Archive for the ‘Seashells’ Category
Posted by Jody on December 21, 2017
Last Minute Rush? No Worries!
Here are a few of seaside themed gift and decorating ideas we have stashed in our beach bag. We’ve supplied the links. Simply add your own touches and some imagination for fabulous giftable treasures!
How about some good old fashioned family seashell craft time with these Festive Seashell Caroler and Angel Ornaments? You’ll be making fabulous new memories and happily reliving your beach vacations at the same time. Just remember to keep some for yourself!
![img_1047[1]](https://beachtreasuresandtreasurebeaches.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/img_10471.jpg?w=507&h=676)
Seashell Caroler and Angel Ornaments
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Do you know someone who could use the gift of a beach escape? This super cute desktop Zen Beach will do the trick: Get Away Every Day! Do-It-Yourself Mini Zen Beach ~
Do-It-Yourself Zen Beach
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Children of all ages love gifting their own seashell creations! You can join in the fun by building on these grandkid-inspired ideas: Seashell Crafting for All Ages!
![img_19971[1]](https://beachtreasuresandtreasurebeaches.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/img_199711.jpg?w=636&h=434)
Seashell Christmas Crafting with the Kids!
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Christmas cookies anyone? You can’t beat these yummy and Festive Sand Dollar Cookies. Better make extra because they won’t last through Christmas morning!
Festive Sand Dollar Cookies
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Now, if you are really and truly out of time, try these super simple beachy tree baubles! You can’t go wrong when Mother Nature has already made your Christmas ornaments. Simply add pretty ribbon to your beach treasures and decorate your tree with natural beauty! (Rock Barnacles)
Rock Barnacles as Christmas Ornaments
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
from all of us at Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches.com!
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Do you have any beach themed decorating or crafting ideas to pass along? We’d sure like to hear about them. We simply love to share!
Many thanks for visiting our little blog!
~~~
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Posted in Beach Treasure and Seashell Crafts, Decorating With Beach Treasures, Holiday, Seashells | Tagged: beach themed gifts, Christmas cookies, Christmas crafts with seashells, Christmas ornaments, easy seashell crafts, seashell crafts for children, seashell ornaments | 4 Comments »
Posted by Jody on October 15, 2017
Knobbed Whelks
Just a couple of weeks ago, soon after Tropical Storm Irma’s 6-foot storm surge wreaked havoc on Jekyll Island, I visited this “Golden Isle” for a much anticipated girl trip. A dear life-long friend and I met in the Jacksonville (JAX) airport, rented a car, and drove the easy-peasy route north to Georgia’s little island paradise. The storm had done quite a bit of damage to many of the beach crossovers and it had devastated the protective dunes, but the state owned barrier island was in the process of returning to normal and was once again open for business.
Jekyll Island after Tropical Storm Irma
Over the long weekend, when the tide was low enough to barefoot it on the sandy seashore, we spent a great deal of time walking and catching up on the spectacular beaches of Jekyll Island (Mary’s Fitbit kept track and recorded our steps at 30+ miles!). Sand dollars were easily spotted dotting the shoreline but the grand prize of beachcombing on this fabulous weekend was hands down the Knobbed Whelk, Georgia’s Official State Seashell. They had been flung up into the rip-rap in abundance by Irma.
Beach Treasures found on Jekyll Island after Tropical Storm Irma
Our first sighting of these Jekyll Island gems happened when we spotted a family -looking very pleased indeed – coming towards us with armloads of something we couldn’t quite figure out. We just knew we had to ask! They were finding perfect Knobbed Whelk specimens hand over fist in the boulders piled along the dunes. They even happily shared some of their bounty with us! Afterwards, being on high alert to spot some of our own one-of-a-kind beach treasures, we began to see Knobbed Whelks partially buried in the sand just at the rolling surf line.
