Making crafts, crafts to buy, and diy ideas and information, related to beaches, seashells, and the tropics.
The Junonia seashell is unmistakable with its spotted coloring. If you should find one, you will have yourself a rare shell.
Florida’s west coast is the place to beach-comb if you want a junonia shell for your collection. Sanibel Island beaches occasionally have them wash up. Even a shell that is not in the best condition would be a wonderful find.
I have drawn a couple images over the years of this unique seashell and you may download and print them out to use at home or for homeschool.
I recently
wrote an article about Sailors’ Valentines and learned a lot about this shell art that is making a resurgence in popularity with collectors.
The Sailors’ Valentine was popular in the mid- 1800’s when after long sea journeys, men would come home with gift boxes filled with intricate seashell designs. Sometimes they would have a photo in the center and often a romantic message would be included using small shells to spell it out. Continue reading “The Sailor’s Valentine is Romantic Shell Art”
If someone on your Christmas list loves the ocean, I’m here to help you cross that name off the list!
Genuine sea glass jewelry made from glass found on the beaches of Maine will delight your wife or sweetheart or daughter this Christmas. Anyone who loves the beach (and who doesn’t?) would be thrilled to have a beautiful, unique gift of real sea glass to wear.
The designers at “Tears of the Sea” mix their colorful glass with unusual beads, freshwater pearls and sterling silver to make stunning, unique designs. And they are all one of a kind, since no two pieces of glass are the same. Visit the site for a look at their collection of pretty bracelets, necklaces and pendants made from genuine, natural sea glass. They also make sea stone jewelry, which is also very nice. (I’ve never purchased from this place, just going by what I read and see online.)
Or, if you are a crafty person, make your own sea glass jewelry (video).
Some jewelry I’ve seen online is sold as “sea glass” but it has been hand crafted by tumbling glass and not using the real thing. Real sea glass comes directly from the ocean, and big lakes, already worn and etched by many years of rolling in the sand and surf.
One difference will be the price. Shops that use the real thing have limited supplies and charge higher amounts. But there are differences to look for in the glass too, and color can cause the prices to fluctuate.
