Danielle Ferrantino modeled some of her works.

Most of us have jars, bowls and shelves filled with beach souvenirs such as sand, sea glass, shells and driftwood, whether we are first-time visitors or long-term residents. But Danielle Ferrantino of Driftheory took these precious little gifts from the coast a step further, offering courses to make jewelry using natural materials that can be found on the beach, and then cleverly sealing them with resin.

I tried the class in South Lido Beach Park. When I arrived, Ferentino set up a display of Driftheory like at one of the three local farmers' markets she attended every week. Each student has a place setting decorated with a bohemian theme-tassels, burlap bags with a personalized brand name, and a workstation mixed with resin. Ferentino's free-spirited personality is reflected in her hospitality, she offers snacks and drinks and plays relaxing music. The courses are private and can accommodate up to 10 people. She teaches tourists and urban residents of all ages.

The course starts with a silicone mold and four paper cups: one for transparent resin, one for glitter, one for colored mica, and the fourth for muscovite. We are making Christmas ornaments in this class. She told us to mix each material with a bit of resin, squeeze it into a syringe, and then spray layer by layer into a round silicone mold. These molds are about three inches in diameter, but the molds she uses to make jewelry are usually smaller and have other shapes, such as teardrops. You can arrange a class to make any type of jewelry you like. Once the layer was set to half, Ferentino gave us 30 minutes to search for natural treasures on the beach.

Walking along the beach, I found small shells of different shapes, small purple flowers growing in the bushes, and dried seaweed on the shore. I took a moment to take a deep breath, watching the waves roll in. I understand why Ferentino likes this process the most.

When we returned with our findings, we cleverly placed them in the viscous resin in any way we wanted. Ferentino then took the decorations home and let them dry for about 24 hours.

A few days later, Ferentino met me at Starbucks and gave me my decorations. It gleamed and looked just like I wanted, with shells, seaweed and wildflowers floating in the deep purple ocean. This will be the highlight of my Christmas tree this holiday season. Later, I can put it on my coffee table to replace the lonely shells or dried flowers I usually leave there.

"People can also bring me objects they like to inlay with resin, and I can turn them into jewelry or decorations," Ferentino said. She received some requests, such as the ashes of relatives, shells or feathers at the place of a couple’s engagement, or the first haircut of the child. "This is my favorite thing," Ferentino said. "They have that moment in their lives."

A student is making her decorations.

Drifting theory is a happy business, Ferentino said: “People want to save their travels in some way. They like Sarasota very much and want something to reflect this love.”

If you want to take a course or place a custom order, please visit driftheory.com to make a reservation. Depending on location and experience, course fees range from US$50 to US$75 per person. You can also find Driftheory in Etsy and local boutiques.