Shellcrafter Art & News

This Blog is Closing Soon

2010-04-04T06:42:00.000-07:00

I will be closing and deleting this Blog once I finish transferring the information I want to my new blog.

Please visit my new blog Shellcraft Art.

Similar to this one, but hopefully a bit more entertaining with a more whimsical look at the art I have created.

Shell Craft Tealight Holder Sculpture

2009-03-19T03:59:00.000-07:00

A blend of seashells, shell pieces, coral, glass fish, glass crab, and a miniature tealight candle holder creates a beautiful work of art. This artificial reef scene is mounted on a glass base - the same type of glass base as the post below using the lighthouse tealight holder.

The seashell varieties used include an auger, slipper limpits, a bubble, an olive, and a courie. There are also a few unidentified shells in place. The larger shell pieces have both color - like the orange piece - and interesting shapes. Hiding in the nooks are a couple of fish and a small red crab. 3 different types of coral add their qualities to enhance the reef.

What do you think of this shell craft art? Leave a comment and let me know. Thanks.

the Shellcrafter

Shellcraft-guides

Lighthouse Shellcraft Tealight Holder

2009-02-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

This tealight candle holder shellcraft sculpture uses a 7" wide x 3" deep glass base. The glass is covered in sand on the design side. Self-adhesive foam is applied to the underside to keep the glass from marring wood surfaces.

The ceramic votive candle holder has an embossed lighthouse on the front side. Gulls fly around the sides and back. Although originally intended for votive candles, now that it is part of this sculpture it is better to use tealights.

I made an island for the small red & white resin lighthouse to the left of the candle holder. The island is made from 2 seashells. As you can see the lower one is very colorful. Once these 2 main pieces were glued in place I started the rest of the design.

After picking through my collection of seashells, I settled on the ones shown here. I picked the yellow one for the brilliant color. There are also 2 pieces of coral. One is right in front of the candle holder and another is on the right side behind the yellow shell.

A small yellow fish and a small red crab complete the design.

the Shellcrafter

Photo Frame with Artistic Photo of Lighthouse

2009-02-18T17:48:00.000-08:00

I made this shellcraft one weekend after "finding" the wood frame at the local craft store. The frame is set up for mounting on the wall instead of a desk.

First I removed the glass and backing. Then I lightly sanded the wood. I painted on a layer of white glue over the wood and applied sand over the glue.

While the sand dried, I thought out a design to place on it. As you can see I settled for a variety of seashells and some faux pearls.

Once the glue holding the sand was dry, I glued down the shells and pearls. Then I added the photo of the lighthouse and closed it all up.

By the way, I took the photo early in the morning on one of my walks down by the beach. The early morning sun was shining brightly in the sky. I took a few shots, using different settings on the camera. This is the one that impressed me the most once I got back home.

If you would like a copy of the original photo you can buy one for just $4.95 via Paypal. I have it set up on my store at Shellcraft Guides.

Decorative Shellcraft Jar with Topper

2008-02-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

This decorative glass jar used a recycled 16oz candle jar (about 4 inches around and close to 6 inches high with the topper) as its canvas. Once the candle flamed out, I removed the wax then cleaned the jar of soot and dirt. With a clean jar in hand, I began the process of transforming it into this seashell arts and crafts.

I have used seashells and shell pieces in the design I placed on this jar. Although you can only see one face of this 4 faced jar here, the design carries around the jar. Since I use natural seashells and shell pieces, each face has slight variations in colors and shells. Being hand crafted, means that there are variations in placements too.

The topper also uses seashells. In this case, I wanted a place to hold a faux pearl in place. I used a darker seashell and turned it to present the interior instead of the usual exterior. Surrounding the center shell with it's pearly delight are four yellow rhinestones, and four bi-valve seashells.

What can you use this for? Obviously, you can use it just as it is for decoration. Place it on a shelf, a table, or even a mantle. You can fill it with keepsake items. The lid will help keep most dust out.

Another possibility is to use it as a candle lantern. Remove the topper and place it aside, add a votive candle inside a clear glass votive candle holder. Light the candle. Enjoy.

If you would like to try your hand at making one or more of these beauties visit
Shellcraft Guide's Decorative Glass Jars Guides.

Decorative Shellcraft Candleholders

2007-11-25T16:26:00.000-08:00

I've started a new series of projects that involve placing seashell designs on votive candleholders. These very pretty shellcraft projects are used to hold tealights - the smallest, self-contained candles that I know of.

These miniature candleholder crafts can be used all around the house. Place small groupings around a larger candle. Use scented tealights and add fragrance to your home as you enjoy the soft glow the sand adds to the light.

Place two or three of these miniature candleholder crafts around a figure (statuette?) that you'd like to highlight (keep a few inches away from the statue and make sure there is nothing flamable over the candles themselves). Add tealights and sit back and enjoy the show.

