Making Sea Shell Jewelry

RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry Post by kimhis (670) | (04/22/2008) Contact Just smell them closely to be sure they don't have a dead critter dried up inside. You could try boiling a few but watch to see if the color fades. Report Spam or Abuse Request: Making Sea Shell Jewelry Post by Laurel_admin (348) | (03/11/2008) Contact My mother used to make beautiful shell pins, and earrings. She taught me how but she has passed, and I don't know where to get the shells and pin backings etc. from. Dina from Kissimmee, FL Answers: RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry You can pick up shells for free at any local beach. Walmart, and craft stores sell pin backings that you can hot glue the shells to, if you don't want to drill them. (02/27/2007) By Brenda Chavis RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry I have a small Jewelery business in Essex UK, and I suggest you buy a copy of 'Bead Style' magazine. Inside you will find loads of web sites and shops that sell jewelery findings and some shells with holes. I live on a small Island called Mersea and often pick up shells to make wind chimes with my kids. Sea glass makes good jewelery if you wrap it with wire like a parcel and make hanging loops before you cut the excess off. (03/02/2007) By enilorac1964 RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry As far as drilling the holes you might try what I do with more fragile pieces (I haven't tried shells yet but it *should* work) to turn them into beads. In a sturdy, unbreakable shallow container (Tupperware works, a cookie sheet may work) stick a wedge of silly putty to the bottom, secure your piece in the silly putty and fill the container so it's just covering the piece with water. Then drill. Of course, please be careful using electricity near water! Go slow and use the smallest bit you can find. Also I have a little hand drill that I love- it's basically a metal pen like cylinder with a collar/collet at one end and it came with a bunch of micro drills (I keep losing them on my black granite kitchen counters as they are so small!) - you just twist manually and I've found many uses for it. I got it at Harbor Freight for 1.99 on sale (I think they are 2.99 or 3.99 regularly.) (04/05/2007) By Bek Caruso Report Spam or Abuse Request: Making Sea Shell Jewelry Post by lewis_admin (1183) | (02/25/2007) Profile | Blog! | Contact I'd like to make shell jewelry but small shells are so fragile. Any suggestions on what I can coat them with? Thanks, Cindyluhu from Melbourne, FL Answers: RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry I haven't tried this but I think that I read somewhere that if you want to use shells in jewelry making you can use a dremil drill with a very small tip. You are still going to break quite a few probably as they are just plain thin generally. Hope this helps. (05/22/2006) By TonyaG RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry I heard that if you fill the shell with water and then use a drill it wont break. Good Luck (08/14/2006) By Peta RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry You can coat the seashells with clear nailpoliss. I also like using irriedescent or pearly nail polish to enhance some shells. Instead of using drills to make holes in the shells I use a safety pin and slowly work a hole through it and I haven't had one break on me yet. Also, if you do coat shells with nail polish, string some fishing line through the holes first so the holes won't be covered by the polish then re-string it when you make your jewelry (you can also hang the shell to dry by doing this.) (08/31/2006) By Sherri Lahey RE: Making Sea Shell Jewelry I use a drill with a very fine tip. I haven't had many problems at all and I work with very small shells. If you would like to check out some of my creations, feel free to check out my website: http://www.hbshellsandsea.com (09/22/2006) By Alan Report Spam or Abuse