I've been collecting seashells for as long as I can remember. From east to west, coast to coast, and shore to shore, I always find a treasure to keep, and adore.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Seashell Necklaces Beaded with Pearls

Hellooooo and Happy Friday!

I sure did have a busy Thursday, whewww.
I worked on my custom order, went shopping for some things for my booth and some needed jewelry findings, made 8 new necklaces, started on the 9th....had 2 Etsy orders!!! and now I'm revamping my custom order. I'll explain that in another post. For now, let's get to those pearl necklaces!

This is a volute shell, the Voluta Laponica also known as a Harpulina shell. I didn't find much info on this shell, but they are from Sri Lanka.


They are really pretty shells, and the color and patterns vary a little from shell to shell.

I used glass pearls, GASP! because they looked the best with this shell. I wanted some color that went well with the mocha colored pearls, so I chose a dark amethyst. I'm a big fan of brown and purple together! I'm not a big fan of faux pearls, but they do come in some pretty colors. I have another glass pearl beaded creation coming soon...when I get some copper chain I ordered. I hope it's soon!


This necklace lays nicely, and would compliment many fall and winter sweaters. I do really love the brown and purple! I used to have a blog with a brown and purple theme :)

Out of these two, this next one is my favorite.


White on White!!! Love it! This Strombus Vittatus shell has been polished to reveal all white. It's a type of conch shell, and is from the Philippines.


White freshwater dancing (top drilled) button pearls, opal crystals, sterling chain, spacers, bail, and findings make this a lovely wedding necklace. It lays very nicely on a woman's chest....but not so well flat, or on a jewelry bust.


I tried taking this one on the black bust, too, but it just makes a glare You can't even make out what it looks like. I will be using it at the show to highlight this necklace, or another white/light necklace.


I would love to wear this!

Yesterday my hubby went by the printers.......

and picked up my custom made BANNER!!!!

It's nearly a replica of my business cards, but the bottom info is laid out a bit differently.
I can't wait to see it hanging!


Maybe I should have turned off the flash??? You will see this hanging for sure, In the daylight...I plan to get plenty of pics!

And ummmm the beach pail and flip flops....you will just have to wait and see....I have plans for the flips flops, and am working on a way to use the beach pail. You can't be beachy and not have a beach pail! Ohhhhh I think I have it! It just came to me heeehehehheee :D

I'm still not sure WHAT we are doing this weekend. Going SOME where, or working on my stuff????

I'll see you on Monday!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Table Skirt Sneak Peek!

I was so excited by how this looks, that I had to snap some pics and share it with ya'll!


Excuse the tackle boxes on top of the table...the rafia skirt keeps pulling the "table cloth" down in front without something to hold it in place. That won't be a problem when I'm doing the shows. There will be lots of stuff on the table to keep it in place!


This is the laundry room side of my garage. Water heater, fishing poles, my big sink are all on this side, too.


This table cloth aka a sheet is actually a dark aqua, and matches my theme/logo very well. I'm hoping to shoot some pics of this outdoors soon :)

I must tell you what a time I have had with the velcro. I bought the sew on kind, and while sewing it on my sheet moved and they weren't quite even, even though I marked it with a seamstress pencil. So, I bought the stick on kind with intentions to sew it in place permanently once they are all in place. Two packages did one table....so, it's back to the store for more velcro!

I can't wait to do the mock up!!!!

Okay, now let's see some of those earrings and  things I mentioned before.

 These are sweet earrings :) Perfect for a beach wedding, and complete with something blue!

These are pierced look clip ons, and I have them in silver also. I need to use more of these! They don't pinch either :)


These are fun! I have more FUN earrings for the younger gals, too.


Mini Spiral Turritella Shells in gold....

 and silver ear wires.
I have colored wire in several colors, so will be doing more of these, and also some wire in silver.
I think 18 to 20 something year olds will like these.

I'm running low on charm bracelets.....


so I made a simple charm bracelet...I'll be making more (I hope!) next week.


Such cutie little shells!

Now, before I show you this barrette, I have to say that I cleaned off the glue smudges AFTER I took the pics. Remember I shoot in MACRO, with an OTT light, and the glue smudges really aren't noticeable in person!!!!! I took the pics and they really highlighted them. So I cleaned off the little bits on there.

The beads are agate, and I can't remember what the little black auger type shells are. I guess I better look them up ;) The cats eye shell in the center is an operculum from a sea snail. The operculum is the "trap door" to protect them from predators.

Out of all of the earrings today, my faves are the white shells with pearls and angelite.


Tomorrow, necklaces again! I have 2 new pearl/beaded ones, and might have some more beaded.

I do have a few new shells on chain that I did Wednesday. It is actually still Wednesday as I write this!

I drilled a bunch of shells so that I can just pick a shell, and pick what will go best with it, and make it!

ALL of these have holes in them! Some are found, and some are bought. I really have more fun and enjoy working with my found on the beach shells :D

Have a wonderful day!

See you tomorrow!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Seashells on Chains

Hey there!

I do have more earrings to show you, but thought I'd do some necklaces today.

I also want to apologize for sleeping in this morning, and delivering a late post. I did get some much needed sleep, and woke up to having to edit/crop/scale to size a bunch of pics. It takes forever when there are so many. I did take more pics of the Dentalium Earrings...I'll show ya a couple of them at the end of the post!

