Seashell Saturday

Seashells have been around for more than 500 million years! Mollusk evolution began in the Cambrian period.

Seashells are the oldest form of money!

Oysters change gender from year to year. Female one year, and a male the next. NO thanks!

Oysters release over 1 million eggs per season. Only 1 of these eggs will become an adult oyster!

Someone who studies shells is a Conchologist.

A quahog clam can live to be 220 years old! You can count their age by the ridges, or rings on the shell...like counting the rings of a tree.

Some shells change color according to the food they eat. I wonder what calico clams eat?

Ancient people used shells for jewelry, adornments for clothing, home decor, and containers for food and water.

Shells are composed mostly of carbonate of lime. The ingredient in chalk, marble, and limestone.

The shell is an exoskeleton. The animals skeleton is on the outside.

Shells come from eggs. The animal then secretes a substance, mostly (calcium carbonate) for protection, producing layers that make up the shell.

Some mollusks use the shell for protection, while others use the shell to keep from losing water so they don't dry out. Some use the shell to move with the currents of the water.

The 2 largest shell classifications are gastropods (univalves) and cephlopods ( bivalves).

Oysters and mussels form pearls. Pearls can naturally be different colors. Naturally colored pearls are more rare.

Native Americans used freshwater pearls for jewelry, and clothing decoration. I'd like to know how they drilled them!
 
I love reading about, studying, and learning things about shells. Even though shells may be the same species, no 2 are exactly alike....just like our fingerprints!

I've recently had a few comments about my photos. My little secret is...scrapbook paper! I have some that looks like water...in light, and medium blue. I use a variety of papers, depending on the piece I'm photographing. I also use an OTT light when I'm not using natural light.

I recently added a new pair of earrings to my Sea Notes Collection!
I had fun making these! Of course, I have fun making anything with shells!

I've made a few pair of earrings with jingle shells, but these are my favorites by far. I adore the natural freshwater pearls.

Next weekend I will be on the Gulf Coast! I will be walking the beach, head down, looking for shells, with my shelling bags hanging from my sides.

I'm hoping to find a lot of jewel box shells (spiny oysters) in a small size. I've depleted my supply of them. I still have several larger jewel boxes....too big for earrings and charm bracelets.

So, wish me luck! I can't wait to see what kind of shelling next weekend has in store.


We usually spend Memorial weekend at my family cemetery, cleaning up, and replacing flowers. I'm not going to make the trip this year, but I know the family will take care of it all the same.

Thank a soldier for your freedom! It's really all about them...not bbq's, or boating, picnics, or camping.

Have a Super Saturday, and a wonderful Memorial Weekend!

Love,
Del