If you don't want to use flames, there are now tealights on the market that run off of batteries. Buy yourself a few of these and place them inside the holders. I'm pretty sure the ambience will not be quite the same but it still should be a pretty show.,br>

If you would like to try your hand at making one or more of these beauties visit
Shellcraft Guide's Miniature Candle Guide.

Decorative Fridge Magnet 6 Pack

2007-10-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I started with one magnet design and continued on my merry way making a few more. For these I had to go out and buy the magnets. So I bought a couple of packs of peel off magnets and started to lay out some more designs. Here is a six-pack of those I have made over the last couple of weeks. Click on the photo for a closer view.

As you can see, I've used seashells mixed with rhinestones of various colors, beads, and pearls to create some very beautiful and decorative refrigerator magnets. The design dictates the quantity of seashells used. The rhinestones add a bit more color.

Of course you don't have to use them only on refrigerators. What you need is a flat steel surface. In an office you place them on file cabinets, storage cabinets, and other metallic office furniture.

Take a look at more of them at my new Decorative Magnet Photo Gallery on Shellcraft-guides.com.

Shellcrafter

Seashells & Pearls Refrigerator Magnet

2007-09-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

I just love it when I can find a use for something that I was planning on trashing. In this case I received a refrigerator magnet with some local lawyer or such advertizing on it. Instead of trashing it, I used it as canvas for my arts and crafts and created this very pretty piece.

Now here is something that I will be happy to place on the front door of my refrigerator. A pretty blue rhinestone represents the beauty of a calm blue sea. The pearls, seashells, and sand further the image of a sea bed.

This was a very easy project. Would you like to try your hand at it? Full instructions can be found at Shellcraft Guides

Shellcrafter

Decorative Ivy Bowl Vase Designed with Seashells and Rhinestones

2007-08-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful shellcraft that will brighten any room in which it is placed. You can use this decorative vase on a desk in an office, on a shelf, or even as the center piece on a table.

This vase has seashell pieces, seashells, and rhinestones that flow in patterns from the bottom of the vase upwards toward the lip of the vase. At the front is a line of shell pieces that are arranged straight up the side of vase. On the back side of the vase is another line of shell pieces that mimics the line on the front of the vase.

On the left and right sides of the vase, the shell pieces curve in a open S form from the bottom to the top of the vase.

Returning to the front of the vase there are 4 seashells forming a C shape one side and an inverted C on the other side. These seashell groups each surround a small piece of coral.

To either side of the front seashell piece column are two yellow flowers made of 5 yellow rhinestones. The center of each flower sports a purple rhinestone. Each flower’s stem is made up of 4 green rhinestones that flow up the side of the vase.

On the sides of the back spine there are two patterns of seashells. One pattern forms a C and inverted C away from the spine and actually form a pattern with the S seashell pieces. Inside the “Cs” are two unique shell pieces formed by the action of wave and sand.

The last patterns on the sides are of 3 seashells each which curve slightly from bottom to about the middle of the vase, with the seashells getting smaller as they move up.

Learn how I make these arts and crafts. Visit
Shellcraft Guides

Shellcraft CD Hanger Number 2

2007-07-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Another in my series, well it will become a series as time goes on, of seashell arts and crafts hangers which use unwanted compact discs as the canvas.

This seashell craft is designed in patterns of circles on both sides of the compact disk and has a fish line hanger of about a foot or so in length.

Each side features 4 circles designed with seashells, faux pearls, and rhinestones. Each circle consists of 5 items placed more or less an equal distance apart. The two outermost circles consist of seashells – one circle of flats and one circle of rounds.

Inside the circles of seashells is the circle of faux pearls, and then a circle of rhinestones. In the center, and covering up the compact disc center hole, is a larger seashell that has both color and texture. All these items sit on bed of beach sand.

One side of this artwork features a mottled brown seashell as the center point. Surrounding the shell are purple rhinestones.

The other side of this compact disc hanger features a black seashell with some white strips as the focal point of the design. Surrounding this central shell are blue rhinestones.

Courtesy of Shellcrafter (Angelo R.) and Shellcraft Guides

Shellcrafts Seashells CD Hanger with Pearls and Rhinestones

2007-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at my craft table recently trying do decide which seashells craft to start. I found myself staring at this CD I had received in the mail. Not something I ordered just something someone else decided I should have.

I was trying to decide what I should do with it. I could just throw it out and add it to the local landfill. I could just keep it for a while longer, stashed on one of my shells.

So I thought about this for a while and “POP” an idea surfaced. Why not use it as canvas for my arts and crafts? There and then I started my next project – a hanger designed with seashells, pearls, and rhinestones.

