Under 55

New section on my website~ everything under 55 dollars. To see what is available, Click Here.

One sort of email I get quite a few of I read with mixed emotions. These are from people who take the trouble to write, who express real enthusiasm for my work, who often say how much they like this or that, and who also say they wish they could afford it. I know the feeling!

It really makes me feel good that these people write, even though they can't buy. But I feel sorry that they can't enjoy one of my works.

That got me thinking. I used to make a fair number of less expensive items, but overtime, with the increase in the cost of materials (copper!), and also the growth of my skill level, it seemed not to make sense to spend all that time taking pictures and wrapping and shipping for a few dollars. So I stopped.

But these emails have got me going again. I figure if I stick to things that are not too complex to make, and that are not too tough to ship, I can do it. And if I sell them strictly on my website (no eBay etc. fees).

I hope some of these people will appreciate having things that perhaps they can afford without skipping meals.

GardenWeb | A Great Website

Cedar, Cobalt Glass, Copper, and... I do love Rust! To see all my rusty creations, Click Here.

I do love rust. And I see that I am not alone. The GardenWeb website even has a forum with some postings dedicated to rust. That forum is under the heading Garden Junk. I am not sure I am exactly thrilled to have my work mentioned, however favorably, under that heading!

About two years ago, I ran across the GardenWeb, and was very impressed. If you are the least bit interested in gardening, using the word in its widest possible sense, you really should check out this site.

The forums are lively. When some nice person posted about my website, the traffic to my site increased by ten times! If you have questions (or answers!) about gardening, garden design, garden art, check out the GardenWeb.

More Copper Earrings

Aged copper earrings. Just listed on eBay.

I used to make small beach glass inspired earrings, and give a set for free for those with larger orders. But I did not much enjoy using the epoxy to glue the glass onto the caps, and so I looked for something better. I came up with copper earrings, which was ideal since my work always has a surplus of small snippets of copper. I can use some of that for these!

Now I include a complimentary set for all orders, no matter how small the order is. People really seem to appreciate the gift. I get a lot of thank you notes!

Actually I sell quite a few pairs, as well, on eBay.

Today as I worked on finishing up around my new workshop, I found quite a lot of weathered copper wire. It's all old penny color, and I thought what a waste to throw it out. Then I got the idea of making earrings with aged copper. I really like these. I will soon know if anyone else likes aged copper, as I just put a set on eBay.

New Workshop ~ Yippee!

Before and...

After~

My renovated workshop. A treat!

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately!) you can not see much in the picture at the top of how this shack looked before my renovation. But you can see the roof broken and rotting off. Imagine just two small windows, and you can see why we always referred to this shack as the haunted house.

It was full of cobwebs, bats (two jumped out at me as I was ripping out the inside walls), mice, dirt and just plain ugly and unpleasant.

My old greenhouse workshop was an eyesore too, though, with a failing plastic roof. Dripping water, and the wind blowing through. Suddenly it made sense during this particularly cold and wet winter to renovate the shack (with plenty of insulation included, of course!).

Four large salvaged windows and a sliding glass door, a major clean up, built in tables and shelves and, presto, a wonderful workshop. One of the biggest pleasures was recycling materials~ all free, and all saved from the landfill. Good stuff.

There is still some tidying up and table building to do, and I believe my wife is thinking of staining the exterior, and maybe painting the trim some bright color.

Yesterday, I did my first chime work in the new shop, and it was really nice!

Driftwood Wind Chimes

I've added a new section to my website~ just driftwood! If you would like to see it, Click Here.

I see a surprising number of people searching for driftwood, and even driftwood wind chimes. Who would have thought there would be so many other fans of this high-character, low maintenance wood? Well, I love it, so I guess it should not be too surprising that some others do, too.

For this new section of my website, I used a different way of showing the items~ a carousel image gallery. I'm not sure which is better, the other way, from thumbnail pictures to larger pictures with details toa full size image, or this way. There is one less level to navigate here, so I am thinking this may be better. I'll see how it goes, and maybe change the whole site to this method. Decisions, decisions...

In the meantime, I got the old workshop / greenhouse torn down (hard job! It was well built.) and the site cleaned up, and the new, renovated shop now has built in tables and shelves, the outside trim is almost finished, and today I made the first items inside the shop~ it's going to be much, much better! Pictures soon.

Snow! More Snow! Sunshine Coast

Snow sticking to the skylight. Blah!

I guess I deserve this. After doing my little dance, singing my little song, clapping my... well, you get the idea ~ in celebration of an early spring on the Pacific West Coast, look! Snow!

