You're Going to Love 'Beachcomber Art'

Being an author means, you constantly question yourself. "Is this the right idea? Or should I have chosen another topic?" There's no way to tell if you are working on something really cool...or if you picked a lemon. And your confidence suffers accordingly.

I'd had a bad, sad couple of days where my doubts got the better of me, when the Universe decided to send me a sign. A detour on the highway took me right past Debbie Brookes' charming shop
 "Beachcomber Art,"

http://beachcomberart.com/

I walked through the front door, took one look at the kitchsy mermaid with her shell bodice, and told Debbie, "I'm in love!"

Debbie's art is EXACTLY the sort of work that I had envisioned for my new heroine.

"I use nature's timeless elements to create art that reaffirms beauty and individuality," she says. Here she is next to an old screen door that she re-purposed by adding a mirror and a cross-section of seashells.

She started with decorative boxes for her friends. See the two above? Note the amazing cluster of shells on top.

And moved to a variety of home decor items, such as this chest, mirror and the candlesticks.

Along the way, her sense of whimsy played into her pieces, as with her fish. (Be sure to click on the photos so you can see them as larger images.)

Her light fixtures are simply divine, especially this one with seaglass.

Now my heroine will also do work that's much more simple. I plan for her to share projects that anyone can tackle at home. In addition, she'll be an avid DIY (Do It Yourself) type that loves to hunt for flea market bargains and turn them into treasures. In fact, that's the name of my new series: The Trash to Treasure Mystery Series. It's about a woman whose life is trashed, but who turns "lemons into lemonade" and winds up creating treasures.

I'd love to hear your feedback!