Another New Year

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Last day of the year. My oldest daughter's birthday! (Happy Birthday Kandi!) This year was a very busy year. You may have noticed, I didn't post much. We had a great time during the summer with my daughter Kandi's family visiting. We also had some sad times, and some bad times this year. Illness, deaths, hospitalizations, and car wrecks. I'm really looking forward to hopefully having a happy, and healthy new year!

After totaling his van, my brother will finally get his new wheels on the road shortly after the new year. It will be nice for him to have a van again, although he has enjoyed driving the rental car, a 2011 Altima.

I'm looking forward to more time on the beach. I didn't collect as many shells this year as I have in past years. My health hasn't been the greatest, but it's getting better! I can open a bottle of vitamin water by myself most of the time. WooHoo! When I'm on the beach, time just gets away from me. I don't even realize how far I've walked, or how much time I've spent looking for shells. It's like being in another world where there is no time. We all need something that takes us away from the hectic schedules we set for ourselves. Creating jewelry from the shells I find is another way for me to get lost in time. It's a very enjoyable hobby, and I've always been into crafting. I'm looking forward to seeing what unfolds in the New Year. What are you looking forward to?

Seashore Sunday

Seashore Sunday

Seashore Sunday

Seashore Sunday

Olive Shell Necklace 'Iced Mocha'

I didn't get a chance to blog about this one, and I do love it sooooooo much!




This Olive Shell is naturally shiny! They come out of the ocean just like this. I have found several nice Olive Shells! I have also found some that have been tossed around in the surf, and are really rough, missing the spherical tip, and matte instead of shiny.

I felt that this shell was begging to be paired with browns. I had some beads that felt like suede, or a very supple, soft leather. They were actually a rubberized lucite bead. I also had some mocha colored glass pearls, and these all needed an earthy metal to go with them. I love antiqued copper, and it was the natural choice. I wish I could find a picture of the entire necklace on the display stand, but I can't!

This is the best photo I have of the entire necklace.

I sold this necklace last month. I actually got a little teary when packaging it up to ship it off to it's new home. It was like saying goodbye to a special friend. I sure wouldn't mind feeling that way again, though!

I'll make sure that my next post is on something available, if it's a jewelry post. I just had to share this lovely Olive with you.

Del

Coming Soon!

Has it really been over a month since I posted?! Boy, what a slacker! Not really. I've been making Christmas items, and making my family some things for Christmas. I thought that since I'm going to be busy during the next few weeks, that I would post some shell~y things I've already made and not posted. I've had ideas in my head for 3 months of 2 new shell necklaces to create, and just haven't had the time to do them. Unfortunately, I was hospitalized twice in September. Everything seems to be under control with my bod now, so I'm back to creating. I really can't wait to implement my new designs, I'm ready to burst from a need to play around with shells! First things first, and of course that means family. As soon as I finish the project I'm working on, I'll do a shell jewelry post. I should be done with it today! Until next time~

Del

Pear Whelk Shell Necklace with Freshwater Pearls

This Pear Whelk was an awesome find. It's the only one I have found so far, and is a nice pendant size shell. I just knew I had to make it into a necklace! I love beach combing! I especially love finding jewelry quality shells! This is a lovely statement piece, and perfect for dining and dancing at beachy locales. I picked this shell up at one of our beautiful Florida Gulf Coast beaches. You can 'hear the ocean' in this shell!


I didn't want to get to 'beady' with this one. The gold and white freshwater pearls add an element of antique looking beauty with the jet Swarovski Crystals and double link chain. Pretty antiqued brass roses compliment this lovely shell. This is up for grabs on Etsy!

Shark Teeth and Kitten Paws

When my grandkids visited in August, we went to Casperson Beach to try our luck at finding sharks teeth.
We did find quite a few, and the kids (and adults) had fun finding teeth and shells.
I wire wrapped sharks teeth to make necklaces for Gwyn and Brady, and just finished putting them on necklaces Tuesday.Brady's is very boyish on leather cording, wire wrapped with black wire. Gwyn's is very girly and feminine, wire wrapped with purple wire and hanging from a purple ribbon with a sterling silver toggle.

Gwyn absolutely fell in love with kitten paw shells! Who can blame her? They come in a variety of sizes, from white to the darkest rust color, thick and thin. I made the kids necklaces out of them, too!
I chose a big, thick shell for Brady's, and Gwyn set this tiny one in resin herself! She also chose several kitten paws for a bracelet, but grandma got sick and didn't get it finished before they had to go home. So, the other day I finished it for her!
I used sterling silver jump rings, and a tiny sterling silver adjustable toggle. Gwyn has metal allergies, so her jewelry has to be hypoallergenic, or sterling. I also sealed the shells with a high gloss sealer, to give them some sparkle and shine. I can't wait for her to get this in the mail! I love how it turned out, so pretty!

Creating things for my grandkids has to be my all time favorite past time! Shelling and making jewelry are next on my list of favorites.