I thought it was cold this morning on my hike. It was the first time in weeks I wore a hat. And I thought it was cold, as I worked finishing up my new workshop. But never, ever, did I think it would snow.

Well, at least the new shop seemed all that nicer, in this cold weather. It's going to be great! Even the dog came in. I guess he has had enough of the cold and snow this year, too.

Glass and Copper Wind Chime, That's it!

Glass, copper, a beach stone clapper. That's it. For me, this is the chime. For more details, or to buy this wind chime, Click Here.

My most popular wind chime is not my favorite. Oh, it's a super nice wind chime~ don't get me wrong! But it is not my personal favorite.

It's a puzzle to me why the style pictured above does not sell more frequently. Oh, I know, it's expensive. But not that expensive! Maybe the equivalent of four tanks of gas, and while the gas might last a month, this wind chime will last for many, many years.

See, it is all glass and copper. Nothing to wear out. Nothing to need refinishing. It's just going to hang there, and look better and better as time goes by.

This is the first style I made, when I started making wind chimes. When I listed my first one for sale, people went wild! At least a few people. Well, I think those people were right. This is a winner.

I have three of this type hanging on my deck. For seven years they have been out there year round, through winter snow storms and fall wind storms, and I can vouch that they only look even better than the day I hung them up.

Now that's a sweet wind chime!

Savary Island, Cottage Website Launch www.savarybc.com

It was a pleasure putting together this new website for my friend, master woodworker Andrew Van Wersch. He is building such a neat cottage on Savary Island (also known as paradise!), a Gulf Island off the Sunshine Coast. To see a lot of neat pictures, including a mini-portfolio of the amazing cabinetry and furniture Andrew has made, Click Here.

I really enjoy making websites. It's very different from my usual work, working with my hands. Website design calls for such intense concentration. But maybe that's just me. I love to see how even a minor change in color can so dramatically change the look of a site.

This Savary Island website was really nice to put together. Working with such beautiful pictures, both of the fabulous cottage Andrew is building, and his portfolio of high-end furniture and cabinetry work, meant that things would look great almost despite what I did in site design.

It still took many hours to put it all together. Plus I have been renovating the shack behind our house, turning it into a snazzy workshop (more on this later). So it's time to get back to work and make some neat wind chimes, before the next fistful of bills comes. It's so much fun to work on these other things, it's easy to forget about business! Tomorrow, cutting copper chimes.

Driftwood Wind Chimes

Teredo Driftwood Copper Wind Chime. Tung Nut Oiled. Beach Stone Clapper.

Aside from this blog, I run my own website. Through Google Analytics, I can see a snapshot of what people search to find my site. I'm intrigued that there are quite a few people who search for driftwood, and driftwood wind chimes. I thought it was just me!

You know, my first memory of being enchanted by the natural world has to do with driftwood. Back when I was a very young boy, my parents took us to a Northern Wisconsin lake. I recall how I found a treasure: A most beautiful piece of driftwood. I still remember exactly how it looked~ long, smooth, and polished by the waves. I took it home, and for a long time it was one of my dearest possessions.

How odd (or perhaps not) that forty five years later I should still be looking for more great driftwood.

Pacific Driftwood, Tung Nut Oiled, Copper Chimes, Beach Stone Clapper

Beach Glass Inspired Suncatcher Evolves

New from old~ it's started life as a freestanding window suncatcher, and now, completely redone, is a mixed media window suncatcher hanging. To read more about this suncatcher, you may visit my website by Clicking Here.

I could count the number of returns I have had on half the fingers of one hand. Not too bad, considering the several thousand items I have shipped. One or two damaged items, and one or two where the customer changed their mind, or whatever. Offering a 100% satisfaction guarantee, I'm pleased not to have had more returns. Generally, I just get a very enthusiastic thank you email.

That said, a few weeks ago I heard from a customer who was upset. She had bought a freestanding suncatcher, and did not like what she received, and even doubted it was the same item as had been pictured. Never before had anything like this happened, so I was puzzled.

I paid for her postage to mail it back, and also completely refunded all her money. When it arrived back, the puzzle was solved. The sides of this large suncatcher had come a bit loose, resulting in a lopsidedness, and also the glass morsels inside must not have been cleaned as well as they should have been, as the inner glass plates looked all dusty. So I fully understood why this customer had been unhappy. I felt very bad for all her trouble and disappointment.

But, when something like that happens, there is nothing to do except to learn and move on. I took the whole thing apart, cut much thicker and stronger sides and bottoms, used much longer brad nails, and put it all back together as a hanging suncatcher. It's strong, it's clean, and it's cool.

