Creating Shell Art

Anytime I am near the ocean I find myself craving to hunt for shells.  I think my first memory of hunting for shells was with my grandparents who had friends in Sanibel Island who owned a shell shop.  We spent hours with them at the beach hunting for the best of the best which they would carry home, clean up, and sell in their shop.  The hunt was so much fun.  Thinking you would find nothing and then having handfuls of shells you could barely carry back to hunt in their books for the names and coloring.  It felt a lot like thrifting does today; what will you find, and if you locate the rare shell, there is no describing that feeling. 

Last week, when I was shelling, I kept wondering what I would do with the number of shells I have collected over the years. I have bowls and bowls of fun shells and I can tell you where they all came from, but I am craving doing something different with the ones I just found.  We have a number of them, all the prettiest oranges and pinks with lots of brown and white. So, I hit Pinterest to discover some inspiration for a shell project, something I can frame and display as a treasure from the trip. 

I found a number of ideas, each intriguing in its own way.  I decided I would like to frame them, and maybe in two different ways.  I love the idea of the heart, and I have a number of them that would work perfectly for this project. Separately, I love the idea of a shadowbox, something I can either hang or use on a bookshelf, and definitely for the guest bedroom we have in our basement.  It has a fun, campy, American feel, and these would be perfect for that space. 

So stay tuned, I will share my sources and how I finish them.  I love the idea of seeing them out and above in something other than a bowl, which I promise you I have all over the house. 

Collecting is a passion of mine; you stand still, and I will most likely find a space to add you as well. 😂

Happy Tuesday ...