Making Jewellery Magazine Issue 68 - SIMPLY SEASHELLS TUTORIAL

The 'beach style theme for July's edition of Making Jewellery Magazine was the perfect opportunity for me to display some lovely shells I'd gathered during holidays with my children. I've always loved beachcombing and shells, stones and seaglass are probably one of my favourite items to make with. The natural shapes and contours of the shells ensure each design is different and varnishing brings out the stunning colours and patterns beautifully. A selection of Chilichic Jewellery shell necklaces can be found at Y Galeri, Caerphilly.

This project though was about more than just making a nice piece of jewellery. Sadly we lost  a wonderful and much loved member of our family the day I was working on the designs and so this project will forever hold poignant memories for me, not just for the deep sadness and emotions I felt that day but also for the happy memories they provoked of the beach holidays I'd spent as a child with my lovely Aunt.
It was on these annual weeks away that I learned to appreciate the beauty of the shoreline, how to gather various creatures in the rockpools and collecting pebbles that could be painted and made into doorstops with funny faces...who knew? For a kid who liked nothing more than to be crafting and  making pretty things, it was heaven


 It was here whilst staying in one of the beachfront bungalows on The Strand, in Saundersfoot that my young self really fell in love with jewellery, buying an elaborately strung beaded necklace from a gorgeous little shop called Paraphernalia. I can still recall the delicate, pastel coloured flower beads and how I couldn't wait to take it apart to see how it was done! The wonder I felt wandering around this little gift shop packed to the rafters with fun novelties and handmade decorative bits and pieces no doubt also influenced my future employment choices in retail gifts and shop display. I've not been to Saundersfoot for many years but I plan to take my own children this summer and show them where I spent so many happy days at their ages and hopefully make some new happy memories on that pretty beach. I only wish our Aunt could be with us.