I needed a little shelling pick-me-up yesterday since I’ve had “technical difficulties” in the blog world the last few days. Since the gulf has been a little rough caused by south winds, I thought I might find some goodies at Blind Pass.
The Sanibel side of Blind Pass was …well, empty of shells. Where’d they go?
I ran over to the Captiva side to find the beach with even a bigger drop-off than last week. Looked like nothing to me. There were a few people working the ledge but I decided to go back to the east end of Sanibel.
On the way back to the parking lot, I met Bob, Lucy and Linda sorting their shells in the back of their car. I can’t believe they found all of these on that ledge I showed you. It looked bare to me.
Shame on me for not looking a little harder at that ledge. Look at these beautiful shells… and especially that large, perfect LIGHTNING WHELK on the left.
The surf was kicking up around the east end of Sanibel but the beach didn’t look like it was piled with shells. Then I started focusing on the wash line a little bit better since I learned my lesson and missed so many at Blind Pass. There were actually some nice shells…… and nice folks.
I met another Sani-Belle on the beach! I met some of the Sani-Belle sisters and mom Mermaid Ella in January at Blind Pass (Click HERE for the post) so I was tickled to meet sister Sani-Belle Muriel too.
Like I said, there wasn’t a huge wrack of shells on the beach but she was still happy with what she was finding. I guess so! Look at that nice size BABY’S EAR! In her hand from left to right is a SCALLOP, a CARDITA, another SCALLOP, that big beautiful BABY’S EAR, a CROSS BARRED VENUS and a COCKLE.
Mermaid Ella
This picture above was taken of Muriel’s 92 year old mom in January when I nicknamed her Mermaid Ella. I wanted to show you this photo again because most of the shells that Muriel and the other Sani-Belles collect are “materials” (that’s what they call the shells) for frames that Mermaid Ella makes. She showed me this one……
Isn’t that beautiful? Shells don’t have to perfect to be beautiful. Imperfect is just as beautiful if you look at them in a different view like in this frame. This just makes me smile. And I also smile thinking of some other artists that make beautiful decor and jewelry from beach treasures…. perfect or not.
Maria is so clever to design wine charms from seashells with holes in them…..
Create gorgeous pieces of art from beach treasures that someone else might consider to be beach “litter”…..
I also have another artist friend Rhonda who collects “drift shells” to make beautiful art frames too.
So I’m going to remember Mermaid Ella and these other artists who get excited to see bits and pieces of shells on the beach. This is exactly what gets their creative juices flowing for their shellicious decor and jewelry. Thanks yall for the pick-me-up I really needed!
I love their creativity with the not so perfect shells. It amazes me what people come up with.
Even though the shells were not abundant the beaches sure are pretty!!
I am glad to see you back as well.
Pam, my dear Shelling Sistah…
I love you like a sister! I knew my Sani-Belle Sister Muriel would meet up with you on the beach! My Mermaid Mom will be so thrilled to be featured on your blog again. Using her beautiful Sanibel Treasures brings her such peace & Joy…we consider our Sanibel beach combing and shell crafting our special form of “meditation”. I made the orange butterfly on Mom’s frame…it’s made from clear sea glass glued on washi paper.
Thanks for the inspiration your beautiful words and pictures bring to us!!
P.S. It’s a pleasure and inspirational to see the beautiful things that others make from sea treasures…Rhonda’s frames of “drift shells” (a new term to me) especially speak to me as I love the tumbled and smoothed bits and pieces…I now have another wonderful blog to visit… thanks Pam.
Aw shucks Pam, thanks for showing one of my driftshell frames in this post, I am honored.
I adore Mermaid Ella’s frame! See, I knew I wasn’t the only one out there to love how the sea turns a broken seashell into something so special. I’ll take a tumbled piece of shell over a tumbled piece of glass any day!
Thanks!
So that’s what life would be like with no iLoveShelling blog! Sooo glad you’re back, Pam!
YAYYYY!! Your back!! Thank you for featuring me I am very touched, I love searching for shells,and pieces of the sea,your Blog takes me to the beach when I cannot be near one. Thank you!!I I Hope to meet all of you some day on Sanibel!!!
Amy
I get so much energy from other artists…. and from your precious comments!
miss pam,
well i am setting up a trip for me myself and i for the sole purpose of shelling in your neck of the woods. living up in the northwest, i go to hawaii a lot. lived there as well. but is the first time to sanibel. can’t wait to start my sanibel “stoop”!!! hey i will bring you some of my hawaii shells if you will meet me for a quick shelling-sanibel-captiva 101 lesson!!! or clark!!! okay, that is probably asking for too much but i’ll buy you a coffee or drink of your choice. oh and i am arriving on my birthday, may 19!
Hello Miss Judy,
As much as I’d like to meet everybody that comes to visit…it’s nearly impossible as you can imagine. As for a lesson, every bit of info that I know about shelling, I have poured into this blog with my heart and soul for you. This is my daily diary of shell finds that I share along with photos, videos and anything/everything else I can think of to make your shelling experience more enjoyable. Please scroll through my posts and click on the bolded highlighted words whenever you see them- this will give you even more information. Take your time and look through… you will learn everything I know. If you didn’t find my “Shelling Tips” click here
http://www.iloveshelling.com/blog/best-seashell-shelling-tips/ . It’s a wealth of info.
I hate to turn down a drink so chances are likely we’ll run into each other (I always have on my “i Love Shelling” tee and “iLoveShelling.com” hat with my hair in pig tails so look for me and I’ll take you up on that drink! heehee.
Thanks so much for featuring my seashell wine charms! ~ Maria
Congratulations Pam on being featured in the latest Island Sun for the wonderful octopus babies report! :)
Oooh- I haven’t seen it yet! Thanks for the heads up. I’m gonna go look for it!
So excited to be coming tomorrow from New Jersey for my shelling fix! Hope to see you on the beach!
We will most likely be somewhere around the lighthouse this weekend to see if this south west wind brought anything to the beaches. Hope to see you!
I was at a luncheon today where they had scattered shells across the table. Given that I am in Central Illinois, the students were MOST impressed that I could identify all the shells, cockles, calico scallop, slipper, angel wing, fighting conch, etc. Fun!