Top 3 Cheap Green Building Ideas for the Tropics

By Louise Pool
The powers that be here in the Seychelles do a lot of talking about eco tourism, sustainability and the environment and yet I don't hear a lot about building in a more sustainable manner. And there's a lot of building going on. One ugly building after another is popping up all over the islands. I sometimes wonder if we have no architects here (and if we do, they must be either extremely frustrated or out of work). It looks like a couple of construction companies have one set of plans they apply to every new building. They're all built from concrete with little air flow and Roman columns on the verandahs with air conditioning units sticking out on all sides like oversized Tic Tac containers. And then touted as executive apartments or houses. Strangely, we seem to have a lot of executives in the Seychelles...

Top Five Coolest Beach Bars—And They're Not Here in the Seychelles

By Louise Pool
“Anyone for another Seybrew?” The sun is setting and I'm sitting on a giant bean bag squishing my toes in the sand. Slow rhythmic music is playing in the background and all around me is lively chatter. I'm not mingling much tonight; I'm more in the mood for people watching and it's a good crowd gathered here to watch the sunset tonight. Maybe I'll stick around for a couple of hours and see if I can spot a falling star. 
 
Sadly, this scenario exists only in my imagination. There isn't a single cool bar on the beach in the Seychelles. Once upon a time, the Coral Strand had a good Happy Hour going on Sundays, but we all know what happened there...

How to Decorate with Sea Glass Even if You're Totally Craft Challenged

By Louise Pool
I love sea glass. Call it beach glass, mermaid's tears or verre bouteille as it's known in Seychelles, it's one of my favourite materials to work with when crafting. I collect shells and driftwood whilst beachcombing, but what really makes my day is when I find a particularly lovely piece of beach glass. In Seychelles, we get mostly green (Keep them coming Seybrew drinkers!), white and brown sea glass, but once in a while I come across a rare piece of violet or blue sea glass.

I know that not everyone enjoys making things, but that's no reason not to use sea glass as a decor accent in your home. Here are some ideas for the non-crafty on how to use these beach finds in your home to celebrate the beach lifestyle.

How to Make a Mini Beaded Dreamcatcher

By Louise Pool
This isn't a traditional Seychelles craft, but I've given it an island touch by adding a piece of seaglass. You could make it more beachy by using shells instead of glass beads.

A traditional craft among many groups of native North Americans, dreamcatchers are hung above the head of a sleeping person to ensure a good night's sleep. The web traps bad dreams, while the hole in the centre allows good dreams to pass through.

My son used to have nightmares until I made him one of these, but since he hung up his dreamcatcher, he enjoys peaceful sleep. Don't know if it is the power of suggestion, but it definitely works. And looks nice, too...

Hoop Earring Madness

Hoop earrings are all the trend for summer 2013. I don't usually like hoop earrings, but this year they're not just the plain Creoles, so I though I'd have a go at designing some that I like. These large hoop earrings are not the usual run of the mill plain hoops; I've used semi precious stones and my favourite material, seaglass. As usual, each piece is one of a kind and makes a statement.

I haven't uploaded them to the shop yet, but feel free to get in touch if you're interested in buying a pair (or two). They are all the same price: Euros 17 or SCR 250.

New Necklaces with Seaglass and Semiprecious Stones at 20% Discount for Facebook Page Likers

Seychelles Earth statement necklace detail

I'm back to incorporating seaglass into my work. This time 'round I've been mixing semiprecious stones with my beloved mermaid's tears.

Take a look and let me know what you think. (I've uploaded these to my Dawanda shop, but, if you're interested in buying in rupees, just send me an email or leave a comment.
I've called this first statement necklace Seychelles Earth. The green stones are malachite, the black is dyed stone and the seaglass pendant is hanging on a leather cord.  The necklace is princess length (ca. 45 cm) and hangs nicely just below the collarbone.

7 Absolutely Gorgeous Hammocks to Inspire You to Chill Out

There are few things better in life than chilling in a hammock with some good music or, even better, the sound of waves in the background. Here are 7 of my favourite hammocks to inspire you to decorate your own space...

Craft Stall on the Beach

After grandly proclaiming that most Seychellois blogs discontinue after a few entries due to lack of stamina, I must look as though I've gone the same way with mine. Many apologies. The weather has been glorious and I've been getting lost in island life / aka bumming around on the beach.

I've now found a way to combine my bumming around with work: I've got a stall on the beach selling my crafts. It's great fun as I not only get to sell, but can chat with lot's of people from all over the world. Most of them are staying at the Berjaya Beauvallon Bay Resort, but there are others who spot my stall just walking down the beach. I can recommend the hotel (not getting paid for this!), simply because it's location is brilliant. It has better rooms and infra-structure than the Coral Strand and is livelier than the Fisherman's Cove, which is beautiful but so serene, it is morgue-like. Also, the latter is at the "bad" end of the beach.

So, if you're in the vicinity, pop around and say hi. Looking and chatting is free :-). And fear not, I won't get into any hard sales spiel; I'm pretty useless at that anyway.