Now you can shop all Scarborough Seashells Jewelry and Art right here on Blogger!

That's right, I've learned a little bit about adding blog pages, shopping carts and such, so I've added a shopping section to my little old blog!

You can use the link just under my blog header that says "Shop Scarborough Seashells" and it will take you to a new page of my blog dedicated purely to my seashell, sea glass and pottery shard windows, ornaments and jewelry.

I've set up a PayPal shopping cart feature- you don't need to have a PayPal account to use it, you can check out paying with a credit card or you can email me: tara(at)scarboroughseashells(dot)com and I can process your card for you that way. I also always take checks and money orders.

Please be patient with me, not everything I have for sale is listed yet- I am a mom first, a designer second, so it will take me some time to get everything ready to go!

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Work In Progress Wednesday, Week Five

Short and sweet today, because I have to get back to it!

Working on a large order of sea glass angels

It's never too early to work on Christmas ornaments around here, lol!

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Giveaway Winner!

Thank you all for entering to win the Blue Heron ornament from The Nutcracker Suite! I used random.org- and set my max at 28 because some of you did more than one entry, but in the same comment- so if you see the number discrepancy, that's why. Anyway, on to our winner!

Lisa- Alterity Button Jewelry said...
I am already a follower (does that count?)

Oh, I almost forgot the story:

We keep the German tradition of the pickle in the tree. The green blown glass pickle like in your blog photo. the prize is always a box of chocolates, but it is just so fun to watch the kids furiously scanning the tree trying to find it!

Congratulations, Lisa!

I have another giveaway coming on Monday... stay tuned!

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A Christmasy Vintage Thingies Thursday and a Giveaway!

Hello to all my vintage and retro lovin' friends visiting from Vintage Thingies Thursday over at Coloradolady! I've missed VTT these past few weeks and am happy to be participating again today!

I'm stretching the meme a little this week, because I want to share with you all a very special place... this is a photo heavy post, apologies to those with slow page loads!

Welcome to the Nutcracker Suite!

The Nutcracker Suite Christmas Shop is located on historic Mill Street in downtown Newport, RI. Since it's inception in 1981, it has been housed in the Thomas Brown House, built in 1860, a home on the National Register of Historic Places AND the Newport Restoration Foundation, founded by Doris Duke.

Today, the Nutcracker is run by shop owners, newlyweds and cherished family friends Cheryl and Kevin Whittaker, who purchased it from the original owners in 2009.

Cheryl and Kevin are a fun loving couple who clearly have a passion for what they do- in the short time since they have taken over the store, they have started a website, brought in tons of new stock and carried on the time-honored tradition of literally decking the halls (and the walls and the ceilings and the mantels) with the most beautiful displays of Christmas cheer you could imagine.





To me, it doesn't matter if it's the hottest day in the middle of July- I step over the threshold of the air conditioned store and am immediately drawn in by the spirit of Christmas.




They have decorations for every taste. From vintage and traditional to modern and flashy. Small and delicate to large and ornate!




They have sports themes, music themes, snowmen themes, angels, Santa Claus, Carolers, Smokers, Nativity sets, Ornaments for bird lovers, wine enthusiasts, Newport/nautical themes


and of course- they have Nutcrackers. Oh yes, they have Nutcrackers!



One of the things that I love is that they are working hard to bring in beautiful ornaments made by local artists (of which I am but one). They have many talented RI and New England artists featured in the shop- they have hand blown eggs featuring paintings of famous Newport sites, striking ornaments made by RI company Chemart and a gorgeous sampling of other items hand painted, etched and engraved locally.

Shameless self horn tooting for a second here...




And while I definitely want to encourage everyone who is local to Newport to go visit this amazing store, I really and truly most wanted to share with you the joy I feel every time I step through their door. It is impossible not to catch the infectious spirit in this place! I have YET to walk out without a newly purchase ornament in my bag.
My favorites in the store have got to be the glass ornaments made by Merck Family's Old World Christmas. I think these have all the charm of the true vintage glass ornaments I collect.


A personal favorite is the glass pickle. Though no one seems to quite know the true origins of the pickle, they have been being manufactured and imported from Germany since the 1880's and it is thought to be a German (or at least German-American) tradition. The pickle ornament gets hidden deep in the tree and whoever finds it on Christmas morning is blessed with a year of good fortune. In my house, we have altered the tradition that the child who finds the pickle gets to open the first gift!

Old World Christmas has literally hundreds of glass ornaments each equally as beautiful as the next. I am collecting the nautical, sea life and bird pieces for our family Christmas tree.


I can't wait to get them onto my tree this year and now -thanks to the Whittaker's generosity- one of my awesome readers gets to enjoy one of these beautiful ornaments as well!

I am giving away this stunning Great Blue Heron ornament. He is approximately 5 1/2 inches tall and 1 1/2 inches wide with soft, shimmery blue wings and he stands in vibrant green marsh grass. Oh, I wish I had brought one home to put on my tree... hmmm... maybe next visit over to Newport?...

Anyway, to be entered in the giveaway, simply leave me a comment! Maybe about a tradition your family has or a favorite ornament on your tree? A special holiday collection you have? Whatever, just share with me and you're entered!

Now, because I'd like to give you all a few more shots at winning, I'll do the "extra chances" entries:

1. Become a public follower of my blog
2. Tweet or post to Facebook about this giveaway
3. Visit The Nutcracker Suite's website and tell me what your favorite item is.

This contest will remain open until Thursday, October 21st (Aidan's 7th birthday) at midnight. Winner will be chosen using Random.org.

Good luck!

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Oh, the things I've been up to!

If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you'll know that one of the things I make are Christmas ornaments. I recently completed the first installment of a fairly large order (by my standards anyway!) for a lovely shop in Newport, RI called The Nutcracker Suite(website still under construction but the shop has been around since the early 80s).

The Nutcracker is an amazing store that makes you forget that it might be 85 degrees and 90% humidity outside. Once you step through the door, you are welcomed into a world that is pure Christmas!

And while I don't have any glorious photos of the shop to show you (yet), I CAN give you a peek at the selection of sea inspired decorations I made for them.







Many of these ornaments are exclusive to the Nutcracker Suite, others are available on my website.

And after weeks and weeks of cutting, gluing, painting and wire wrapping, as well as many MANY hang tags-

it all condensed into these two itty bitty boxes!

Please stay tuned for a post coming soon that will feature a tour of The Nutcracker Suite as well as a giveaway of one of their awesome glass ornaments!

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