Coastline Treasures

Glass animal figurines make great collectables.  They come in all sizes and species too, so they make the perfect addition to any mantel, cabinet, or table.  They are easy to take care of, and therefore are a great low maintenance addition to any décor.  Even if the animals you have don’t match your theme, they are still great to collect because you can find so many different types.

Often animal figurines come in different breeds of an animal as well.  For example, if you particularly love dogs, see how many different breeds you can find. 

Collecting figurines also creates a fun hobby.  When you are on vacation, or do something out of the ordinary, see if you can find an animal for your collection that is indigenous to the area.  The possibilities are endless.

The earliest anchors were rocks dating back to the Bronze Age.  This is a good example of a permanent anchor; called a mooring and is rarely moved.  Permanent moorings use large masses resting on the seabed which is not practical for temporary anchors which need to be stowed onboard.  There are many different types of temporary anchors, which by mass, hook onto rocks or bury themselves in the soft sandy seabed.

The range of designs of the temporary anchor is immense.  There are four basic types of anchors used; Hook, Plough, Fluke and Drogues.  The Hook design is used for problematic bottoms such as rocky, heavy kelp or grass, coral, or hard sand.  The Plough design is designed to bury themselves in the bottom as force is applied on them. The Fluke design is lighter in weight and uses resistance to dig into the seabed.  The fourth temporary anchor is the Drogue design which uses water itself as a weight.  Where ever there is water and a boat, there is an anchor.  It is the nautical décor of every boat and dock.

The nautical life, including nautical décor, has many stories to tell.  Some of the most interesting of these stories are those about pirates.  The objects of children fantasy, movies, and books, pirates have been prominent throughout history.  Some of the most intriguing stories belong to the most fearful pirates.  And the most fearful of them all is Blackbeard.

Born Edward Teach, Blackbeard was an English pirate that sailed in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in the early 18th century.  Blackbeard always carried multiple pistols, swords, and knives, making him a fearsome fighter.  And for the intimidation factor, he would light his beard on fire during a fight to show he wasn’t scared of anything.  But despite his fearsome persona, there are no accounts of him actually killing anyone.  Even still, Blackbeard was not someone you would want to mess with.

When I think of the sea, I can’t help but imagine the bygone days of excitement and exploration, when maps still contained huge swaths of uncharted territory. I tried to capture that spirit of adventure while redecorating my family den. My wife and daughter made their own suggestions, of course, but we all agreed that nautical decor would make the space more inviting.

I began by frequenting antiques shops and secondhand stores. At first the going was tough, but then I discovered a life-sized ship’s helm in the corner of a local shop. I refurbished it and sanded it down myself, then set about complementing the helm with smaller decorations. My wife found some stunning lighthouse figurines online, and we added a few model ships to drive the theme home.

Arts and crafts are fun for people of all ages.  But there comes a time when coloring just won’t work anymore.  So, it’s time to find a new craft.  How about glass blowing?  Do you want to learn to make your own glass figurines to decorate your home with?  While it takes time to learn and master, like any craft, the process itself isn’t that difficult.

Glass blowing is not something that you can do from home though, unless you have a furnace that can reach 2400 degrees to heat, cool, and reheat the glass.  The first time the glass is heated, it is done so to melt it and remove any bubbles.  It is in the cooling and reheating stages that the glass is blown and shaped into the elegant pieces.  It is a time consuming process, but like anything, very rewarding when the task is completed.  If you’re interested in learning to blow glass, find a center close to you that offers lessons.  Enjoy your new craft.

If somebody asked you a question about the wooden model ship on your mantel, would you know the answer?  Because these ships are replicas of real ships, knowing nautical terminology will make you sound real savvy when talking about your décor to a guest.  Besides port, starboard, forward, and aft (that’s left, right, front, and back respectively), what other nautical terms are important to know?

Some nautical terminology is very technical.  For example, do you know what a binnacle is?  My guess is that unless you are a full time sailor, you did not know that a binnacle is the stand on which the ship’s compass is mounted.  But other terms are much more common.  If you hear the captain say the ship is floating at 100 fathoms above Davy Jones’ Locker then you know that there is six hundred feet from water level to the bottom of the ocean.  The fathom is the most common form of measure of depth in nautical terms.  So, next time you are sitting around with company and someone asks about your ship, be sure to amaze them with your nautical knowledge.   You may even be able to point to the binnacle on your model.

A wood model ship makes a great decoration on any mantel piece. But knowing what type of wood the ship is made of makes the beauty of the ship even greater.  The three most common woods used in a model ship are walnut, boxwood, and pear.  But many ships are a combination of different types of woods.  Pine is often used for masts and planks.

When trying to determine what wood was used to make your ship, or if you desire to build your own, look at the color and grain of the wood.  Walnut is a moderately coarse-grain wood that comes in a variety of brown ranges.  Boxwood is a softer wood that can bend and comes is yellow.  Pear is has a very uniform grain and is found in a pink-brown color.  Finally, pine is found in colors from white to yellow.  With all the different colors of wood, your ship may look a little disjointed.  To give your ship a uniform look, use a wood stain to transform your ship into your desired color.

Glass animal figurines come in every size, shape, color, and species you could imagine.  In our dining room we have a display cabinet filled with all different animals.  We have everything from a Dalmatian puppy to a camel.  The possibilities are endless when deciding what animals you want to display. 

It is always fun to display your animals corresponding to the different habitats and ecosystems around the world.  Try collecting different animals from around the globe and arranging them with animals they would be found with.  See how many scenes you can create with your animals and if you can put together a glass habitat from every continent.  But, make sure you don’t put your penguins and polar bears together.  Not only would they probably not get along, they live in different hemispheres.  Have fun!

Hundreds of years ago, during the Age of Exploration, many men ventured out to find a new world, a new life, and new thrills.  These men knew the first nautical home décor; the ship was all they knew and their home for months on end.  But these men endured a hard and dangerous life.  They often sailed into unknown waters, were blown off course by the wind and storms, or plagued with hunger and disease.  The life of a sailor was far from glamorous. 

In addition to the natural dangers of the life of the sailor, the living conditions were not favorable either.  In addition to the bad, spoiled food they ate, they slept in the dark and damp areas below deck.  Most often, the captains were not friendly and merciful either.  Punishments were harsh for sailors.  They would be switched on the back until they bled and their backs were torn to shreds.  They truly led the hard-knock life.

But these early explores were seen a heroes in their homelands.  People would gather at the docks to bid farewell to loved ones, friends, and total strangers as they ventured out to see what was beyond the horizon.  The sailors would be welcomed home with open arms as they brought back treasures, riches, and stories from lands far away.

Now that you have spent time and money collecting your glass figurines, it is time to clean them.  What is the best way to keep their shine and sparkle without damaging them?  First, you want to be careful in how you handle them.  If at all possible, pick them up from the bottom or base of the figurine as it is usually sturdier.  Dust them off with a small soft bristled brush like an artist’s paint brush or make-up brush.  NEVER use paper towels, toothbrushes or the like as they can scratch the glass surface.  Do this as often as needed to keep the dust away.

Occasionally dusting isn’t enough and washing is needed.  Line a sink or small basin with a towel and fill it with warm soapy water.  Be sure not to use any abrasive detergents.  NEVER use bleach or ammonia as this can cause permanent damage to your figurine.   If the figurine is small enough, you can hold it in your hand as you lower it into the water and gently wash it.  If needed, you can use the small artist’s brush to get into any crevices that may still be dirty.  Once your figurine is clean, rinse it with clean warm water and let it air dry.  If wiping is necessary, use a soft cloth.  Once dry, you are ready to display it again and enjoy its brilliance.