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50 Diamond Bits

50 new diamond bits. Lots of stone and glass cutting coming right up!

It's been a (l-o-n-g) while. Between a car accident that wrecked my back, and a winter break down in Mexico, time went by. But I am back, and back at work.

As shown in the picture, I just picked up 50 beautiful, new, diamond bits. I am excited to get out and cut a lot of beach stone, and soon, in the spring, lots of glass. I already got going on the stone. Here is a wonderful natural beach stone wind chime:

Natural Pacific Beach Stone Wind Chime

Three gorgeous natural beach stones with hammered copper. Five antiqued copper chimes with a beach pebble clapper and a hammered copper windsail.

Isn't that a wonderful wind chime? And it is extremely well suited to year round outdoor use— in fact, it looks even better wet than dry! Find it on my website: Coast Chimes, or on Etsy: My Etsy Shop.

Sun Catcher Chimes, Fancy

Fancy Sun Catcher Chime

Beach Glass Inspired

Visit the 'Under $100' page of my website to see more.

Sometimes I need to go into our solarium, where I take the pictures of my work, and where it hangs until sold, and have a good look around. This is what I did late last week, and I realized that there were no more fancy sun catcher chimes! I have no idea how long I have been sold out of this style, but I got busy right away and made five new ones.

Sometimes I also find it useful and interesting to go back and look at pictures of my work from past years. I often see something that I used to make, and like, and have not made for a long time. So inspiration can also come from the past, if you keep a record.

Now there are some really nice, new fancy sun catcher chimes available on my website and on Etsy.

Framed Glass

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Framed glass with natural Pacific driftwood

Visit my website, Coast Chimes, for more pictures and frame styles

It's been awhile. I used to make many frames, as there was a good store in Vancouver where they sold well. After making so many, I got tired and gave it a break.

After two years, I suddenly got the urge to make some frames. With renewed vigor, and perhaps improved skills, I have completed four, all of different styles. I even have one with a box of kaleidoscope mosaic glass imbedded!

I'm very pleased all four frames. You can see them on the Gallery Page of my website, or on Etsy.

Freestanding Large Double Wind Chimes

Four new large double freestanding wind chimes

See them on my website, Coast Chimes, or on Etsy.

I enjoy the challenge of making large works, and only wish that Canada Post would allow even bigger items to ship. It is easy to get carried away and go beyond the maximum size or weight for shipping. How I would love to make a truly giant sculpture!

Well, these most recent works are pretty big. One of the beach stone bases is still downstairs cluttering up our living room, as I just have not felt like lugging it upstairs. At fifty pounds, it's an armful!

Although there are beaches here with many, many stones, it is surprisingly difficult to find a stone that works well as a base. If I wanted to cheat, I could take any nice large stone over to my friend's place, and have him cut the bottom off so it lies flat and stable. But I prefer to keep it all natural, so I search, and I search, and eventually I find an attractive stone that works.

Bending the copper is also tricky. I find this is one job where I truly have to be in an excellent frame of mind: relaxed, feeling good and confident. It's easy to kink the copper, or to end up with a mess.

As always with these large works, I offer free shipping to anywhere in the USA or Canada. I bet some of these will cost around $150 in postage, so that is quite a good deal. The postage is only a part of it, of course, as packing these tends to be a half a day job, at least.

Why not take a few minutes and check these out on my website's Large Works page, or on Etsy? Also, if you click on the picture above, you can see them a bit bigger.

Bird Feeder Wind Chime: New Design

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Deluxe Red Cedar Bird Feeder Wind Chime

I stopped making bird feeders for a while, as they were so time consuming and I had to charge so much even to make a minimal hourly wage. But they were beautiful, and I was proud of them.

Recently, I decided to simplify the design somewhat, but keep all the beauty. So instead of a four-sided feeder I am now making a two sided one. It still looks amazing, and it is in fact better, as it is much more solid. Best of all, I could reduce the price, since these are a little faster to make.

You can see them on my website, with more pictures, or on Etsy.