What are your favorite things to do with shells?

Seashell Pendants on Chain

Hello! I'm back, after what what seems a very long hiatus. Between visiting with family( which was awesome and fun!), and then getting sick, I haven't been keeping up with everything. But~ I'm on the mend, and so glad to be back to doing what I love! And ~ I have some new necklaces to show you!

These shells are reminiscent of fall colors, and are perfect for this time of year. I love the rich colors in these!

The Brown and White Calico Shell Pendant Necklace is centered and attached directly to a link of an antiqued brass chain.

Such an awesome multi colored shell ~ I love the patchwork look of this ~ very cool! Pretty topaz Swarovski crystals sparkle with every turn. This necklace is lightweight, and won't weigh you down. I listed this last night, and you can see more pics on Etsy!

The Marbled Nautilus Shell Necklace is a perfect match for the Nautilus Shell Bracelet that is in my header!The contrast between the purple/bronze iridescent pearls and the greens and browns in the shell are very eye catching. The antiqued brass chain has small links and is also light weight. The pendant is attached with an oval jump ring and has free movement. This necklace has an easy to use toggle clasp, and is a nice long 24 inches with a 1 1/2 inch pendant. You can also see more pics of this on Etsy!

Del :-)

White Shell Necklace with Black Diamond Crystals and Biwa Stick Pearls

I think I have a new favorite! I absolutely love this necklace!

I don't know what it is about Thick Lucina's that intrigue me so much. They are such beautiful shells. The few I have found have been white, very nearly white, and 1 small gray Lucina. The Lucina on this beautiful necklace is white, WHITE. It measures 2 inches x 2 inches. I have found a larger one, and small ones, too.

I love the pearls on this necklace, too. The stick pearls are amazing! The iridescence is shimmery and beautiful. The baby rice pearls are just as gorgeous, and add to the elegant feel of this luscious beauty.

As with most of my shell jewelry, I've hidden a little treasure for you.

The Black Diamond Swarovski Crystal is a beautiful creation in itself. The color of these are so cold as ice feeling to me. Like a dark, stormy winter day.

Can I tell you how hard it is to capture the beauty of this with a camera?



I hope I've done well in capturing the essence of the cold tranquil beauty of this amazing shell.
This would be such a beautiful accessory for a beach wedding, or maybe you have the perfect little black dress to go with this? It is so elegant, I can see it being worn with dressy apparel. A stark white sexy summer dress would also be lovely with this. Can you see it? I can! If you can, then this is the one meant just for you!

Stay Cool,
Del

Spiral Auger Shell Necklace

I have been sooooo busy creating, and daily life in general, that I'm just now getting around to getting down to the business of taking my pics! I managed to get a few in today, before I exhausted my battery. Every time this happens I swear I'm gonna buy a back up battery for my camera, and before ya know it, I've already forgotten about it...until the next time! GGRRRR!

Without further ado, meet the star of this post~


I love this spiral shell! I really love it when something just goes together like this. The neutral colors of the shell match perfectly with the MOP coin shell beads, the white coral, and the tan and white opalescent shell beads. The little swarovski sand opal crystal is such a sweet little accent, wire wrapped and dangling above the shell. I had so much fun with this one!

The guys are planning on a fishing trip this weekend. That means the gals will be crafting ;) I already have my project sketched, and just need to do some careful drilling before I lay it out. I'm going to finish up my pics Friday and Saturday so I have all day Sunday for my next endeavor! I'm so excited for my next piece!

Del

Eupatagus Antillarium

I have been absolutely dieing to blog about this! A couple of weekends ago, the guys went salt water fishing in the Gulf. My son-in-law Josh went snorkeling, too. He brought home a Eupatagus antillarum. What's that? It's a fossilized sea urchin from the Eocene Epoch, about thirty-eight million years ago!

I squealed with delight when he gave this to me! I had to do some Google-ing to find out exactly what it was. I was puzzled that it looked like both a sand dollar and a sea urchin. I was so tickled when I discovered what it was, and how old it is! The hole is supposed to be there, I thought it was a flaw. There was another hole in the bottom where the mouth was, but it's now covered in what I guess is limestone.

I just wanted to share this awesome find with you!

See ya later,
Del

Blog Spam....Really?

I wanted to make it easy to comment on this blog, so I let any comment come through. I really didn't think there would be a spam problem, but I was wrong. Due to this fact, I will enable word identification. It's supposed to keep the spammers out. I enjoy reading comments, but not when it takes me to a site that I'm afraid to click on something for fear of getting hacked (even though I have great protection.) I know this makes people think it's a hassle to comment. I used to think the same thing. I never commented on blogs when that little box popped up. It was a new world to me, and I was afraid to try new things. I guess I've come a long way, baby!

