Sisters and Sea Stones

Last May, my siblings and I, along with our spouses, spent about a week at the Oregon Coast.  It was somewhat bittersweet, as one of my sisters has cancer, and we wanted to spend some time with the four siblings together, Just in Case.

We talked about all sorts of things, laughed together (enjoying the humor that our family all seems to share), shared our dreams, hopes and fears, and reveled in just being together and in the beauty of creation and the raw power of the crashing waves.  We talked about our parents, and the things that had shaped us into the people that we have grown up to be.  We probed our differences, and came away with a renewed affirmation of our love and commitment to each other in light of (and in spite of) them.

Retaliation for my taking their photo!

One day, as I was walking on the beach with two of my sisters, we found a few stones that I thought might work for my crocheted Sea Stone Paperweights.  We brought them back to our beach house, and set them on the table for the rest of our stay.  We talked a bit about the paperweights I have been making from stones I pick up on the beach.

After our return, I realized that I had been staying at the beach with three sisters (well, technically two sisters and a sister-in-law), and I had picked up three rocks to use for Sea Stone Paperweights.  It seemed meant to be...I would make a paperweight for each of them, as a memento of our time together.

The paperweights are created by crocheting around the stone with a fine crochet thread and a tiny hook.  It can be a bit tricky getting the crochet to fit nicely on the stone.  But I'm finding that making these little gems is a bit like eating potato chips...I keep wanting to make just one more!

Here are the paperweights, each designed with a specific sister in mind.

I suppose I should have made one for my brothers, who were also there...sorry, Ray (and Tim!).  They seemed more like a sisters' thing.

I plan to ship each of these off to a sister over the next couple months.

I hope they like them!

I am getting ready to list some Sea Stone Paperweights in my Etsy shop.  Watch for them!  They would make a wonderful gift for the person who has everything.