One of the neatest things about this bird feeder (aside from the super cool design!), is that when birds land or take off the chimes will chime alerting you to the feeding birds. The birds do not seem to mind the chimes at all. Who knows, maybe they enjoy them.

Shipping Record Exploded

21 kaleidoscope wind chimes, 1 huge double freestanding wind chime, and 6 beach stone chimes. The largest one day shipment in the history of Coast Chimes.

It's been a fabulous, busy month. In fact, yesterday I shipped more works than ever before in one day. These were not all ordered on the same day, and most I have been working on for the past month or longer. It just happened that they were all ready to ship at the same time. Still, it is sweet to see the popularity of my work appearing to grow nicely. People still appreciate handcrafted, high quality, works with soul, as opposed to cheap generic stuff.

It's been so busy, I am a little concerned about making ample stock for the fast approaching Christmas rush. So I have temporally closed the large wind chime section of the wholesale page of my website. Suncatcher and suncatcher chime packages are still available.

Now, time to go and make some wonderful new things!

That's a Pile of Chimes!

16 of the 21 chime bottom sections set to ship.

I've all but finished the large order (21 sets of kaleidoscope wind chimes). And that feels great! It will feel even better when they are all completely done, and shipped (and the check arrives!).

I am so pleased that the customer opted for my brushed and polished chimes, instead of my antiqued finish chimes. I am not sure I could have coped with applying that labor intensive finish to this many chimes in one sitting.

I am also pleased my oldest son was home just at this moment to do all the double brushing of these chimes. It was good for him to make some money, and excellent for me not to have to do that. Back in the days when I used to only make this style (double brushed), he was the one who did all the brushing, so there was no training involved. He is a fabulous worker, really putting his back to the chore, and doing a great job.

The top sections are also all done, but I need more eye hooklets and the store is sold out (I wonder who bought all those!). Once I get more of those, and my copper shop gets around to cutting sales for me to finish, the job will be done.

Right now, I am looking so forward to starting work on my own projects, building stock for the Christmas rush. Yesterday I spent four hours cleaning my workshop: it was a mess! All is ready now. All is good.

Back from New Mexico

New Mexico met and exceeded my expectations: Fabulous!

Back from a three week drive down to New Mexico and straight to more work than I have ever faced before. Busy!

The trip to New Mexico was fabulous. We camped the whole way (except for one night). As usual, I was so impressed by the USA campsites: far better than almost any I have been to in Canada. In the USA, they get it-- many people like to camp in tents. In Canada, almost all the sites are set up for vehicles. You get a hard patch of gravel that is usually almost impossible to pound tent stakes into. You see many more people camping in tents in the USA than in Canada, and I suspect that providing these tent friendly sites is one reason.

Anyway, New Mexico was even more amazing than I had hoped, and I had high hopes! Oregon was as always top notch, too.

When I came back, I had some orders lined up from things that sold while I was away, and then more and more came in. There is a corporate order for 21 wind chimes that I am currently working like crazy to get done, and also a wholesale order that I need to get done ASAP.

So work, and more work, and it 's all good, because the weather is great, the days are long, and it's all going to get done.

Back from New Mexico

Back from a wonderful, amazing trip down to New Mexico. Loved every minute of it— especially what I saw of New Mexico, and Oregon is always a treat, too.

Below, the wall of an Earth House seen in New Mexico-- another use for old bottles (and cans).

Oh So Blue

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Cobalt Blue Glass with Five Antiqued Brass Chimes

Sometimes I am actually amazed by what I put together. The wind chime pictured above is a case in point: gorgeous! Everything just works. I love the colors, the design, the copper, the antiqued chimes. Sorry to brag, but, I am proud of this!

Visit this wind chime on my website (Coast Chimes) or on Etsy.

Wind Chime: New Design

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Shorter Wind Chime: as requested

Visit my website to learn more, or to purchase: Coast Chimes

Over the years, quite a few people requested a shorter version of my wind chimes. Finally, I put on my design cap and figured one out. And I think it is a real success!

