 I have browsed the beautiful artistic exhibits of the annual Sanibel Shell Festival for years and shared many photos of the show as well. I was even honored to be selected to be a judge for the artistic exhibits a few years ago so it may be a surprise that this was my first year entering an exhibit in the artistic division of the shell show…  yep, I did it!
And I won a Red Ribbon for my photograph of this LIGHTNING WHELK! Yay! I am thrilled! I took this photo of a live Lightning Whelk in December 2013 on a nice low tide at Gulfside City Park. I loved the colors on the spire of this natural beauty and the way the morning light of the sun was just behind it. I snapped a few pictures, thanked him for coming up to shore so I could see him, then I took him out to a little deeper water to give him a bit more privacy. I’m so grateful to be able to capture these images of such incredible treasures of Mother Nature in their natural setting.
Unfortunately, I didn’t win a ribbon for my sweet little WORM SHELL mirror I entered. Boooooooo! Oh alright, I’ll try not to be a poor loser but I just love my wormies so much I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed (should I get out the cheese with that whine?). But honestly, it’s ok because I didn’t make this frame for the show any way (errrrr….. thats sounds like an excuse, doesn’t it? heehee). I made this for our shelling friends Jane and John with a photo of them in it because they used Clark as their real estate agent. This fun, quirky wormie frame was their Thank You gift! Jane suggested I borrow it back to enter in the show since she loved it so much. I’m glad I did it but I am sooo not the caliber of shell crafter as most of these artists. They are amazing!
This was the first day of the show so you still have tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday to see it if you are in the area. I will get more photos of some of the other exhibits to share another post if you can’t see it yourself… but until then, here are just a few more gorgeous pieces of art exhibited in the show…
So stay tuned for more shell crafts, shell artists and scientific shell exhibits coming soon!Â
Oh… Â by the way, after 77 years they decided to change the name from the Sanibel Shell Fair and Show to the Sanibel Shell Festival. It’s all the same show so don’t be confused if you thought there was a second shell show.
Your “wormie” mirror gets a Blue Ribbon from me! So unusual, and so beautiful!
I so wish we could have gone there….but couldn’t work it out….so we are looking forward to our ‘island reporter’ Pam Rambo to show us all the beauties!! I think you should have a ribbon for the shell mirror too!!! They are so beautiful!!! <3 What is a red ribbon???
That photo of the whelk has always been one of my favorites. It’s universal, but all Sanibel. Thanks for sharing the other art pieces too. Love and Be Loved is about the coolest thing I have ever seen, well…Shellwise.
Be seeing ya :-) Skip
Hello Skip, Such a nice note – thank you! Hope to c y’all soon
Thank you Pam Rambo for posting my Sailors’ Valentine “Love & Be Loved”, and thank you Skip for saying it is the coolest thing you have ever seen!
Pamela Boynton! I loooooove your valentine! I will add your name to the title soon… which I normally do but the day was so crazy yesterday, I didn’t have time to title the artists. Thank you for commenting!!!!! You are so very talented and I’m on my way back up there so i hope to meet you.
I LOVE your wormie mirror too! When I think about how long it would take to collect that many worm shells just to make it in the first place, it makes it that much more valuable to me! It’s gorgeous!
I LOVE the mirror also for several reasons….I covet your large one (LOL) and this gives me hope I might be able to have enough “wormies” to make one for myself! There is hope I will hit the lottery, use Clark to buy my dream beach house and you’ll make me a thank you gift!! Your photo is beautiful but the mirror just rocks!!!
Great mirror.
Congratulations on your Red Ribbon! I do love your worm mirror!
Pam! What a great Wormie mirror/frame! LOVE IT!!! Sorry you didn’t win a ribbon. What awesome, beautiful, magical pictures you’ve shared of the other items from the Festival! I am in awe of the talent they represent. Truly they love what they are doing and Man, they and you, must have the patience of a saint! lol
Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the show, I mean, Festival!
Oh…and Congratulations on winning for your fabulous Whelk photo! It is magnificent! Truly.
I was just thinking last night about the mirror you made after I had come across the wormies you gave to us. My ESP was working again!
Congratulations on your ribbon! Both pieces are absolutely beautiful. You have many talents!
Congratulations on your red ribbon, love the picture! I also love the wormie frame. I am really bummed that I cannot be there but will be there for the show, but will be there the last weekend in March to move our stuff into our place there. Hope to see you on the beach!
Love your photos, Pam, we have two of them in our living room. You are still queen of the worm shell projects. Please post lots of photos of the exhibits for those of us who are living vicariously!
Congrats on your blue ribbon–it really is a beautiful photo! Wish the shell festival was in November when we are in Sanibel. I’ll just have to enjoy it thru your post!
I am thrilled to see your work as well as others from the Festival as I wanted to be there so badly! Thank you so much for the inspiration you provide from your posts and photographs! I have learned so much from you.
Congrats Pam on your Red Ribbon! I love your Wormie mirror too – silly judges!
I love this wormie mirror. !!! Blue ribbon material in my eyes !!!
