A Perfect Day on the Quay

I must say, it's a little embarrassing to see that my last blog post was in January.  Dear me!  I have been so focused on my weight loss blog that I have neglected this one.  My apologies to my partner in crime, Cheryl, and to anyone who may have wanted to see what we've been up to.  I will have to find a way to organize my time better.  (Yeah... right Micki)

We just did up a hefty order for the delightful little nautical shop on the Nanaimo Harbourfront - Newfoundland to Nanaimo.  For a small shop, they sure have got a nautical mile of wonderful items in there from jewelry to souveniers, home decor to local pottery, you name it.  In fact, if you live in central Vancouver Island, the Nanaimo Harbour Quay is a great place to bring your out-of-town guests to get a feel for our beautiful coast.  Stop in the nautical shop, then go to the Lighthouse Bistro for a delicious lunch, or just enjoy a drink in the bar on their outside patio. (Not too long ago, Cheryl took me for a belated birthday lunch at the Lighthouse Bistro and it was delicious... and what a treat to eat right over the water!)  Then, check out the various boats in the marina and do some more shopping for souveniers and local gifts.  Finish off the day with a yummy ice cream waffle cone or savour some old-fashioned candy of yesteryear.  You can even take a ferry ride over to Newcastle Island.  Perfect day in the making.

Here are a few examples of our beachy gift items we have at Newfoundland to Nanaimo...  Say hi to Esther for us when you visit!

A2SeaCreations.com

All Over the World

We just shipped off a parcel filled with 10 'Message in a Bottle' favours to a bride-to-be in Martinsville, Indiana. Cheryl and I love the touching stories that we hear about how our customers plan to use our creations.  This particular customer plans to give out these bottles to everyone in her bridal party to write a note inside.  Then they will all throw their bottles into the sea.  What a great way to make memories on your special day!  I have asked her to send us a photo of this event and hopefully she will allow us to post it here as well.

One of the things I enjoy most about having a site on Etsy is the communication with our customers.  And it is a neat feeling knowing that our creations are in homes all over the world.  It makes our vast earth seem a little bit smaller.  After all, we really are all neighbours in one way or another. 

Micki of A2SeaCreations and A2SeaPhotography on Etsy

Our Newest Location

Well, it would seem that I have been very neglectful to our little blog here.  So time for some news, I'd say.  Cheryl and I were visiting The Quilted Duck Gift Cottage in Nanaimo a couple of months ago and as we were looking around at all the pretty things, I said to Cheryl (in front of the lady that worked there) "Wouldn't our products look great in here?"  To which the lady replied, "Oh?  What do you make?"  We told her and the next thing you know, she asked us to bring some of our products around so she could see them.  It has turned out to be our best store yet for our seaside gifts as they are selling like hotcakes there!  As for the lady, her name is Heather and she is a delight to know.  And it happens to be one of our most favourite stores so why not drop by sometime and check it out?

While you're at it, why not stop in for lunch at the Tea House right beside it!  They make fabulous Korean food which is great for me because much of Korean food is also gluten free and even vegetarian.  They have other delectables on the menu besides Korean but I can assure you that everything is delish!  Sometimes they even have live jazz, which is a treat.

I hope everyone is having a great summer.  I am off soon to beautiful Oregon to visit both of my sons and their families so I am one excited momma!  My son who lives in New York is coming to Oregon to visit my other son so it's a package deal for me!  Our Etsy shop is closed up until I return.  But we will reopen on August 3rd.

Our Creations In Another Location!

 

PARKSVILLE VISITOR CENTRE

Cheryl and I are very pleased to announce that our handcrafted seaside gifts are now for sale at our local tourist centre.  We were contacted by the manager (a joy to meet) after she discovered our online gift shop on Etsy.  She fell in love with our products and asked us to bring them down for her to see.  Much to our delight, she took almost everything we had brought and with much enthusiasm.  This will be our fourth location on Vancouver Island.  This is quite exciting for us and very validating to have our creations appreciated and accepted so readily.  I do believe it is time for a celebration!