It features five mini-chimes suspended from a glass roundel. The chimes are cut from bronze, and they have a most attractive antique finish. Just like with my large chimes, this has a beach stone clapper. Instead of measuring 43-50 inches long like my large chimes, this sweet one measures just 33 inches long.

It can be found on my website, on Etsy, and in my Facebook Shop Now store, where fans receive a 10% discount.

Suncatcher Hanging

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Suncatcher Hanging

Visit my Facebook Shop, my Website or Etsy

I just got my yearly order of plate glass from Vancouver. It's enough to cut 200 pieces for my kaleidoscope style wind chimes, and 30 of the framed pieces as pictured above. At first I was mildly taken aback, because unlike in past years this time the glass is not all cut to size. But then I realized it is easy to cut, and this gives me more options.

I plan to make some things that I have not made in quite a long time, like diamond shaped kaleidoscope hangings and windowsill suncatchers.

Another bonus having the glass uncut is that I have been using some of it to put windows in the door of my workshop. Brighter and nicer. An easy improvement. Little things can make a big difference.

West Coast Artist Carol La Fave: I like!

Cliff Gilker Park, Carol La Fave, 48 X 36 inches

Along with abundant natural beauty, one thing the Sunshine Coast has is gifted artists. Recently, the paintings of Carol La Fave really caught my eye.

I first saw Carol's paintings several months ago, and I believe my jaw literally dropped. When I saw the price labels, it dropped some more. After expressing my absolute awe over her paintings, I told Carol that her prices were way too low. You should head over to Carol's website and check out her work before she heeds my advice!

Carol's work captures not just the beauty of British Columbia's West Coast, but somehow goes far beyond that, to the spirit. There is information about Carol on her website, but, really, her paintings say it all.

Whiskey Slough, Carol La Fave, 24 X 20 inches

Giveaway: Handcrafted Copper Earrings

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Beautiful handcrafted copper earrings giveaway!

(Click on the image to see it larger)

Winner Announcement:

I have just drawn the name, and it is Robyn, of Potomac River Creations who has won- Congratulations Robyn! Sorry to everyone else, but thank you very much of entering. Robyn, I have emailed you through the email address on your website, and hopefully you get that fine. Otherwise, please contact me.

I am giving away up to four sets of my handcrafted copper earrings (approximate combined value is $80), as pictured above. These are really nice. People love my earrings!

This giveaway is open to everyone 18 and older in Canada, the USA, South America and Europe. The purpose of the giveaway is to publicize my Facebook page, and to increase my fan base on Facebook. It is being held off Facebook to comply with Facebook rules.

Rules:

— To enter for the draw, leave a comment on this blog posting, right here on the Coast Chimes blog. The winner will be able to pick one set of earrings from those pictured above.

— If the winner is a fan of my Facebook page, they can choose two sets of earrings from those pictured above. If you are not yet a fan, to become a fan just click the 'like' button on my Facebook page.

— Tweeting or sharing is not a requirement for entering this contest, but is much appreciated. So if you share or tweet my Facebook page, or this blog posting (easy icons upper right side), you will receive the bonus gift of two additional sets of earrings, for a total of four sets, as pictured above. This will be on an honour system: I will simply ask the winner if they shared or tweeted, and if yes, they will receive all four sets of earrings.

— This contest will close at 4:00 PM PDT on Monday, June 21. The winner will be randomly drawn from all those who have left a comment on this page. The winner will be announced on this page within 24 hours after closing.

Thank you, and good luck!

*NB, no information will be collected or shared from this contest, other than the winner's name, for announcement purposes.

Wind Chime, Glass, Copper, Most Recent Creation

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Beach glass inspired art wind chime with lots of hammered copper.

See it on my Facebook page: Coast Chimes

I've received so many compliments about the new style of hammered copper antiqued windsail I now make, I decided to make a wind chime with lots of copper. The result is pictured above.

