Wednesday, March 25, 2009

shell chain

shell chain
The piece of the week this week is a bit of a cheat. Not really, just a little. Firstly because I made it, and secondly because I referenced it a little here. But it makes me so happy, I'm gonna do it anyway! First, some context: as most Jane Austen fans out there know, Masterpiece on PBS did a big Austen series last year, airing film versions of each of her novels, including all new versions of four. For some reason, I didn't catch the new Sense and Sensibility when it aired originally, but we bought the DVD and I finally watched it over the holidays. There was a lot I loved about the film, and a great deal of it was in the details. Which brings us to the chain.

As the Dashwood sisters settle into their new home, the youngest, Margaret, begins collecting shells and stringing them together to make long chains (shown beginning at 3:25 in this video). I didn't pay it a great deal of attention at first, but as the film progresses, the chains start showing up everywhere--presumably as Margaret continues to create them. In this video, at about 1:29, you see they've even made it into Elinor and Marianne's bedroom, quietly clacking in the breeze. I loved that. Absolutely adored it. So while I was in NJ, I collected shells, looking especially for those which already had holes in them. Once home, I bought a big spool of jute and got to work.

I've made two of these now, and they're quick and easy, plus I love the simple effect one makes on my room. Also, as I discovered at 4 am, my cat loves it! I highly recommend this as a simple beachy decoration as well as a hands-busy activity for lazy afternoons.
shell chain

1 comment:

Marley said...

My mom would love that shell chain! She always collects shells at the beach :-)