I would be amiss if I did not share the funny part of our day.  Cheryl may kill me for adding this, but what the heck.  I'll risk it.  Cheryl had brought some of our creations from her home to bring to the tourist centre.  When she added our newly created products to the ones already in her car, she realized that a box was missing... the one with our magnets and picture frames in it.  At first she couldn't figure out what had happened to it.  And then it occurred to her (to her horror) that when she had stopped at the Sally Ann in Nanaimo to donate a few items, she must have also given them our box by accident.   So we called them and sure enough, that's what had happened.  Luckily, they hadn't priced and put it out yet.  So we will be bringing the tourist centre some magnets and frames in the next few days because they want them, too.  But meanwhile, I have excellent ammunition for whenever I want to rub it in about the time Cheryl gave away our stuff.  And that, I must say, makes it all worthwhile. 

Written and published by Micki Findlay - Co-Creator/Owner of A2Sea Creations on Etsy and Creator/Owner of A2Sea Photography

Neighbourhood Craft & Garage Sale This Weekend!

You are invited to join in the fun...

get warm by the fire, roast a hot dog, slurp on some yummy hot chocolate with marshmallows, listen to carols, do some Christmas shopping, get some bargains and visit all at the same time! Several other homes from our neighbourhood have joined in with us to have a Craft and Garage Sale.... crafts for those looking for new and unique Christmas gift ideas and a garage sale for those looking for some great 2nd hand bargains. So, in other words, something for everyone!

Last year, after David and I moved into the neighbourhood, we put on a big Halloween open house so we could get to know our neighbours in a fun way. We had hot chocolate, hot dogs, cake, chips (all the healthy stuff) and lots of decorations and a campfire. We missed that this year because David had to work straight through the weekend. Poor guy. So it will be nice to have a chance to get together with folks again and enjoy the season together! Hope you can come out, too!

Happy Easter Everyone!

I must admit, I love the chocolate bunnies, the Easter egg hunts, the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy and the pumpkin pie. I love the gathering together of family and friends. I love the fresh spring air, the sunshine, the sign of new life everywhere you look... the buds on the trees, the crocuses and daffodils poking their heads out of the ground.
I love everything about Easter and the spring season.

But these things I feel are simply gifts to us by and from something and someone far more important than all the things we love. I am able to enjoy these things because I was given life by a Creator who decided I was worth giving life to. And, more importantly, by a God who decided I was worth dying for. The bible says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

I am not stupid... I know that this life I am living and enjoying will not last forever. There will come a day when it will all pass away. But I also know that because of the price Jesus paid for my life, I will be able to live again and it will be a life far better than this one.... there will be no more pain, no sadness, no sickness, no stress, no bloodshed... just joy and peace forever. Easter, to me, is a reminder of that fact and I feel I need to take the time to acknowledge the amazing thing Jesus did for me by dying on a wretched cross for all of my sins, past, present and future. And even if you don't believe in Him, he still died for you regardless because he loves you so much. He never forces us to believe. He is a gentleman. He waits patiently with open arms.

Sometimes Christianity seems ridiculous, outdated, narrow-minded and arrogant. There are good reasons for that and I don't blame people for thinking that way. I have watched some evangelists on tv who I wouldn't trust for a minute. I know that wars have begun based on religion. There are Christians who have almost turned me off Christianity. Horrible things have been done in the name of religion throughout the ages. But I think Jesus addressed all of that in one sentence right after he had been whipped and beaten bloody, hung on the cross with huge nails driven into his hands and feet, his clothes ripped off and sold, when he was parched with thirst and only given vinegar to drink... he said," Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Now that is love. He understood how humans are; how they can act, how they fail. But he loves us anyway.

So today I feel the need to say, "Thank you God for loving me, such as I am... one who fails. And thank you for what you did for me and for the life you have prepared for me after this one... where the spring air will always be fresh, the sun will always shine, where new life will flourish everywhere you look... the buds on the trees, the crocuses and daffodils poking their heads out of the ground. And most importantly, where You will be. You and me forever..."