A woman in Whitley Bay has wowed locals by fashioning unique jewellery and souvenirs out of sea glass, giving people the chance to keep part of a picturesque North East beach with them forever.
Rebecca Sidell, 46, moved to Whitley Bay from London nine years ago, and was instantly taken by the beauty of the North East coast.
When Rebecca, who is also a foster carer and teaching assistant, took her dogs for walks on Whitley Bay beach, sea glass hidden in the sand soon began to catch her eye.
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The sea glass piqued Rebecca’s curiosity. “I think it’s wondering how far it’s travelled,” she explains about the weathered pieces of glass, which are gradually made smooth by the sea over a period of two to three decades. “Where it’s come from, what was it part of, and things like that - it just gets my imagination going.”
She couldn’t resist pocketing these washed-up treasures - before long she had amassed an impressive sea glass collection, and decided to put it to use.
Using some metal wire that was leftover from a previous craft project, Rebecca began fashioning jewellery such as necklaces and bracelets using the sea glass she had discovered.
The hobby took off as locals began to notice Rebecca’s unique work and reached out to her to ask what else she could make with sea glass.
She began to make decorations after a couple getting married at St Mary’s Lighthouse asked if she could make a sea glass heart for their wedding bouquet.
Now Rebecca also makes fish, starfish, and mermaid hanging decorations that can be found in shops along the coast, including For the Love of the North in Spanish City.
The eye-catching sea glass items can also be found at local craft markets, and Rebecca regularly runs community workshops to teach others how to make the crafts.
Rebecca says that meeting people through these workshops and markets has been one of the best things about taking up the hobby, and recommends that anyone should consider sea glass collecting.
She says that the process of hunting for sea glass is ideal for those in search of a relaxing pastime. “I find it quite a mindful exercise, walking up and down the beach," she says. “You kind of drift off a little bit because you’re focused on looking for the glass, and you never really know what you’re going to find.”
“I think the beach is my happy place,” she adds. “I just love it.”
Watch the video above to see more of Rebecca's work with sea glass.
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