Knobbed Whelk found on Jekyll Island, Georgia
The Knobbed Whelk, as Jekyll Island’s “Your Official Guide” (Fall/Winter 2017) states, “… is the state shell of both Georgia and New Jersey. These big snails are a fairly common animal found along the intertidal beaches and marshes of Jekyll Island.” It goes on to say, “Feel free to take these shells as a souvenir, but only if they’re uninhabited.” The largest one we snagged was over 5 1/2 inches in length but they can grow up to 9 inches long. Also known to more scientific minds as “Busycon Carica,” they range from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Cape Canaveral, Florida. Our finds were everywhere on the color scale from light grey-brown (some being streaked with darker browns) to a very dark grey. The low knobs on the shells’ shoulders are a bit of a giveaway but an important fact in identifying a Knobbed Whelk is that the opening of the Knobbed Whelk’s shell is on the right. The Lightning Whelk, on the other hand, is a south paw!
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Any ideas on where we should go for our next girls only weekend?
We’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to learn more about the Knobbed Whelk, I suggest this helpful site: Chesapeake Bay Program.
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Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Seashells | Tagged: beachcombing, Busycon carica, Georgia beaches, Georgia's Official State Seashell, Jekyll Island Gerogia, Knobbed Whelk, seashells | 5 Comments »
Posted by Jody on July 12, 2016
Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells on Florida’s Beaches!
Earlier this year, I was very surprised to find a copy of the beautiful, laminated Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells on Florida’s Beaches on the floor of my daughter’s car. Well, actually I wasn’t surprised that something was on the floor of the family mini-van, but it was definitely a shock to see my very own seashell photos inside the brochure. No kidding! I had been asked to help out with a seashell guide layout last year that I knew was for VisitFlorida.com. What I didn’t know is that it was going to be printed, laminated, and available for any and all travelers to pick up at the Florida Welcome Center! (Silly me, I thought it was going to be an online shelling reference guide. Must have been the “.com” that tripped me up.)
So, the next time Greg and I visited Florida, we stopped in at the Florida Welcome Center which is some 6 miles west of Pensacola on I-10. There we found stacks and stacks of the Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells, in all its glory – showcased everywhere from the Atlantic beaches brochure racks all the way around to the Gulf Coast shelves!
They were everywhere!
Free Florida Seashell Guide
Free Florida Seashell Guide
Welcome to the Sunshine State!
My photographs of bubble seashells, calico scallops, moon snails, a Florida fighting conch, and more – all inside! There is even a special recognition and thank you for me in the credits on the reverse side of the brochure. I couldn’t possibly be more pleased!
Be sure to stop in and get your free copy of the shelling guide the next time you are traveling through the Sunshine State, and use the handy-dandy checklist inside to keep track of your new found beach treasures.
So, what do you think? Does this mean I’m a shellebrity now? 😉
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Seashells, Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Florida Welcome Center, Free Florida Shelling Guide, VisitFlorida.com, Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells on Florida's Beaches | 4 Comments »
Posted by E.G.D. on July 8, 2016
Today’s guest post, including the beautiful beach treasure photographs, is courtesy of Jake and Carla W.
Hi. I’m Jake and my treasure hunting partner is my wife Carla. This is my first post. The first pics are from 7/5/16, and the rest are from the last 2 to 3 months. We live south of Houston in Brazoria county. We treasure hunt in 3 Texas counties: Galveston, Brazoria, and Matagorda.
The last pics we think might be a partial megalodon tooth! I’ve emailed pics to a professor, but we haven’t heard back. Any input on that from the readers of Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches would be appreciated.
As you can see we like to go to the beach. Carla says its the only place we get along (LOL!). Anyway, enjoy the photos and happy hunting. -Jake and Carla.