This hanger has seashells in a upside-down "Y" pattern plus seashells that curl up and through the adjacent shells, rhinestones, and pearls. Two seashells set to either side of a larger faux pearl form the "V" of the "Y."

A couple of more seashells form the single leg of the upside-down “Y” pattern. Seashells are placed to either side of the Y and are in turn braced by yellow rhinestones. Two smaller pearls are at the top of the design just under the top seashell.

The other side of the hanger has a very similar design, as close as I could get it to the first side. Check out the photos and you will see that although they are similar in layout there are differences in the seashells.

The finished craft hanging from a ceiling hook. It is slowly spinning in the small breeze created by the air conditioner.

Courtesy of Shellcrafter (Angelo R.) and Shellcraft Guides

Pig and Croc Sculpture

2007-06-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

One day a farmer's pig wanted to get out of his pen. He was thirsty and didn't want a drink from the morning water that was in his trough. Nope little piggy wanted a drink from the pond he could see at the bottom of the hill.

Pig walked around his pen, then walked around some more. Finally, he saw a bit of an opening near the gate. Seems the farmer in his haste to get to his next chore had left the gate a wee bit ajar. The pig walked over and with a grunt and a squeal managed to squeeze his way right out of his pen.

He took a long, leisurely walk down to the pond. When he reached it, he sat on the bank and looked around. He had heard some weird noises coming from this way a day or so before, that had reached all the way up the hill. So he cautiously looked around for anything that may have caused the ruckus.

It was lovely setting with the bank made of hardened clay mixed with some rather large rocks. Here and there were some low growing bushes, some growing right around the rocks.

There was one rock in front of him that was nicely flat and from which he could easily reach the water. A bit in front of the rock was a largish log which floated just out of reach. Not seeing anything at all dangerous, pig walked out onto the rock and sat down. A nice breeze kicked up and he let it play around him.

Finally, pig's thirst reminded him of why he had squeezed himself out of his pen. He leaned over the edge of the rock and started to drink his fill. As he drank, he saw something strange. The large log seemed to be slowly turning. He finished his drink and sat back up.

Suddenly, there was an eruption of water and a huge head with a mouth full of teeth appeared in front of pig. He was so startled he sat back on his haunches. The jaws full of teeth snapped just in front of his snout.

With a hearty squeal and a quick scramble, pig high-tailed it out of there and raced for the safety of his pen. He slammed through the gap and ran into his little hut, where the farmer found him - trembling in the hay.

Back at the pond, the croc sadly eyed the suddenly empty rock. Slowly he lay back down in the water to wait once again for a chance at a meal. Perhaps next time he would be a bit quicker and the prey a bit slower.

******************
This is an old sculpture I made back in 2002. It's on a 1/4" thick 3x5" scalloped edge wooden base. The pig was originally colored pink, so I painted him white and added the black smudges. My idea of a farmer' pig.

The "rock" is actually a chunk of coral I found on the beach. The bushes came from a dried floral arrangement that had seen better days and was heading for the trash bin. Mr. Croc I found at a small shop inside one of the flea markets in the area.

For more current offerings visit The Shell Craft Shop.

To learn how to use seashells to make home decor and gift items visit Shellcraft Guides.

Seashells Cross Wall Plaque

2007-06-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

Now here is a real beauty with quite a bit of symbolism. The cross is composed of 12 seashells (1 for each month of the year). Now, I didn't actually sit here and try to design it with 12 seashells. I just wanted a to make a great looking cross with the seashells I had picked out. Turns out they counted up to 12. Kind of cool.

There are four small faux pearls at each of the right angles formed by the cross arms. Finally, the inside design is complemented by 6 teardrop shaped shells. The pearls and seashells are supposed to represent an aura or halo radiating from cross. Yeah, I know there are a couple of extra teardrop shells toward the bottom but they seemed to fit very well where I placed them. Not to mention that they help to bring the frame into the design.

The frame is decorated with seashells with a few patterns. Can you see them? All the seashells, except the teardrops, point toward the cross. The teardrops blend into the pattern of the tear shells in the center design, forming 2 loops - one on each side of the cross.

If you would like to make your own cross design wall plaque Click Here to visit my website: Shellcraft-guides.com. There are other guides available for your crafting pleasure there also.

If you prefer to have me make you 1 or more (up to 1 dozen) wall plaques with crosses that you can use for home decor or gifts, please use my contact form. Click Here to be sent to it.

Wall Plaque with Seashells in a Circle

2007-06-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

My latest design is of seashells in a circle on a 6x8 inch wooden plaque with a twine "rope" hanger.

The focal point of this plaque is the seashell in the center of the circle. You'll have to click on the photo to see it better, but the center shell has texture and two stripes that curve along the sides of the seashell. Inbetween are some neat colored patterns.

