Seashell Saturday

My external hard drive is missing, meaning, I have misplaced it. I always, I mean always, put it back in a drawer with my other computer equipment, and I didn't, and now I can't find it. I'm thinking it may have fallen behind my drawer stack. I was counting on my photos on the hard drive for my post. Instead, I snapped a quick photo of a tablescape on a wall/sofa table in the dining room.

These are shells we have picked up in tourist shops while on our anniversary beach get-aways. David gave me the shell rose bud as a gift, and I picked up the candles at Belk a few years ago. I added a few of our own shells to the candle vases. The cut center of the conch shell ( the pink spiral in the center) came from Virgina beach about 20 or so years ago. We acquired all of the mother of pearl shells here at home, in Florida. They are from more recent anniversary trips :D

And the shell frame....... I made it from jingles! It's not very fun to dust, but I love this frame! The photo is old, and horribly outdated. I don't even resemble the woman in the photo anymore, although, it was only about 2 and a half years ago!

My lovely green pearls came, and they are not quite the color I was expecting, so it's back to the drawing board on my bracelet. I'll be making a lot of jewelry once I'm back in my studio, and everything is exactly where it belongs!

I apologize for a cop out post, but I'm hoping to be more organized next week. And to see why I'm so unorganized right now, you can read about it here. There will be a follow-up!

I'm off to pick out some carpet!

Have a wonderful, sunny, shell-y Saturday!

Del

Seashell Charm Bracelet with Freshwater Pearls

I have been so busy, and have wanted to show off my new charm bracelet, but as usual, I get into doing too many things! I have a touch of spring fever, and it has been drawing me outdoors, and into my flower beds, and garden. I like to get into everything! Dad always said I had "too many arns in the far" which means "too many irons in the fire". Dad had a deep southern accent, and a lot of southern sayings went along with it. Dad wasn't around to see me make shell jewelry, but I would like to think he would have loved it. He would have told me he did, even if he thought it was a waste of my time.
So, as I continue to waste my time, here is another seashell creation of mine :D
A Seashell Charm Bracelet with Peachy Coral Rose Freshwater Pearls.

As many hours as I have spent studying photography and lighting, I don't know if I will ever take the perfect jewelry photo! I will keep trying! It is true what they say about jewelry being difficult to photograph, I just have to learn all of the secrets.

I love the way this bracelet sounds! I can't even describe it. It sounds as lovely as it looks ;) This charm bracelet fits a small to average size wrist, about 6 to 6.5 inches, and is 7 3/4 inches long including the toggle. You can read the full elaborate description in my Etsy shop!

I had to order some new pearls for my wood and shell bracelet I was working on. Something was missing, and I stumbled across the perfect pearls for it. I've been on a bead buying extravaganza lately. I've bought several strands of pearls, some abalone Paua shell beads, and some gorgeous bamboo coral. I have plenty to work with, I just have to make the time! While I'm waiting for that  strand of pearls to arrive, I've been making some new awareness bracelets, because I also bought other new beads, and new lamp work beads.

My doors and windows are wide open, and I'm enjoying a wonderful, warm, spring day, with a nice breeze blowing through my home. The water trickling down the rock into the pond sounds so nice and peaceful. It's a beautiful day!

Del

Seashell Saturday

It's Seashell Saturday! Everyday is a seashell day for me. Not a single day goes by without me touching a shell, or two...or twenty! I'm always playing with something.

Today I would like to share my shelling bags with you. A little tutorial, or DIY, on how to make your own.

I collected mesh bags from cherry tomatoes, spiral cut hams, and turkeys. Wash the bags before you begin.

Fold the top over about half an inch.

Then weave the plastic lacing through the mesh.

Continue until it meets where you started.

Using craft wire, (it comes in many colors) attach a shell to the bottom of the bag to give it some weight. This will make it hang nicely, instead of blowing around, until you find some shells to put in your bag.

I drilled this shell to wrap the wire around the shell.

