Quality Shells

Learn about the seashells around you!

For a huge part of history, seashells have had a prominent place in many different cultures.  Seashells have been used as money, medicine, ornaments, and pieces of art.  Seashells have also been weighed, measured, sliced, and cataloged by scientists throughout the world.  These little natural wonders of the world can be found along beaches (and here at QualityShells.com!) like little presents from the sea—and they are created by snails, clams, scallops, and other types of marine mollusks.

Seashells have had a rather important place in the history of various cultures.  The cowry shells, for instance, has been used as money, ornaments, and charms.  Historically, the women of Pompeii wore cowry shells to prevent sterility.  These shells were also worn by Cro-Magnon man—cowry ornaments have been found in pre-historic caves.  Interestingly, archeological excavations of some Saxon graves in Germany show that these ancient cultures used seashells as decorations, also.

Our Favorite Ancient Shell Tidbit

Some mollusks actually provided rare finery for some wealthy people in the Mediterranean area.  Tufts of golden silk thread were plucked from the Noble Pen shell.  These threads were used by these ancient cultures to manufacture gloves, stockings, gaps, and other clothing.  The thread helps to anchor the pen shell to the sea bottom.  It’s thought that the Golden Fleece (the one sought by Jason, legendary Greek hero) was actually woven from pen shell threads.

Seashells may be small… but they sure have a rich and interesting history.  Check out QualityShells.com for ways to make seashells part of your décor today!

Valentine's Day idea!

Seashells are gorgeous little things.  (Maybe we’re a little biased!  But we’re sure you’re inclined to agree.)  The soft and delicate colors of seashells have inspired craftspeople to include them in many different projects over the years.  These projects range from simple tissue boxes to extremely elaborate mosaic images.  If you’re thinking about creating a seashell craft for your loved one this Valentine’s Day, you’re not alone.  Here are some instructions for a simple gift you can make for your special someone.

Get a variety of craft seashells.   You can find many different ones right here at Quality Shells.  Take a little time to sort them by size, shape, and color.  This way, you’ll know exactly what you have before you start.

You can get a heart-shaped balsa-wood box from your local craft store.  Sand it lightly and apply a coat of white or pink acrylic paint.  This will help accentuate the shells’ natural beauty.

Once the paint has tried, you can affix the seashells to the box.  This is your chance to get creative—make different patterns and shapes out of the shells.  Use either bonding cement or a white glue.  If you’re creating an intricate pattern, you might consider placing the shells with tweezers.

If your sweetheart is anything like the girls we know, she’ll love this little seashell jewelry box!  (You don’t have to tell her that you got the idea from us here at Quality Shells.  That can be our little secret.)

Here at Quality Shells, we love learning about seashells.  This also means that we like gathering information about the ocean and nature as a whole.  Here we’ve compiled a little collection of inspirational quotes about the ocean, nature, and seashells.  We hope they inspire you to use our craft seashells to make something truly beautiful.

Experience the ocean with wonder

“A mountain is composed of tiny grains of earth. The ocean is made up of tiny drops of water. Even so, life is but an endless series of little details, actions, speeches, and thoughts. And the consequences whether good or bad of even the least of them are far-reaching.” – Sivananda

“All rivers, even the most dazzling, those that catch the sun in their course, all rivers go down to the ocean and drown. And life awaits man as the sea awaits the river.” – Simone Schwarz-Bart

“Blue, green, grey, white, or black; smooth, ruffled, or mountainous; that ocean is not silent.” – H.P. Lovecraft

“Can ye fathom the ocean, dark and deep, where the mighty waves and the grandeur sweep?” – Fanny Crosby

“Either you decide to stay in the shallow end of the pool or you go out in the ocean.” – Christopher Reeve

“Every drop in the ocean counts.” – Yoko Ono

“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” – Arthur C. Clarke

Here at Quality Shells, we love just about everything that has to do with seashells.  We were simply elated when we found Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.  It’s an adorable animated short that was co-created by Saturday Night Live writer Jenny Slate.  The little video went viral on the internet, and it’s certainly captured our hearts here at Quality Shells.

Beach treasures provide hours of fun!

Marcel started out as a little voice that Jenny did to amuse her friends.  Her boyfriend Dean told her to write down what she was saying—and that’s where the idea for a little seashell guy talking about his life came from.  It just goes to show what you can do when you have craft seashells, a bit of glue, and a lot of time on your hands!

Want to check out Marcel for yourself?  Better yet, get some craft seashells right here at Quality Shells and make your own fun seashell video.  We’re sure that you’re just as creative!  In fact, if you make a seashell video, we’d love to see it.

Get out there and put your craft seashells to good use!

You won't find giant clams here!

We love pretty little shells here at QualityShells.com, but we know that the ocean is full of many different kinds of creatures!  The largest seashells found in the ocean today belong to the giant clam, or Tridacna Gigas.  It’s the world’s largest living bivalve mollusk.  It’s also one of the most endangered clam species.  Found as early as 1800, it’s native to the shallow coral reefs in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans.  They can weigh more than 440 pounds and be as wide as 50 inches across.  More impressive, they can live for over a century.

The largest giant clam ever found measured 54 inches across and weighed 507 pounds.  It was found in 1817 on the coast of Sumatra.  It was deceased at the time of its discovery—it is therefore believed that the living weight of this specimen would have been somewhere around 550 pounds.  The shells of this giant clam are on display at a museum in Northern Ireland.

Another large giant clam was found in 1956 off of the Japanese island of Ishigaki.  The weight of the shells and soft parts of this specimen was 734 pounds.