Savary Island | Dreams | Paradise

Yes~ away from it all. Savary Island.

Click on the image to see it larger.

Have you ever dreamed of having a place on an island where you can really get away from it all? Your place? Your getaway?

Did your dream feature a beautiful island with sandy beaches, lush vegetation, an amazing house?

Welcome to Savary Island. Welcome to my friend, the five star woodworker, Andrew Van Wersch. Welcome to my new blog, Savary B.C.

If you Google Savary Island, what stands out is the number of entries that feature the word 'paradise.' I'm not surprised. Famous for its sandy beaches, its warm clean water, it's unspoiled beauty, when it comes to describing Savary the word paradise just naturally fits.

If you have ever dreamed of island life, if you like the Pacific West Coast, if you wonder what it is like to build on an island, if you enjoy beautiful pictures, then my new blog will be of interest to you.

I am starting with the island, then focusing in on Andrew and building. I'll be following the construction of the amazing place he is building on this island paradise.

Why not check it out? You can find the blog by Clicking Here.

Soon to be an exceptional getaway

Teredo Driftwood, Rusty Chimes

Teredo worm sculpted Pacific driftwood with large rusty iron chimes. I've added a whole page of rusty iron chimes to my website~ to see these beautiful works, Click Here.

As promised in an earlier post, I have now completed my teredo worm chewed Pacific driftwood wind chime. Actually, the teredo worm is not a worm at all, but a sort of clam. It's clear from this piece of wood why those who own wood boats dread the teredo worm!

I've also just added a whole page to my new website featuring rusty iron chimes. Rust is beautiful! These are heavy chimes, and the rust evenly coats the chimes. Since the chimes are quite thick, it will be years and years before they rust away, so not to worry about that.

Like (almost) all my chimes, these have beach stone clappers. Great sound. Great beauty.

Spring-like Weather here on the Coast ~ Sale to Celebrate!

Snapshot section of my new website. To celebrate what seems like spring here on the Sunshine Coast, I decided to have a sale! Why not check it out? Treat yourself or a friend to something beautiful.

After such a l-o-n-g, cold, wet, dark and dismal winter, suddenly we have warm(er) temperatures and blue skies here on the Sunshine Coast. I can't begin to express how this has improved my spirits! That was one tough winter!

Of course, through much of the country people would scoff at the idea of 37 degrees even being called winter. But there is a dampness and a darkness here that truly can become a drag very quickly. And then it goes on and on until it seems it will never end.

Beside, I do almost all my work outside in unheated spaces. I can tell you that 37 degrees, or even 42, may not sound all that cold, but when you are standing in one spot handling copper tubing without gloves, it is cold.

So with the sun shining down, with the temperature climbing up, it seems like an excellent reason to celebrate. Just go to my website to take advantage of my spring sale. Add some beauty to your environment.

Lower Prices (for a bit)

Beach Glass Inspired Kaleidoscope Art Wind Chime
Price temporarily reduced on my website!

I got a shock the other day in the form of a rather large, unexpected bill. That's life. That's Great news for my customers, as I need to sell a few works fast. I've just lowered the prices on quite a few of the wind chimes and suncatchers on my website, so if you have been thinking about something nice for your home, office, yard or garden~ this is the right time! Prices will go back up as soon as this (ugh) bill gets paid.

More good news is that since my last posting (really just a week ago?) where I griped about the snow, the weather has turned very spring-like here, on the Sunshine Coast. I plan to go into full production~ lots of super neat things coming up fast on the design table. Some wonderful driftwood~ including a fabulous piece of toredo (shipworm) chewed wood. It's going to be So Nice working without having my hands freeze off!

The Snow goes On and On and...

The view out my packing room window. Since I mostly work outside in unheated spaces, it is really not the least bit tempting to go out there and get to work. It is pretty, though, and very nice hiking weather. I have more pictures, including recent ones of the cold snowy landscape, in a slide show on my website: Click here to see pictures of the Roberts Creek, Sunshine Coast area.

This has been a very cool, wet, snowy winter so far, for this area. Most years, it might snow once or twice, and that usually melts within a few days. Then usually it's back to pretty bearable temperatures. Not this year.

We have lived on the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia for thirteen years now, and I never have seen the snow hanging around this long. It's not a lot; but it's there. Not only does this make it too uncomfortable to do much work, but the white background is not ideal for taking pictures of my work. So things are kind of on hold.

Now I'm starting to run out of chimes, though, so whether I like it or not, and whether it warms up or not, I will soon have to go out and there. I am really hoping for some warmer weather!