About the Authors: “Jake and I are both in our 40’s and have been together for a little over three years. We love camping, fishing and shell seeking. We seem to have created an unspoken deal where he teaches me how to catch really big fish and I try to teach him the patience and tenacity needed to find shark teeth. I’m more into shells and driftwood, he’s searching for antique bottles and the occasional pirate treasure chest. To an outsider, we must seem odd, as we can go for hours with very little conversation and be content being with one another and our passions. But it works for us.” ~Carla
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A note from our Treasure Hunters:
We simply love to share when it comes to beaches, treasure hunting, beachcombing crafts, and beachy tips. How about you? Do you have a favorite beach you’d like to share with us? Maybe you have some great tips for beach picnics, seaside safety, or seashore activities. Please check out our Submission Guidelines for info on jumping into the fun at Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches. You could be our next Featured Guest Writer!
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Beaches of North America, Featured Guest Writer, Friday Finds, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Seashells | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Brazoria County Texas beach, Galveston County Texas beach, Matagorda County Texas beach, seashells, shark teeth, shelling, Texas Gulf Coast beach | 8 Comments »
Posted by Jody on June 20, 2016
It’s National Seashell Day!
To shell-ebrate, here are just a few posts on some our very favorite Beach Treasures:
Picture Perfect Calico Scallops
Wavy Turbans, Tile & Lots of Fun
Rayed Cone Snails
Angel Wings: A Heavenly Find
Colors of Sunset: Gould’s Wedge Seashells
Kitten’s Paws: Oh So Cute!
Would you like to check out other seashell posts? Simply type “seashells” into the search box (top left), sit back, and enjoy!
How about getting your feet wet with your own seashell post? We’d love to hear from you! Click on the “Submission Guidelines” tab for more info.
How will you shell-ebrate National Seashell Day?
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Holiday, Monday Miscellaneous, Seashells | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, National Seashell Day, seashells | 3 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 23, 2016
There is a camaraderie among beach treasure hunters in Venice, Florida, that charms folks into returning over and over again. Locals and repeat visitors are quick to lend a hand along with plenty of advice. Perfect strangers will plop a load or two of scooped up seashells onto the sand in front of you to get you started. I’ve seen more than one longtime treasure hunter simply pick up a shark tooth on the sand and gift it to someone they’ve never met before. Everyone has a system of finding the treasured shark teeth on the shores of Venice. Some of us have a whole beach bag full of how-tos.
Here are a few tips, tricks, and how-tos we’ve learned along the way. They’re all tried and true!
1.The Dig and Sift
The Dig and Sift is accomplished by simply reaching into the water to get the biggest portion of settled shells possible, then sifting through the seashells and fragments in hopes of spotting the perfect shark tooth specimen. You can buy a fancy pants scooper (sold at the local Walmarts for just under $18.00) which is simply a little wire basket on a pole. Folks ’round here have been known to attach a kitchen sieve to a $1.00 thrift store golf club to achieve the same results. Clever! Right? The cheapest bet: scoop with your own two hands, although you should plan on chipping the polish off of any prettily manicured nails. (Come to think of it, this may indeed be the most expensive option of the three!)
The Dig and Sift
2. The Sweep and Trap
The Sweep and Trap system doesn’t require braving the surf. You just need to find a section of the beach where the surf is washing over a patch of smallish seashell fragments. Crouch on the sand and start to run your hand back and forth across the small bits and pieces while the surf comes and goes. Now, with this system, you’ll likely see a treasure or two get away before you can actually grab what really did look like a shark tooth. Hence the “trap” part. Quick reflexes are necessary to trap any dark, suspicious form before the waves wash your suspected precious beach treasure back into the sea.
The Sweep and Trap
3. The Scoop and Toss
Can’t find a place where the waves are washing across a section of seashell fragments? Have a friend simply scoop a colander, bucket, or basket of seashells and sand from the water and plop the load along the surf line for you. Follow the “trap” part of technique #2 from here.
4. The Dig Like Heck at the Shell Banks Left Behind After High Tide
🙂 Self explanatory:
The Dig Like Heck at the Shell Banks Left Behind After High Tide
5. The Walk and Scan
Enjoy a lovely walk on the beach and just look down. I can’t tell you how successful this system has been for many a beach treasure hunter on the beautiful beaches of Venice. Yes, this how-to is too obvious, but we just had to mention it!
