Even More Seashell Crafts!!!!!

Over the past month, I have been very productive in the area of shellart! I've made several plaques, wood burnings and (a first for me!) shell flowers. So here are some new decorations that can be found in my room.

 

Firstly, I drew a picture of a Queen or Pink Conch and then wood burned it. After wood burning it, I used watercolors to color it>

 

And finally, I added a frame made from my shells!!!!!!!!!

 

I made these little "shell globes" by taking plastic, clear cartons and gluing some shells inside of them.

 

I have long wanted to make a Jingle Shell flower and here is my first attempt. :D

 

For my best friend, I decided to make some shell flowers and a hand-knitted basket.

 

Here's a close-up. The flower on the left has Auger petals and a Oyster Drill center. The flower on the right has Coquina petals and some unknown shells for the center. These shells were on a seashell necklace that I bought and then accidentally tore. Oh well, I found a better use for them!

 

More Coquina flowers with Shark Eye centers! These are residing on my bookshelf now.

 

Shell plaques... This was the first one that I every added a Pen Shell too (see it smack in the center?)

 

I decided to experiment with shapes a little, so this one looks like a tear. :)

 

Lastly, I finally used one of the Sea Stars that a friend gave to me, as the center for one of my Shell Plaques. Notice the little Coquina butterflies?

 

Now, I also really like scrapbooking, so here's two scrapbook pages that I made using various photos that I took at Sanibel last April. Less than three months until I see Sanibel again!

 

And lastly, I made a Shell Mirror! This was my first attempt at a mirror, and I can truthfully say that I am proud and happy with it.

Now, if you guys would like to know, I use hot glue for all my shellart. It holds the shells really well, but you have to be careful not to burn yourself, as I am wont to do.

 

I hope that I have inspired you guys to try some shell art of your own!

Lava of Ocean Dawn :D

 

P.S. With all these shellart that I've been doing, my supply of craft shells has depleted. Another reason to look forward to my trip to Sanibel this April!

Seashells in the Snow

Happy 2015 everyone! This is my first post of the year and I decided to do something winter-related... with seashells of course.

Luckily, last week, we had a nice snow fall in Maryland and a snow day at school!!!!!

 

So I decided to take some shells out to play in the snow.

 

 

Here are some of my shells; they are sitting on some handmade toadstools of mine. From front to back: a Lettered Olive, a Banded Tulip, a Florida Fighting Conch, and a Lightning Whelk.

 

Here's a close-up. The Lettered Olive is a shell that I commonly find in North Carolina (click here for my post on Oak Island, NC) and of course, on Sanibel. These mollusks prey on Coquinas in the surf zone, where the waves roll up on the sand. However, Lettered Olives will also scavenge if they get the chance.

 

Moving on....

 

Did you know that shells grow on trees??? Well they do, at least in my backyard, that's the case. :D

 

Here is my beautiful Lightning Whelk. I found it in Fort Lauderdale three years ago. I simply love the yellow-orange colors of this guy- it's a treat to photograph, and even more so, to own!

And here's another photo of my Lightning Whelk in the snow. Lightning Whelks live in the sandy shallows, pretty close to shore.

 

More shells in the trees! Florida Fighting Conch in the front and a Banded Tulip farther back. Banded Tulips sometimes fall prey to their larger relative, the True Tulip. I've found lots of these shells on Sanibel!

 

And here are some more shells in the snow. Florida Fighting Conchs get their name from occasional fights that burst out between rival males. However, they don't all fight in between themselves: if you pick one up, be ready for the mollusk to come out and start trying to hit you with its foot and pointy operculum (it happened to me :D). 

 

I hope that your mood has been lifted by my shells in the snow!

 

Have fun,

Yaroshelllava :D