Giant clam shells are just a bit (okay, a lot!) too large to do any crafts with… and that’s why we pride ourselves in supplying you with the finest little seashells for your crafts and home décor.  Keep Quality Shells in mind when you’re looking for that perfect seashell.

Having a theme for your New Years Eve party is a surefire way to get everyone excited.  If you live in a cold climate, your friends and family are already tired of the cold and the snow.  (Really… did you see that snow in the Northeast?)  Make this party a tropical paradise with a hint of the holidays!  With decorative seashells from QualityShells.com, you’re sure to be a hit.

Ask your friends to dress in tropical or touristy outfits.  The tacky tourist thing is always so much fun.  You can greet your guests Hawaiian style with a nice flowered lei around the neck.

Outside the door of your home, you can decorate with palm trees (complete with Christmas lights, of course!), seashells, sand, and other island touches.  As your guests enter, they’ll get decked out with flower leis, flower bracelets, and flower hair combs.  Use a nice mixture of New Years and luau decorations.  Make sure you use lots of bright tropical colors!  Put a flower lei on the champagne bottle.

Get together a CD of luau music to create the right kind of ambiance.  Get your guests together for a limbo contest or a piñata event.

No matter how you do your New Years Eve luau, be sure to decorate with shells from Quality Shells!

Decorate your tree with sand dollars

Whether you live by the ocean, or just love the idea of a beach-themed holiday tree, you can bring the spirit of the sea into your home for the Christmas season.  Imagine yourself creating a beautiful sand dollar Christmas tree.  The legend of the sand dollar makes them extra special as Christmas ornaments.  The sand dollar is said to tell the story of the birth and death of Jesus—with the nail holes on one side and the beautiful poinsettia on the other.  It’s an extremely beautiful way to decorate your tree.

These gorgeous shells are flat in shape and pure white.  Making decorations and ornaments from sand dollars is as simple as taking a few of the shells and tying a colorful piece of ribbon through the opening at the top.  There are few things more beautiful than a green holiday tree covered with many sand dollars in varying sizes.  You can get all of the sand dollars you need at Quality Shells.

Make this holiday season a special one with a gorgeous sand dollar tree!  We have gorgeous Florida Keyhole Sand Dollars that are perfect for this project.  You can even personalize them by painting beach scenes or other images on them!  The creative opportunities are endless.

Not everywhere in the country gets snow for Christmas.  But that doesn’t mean that they don’t get into the holiday spirit!  One of the best places for seashells and beaches is Hawaii—and they have some unique Christmas traditions!  Grab some seashells from Quality Shells and get yourself ready to celebrate Christmas Hawaiian style.

Celebrate Hawaiian style

People in Hawaii actually import their Christmas trees long before the season begins.  That’s right, they import firs, nobles, and other pine trees onto the islands!  Other Hawaiians get creative and decorate their palm trees.  Some even substitute images of Santa in his sleigh with reindeers with an outrigger canoe and dolphins!  Throw some seashells in for good measure, and you have a true blue Hawaiian Christmas.

Imagine this… in Hawaii, the elves have aloha shirts.  There are so many creative twists to the season that it’s always a surprise.  Santa wears aloha shirts, too—and the holiday dinner might be a community luau with a roast pig and some Christmas-themed leis.

Carols are usually accompanied by a ukulele.  We can just hear “Jingle Bells” with a relaxed Hawaiian vibe.  Many people celebrate the holiday on the beach.  Some wear Santa hats and leis with their shorts and bikinis.  We’re sure that they put some seashell ornaments on the trees, too!

Happy Holidays from Quality Shells!

When you’re shopping for some seashells from Quality Shells, you can really put yourself in a beachy mood.  In fact, it doesn’t even matter what time of year it is!  Seashells can really make you happy.  When you’re crafting with seashells, or decorating your home, you should listen to some great beach music to really get you in the mood!  Here are some of our favorites.

Keep summer around with great beach tunes!

• Under the Boardwalk – The Drifters
• Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffet
• Genius of Love – Tom Tom Club (it’s got a great vibe!)
• Summer Breeze – Seals & Crofts
• Copacabana (At the Copa) – Barry Manilow
• Steal My Sunshine – LEN
• Red Red Wine – UB40
• Vacation – The Go-Gos
• Welcome to Miami – Will Smith
• Surf City – Jan & Dean

What are your favorite beach songs?  Help us add to our seashell playlist!  After all, with winter creeping up, there’s no better way to shake the cold-weather blues.

Are you looking to take a beach getaway this winter?  (We really can’t blame you!)  There’s nothing like sun and surf to help shake off the winter blues and add some warmth to your soul.  This is especially great if you happen to live in a snowy climate—it will be a good break from the cold!  If you decide to go to the beach this winter, make sure you take the time to choose the right one.  There are few things worse than planning a great vacation only to have it be a bust.  Here at Quality Shells, we have a list of some of the best winter beach getaways.

Shake the winter blues... head to the beach!

• It probably goes without saying that many of the best beaches in the world are right here in the United States—in Hawaii!
• If you’re heading to Hawaii, check out Fleming Beach Park in Maui.  It’s very family friendly, and there are lovely picnic tables.
• You can also try Kaanapali Beach in Maui.  It’s a famous tourist destination, and it’s ideal for hanging out on the beach.  It’s got three miles of beautiful white sand.
• If you can’t make it out to Hawaii, you can always go to Newport Beach in California.  It’s family friendly, and it’s ideal because of it’s Southern California weather.
• Panama City Beach in Florida is great as a family destination, too.  Just avoid it during the popular spring break season.

If you can’t make it to the beach this winter, you can bring the beach to you with seashells from Quality Shells!