I hear the noisy lawn mowers firing up to the left, the right, I laugh. Those characters are going to spend an hour walking back and forth, then maybe climb in their car and go to the grocery store to buy expensive, pesticide coated, produce for their supper.

I suggest, if you have a yard, or even just a patio, that you grow your own.

If you live on the Sunshine Coast, BC, or visit, you are welcome to come by. My studio is open pretty much everyday, and I'm happy to show off both the garden and my outdoor art for the home and garden. See my work and get directions on my visitors page of my website: Coast Chimes.

Large Outdoor Natural Pacific Wind Chimes

Copper, Driftwood, Beach Stone Wind Chime
Found Here at  Coast Chimes

You can read the history of the wave tossed sun bleached driftwood used in this wind chime: it's been wave tossed and sand rubbed. The beautiful rounded, smooth beach stone tells a similar story. With the antiqued copper chimes, it all comes together in a most awesome way.

These wind chimes made of stone and wood look even more beautiful when they are wet from the rain. It is definitely a chime for all year outdoor usage, in all climates. Solid.

See this and many other striking wind chimes and suncatchers at Coast Chimes.

New Natural Pacific Driftwood Copper Wind Chime Design

New Natural Pacific Driftwood Wind Chime Design
Five Copper Chimes
$175 Coast Chimes

What a warm, welcoming wind chime! Naturally beautiful. This is a new design and I love the simplicity. It's going to look wonderful hanging in any garden, yard, or on any deck-- or from the eves of your house.

The driftwood really matches with the antiqued copper of the chimes. These chimes produce a gentle, soothing sound: not at all like the large aluminum chimes that are impressive in the store, but annoying at home. The secret to a nice sound is the beach stone clapper, or striker: hard against soft metal does magic.

Find this set, and other styles including a small brass chime set, at Coast Chimes.

Driftwood and Beach Stone West Coast Nature Wind Chimes

West Coast Nature Wind Chime
Driftwood and Beach Stones
Five Copper Chimes
$275 Available at Coast Chimes

I really like to use as many natural, local, materials as possible in my wind chime designs. The style pictured here takes that to the maximum, with the awesome collection from the beach.

I have a number of this style on my website, including some much smaller ones for $85.

Whether big or small, all ship anywhere in the USA or Canada for a flat $10.

The chimes and windsail are pure copper, by the way: gorgeous! The beach stone clapper, or striker, creates a soothing, lovely sound against the antiqued copper chimes.

Visit Coast Chimes now, to see all the amazing designs.

Deluxe Handcrafted Bird Feeder Wind Chime

Deluxe Red Cedar Handcrafted
Bird Feeder Wind Chime
$275 at Coast Chimes

One of the big projects each year is the making of my deluxe red cedar bird feeders. I only make them once a year, and when they are sold out, they are gone until the following year. Sometimes they sell out very quickly, and other times they remain until the Christmas rush. This year I have one left from last year's stock, probably because I never put it on Etsy. I really wanted to keep it, to use as a template for this year's crop, but it is listed on Coast Chimes' website: .Here

I am terribly proud of this design. I came up with it about 20 years ago, actually as a lamp design. The table lamp was a little different, but basically all the elements were present. I then turned it into a bird feeder wind chime, and each year made a few improvements. It is one gorgeous, awesome bird feeder.

Sometimes people ask if the chimes bother the birds. I hung this style at my home when I had acreage, and never noticed any reaction from any birds, regarding the chimes. It's cool, because when a bird lands, there tends to be a gentle chiming, and when it takes off, even more of a chiming, as it pushes off. Very nice!

I just got my supply of red cedar from the local mill, which dried quickly under the summer sun, and will be starting to make this years's supply of feeders before too long.

Outdoor Glass and Copper Garden Yard Decor

Kaleidoscope Wind Chime
$175
See it at Coast Chimes

As popular as it is beautiful: the Coast Chimes kaleidoscope wind chime. It looks great anywhere, anytime, but to see it at its best it should be hung where the morning and late afternoon sunlight can filter through the glass from behind: an awesome show of brilliant colours!

