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