Check out the many truly awesome creations made from waste byproduct on the Girl on a Board Blog.
Of course my upcycled surfboard resin jewelry is included, and it’s an honor to be in the same room with these other creative folks making cool stuff. I SO want that Skateback for the iPhone to match my resin pieces!
Some of the many unique objects made from stuff that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
This weekend I will be setting up my booth with my genuine sea glass and other jewelry and belts for Ocean Lovers at Earl Warren Fairgrounds in Santa Barbara. Come be fascinated by the world of jade, much of it from our California Beaches. View and buy art created by passionate individuals who are inspired by the ocean. Mediums include jade, shells, driftwood, sea glass and much more.
I will be bringing a beautiful selection of my sea glass jewelry and upcycled surfboard resin as well as other pieces for ocean lovers. And I will be sharing my booth with legendary artist and icon Greg Ray, who will be carving tikis on site. Greg has some amazing stories to share, so don’t miss this opportunity to meet him.
We don’t make much trash here at Betty B.
Any waste that does get created usually gets used to make cool stuff.
So when my first batch of upcycled surfboard resin jewelry was ready, I immediately assessed the scraps that were left over. I knew I would dedicate this remnant material to one very cool project eventually, but as many projects go, it sat on the table for many moons before I took action.
Here are the results. Surfboard resin bezel set in sterling silver by highly skilled craftsmen I am lucky to work with. Sleek and beautiful. For men and women both.
Now available in my web store too!
Earrings$42, Necklaces starting at $48
Read my story on the making of behind this unique jewelry!
Some of the actual Surfboards my jewelry was made with
My favorite kind of Easter Eggs.
My sea glass mini pendants in some gorgeous colors. Some of these are available online until they are sold. Don’t hesitate if you want one in a special color, as I only have a few in stock at a time. See available colors here.
People ask me almost every day in the shop “How do you make it?” about my upcycled surfboard resin jewelry. They are fascinated by how sleek and strong it is, the way the light shines through it and the play of colors. It’s a longish story… Back in 2008 my shaper, Dennis Ryder, who had been making tail blocks for some of his high-end boards out of the stuff, suggested I try making jewelry with it. I was instantly overwhelmed at the thought and let it sit for a while. It wasn’t until 2009, with Dennis’ encouragement, that I decided to take on the challenge and start the development process for this new Betty B. collection.
Afternoon sunlight shines through my surfboard resin rings in a display of pretty color.
I knew it would not be easy. I wanted to create something that would make my designs easily reproduced and consistent so I could offer it on my website and in my wholesale program around the world. Working with leftover surfboard resin is not as easy as you’d think. Ask anyone who has tried it. My collaborator in life, David Pu’u, surfboard shaper for over 30 years, told me that he had perpetually lamented the steady supply of waste hardened resin, which would end up in a landfill as a byproduct of the manufacturing process. “We tried for years to come up with a viable use for the beautiful but inert and permanent multi-colored polyesther plastic”, he says.
Some of the actual surfboards the jewelry was made from, courtesy Ventura Surf Shop.
Each stripe in the jewelry is from a surfboard. A board that was made for a surfer. The colors we get in each batch are always random and beautiful, excess resin carefully captured and saved from each board made. Wearing a piece is a very unique way to stay connected to the ocean, because those boards are out there riding waves.
The source of my upcycled surfboard resin jewelry
A year of steady R&D passed and with the expertise and input of three local manufacturers, I came up with a product that was all of the above but with one serious caveat: It was costly to produce. There are many people in the production chain and it’s locally made right here in Ventura. There’s a lot of hand work on these pieces, a lot of stoke and love goes into them. The expertise and skills combined to make them do not come cheap.
Surfboard resin rings with surfboard
As many will remember who came into my Ventura shop during that time or visited the Betty Belts booth at Sacred Craft at the last ASR show in San Diego, I had some prototypes out just to see if and how people respond to them and if the price was bearable. Luckily response was favorable, and my fear that people may not see the value in a “piece of plastic” was alleviated. We went into production in the Fall of 2010 and the rest is history.
The earrings are wired up by myself and Amanda here at the shop and at home and I offer the necklaces on a variety of cord styles the customer can choose.
Sierra Partridge in a shoot for Hobie Girl, wearing Betty B. Surfboard Resin earrings.Upcycled Surfboard Resin Necklace
Upcycled Surfboard Resin Heart Necklace
Upcycled Surfboard Resin Necklace
Upcycled Surfboard Resin Earrings
Mini Circle Hoops made from upcycled surfboard resin
Upcycled Surfboard Resin Necklace
You can now find some of my new genuine sea glass designs on my new website.
As always, Made with Dignity.
Smiles and Aloha,
Donna von Hoesslin
Genuine Sea Glass Trio Pendant "Mosaic" from the DvH collection of Betty Belts
Ocean Lovers sea glass and wave charm necklace
Sierra Partridge of Team Betty with the new single bezel sea glass ring in sea foam.
Italy Sea Glass Rings by Donna von Hoesslin for Betty Belts