I made this necklace about 2 weeks ago I think. I know it has been quite a while, maybe even 3 weeks ago. I am such a bad blogger! Too much to do and not enough hours in the day...and not enough hands either :P


This is such a cute necklace! Most of my pics of this came out really bad, so I need to take more :(
I like this one a LOT! I found these shells in a Daytona shop, and then found more of them at my new favorite seashell shop. I've heard that Rose Tellins can be found in Sanibel. Maybe one of these days I'll get down there again and find some on the beach!

This white shell came from a white shell mix I bought for wedding items. Someone had inquired about an all white shell hair barrette. Some of the shells are just too perfect not to use in jewelry, and some were so large that I sent them to my daughter in Utah. She is adding some seashells into her decor. I also sent her some of my Caladesi Island and Honeymoon Island shells :D

Anyway.....

Several of these pics turned out really well!


I still have a few of those heart shaped pearls, and just had to use one with this on the heart chain.




The crystals are Light Emerald, and I think they really pop next to the white. Pretty!

This next seashell necklace on a chain is reversible!


It's an abalone shell that hasn't been polished down to the mother of pearl. I really like the natural look of it.


Flip it over to reveal the mother of pearl, and a cool little nautilus shaped shell with a pearl drop. This necklace is looooong! The chain measures about 32 inches, and the shell with the bail measures 3 1/2 inches. I know some ladies like longer necklaces, and this one is made for them!

Coming up next, I have a new charm bracelet, and those other earrings, too. Oh, and a new hair barrette I made with a cats eye shell (operculum of a sea snail) and some cute little nearly black auger type shells.

I also have beaded necklaces that I haven't taken pics of yet, so I'm hoping to get to that soon.

Meanwhile, I am trying to get velcro stitched onto the sheets for my tables. I would really like to get that out of the way, so I can do a full mock up of my arrangement for the show.

So now some retakes of those Dentalium Shell Earrings!







I have never had such a hard time choosing the pics I was going to use for a listing. So many of these came out well...that last one is a little blurred close in, but I do love the angle of it.



I think my faves are on the "wood". It's scrapbook paper! When I get enough pics of it to use in my shop, this "wood" will be a new beachy addition.

Today I plan to drill some of my Belleair Beach shells! And sew some velcro!

See you tomorrow!!!!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dentalium Shell Earrings with Sterling Silver and Pearls

Hello! Have I got something special to show you today!?!? Oh, you bet I do :)

When hubs and I went to the beach a couple of weekends ago, and we went to that little shell shop, I found some Dentalium "tusk" shells. They are sooooo pretty, and I had to buy just a few of them to play with and see what I could come up with.

But first, a little history on these tusk shells. Native Americans used them to make jewelry, and beaded clothing. They traded for them, and these shells were highly sought after, prized, and very valuable. A nice long dentalium shell was worth a dugout canoe! WOW! They used them in ceremonies, weddings, burials, and even made hair adornments with them. Native Americans have been using shells of all kinds, and pearls in their clothing decorations and jewelry for hundreds of years. Archeologists and Anthropologists have found seashell jewelry dating back thousands of years! I think I may be channeling my ancestors with this seashell jewelry making thing that I am so enthralled with.


I'm pretty sure this is my favorite pair of earrings I have made so far!


I love everything about these! The long, beautifully curved shells, the sterling chain and pearl drop, and the color of them.


This was going to be a post of several earrings that DO lay nice for photos, but these really deserved their very own post, dont'cha think.

I'll be back with more earrings, and/or the several other things I've finished....tomorrow, and through the week!

Thanks for hanging out with me, your opinions and comments really do mean a LOT to me!



Monday, August 27, 2012

Go Away Rain, I Want to Work on my Bucket List!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I did....regardless that we did NOT do what we planned.

We planned to take the pontoon out for a little adventure, but with LAKE wind advisories, we decided the OCEAN probably wasn't the best idea either. We are shooting for next weekend!

It has been so rainy/squally here, enough to keep us indoors. I don't mind getting wet, that's not the problem.
GOODBYE Isaac! Why don't you just fizzle out and leave everyone alone....just send some rain to those who need it :)

I will tell you that my/our plans include things on My Bucket List. I finally published it. It's been hanging out in drafts for ohhhhh at least a year. I wasn't thrilled with the placement of it above. I wanted it next to Jewelry Care....oh well....such is life.

I did take a step in the direction of doing the "other" planned thing!

I'd love to tell you what I'm doing, but I want pictures to go along with it. I know....BUMMER!

Since I can't, or won't tell yet....I have a few pics I snapped last week of some new earrings. I'm not real happy with the pics, so I'm still working on HOW to take good pics of earrings with dangly things on them. Bear with me lol!


These are really difficult to photo! They actually are closer in color than they look, and the white calcium on the one shell is barely noticeable in real life. I just can't convey that through a picture. Working on it!



Those cute little crystal dangles in front of the shells do not lay right laying flat....working on this, too.



Love these! But again, the dangles! ARGH! And my lighting for shooting uprights isn't quite working either, no matter how I angle my lights. If it would stop raining during the part of the day the lighting is excellent, I would open the garage door for some nice natural lighting. I just may have to sell these in person, and not on Etsy.

This week I will be working on my booth display, and placement of items and props. Finishing some necklaces, and making more stuff to gear up for this show. AND taking pics of things I've already made, whewwww.

My fingers are crossed for great weather next weekend!!!!

Any tips or tricks for taking my pics?

Any guesses on what I have planned?


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