The entire wind chime is shown on the far left. The other images are detail images of one of the glass pieces, one of the hammered copper pieces, and the antiqued copper chimes. For copper lovers.

Freestanding Large Double Wind Chimes

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Large Freestanding Double Wind Chime

Intertwined copper supports

Natural Pacific beach stone base

I love large freestanding double and single wind chimes. I think they look great and that they are very different and cool.

I do not love packing them! They are amongst the most challenging of the works I ship to box up. And certainly the most expensive to ship, with postage often exceeding $100.

I have several in my Facebook Shop Now store, where fans get 10% off my usual prices, and where I hold periodic sales. There is a 25% sale coming up, probably this week, to celebrate hitting 200 fans. Just visit my Facebook page, click the 'like' button, and start saving on all my Shop Now stock.

Copper Wire Wrapping: If Practice Makes Perfect...

75 meter spool of no. 2 bare copper wire, 7 stranded

I've been wrapping glass with copper wire for fifteen years now, and I just figured out roughly how much copper I have used: A lot!

For wrapping, I use bare copper wire no. 2, 7 stranded, and I buy it in 75 meter spools. So the 7 strands means each spool has 525 meters of wire. I use two spools a year. Not counting my early years, where I did not use as much, I calculate that I have used at least 14,000 meters (28,228 feet). That's 9 miles of wire!

I still have a few of my early copper wire wrapped pieces around, and I can tell you that while maybe practice does not make perfect, it will take you in that direction. Below is a recent wrapping.

Bears, Sunshine Coast, British Columbia

A little black bear in my backyard.

Several days ago, my wife was out in our backyard painting a stool when she heard a branch crack. Around here, when a branch cracks you look to see why. This time, it was a small black bear coming out of the brush right behind her, about ten feet away.

My dog chased it up that tree for a few minutes, just enough time to take a few pictures. But bears here are used to dogs, and people, and it soon assessed the situation, and decided to come down and waddle off. Not much concerned.

I said at the time that given the size of that little guy, it's mother was probably not far off. Well, late yesterday afternoon I heard frantic barking just outside of my workshop. Sticking my head out the door, I saw six feet away my dog absolutely face to face with a HUGE bear. Hello Mom!

It was quite a scene. Even though my dog is large at over 100 pounds, the bear was easily three or maybe four times larger, and clearly not impressed by my dog. The bear moved an inch towards my dog, and he jumped back about six feet! Having made its point (ie, I am king), the bear slowly turned and trudged off.

That was something else. I wish I had had my camera, as a picture of those two face to face would be a keeper. However, I am mostly just glad there was no bloodshed. Henceforth, I will try to keep my camera with me more often. And I will also be keeping my bear spray handier!

Wind Chimes Garden Art 25% off Sale

To celebrate achieving over 100 new fans in a week, I am holding a 25 % off sale on all the items in my new Facebook 'Shop Now' store.

Now you can shop right on Facebook: easy, fast and safe. My new Shop Now store is up and running, and you always receive a 10% discount. Even better: right now I am celebrating with a 25% off store-wide sale! The sale ends at 6:00 PM PDT, so don't delay.

Why not rush on over and pick up something beautiful for yourself, or for a friend? To receive your discount, all you have to do is click the little 'like' icon at the top of the page. Click Here to see the store. Enjoy!

Facebook ShopNow

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A screen grab of my Facebook ShopNow shop

10% Discount! Soon, a 25% off sale!

I've been adding stock to my new Facebook shop, and sprucing things up with larger pictures too. There is quite a large selection available.

In one week I have climbed to 83 fans-- people who 'like' my shop. By clicking the little 'like' icon, you automatically will receive a discount on your purchase, and also stay up to date with Coast Chimes news.

As soon as I hit 100 fans, I plan on a surprise sale. I'm going to increase the fan discount to 25 % (!) for one week to celebrate-- my way of saying Thank YOU! Why not visit my Facebook page now and click the like button, so you will be notified when my sale starts? Just click on this link: my Facebook Coast Chimes Page.