Coastal Inspired Crafts

I love to beach comb and make rustic crafts with jetsam boat wood, old log boom signs, and driftwood that I collect in the Pacific Northwest.    

My crafts are made from marine materials that have been broken and shaped from the ocean and shoreline, retired from a life at sea.

When beach combing in the Pacific Northwest I find colourful pieces of broken jetsam boat wood. This form could only happen after a boat sinks, and is consumed by the ocean, broken up and rolled round in the surf and against the rocky shorelines. I am fascinated by the shapes and make up of materials, some pieces will have both wood and layers of fiberglass and paint. I imagine how this was once part of a boat that had explored the coast. 

And I am always delighted to find a log boom sign, these markers are nailed to booms designating the mill, wood lot and number. Often found in blue, bright green, yellow and white, I have only found a few orange signs. 

I have collected old navigational charts for years, and now have a great collection of charts from all over the BC coast. Some of my favorite charts were used by Ned Ashe, who was a great mariner from Oak Bay. Many of the charts has his hand written notes, and plotting marks. 

With the jetsam boat wood and log boom signs, I cut them to size and sand the edges. Then I apply a section of chart, and collage on other jetsam boat wood. I drill holes and string colorful reused line and rope to hang. The piece is then coated with marine varnish that I source from past marine projects.   

Creating crafts that are made from the materials, that have been re-purposed, found when beach combing, or recycled from foreshore boat yards. There are exceptions for this, such as the cleets used to hang some crafts. And where something just needed to be that way. 

I love finding and working with materials that are the direct connection to the jetsam boat wood, that is floating in our area.

Log boom signs and broken boats, old line and bits of metal rigging.

When beach combing I also look for driftwood to make boats. I rig these with dacron or chart sails, and bits of old sailing racing line. 

I have been working on making kits for you,  to make your own boat.

Inspired from the time I made these for the Melges 24 Worlds party in Victoria. I wanted to have unique crafts for the kids, so I made driftwood Melges 24 kit driftwood boats for kids to colour the sails and assembled the mast. 

Nautical vintage charts are a fun decoration to hang, when folded into bunting, 

I carefully fold each flag from the same chart, and hang 6 together on a length of sailing line or vintage looking line in natural. Each one is unique and shows a large amount of chart as possible.

Each bunting can be unfolded to 4"by6", giving you lots of chart if you wanted to frame them, or use for a craft in the future. 

Sailing rope bracelets. I love these and wear one almost every day. I will sail wearing it, and dress for the patio with a sailing rope bracelet. 

The fit must be good for this to work well, as the stainless clasp is a hook. I use proper racing sailing line, this has a stiffness that helps the style of bracelet fit nicely and feel secure. 

The materials for my crafts are sourced through time on the water, Beach combing that involves 80% garbage pick up. Time aboard, enjoying the adventure and beauty of the Pacific Northwest. From lobster boat to larger soft sail, we enjoy all seasons for cruising adventures in the Pacific Northwest. Home base is Salt Spring Island, and staying very close these days. much beauty to see in home waters. I am particularly interested in moss and succulents, often I will post slow video of succulents in gorgeous rock foreshore environments.  I hope when things open up for travel, you will visit Salt Spring Island and checkout my new improved market cart in the courtyard between the gallery and Treehouse, beside the entrance to Oystercatcher. I love that it is also the top of the dock, as I usually visit by dinghy.  

Tara

x