I learned to love the unforgiving heat. I learned to see beauty in the thorny landscape. And now, being transplanted to the coast I find new beauty every day. The tropical air, the abundance of lush green landscape and the ebb and flow of turquoise waves from the bluffs of my neighborhood. I discovered my local beach has an amazing reef that’s only exposed at certain times. The tide shares its bou
nty, pouring out a wealth of shells like the discovery of precious gold. I took my love of constructing small worlds under glass, using what the ocean had provided me along with succulent cuttings and tillandsia air plants from a local grower to create the flagship of Gold Tide: terrariums. I craft pendants from shells with naturally worn holes. My true love in this work though is creating mounts and structural designs, I often lose myself for hours. Whenever possible I chose sustainable and ecologically friendly options when buying supplies for my creations. The majority of shell and organic materials in the terrarium line come from my local beach or along the California coast. My plants come from growers here in Encinitas, many of whom propagate their own crops. Terrarium containers are often upcycled while other glassware comes from neighbors or charity driven thrift stores. Crafted in small batches, my natural soy candles are scented with pure essential oils. I chose one floral and one wood or resin note to create an uncomplicated aroma. These aren’t candles to mask unpleasant odors, they provide a distinct yet subtle fragrance that nearly underwhelms. Perfect for a candle lit dinner or relaxing soak in the tub. These scents allow your nose to appreciate other things while enjoying the warm glow that a candle provides. I don’t just sell these little beauties, I use them around my home as well. I look forward to expanding the line to essential oil fragrances as well as solid perfume and perhaps vegan cosmetics. I also have an upcoming landscaping project which requires me to craft a number of hypertufa containers, so I may experiment with making smaller varieties of these that can be shipped and offered as inventory for my shop. Stay tuned, there are many new and exciting projects on the horizon, this is only the beginning.
