Rachel's collection

Hi Pippa!

Here are a few of the photos that I took of my collection -- I figured I would let you choose which one you liked best.

An empty vase that once held birthday flowers was the main impetus for the start of this collection. I wanted a new use for the vessel after the flowers had died, and this desire nicely coincided with my already frequent trips to the beach. So, two springs ago I decided that each time I visited the nearby lake, I would choose a few especially appealing rocks to bring back with me and place inside the clear glass for display. I would often return with entire pockets full of stones and beachglass because it was difficult for me to narrow down my choices -- every rock was so beautiful and unique, how could I not want them all? I would scour the sand slowly, paying close attention to how each rock felt in my hand or changed color in water or sunlight. As time went on and seasons changed, I found myself adding to the collection with leaves, bark, and dismembered flowers that would catch my eye on walks home from work, school, or wherever.

The vase occupies the center of my mosaic coffee table. Its composition continuously changes as I add new elements and as the old ones shift positions or, in the case of the dying flowers and leaves, colors and smells. The contents have become a kind of souvenir of the precise moments in time when they first grabbed my attention. I also enjoy having these small remnants of nature in my home since I often feel like there is not enough nature in the city of Chicago to satisfy me or that I don't have the time to take advantage of it.

I've gotten into the habit of collecting rocks or pieces of plants from various parks and beaches whenever I go on a vacation or a trip, although I don't mix these in with the vase in the photos. I haven't yet figured out a way that I want to display those, but I like to keep them separate from the others so that I can remember their original environment more easily when I look at them.

Please let me know if you need any more details about this. I hope this was helpful! Good luck with your project, and let me know how it turns out!

-Rachel