collecting seashells

I always thought collecting shells meant going to the beach but now I know there is another kind of shell collecting.
I once wrote an article for Victorian Homes magazine about these intricate and charming sea shell creations.
I was hooked...

 

 

From Victorian times through the 1950's,

creating shell crafts was a popular pastime.

 

Everything from pin cushions to perfume bottles...

 

...to diminutive figurines.

 

There are all sorts of shell collectables you can search for at flea markets and thrift shops. Like this precious tiny calendar...

 

...and these unusual match boxes!

 

 

Even though I live at the beach now, I still think of August as the shell collecting month. Growing up we would try to take a family vacation and get away to the beach before school started.

I never came home empty handed. We would have suitcases full of shells (and sand) that we would proudly bring home every year.

I never made anything this spectacular.

Nowadays, I do hunt for these precious treasures. 

Maybe this will encourage you to start a new collection.

Happy hunting!