Crafting Jewelry with Seashells Thursday/ Crafts

I don't know of anyone who visits the ocean that doesn't pick up at least one seashell. The problem is for many of us we bring them home, put them on a shelf or inside a drawer and forget about them. This is a shame because there are so many wonderful crafts one can make out of seashells.

I have used seashells to decorate picture frames, mirrors, boxes and candles but jewelry is my favorite thing to do with my treasures from the beach. Shells are a gift from nature and as such are beautiful simply threaded onto a cord or chain.

Many times I have found shells with tiny holes already drilled by a tiny inscet. One has only to wash the shell to make sure any tiny bugs or sea creatures are no longer living inside the shell and slip the shell onto the cord or chain. This single shell necklace works best using a medium, large or unusual shell. If a shell is found without a hole, drill a hole using a 1/16" drill bit using an electric drill. I have even made holes by hand using a very thin, sharp nail and twisting the nail until it cut a hole in the shell. Sometimes the shell won't hang the way it should. In that case hang the shell onto a hoop ring , available from the jewelry section of the craft store, and place the ring onto the necklace cord or chain. Earrings are made with findings from the jewelry department of the craft store. Slip the shell onto fish hook style findings for dangling earrings or glue the shell onto post type earring with super glue.

A good way to display tiny shells is in a cluster. Just slip the tiny shells onto a larger size ring or string small shells onto a thin cord as one would string pearls. My favorite way to display shells is on a chain formed with fishing swivels. These can be found anywhere fishing supplies are sold.

They come in colors of silver, gold and black. Link the swivels together to form a chain the desired length. Attach the shells to the chain using a jump ring ( craft store) and you will have a one of a kind necklace that is a real conversation piece and cost almost nothing to make. A trip to the ocean is just what we need this weekend ,' Around Our Southern Home and Garden'.