WINDSOR JUNCTION: The sea glass on Inverness Beach in Cape Breton has led to a prospering business venture for two young girls who are best friends from Windsor Junction.
Cate Gaudry, a Lockview High school student, and Robyn Blackwood, who goes to Georges P. Vanier Junior High, have started dipping their hands into what it’s like to be an entrepreneur making crafts using the sea glass they found at Inverness Beach. The beach is one the two families spent many times at during the summer.
“When we were little, we always went to our cottage near Louisbourg and would go to Inverness Beach where we found a whole bunch of sea glass on the beach there,” said Cate. “It’s like everywhere there. You move some sand, and you find some more.”
“We’re just making them for fun and people are liking them and buying from us,” added Robyn.
The two add their own flavour to the sea glass crafts-like chickens or Frosty the Snowman lyrics, as a couple of examples. They’ve been collecting the sea glass for about 10 years.
“We also made ones with a Christmas tree on it, and then we’ve made like beach ones in the summer,” said Robyn.
Cate said there’s one main reason she enjoys making the sea glass crafts with her best friend and learning about the financial side of being a budding entrepreneur.
“I get to spend all this time with Robyn making them,” said Cate. “We worked all this time finding the sea glass, so it’s fun to see what we can create with all the different colours and shapes.”
The response to their work has been nothing but positive.
“I think we sold all the sea glass we had,” chuckled Robyn.
Cate said they’re hoping to be able to collect more sea glass to continue making their crafts and selling them. However, with winter here that may have to wait.
What are they using the money they get from the sale of their sea glass crafts for?
“Right now, Christmas shopping for my family and friends, getting them gifts and then also buying more supplies,” said Robyn.
Asked about the future and being entrepreneurs, Cate said that’s not something the two have talked about.
“We really haven’t thought about the future right now,” she said. “This is just a little something to do for fun, so I don’t really know what’s going to happen in the future.”