The Walk and Scan
The Ultimate Venice Beach Treasure!
Good luck & have a wonderful day at the beach!!
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Sand and Shoreline, Seashells, Sharks, Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Florida Gulf Coast beach, shark teeth, Venice Florida | 4 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 22, 2016
Here’s a look at our awesome Saturday morning on Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. What a fabulous day it was for beach treasure hunting!
Hunting for shark teeth is a lot like “Where’s Waldo?” Scroll through the photos and see if you can find a shark tooth or two with us. >>>
Everyone is out to find those treasured shark teeth on Caspersen Beach
Dressed for success!
Anything in there?
Caspersen Beach, Florida
Wonderful shelling too!
We were told by a local fisherman that this character is a Yellow-Footed Bait Stealer.
Wooohooo! My Beach Treasures!
It’s great to have a waterproof camera. Isn’t it? We have a couple of Fuji FinePix XP70 neon colored wonders just for these occasions!
Have a wonderful day at the beach!
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Sand and Shoreline, Seashells, Sharks | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Casperson Beach Florida, Florida Gulf Coast beach, shark teeth, Venice Florida | 6 Comments »
Posted by Jody on July 3, 2015
Today’s Featured Guest Writer is native New Yorker Maggie Soukeras.
Greetings from Long Island New York!
Summer is upon us and its time for pools, bbq’s and the beach!
After the long and cold winter it has been great to be able to get outside – take long walks on the beach and start collecting shells again!
A favorite pass time of mine from childhood and into middle age – collecting shells has been both relaxing and exciting at the same time. It is like a treasure hunt that can bring you into an almost Zen like state during the search!
Point Lookout Beach, Long Island, New York. Photo by Maggie Soukeras
My long time haunts have been on the beaches of Long Island. As a Pisces I could not imagine growing up anywhere but near the Ocean. Point Lookout and Long Beach were always the places that I have visited and you can find some great shells. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes requires a little work! This fall I found a sand dollar for the first time ever on a Long Island Beach!
Point Lookout Beach Treasures. Check out Maggies sand dollar find! Photo by Maggie Soukeras
I have also had success on Shelter Island. It has been a while since I have been there but we found some great stuff kayaking out to this little island with an abandoned home.
If you like rocks – the north shore of the island is rockier than the south shore. Head out east – visit the beaches, farms stands, and plethora of wineries!
Off Long Island, my favorite hunting spots have been on Eagle Beach in Aruba, Bermuda, St.Barts, Barbados (Maxwell Beach) and Florida! My dream is to make it to Sanibel Island, though I fear I may need to bring an extra bag for all of the shells I imagine I would find there!
Eagle Beach on Aruba. Photo by Maggie Soukeras
To all of the happy shellers out there – keep looking – you are never too old or young to go hunting for shells!
Enjoy the summer!
Maggie
About the Author: Maggie Soukeras is a native New Yorker living on Long Island with her husband Dean and their three cats Patsy, Loretta and Dolly. Growing up on an island and being a Pisces, she always loved the ocean and collecting shells, one of her favorite hobbies! When she is not collecting shells, Maggie teaches yoga and manages a yoga studio in Oyster Bay. She has worked with children and adults of all ages and abilities. Maggie enjoys sharing her love of yoga with others, reading a good book, and long walks on the beach with her husband.
A note from our Treasure Hunters:
We simply love to share when it comes to beaches, treasure hunting, beachcombing crafts, and beachy tips. How about you? Do you have a favorite beach you’d like to share with us? Maybe you have some great tips for beach picnics, seaside safety, or seashore activities. Please check out our Submission Guidelines for info on jumping into the fun at Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches. You may be our next Featured Guest Writer!
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Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Featured Guest Writer, Seashells | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Long Island New York, Maggie Soukeras, Point Lookout Beach New York, sand dollars | 5 Comments »
Posted by E.G.D. on February 1, 2015
Art by Liam and Oona, photo by E.G.D.
