I come from a family of collectors! My father’s shop was filled with many tools and materials to make boats but also contained anything that was free and might be useful. I say might with a grain of salt. There were buckets of hinges, nails, bolts and many glass jars full of odds and ends. Most of this collecting was based on cost and resulted in them actually being abandoned and FREE! I hate to say it but I still slow when I see a free sign on the side of the road. Your roots never abandon you!
Now in my retirement, I am working on handwork and mostly use recycled, donated items and of course found items which are the most exciting. In January I started walking my regular two mile walk on the rural road in Brooklin, Maine. We had had some large rain amounts and the brooks and road had been affected but this. As I was walking I noticed some large shells in the small brook by the side of the road. Curious, I looked to see what was there. They were huge hen clam shells. Many of them! The first day I just marvelled but by the next morning I was ready to touch. I brought home six after straddling the brook and pulling them out of the sand. The next day I walked by again. Then with a shopping carry bag in hand I filled the bag. They were free, beautiful, and good for something!
My friend Corinne of course got some of the shells and made something of them.
Two Friends Share Their Crafting and Art Exploration 