I do have some that didn't need to be drilled. The shape of the shell made it easy to wrap and keep in place, or they already had natural holes in them.

I love my shelling bags! They are a shellers best friend!

My favorite shelling bag is the red one from the cherry tomatoes. It is a fine mesh bag, and perfect for collecting mini's!

This is so easy, and you are keeping something out of the landfill. Great for the planet, and great for us shellers!

Before your next trip to the beach, make some shelling bags to take with you! I keep mine in my beach bag so I always know where they are, and they are sure to make it to the beach with us.

Enjoy your Saturday! Make some shelling bags!


Del

A Little Mermaid Story

I'm a day late! I've been so busy, and I'm so far behind. I had visitors yesterday, so please forgive my delay!

This story begins in 2004. The hurricane season to be exact. What a busy hurricane season it was! I think we boarded up, and stayed boarded up more that year than any year since.

I think it was Hurricane Frances, although it could have been Jeanne, or Charley. The damage in our area was unbelievable. At the country club where I worked, there were 65 trees down on the golf course alone. Now in Florida, golf capitol of the world, that is akin to catastrophe.

My husband is in the pool enclosure/screen room business, and he was out on the job tearing down an enclosure to replace it with a new one. There was a pile of rubble that the home owner wanted removed, and asked if he would haul it off. My husband is always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, must be the boy scout in him :) and he gladly hauled off the pile. While he was loading it up, he noticed a female figure of some sort. He knew exactly what that pile of rubble had been. Now, being a crafty man, he decided to bring home this pile of rubble, and see what he could do about putting it back together. I thought he had bitten off way more than he could chew with this one. I should know better than to doubt his ability! I can't remember exactly how many days he spent on it, I know he put in many hours. His hard work, and ingenuity, resulted in our having our very own mermaid statue. I wish I had before photos!

I would like you to meet Fran!

Fran has a new place to hang out now, and she looks like she really enjoys gazing over the fish pond. She has lived in our screen room for the past 7 years, and I think she was getting bored with the same scenery. I tried to entertain her, and make her feel appreciated, and useful.

I thought she would be a good jewelry model......

Unfortunately, she wasn't a great model. Her pose is lovely, but she is a bit slippery, and jewelry slid from around her neck, to over her shoulder, and down her arm. I also wondered about having to label my photos mature  for Etsy. Fran had a short lived modeling career, but we  had fun trying it out ;)

It's hard to believe she was ever in so many pieces she was barely identifiable as being a mermaid! I love Fran, and I'm so glad my hubby was the one asked to haul off her remains. He gave her a new life, and I'm glad she is ours, thanks to a busy hurricane season. You can still see some of the breaks she had if you look very closely. I named her Fran, because I really think it was Frances that took her down.

I think she looks much happier here!

That is the story of how we came to have our mermaid. Now, if another hurricane were to come through here, you can bet that Fran will be moved to a safe place in the house until it is over!

Del

Seashell Saturday

Hello, and welcome to Seashell Saturday! I thought we should start at the beginning. Well, not the beginning of my shelling career, at my front door!

This wreath has shells, and corals, from both coasts. East meets West. I see Florida, Virginia Beach, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington when I look at my wreath. There is also a sand dollar on it from Washington. Near the center right is a piece of the big blue coral I bought from a shell shop on the pier in Va. Beach in the late 80's. We have so many great memories from there. Our kids played in the waves, and ran on the beach in the hot, Virginia summer sun. We had some great times. Our kids grew up on the east coast beaches when we lived in the DC area. While living out west, we enjoyed the west coast beaches. By then, the kids were nearly grown, and we usually went to Oregon, and Washington as a couple. Thinking about it is making me want razor clams, and dungeness crab.
I made this wreath when we moved back here, in 2003. I gathered various shells from our favorite beaches, and started gluing them onto a grapevine wreath. Everything from oyster shells, to spirals, clams, conchs, cones and corals. There's a little of everything on it.