Congratulations on your red ribbon, and your mirror is amazing and deserved an award! I would love to be able to make one like it should I be lucky enough to find that many worm shells! Hmmm, maybe I have enough of another type…
Your Mirror is Beautiful, as is the photo …love both!
Great post, Pam!
Congrats on your prize-winning lightening whelk photo. Your eye for composition captured a perfect moment in time and space. But, dear Pam, your wormshell frame brought you the true prize; how many miles of beautiful beach, how many sunsets, how many tiny moments of discovery and delight did it take for you to find all of those wormshells…and then your burst of creativity in designing the frame and your warm thoughts of anticipation in giving it to your friends. A prize like that could almost make me leave Texas. Well done! Most assuredly well done!
My sweet Gina, you remind me to keep my eye on the ball…. I enjoyed every single stoop for those wormies and making it for our friends. As soon as I felt the competition, my eye refocused a smidge. It’s a funny thing, isn’t it? I’m usually the one reminding folks of the true prize, so thank you my friend.
A little competitiveness every now and again is a healthy thing for sure. Your nature is to truly see and appreciate and enjoy everything and everyone around you, so all of us who follow your writing have also won the prize! Yup, I said it again — wonder in a grain of sand!
Congratulations Pam on your ribbon! Well done!
Congratulations on winning the red ribbon. Your photos are prize winners. You saw the one wormie I found-on the Feb. cruise. At this rate maybe in 50 yesrs I might be able to make a mirror. Is there a separate catagory for the sailors valentines? It must be so hard to judge a craft show. Enjoy the festival. Pat
Congratulations on your red ribbon for the beautiful photo. I really like that it was a live Lightning Whelk and you took its picture and put it back in the ocean to carry on with its life. What type camera did you use?
And as far as your wormies frame…I know that they are a favorite of yours, but apparently the judges this year don’t share that opinion. Shame on them! It is really unique and I know there was a lot of work involved. Maybe you could enter it next year with different judges. Thank you very much for satisfying our curiosities about what you entered. Both pieces were exceptional and both deserved to be in the show! I truly enjoy your blog and you, Lynn from Texas
So beautiful, I also saw this on Pinterest and posted it to my board. Hopefully one
day I can own one.
Hey, Pam, this is the first post since I last wrote that I’ve gotten an e-mail notice for. You must have fixed something–thanks!
I’ll be down there for a couple of weeks beginning March 25–hope to run into you!
Pam,
Congratulations on your red ribbon! You definitely should have won a ribbon for your worm shell mirror. I do have a question concerning the worm shell mirror…how do you get the worm shells to turn white? I have used bleach on my worm shells, but they have not turned white. Thanks, Janet
Pam, you might have missed my comment. I would really like to know how to get the worm shells so white.
Thanks,
Janet
Hi Janet, u r right, I missed that question….. So much happening this week! I found them that white. They may have had some gunk on them when I found them so I always soak them in bleach water solution ( for these I use a little more bleach than normal … Maybe 1/3 bleach to water). When they dry they are gorgeous! I have another tub that are the tan/brown color variation so I separate them to get all white together.
Most of my worm shells are tan/brown in color also. Thanks for the update!
Congratulations Pam. Your ribbon is well deserved! Like the other comments before me, I really like your mirror too. I am, as always, in awe of the time and talent required to collect all of the shells and put together such a thoughtful gift. I’m sure Jane and John will treasure it always.
Congratshellations Pam. Love both of your entries.
Happy shelling!
I am so pleased for you that you are having such a great time in Sanibel. I loved your wormies and the photo. Hope the festival is wonderful for you!
Congrats on your red ribbon. Great picture of the Lightning Whelk. Your wormie shell mirror/ picture frame was adorable too. I certainly did enjoy meeting you in person this past Monday on the Costa Mayo trip from McCarthy’s Marina. It was an awesome day! Thanks for making the day so special!
I saw your entries this morning. Beautiful!
I agree with Candace, your wormshell mirror is blue-ribbon worthy. Maybe you’ll get the People’s Choice Award…I know I voted for you!
Yaaaay! Wow! thank you for voting for it in people choice!
Fabulous mirror!
Well, I give you a blue ribbon for this wornie frame! I love wormies also and it must have taken forever to find that many. OR maybe you did not find them all personally? The photo is lovely, also. Congrats!
Well done Pam! Beautiful work! I LOVE the mirror! I think you better start making a batch of these beautiful worm shell mirrors to sell! Everyone is going to want one!
Your eye never fails! Well done, Pam! I could compose all morning, but the truth is, Gina from Fort Worth expressed herself beautifully, and I too, share and will remember her sententiments. It’s always fun reading comments from this special community of shellers. Thank you for bringing us together! All the best to you and Clark and your two sweeties.
I finally had a chance to visit the festival and boy was it worth it. So many fascinating exhibits and I loved all the educational exhibits also. I thought I would be able to breeze thru quickly, but I was there for hours and took many pictures. What a wonderful afternoon! P. S. I loved your mirror — so sweet and setting it on the bright background really set it off.