To quote my niece, Oona, from a previous post about Sylvan Beach, “What we are going to do is making crafts out of the shells, like necklaces, and like paper and shells art, and coloring the shells on the paper with the shells.” She elaborated on this brilliant idea a few days later. She insisted that we make paper plate shell Frisbees, and she brilliantly decided that these shell-plate-Frisbees should be given to her daddy for his birthday.
What I especially appreciate about this delightfully original craft idea is that Liam and Oona had totally different approaches to the project. As you can see in the photo above, Oona made a sort of collage with craft paper and shells, and Liam made a cute-patoot smiley-face. They were both, not unnaturally, very proud of their work, and they agreed to let me share these with the viewing public here at Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches. Fun, right? Incidentally, their dad thought these projects were pretty cool, too, which was a very large part of the point!
The kids with their projects (photo by E.G.D.)
Aaaaaaaaaaaand because Oona was the founder of this brilliant idea, she asked that she have a picture with her plate Frisbee and without her brother:
The mastermind behind this craft (photo by E.G.D.)
Tada! We hope you enjoy the fruits of our shell-hunting labor. See you at the beach- E.G.D.
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Posted in Beach Treasure and Seashell Crafts, Seashells | Tagged: craft, easy seashell crafts, seashell crafts for children | 1 Comment »
Posted by E.G.D. on December 31, 2014
All the cool birds hang out here. (photo by E.G.D.)
Sylvan Beach in La Porte, TX, always a treat in the warmer months, can be equally awesome in the winter. The waves crash with a little more violence and froth, the seashells are as abundant as ever, the clean public restrooms are still open, and the birds are a heck of a lot bolder than they are when there are more people around. The other day, the kids and I literally had a pelican fly right up to us. I warned the kids “don’t touch it! It’s a wild animal,” and it was so close that it was actually necessary to say that. Liam held up his fingers in a square and said “CLICK!” but by the time I went back to the car for a camera, the blue guy who’d nearly landed on our feet was gone. We saw a yellow one by the bait shop later, though, and I did get a picture of him. Anyhow, the entire purpose of this article is actually to give the kids a bit of the limelight. I invited Liam (currently a second grader) to write an article on his winter beach experience, and this is what he wrote:
We had a great time at the beach. We collected shells and saw two pelicans. It was cold and windy. We also saw baby seagulls. The ocean was trying to catch me, but it couldn’t. My feet stayed dry. The end.
Tada! The second pelican (photo by E.G.D.)
Oona can only write her name without a reference, so she is going to dictate a story:
We collected shells. We picked purple shells, and shells that are cool, and big shells, and clear shells, and it was a windy day. I found, what is it called again? A sea bean. I saw pelicans. And we had a wonderful time. And we went to the beach to also play in the sand. At the water, the sand was cold and wet. We had a nice time there, and I want to go again with Nana. I hope we can go with Dadu, also. We are going to do is making crafts out of the shells, like necklaces, and like paper and shells art, and coloring the shells on the paper with the shells. We hope we have a nice time there again next time we go to the beach with Aunt Elisa. I love the beach because it has the shells that I want to see. The end.
Oona’s shell collection from our winter day at Sylvan Beach (photo by E.G.D.)
OH, THE GRAMMAR! Oh, to be five again and not to specially care about grammar! As you probably already surmised, I edited both for spelling, but not for grammar or syntax. They are totally authentic. In any case, Happy New Year, everybody!
Gray, but great (photo by E.G.D.)
See you at the beach- E.G.D.
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Posted in Beach and Coastal Wildlife, Beach Birding, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Seashells | Tagged: beach, Beach Bird Photography, Beach Bird Watching, beachcombing, beachcombing on Texas Gulf Coast, family beach activities, La Porte Texas, Sylvan Beach, Sylvan Beach Park | 7 Comments »
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E.G.D.