This wind chime is extremely well made-- like all Coast Chimes products. The glass pieces are loosely trapped between two plates of extra-thick glass in a red cedar box frame. All the red cedar has been treated with an exceptional tung nut oil finish.

The five copper chimes are the pride of Coast Chimes. The process is long, but the results are striking. The copper is cut, double sanded, treated with a reactive (this finish will not peel or flake), scrubbed with steel wool, and polished. There are no strings or fishing line: all copper connections. This wind chime sounds great due to the beach stone clapper, or striker-- copper is soft, so a really hard clapper produces the sweetest sound.

Find this wind chime and other great creations at the Coast Chimes website. $10 express shipping on all orders.

Gibsons, BC, Sunshine Coast, Canada

Looking Back at My
Summer Afternoon Swimming Beach
Gibsons, BC, Canada

As a self-employed artist, one thing I learned very early is that discipline is important. It is all too easy to get sloppy, start later, finish earlier, read one more chapter. Then you end up not getting things done that need to be done, and it all slides downhill from there.

Before going to sleep at night, I typically make a little list in my head of what I will start with the following morning, what I will accomplish during the day. It helps a lot for getting going in the morning, and for sticking to it during the day. If I fall short of accomplishing all that is on that list, it's not the end of the world, but I feel a bit bad and resolve to work harder the next day. This works really well for me.

During the summer, Gibsons / the Sunshine Coast is the place to be. Not too hot, but hot enough to have a swim that feels great. Blue skies. It is very tempting to take a lot of time off. And I do take some time-- everyone deserves some holiday! But the summer is also the time where I do a lot of my main work, because the wood I work with is dry, the glass can be handled more easily, and there is a long list of things needing to be finished before the October Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, and Christmas rush.

The way I handle the urge to toss everything and spend the day at the ocean reading and swimming is to make that list in my head, and finish it before taking off. But almost every nice day, I do walk down to the local sandy beach (10 minutes stroll, and just happens to be one of the nicest ones on the Coast). It is a wonderful incentive to work hard and finish up: a treat, and it doesn't cost a dime.

If visiting Vancouver, or Vancouver Island, I highly recommend you take a side trip to the Sunshine Coast. Enjoy the slower life style, pick up a Purple Banner Guide of artists' studios and galleries (available on the ferries and in the tourists' bureaus). Make sure to drop by Coast Chimes (directions)-- I'm here everyday working (except for when I am down having a swim!) and would love to show you what I do.

Beaver Gnawed Driftwood Wind Chimes

Awesome Beaver Gnawed Driftwood
Five Copper Chimes
Outdoor Wind Chime: Coast Chimes

I've never seen anything like it: a gorgeous piece of driftwood cut at both ends by a beaver. Perfect for one of my large outdoor handcrafted copper wind chimes. Then, even better, I found a smaller piece of beaver gnawed driftwood just a few weeks later, nearly in the same spot along the beach. So there is a little brother to the large one pictured above.

Little Brother to the Large Beaver Driftwood
See it at Coast Chimes

Delicious Time of Year: Urban Garden

Colorful Organic Swiss Chard from
Urban Home Yard Garden

Possibly my favourite time of year: warm days, cool nights, and awesome treats arriving daily on our dining table, thanks to my wife's hours in our yard garden.

I usually grocery shop once a week, Sunday mornings, and just now it is really happening. Making out the list, and realized I can almost completely skip the produce aisles. So cool!

It is shocking to me just how much food a very small yard garden can produce. I realized just how much last year, when I had to go out and buy a chest freezer!

I encourage you to rip up the grass and put a few raised beds in. The time you save from not having to mow and care for your lawn, invest in planting and weeding and harvesting. Enjoy better food.

Below is a picture of our little yard garden.

This little yard produces a lot of food