There is almost no one who hasn't tried at some point in their life to build a sandcastle at the beach, and in 99% of cases, what results is a lump of sand that you can only imagine as a castle, but it’s not really close to the definition of the word. The small percentage of successful cases is reserved for people who truly invest all their effort into creating real and beautiful sandcastles, and Janel Hawkins from Alabama is one of them. She even teaches others how to do it in a course she offers through a company she founded called "Sandcastle University," which she promotes among other things through social media.
That’s how we came across her, and we had to share her creations with you so you can see what a real sandcastle looks like, and honestly, not just castles, because it seems she can sculpt almost anything in sand, on a grand scale and in an amazing way. The 15 sculptures you’ll see here were created not only by her but also as part of the course she teaches, proving that anyone can build a real sandcastle with the right knowledge and tools.
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"You can learn a lot from sand sculpting," says Janel. "You have to learn the basics, practice, practice, practice, and not be afraid of mistakes. If you make mistakes, it means you're not trying enough." She started this hobby when she was a student, and after acquiring the necessary skills, she founded her Sandcastle University with a team of 5 other instructors, and her business is expanding year by year.
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At the same time, she continues to develop her skills as well, and over time she has started experimenting with creating much more than just sandcastles, including figures of different creatures, among them dragons and sea creatures. Today she also does projects for birthdays, marriage proposals, and even corporate events – who knew there was such a demand for the ability to play and build sandcastles?
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