It's not difficult to leave a comment. Give it a try :)

Pretty Shell Necklaces

I have new pieces to list and blog about! I thought I would start with the last two shell~y pieces I made. The first is a gorgeous fuchsia number with pearls, swarovski crystals, and a calico scallop.


The shell piece beads have been dyed this beautiful fuchsia color, and I just knew they would be a perfect match for this unusual shell coloring. I am loving this one! As soon as I get the description written, and name her, I will post it on the Orange Blossom Boutique blog at orangeblossomcrafts.com.

My next pretty is a wire wrapped auger shell. There are several kinds of auger shells. This auger has been wrapped in a copper coated wire, and hangs between pearls, peach coral, and these cool shell-ish looking glass tube beads in pretty aqua.



I finished this with a toggle that I made out of a scallop shell, and another type of auger shell.

There is another swarovski crystal hidden inside the scallop. Very different, fun, and pretty! I just love this toggle! Both necklaces are great for summer up do's, they are pretty all the way around. I've really been getting into this style of finishing my pieces lately. Maybe because I've been wearing my hair UP so much... this heat and humidity are sweltering! I will let you know when these get listed. I'm sure it won't be long! I'm really excited about my new items, and want to get them listed ASAP!

I have a few more, but don't want to drag my post out too long... but maybe just a little peek at one I made awhile ago, and just hadn't gotten the pics done. They're taken now, so this is another that will be listed shortly!

Beach in a Bottle Necklace~

I have a few of these bottles with sand from different Florida beaches! I can't wait to make more of these! Work comes before play, and listing and posting will have to come first.

Until next time,
Della

Seashell Earring Display

You may have noticed that I've started using displays. My oldest daughter and son-in-law gave me a gift certificate for Mother's Day this year! The bracelet, and earring display arrived in a pretty timely manner. I think every jewelry making mama received gift certificates this year, and ordered the same necklace display I did! It was on back order for what seemed like forever! It arrived several weeks later. I have been using it for the last couple of weeks, and I love it! The bracelet display is nice too, and adds a professional touch. I do like the earring display I ordered, but it just doesn't work for all earrings. I will need to order another one, but for my shell earrings I wanted a more ocean-y feel to my pictures. I went through some of my big shells, and found a couple of pen shells that weren't to broken to use. After drilling some holes in them, and a little rub down with some mineral oil, (they were really dry) it was ready to be assembled into a foam block that I covered with a mixture of Mod Podge, Ceramcoat acrylic paint, and craft sand(yes, I really have store bought sand, but it's for crafts that I need pure WHITE sand). I love the way it turned out! Let the creative juices keep flowing~

I wish I had thought of taking pics along the way of making it, and putting it together, but.... hindsight ya know. I will need to practice taking pics of/with it, but for a first time, I don't think these turned out bad. The next whole pen shell I find will be rubbed with mineral oil as soon as it gets cleaned. I'm pretty sure it will keep it from cracking.

Del

Mother of Pearl Shell Pendant Necklace

I love the tear drop shaped piece of shell I used in this necklace. Shell pieces can be just as beautiful as any whole shell. I am intrigued by the shapes and colors, thick or thin, recently broken, or tumbled for eons. Whole or partial, inside or outside.

For this white and purple based shell, I wanted to match, as well as I could, to my pendant piece. The purple cats eye beads, and grooved white glass ovals were perfect. For a little pizazz, the pretty emerald faceted beads and druks were just the right touch. This is a long necklace, and would look great with a plain, no frills style top. A silky tank, camisole, or even a plain t-shirt! The toggle clasp makes it so easy to put on! I have been using more and more toggles on my own jewelry. I'm really lovin' the toggles!

You can buy this now on Etsy!

Mauve Shell Necklace in Graduated Gradients

This was a fun piece to make! I love the pearls, crystals, faceted Czech glass beads...and especially the shells! What color!!!
This is one for Etsy! When I list it (soon!) I'll post on the orangeblossomcrafts.com blog.

I am running low on my assortment of pink scallops! I so need to go shelling when there is a full moon! I still have A LOT of shells to work with...and quite a few scallops...just not many pink ones left!

Now that the hectic month of June is over, I should have more time for Etsy, pictures, and blogging!

Del

Seashell Bracelets

I'm really loving bracelets right now! They are fun, and oh so different from anything I have found in shops! My fave is still the Mother of Pearl Shell Bracelet. The most recent shell bracelets are~

The Slipper Shell Bracelet

The slipper shell gets it's name from what it looks like on the underside (inside?) It looks like a slipper, you know~ the kind you wear.
I have found slippers in various sizes, from pinky nail size, to about 2 1/2 inches. The colors vary also, I have found white, lt.brown, dark brown, and everything in between! They are a fun, cute shell!

Yellow Hued Cockle Shell Bracelet~

This is an unusual cockle shell! It has some calico markings, along with a yellow hued stripe through the middle.



The honey colored Topaz faceted beads, and gold oval toggle go amazingly well with this shell!

These will soon be listed on Etsy!