There is something about life at the cottage that turns even the smallest of us into collectors.  While at the beach in particular we can find beauty in the shells,driftwood, beach rocks, beach glass and even the feathers from the pesky sea gulls (who love stale Triscuits).  This summer we collected rocks and had fun on the one rainy day painting them to haul them back home and place in our garden….always a constant reminder of the wonderful memory at the beach.  One of my clients just returned home from the beach in Alabama and had a wonderful selection of beautiful shells the family collected while there.  She put them in a beautiful bowl on the table and made a very personal accessory that just with a glance will bring back a flood of loving memories. In the spring while in South Carolina my girlfriend and I collected oyster shells along the beach and in a “Martha Stewart moment” went home and glue gunned the shells to some glasses and made our own shell votives.  They actually turned out pretty good.  These kinds of sentimental keepsakes are filled with positive energy and wonderful memories!!