Here is my dog Yukon, who has the right idea these days.

vs.5, New Coast Chimes Website

A partial snapshot of the homepage of my new website. vs. 5~ it's been a long haul! Why not take a moment and explore~ it's a pretty site, with pretty things. To see my new site, just Click Here.

As so often happens, what at first seems so easy becomes more and more complex. Why is that? While it was approximately a million times easier and more fun building a website using nice software, it soon became apparent that there were also many neat new things that could be tried, and that brought with it a steep learning curve.

Since I do almost all my actual work (making neat things) outside in unheated space, designing this new website provided the perfect excuse to sit inside, away from the snow and cold. It is amazing to me, though, just how much time and effort can go into a website. Just choosing titles for each page is a major task, not to mention colors, and.... well, you get the picture.

I know vs.5 will not be the end of it, either. But at least I have gotten it to the point where I feel quite proud.

At last~ Decent light!

Beach glass inspired kaleidoscope wind chime. Five copper chimes with a beach stone clapper. For more information, or to bid on this wind chime, Click here.

It's been a long, cold, wet, dark winter. For most of my work, I'm outside in unheated spaces. So it's been hard. If it's not so cold my fingers freeze, it's wet, which makes working with wood very challenging. But the worse is trying to take decent pictures. For that, I need light!

At long last, the sun was shining yesterday and I broke my schedule of going to Vancouver each Wednesday to take advantage of it. The light was really great for only about forty-five minutes, and I can tell you that was a busy three quarters of an hour! I took over three hundred pictures (each piece gets numerous pictures, and then I choose the best of the lot).

It was worth it. There is no doubt that the image is the most important element for selling my work online. So I'm very happy to have been able to get some decent pictures. Now to finish sorting through them all, and to update those on my website, as most are not so great.

My new website is into version 4.5 now. It's getting there. More on that later.

Nice, Helpful People

It's not often that I feel the urge to praise a company. These days of endless telephone waits and know-nothing service reps, my usual urge is quite the opposite!

So when I do run across an exceptional company, I feel I should shout the news.

After resolving to totally redo my website, this time using real software and a real web host, I had some decisions to make.

I already mentioned in a previous post how much I like my choice of RapidWeaver website design software, but neglected to mention how much I like my new web hosting company.

Little Oak hosting is truly a jewel. A small company, where they take the time to answer questions quickly (light-fast, I would say), and clearly. Being a beginner at web design, I am sure many of my questions were rather foolish, yet I never heard them laugh at me once! Also, some of my questions were quite frankly not exactly related to their job~ software questions, not hosting questions ~ and yet they happily answered even those questions. Christopher, my contact at Little Oak, reassured me that it was only by asking such questions that I would learn~ now that's nice!

With hosting packages starting at only $25 a year (!), they are quite the excellent deal, too. All packages include tons of neat stuff, like great statistics on website traffic etc. etc.

I am recommending Little Oak to all my friends. One word: Wonderful!

I Love Rust

A new look for the new year~ Rusty Iron Chimes! Shown with a beach glass inspired kaleidoscope top section. For more information, or to purchase, Click Here.

I love rust! For a long time, I have been longing to get my hands on some iron to make rusty chimes. After starting my new website, coastchimes.com, I got on with this rusty chime project.

The first steel yard I visited here on the Sunshine Coast only had gas pipe, and sanding the creosote-like finish off was not much fun. Fortunately, the second yard had just what I was looking for: pre-rusted heavy pipe. Beautiful!

I have seen painted chimes where the paint has chipped and there is rust where there should not be. Now that's ugly! So isn't it funny how chimes totally covered in rust are so attractive?

And I am not worried about the durability of these. The iron is thick, and it will be years and years before the rust eats them away. The beach stone clapper sounds really nice against these large chimes, too.

So for the New Year, a New Look. I am not abandoning copper. I love copper, too. But it's great to explore new materials.

New Website!

I'm not a huge fan of New Year resolutions. But oddly enough last year I resolved to make a website. I did that. This year I resolved to make a good website. I think maybe I have made progress towards that goal, too, already. Here is a screen shot of the homepage:























It's now called Coast Wind Chimes.

If you ever visited my old, cobbled together site, I think you might enjoy visiting the new site and seeing how much easier it is to navigate, and some of the neat new features, like a slide show.

I would like to thank the folks at Realmac Software for their Rapidweaver web design software. Rapidweaver made putting my new site together such a pleasure, especially after the HTML nightmare of the old site. The forum at Rapidweaver is great, too, with such clear answers from those who know what they are doing.

It's been cold, wet, and windy, and so it was nice to stay inside and work on the website. But now it's time to get out and make some new, interesting things.