 This wreath is not a lightweight, either. It weighs a ton! At least it feels like! The only time I take it down is for the holiday season, and this year I may just add a white or aqua bow. My tree is nautical and shell-y, so the wreath would match my Christmas decor as well.

David wants to get away again soon, and I'm all for it. Gulf Coast here we come! The sooner the better!

I'm working on another shells and pearls creation, and have another shell and wood piece going on, too. I will be back here on Monday to tell a little story ;)

Del

I am so Honored

I am so very honored, and I have to say a big THANK YOU to Diane (Lavender Dreams) and Rhonda aka Shellbelle (Shellbelle's Tiki Hut) for adding me to their Blog Roll. WOW! What can I say? You ladies are so sweet, and I am honored to be included among the prestigious blogs you read. I caught it out of the corner of my eye, and just about did a back flip! (if I could still do a back flip).I'm actually speechless (for a change!)

Another big THANK YOU goes out to Maya, of Completely Coastal for featuring my shell frames on her amazing blog! I haven't ever been featured before, and I'm thrilled to be included!

I tried several times yesterday to publish this post. It just would not save and publish. I am determined, and I wanted to thank these ladies from the bottom of my heart. Google, Blogger, nor Comcast shall stop me!

I also want to welcome my new followers! Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy the time you spend with me :D

Thanks to everyone for their comments, I appreciate every one!


I'll be back tomorrow for Seashell Saturday! Until then....

Del

Seashell Bracelet and Earrings Set with Freshwater Pearls and Bayong Wood

Lately, I've had a thing for making seashell bracelets with matching earrings. I made this set right after I made the Vivacious Purple set. The Freshwater Pearls are Midnight Blue, AA quality, and GORGEOUS! I found  a shell in Sanibel that matched my Bayong Wood beads so well, and the contrast between the pearls, and the wood, is beautiful. I love this set!

This set has an Island feel to it. It's Earthy with the Shell, Pearl, Wood, and Copper. Of course, I had to have a little Swarovski crystal. I do like a little sparkle ;) 

The underside of the shell has a pearl, crystal, and copper accents dangle. This exotic bracelet is perfect for a trip to the islands, or any beachy destination. The sun, sand, you with your coconut infused tropical drink with the little umbrella, wearing this one of a kind, Island Dreams bracelet and earrings set. What makes it one of a kind? The shell! I have the components to create another, but I'll never find another shell exactly like this one. I haven't ever made a replica of any of my shell jewelry.
I want each piece to be individual, a true one of a kind!  

This isn't listed yet, I had to share it here, first. I have another one on my bead board, and plan to get back to it tomorrow! 

Have a great week, and I hope to see you soon!

Del

Seashore Sunday

Twin Rocks, Oregon

Seashell Saturday

I used to have a collection of various shells, and shell fragments in baskets along the wall at the entrance to my home. All of them found a new home last week when I had the "kids" dig a hole in the front yard for my pond.

The pond is in

and then the fish

I know running water, and fountains are good Chi, and was told to have the water flow coming towards the house, to simulate money flowing in, not out.

the water runs down the big rock

Louisiana Iris and mini Cattails are on each side of the big rock

My mermaid gazes longingly at the fish in the pond

around the base of the mermaid, Florida shells, Oregon sand dollars, and Gulf Coast sponges, and a sea tossed coconut

more shells, another coconut, and one of my sea turtles

a stepping stone to get over to the pond. I want to make a more natural one......

I arranged, and rearranged shells, hubby stacked the Florida limestone rocks, and made the waterfall. I have another iris, and a white waterlily trying to grow in the pond. We still have little touches to see to, and the grass needs to fill back in, but we like it. I'm excited to see the mini cattails. Oh! and the mermaid....now that's another post! She has a little story behind how we came to have her.

I enjoy hearing the water trickle into the pond when the door is open. It's so peaceful. Love it!

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Del