You know, some seashells just beg to be necklace pendants.  Just think of how many beautiful shells you find on any beach trip that have perfectly placed holes in them, and I’m sure you’ll see what I mean.  Recently, Jody and I drove down to the Louisiana Gulf Coast (sometimes called the Cajun Riviera), and I came home with three shells that found their ways onto chains and cords within the week.

Now, this is a project that anyone and everyone with a steady hand can do.  All I used was a length of chain, a bit of waxed necklace cord, lobster-claw clasps (purchased at a craft store) and a pair of needle nosed pliers.  Alternately, I could have used a “necklace kit,” which they sell pretty much everywhere, including Walmart and Target.  Without further ado, here is the first shell necklace!  It has interesting craters in it, so I call it the moon shell necklace.

I couldn’t have chosen a better place for those holes than the place nature chose for me!

This is the flip side. What a lovely shade of blue!

Here’s a slightly different angle

It hangs so nicely!

This next one I thought looked a little bit like a wing, and I strung it on a piece of waxed cord between two silver-sheen beads.

And finally, this one has a nice natural grunge effect.  It is a thoroughly weathered lightning whelk shell.

Aren’t they fun?  And it only took me about ten minutes per piece, most of which was deciding how long I wanted to make the cord or chain so that the shell would hang nicely.  Goodness knows, I could do this a hundred times over with shells in my collection, and I wouldn’t have to drill a single hole!  Nature does provide.

Happy beach crafting! -E.G.D.