The larger shell at the bottom is the anchor shell for the circle. Moving away from it are pairs of seashells until you reach the apex of the circle. There a single shell holds its own.

The top left corner has a flat, but colorful shell, that has a tube shell attached to it. That's the way I found it on a recent walk along the beach. To the right is a nice shell I found in the sand when I went to the Pompano Beach Seafood Festival back in April.

Under the circle I placed a piece of coral to the left, and a trio of round seashells that start small and get larger as they move to the right. The small red crab is made of glass and is trying to get under the piece of coral for protection.

All around the frame I placed more seashells, mostly small clam shells, in a variety of colors. There's a nice dark, almost black, shell in the center at the top of the frame. There's a black and white one opposite of it on the bottom frame. The other shells vary in color from ivory to light brown.

I made a set of these. The other, shown here on the right, is similar to the one above. The designs are "mirrored" to the plaque above. The circle is anchored by another larger seashell but the crab and coral are to the right side of the circle instead of the left like the above plaque.

The seashells are slightly different in color. A couple of the frame shells have stripes running through them. So even though this wall plaque is similar to the above plaque it is definitely not the same.

If you'd like to try your hands a making your own wall plaques visit: Shell Craft Guides where I have placed "how-to" instructions to guide you in making these wall plaques.

If you prefer to buy your crafts visit my store at The Shell Craft Shop where I have displayed some of the items I have crafted and have available for sale.

Wall Plaque with Seashells and Coral

2007-05-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

This decorative wall plaque is designed on a 6" wide by 8" high wooden plaque. The design features: a small glass red crab; a glass marble, a piece of coral, seashells in various shapes, sizes, and colors.

Like all the items I handcraft, the design is original. I take a basic blank canvas and use seashells, sand, and other items to make a design that is pleasing and pretty to gaze upon.

This design's central feature is the four shells that come down from the top in a graceful curve. Just to the right is a unique shell which partially shelters a red crab. The red crab is looking out for hostile forces while keeping an eye on the gazing ball (clear marble) on top of the coral column.

Two other unique shells compliment the one the crab is crouching under. The frame has a pattern of four white shells - one at each corner. There are also two columns of similar shells going up the sides. Finally, two unique and colorful shells anchor the center spots of the frame at top and bottom.

Although most of my clients buy sets of these plaques to hang up in their bathrooms, I don't mind because where else can you sit still and not be distracted. This gives the clients and their visitors plenty of time to admire my art.

You can of course, hang these plaques anywhere that you wish to have a reminder of sea and the beach. A nautical themed kitchen, a nook in the living room with seashells, lighthouses, or even Shell crafts designed tealight candle holders.

Wall Plaque with Sea Shells in an X Pattern

2007-05-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

This recent addition to my wall plaque design collection features pale brown and white seashells. Usually I strive to add colorful shells to show off all the colors that nature can provide in sea shells. In this design however, I used white and near-white seashells which contrast very nicely with the darker brown color of the beach sand.

The main seashells are arranged in a design that follows an X pattern. The larger center shell anchors the whole design. Radiating outward from each of the four corners, and forming the legs of the X are white seashells. The outer pair of these white seashells are slightly larger than the inner pair. The X design continues as part of the frame where each corner seashell is more or less in line with the small white shells that form the X legs.

There are other patterns on this plaque. For instance there is a diamond pattern formed by the long seashells with the tails pointing downward.They are within the triangles formed by the legs of the X pattern. Take a look at the shells and you should be able to find at least 2 more patterns in the design.

I wanted to add a little finesse to this wall plaque, so I added some pearls. There is 1 in the center pattern just above the center seashell. I then placed 5 smaller pearls on the frame. Can you see them forming a pattern of their own, and being within a couple of the seashell patterns?

If you would like to make your own X design wall plaque, I added a "how to" guide at my website. CLICK HERE and take a look. Invite your crafting friends to take a look also.

Thanks

Shellcrafter

www.shellcraft-guides.com

Tealight Candle Holder with Palm Trees and Crab

2007-05-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

I handcrafted this small tealight candle holder on an oval base that measures 3 inch deep by 5 inch wide and about 1 inch thick. This beautiful shellcraft is designed to provide a feeling of gazing at a beach.

The tealight holder is designed with small seashells in a couple of patterns, then covered in beach sand. The two long shells on the front frame the small greyish shell in the center. The sand accents and ties the candle holder to the base and the sculpture to its right.

I set up the main design so that it sits directly on the wood base. The porcelain palm trees are to the back left side of the oval. In front is a small glass red crab slowly walking up a piece of coral that got in its way. Seashells are placed behind and to the side of the crab and palm trees. The beach is composed of real beach sand.

If you click on the photo you can get a closer view of this sea shell craft. Hope you enjoy looking at it.