In the August 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living, we created a shell crafting story.

Our hope was to create beautiful treasures of heirloom quality. And to develop projects that would highlight the beautiful forms, colors, and textures found in life from the ocean. There are endless possibilities when you begin to look at the variety of shells available through websites such as Seashell City.

You may already have shells that you have collected on trips to the beach stowed away in a jar or tucked away in a dusty bookshelf.  I hope you will try one or many of these projects. I was amazed over and over again by the intricate patterns and structures of these creatures.

Back Next

1 of 7

1 Our set for the sand dollar mirror resting on apple boxes.

2 A view of the sea-fan sconce set from behind the photographer's camera. This version did not run in the story.

3 Pulling together props and the composition for the abalone-chip-covered boxes.

4 A view of the coral necklace on the computer screen. See the how-to video in this post.

5 As we shoot versions of the same shots, we post them on a wall to map our progress.

6 A giant sand dollar waits for its moment in front of the camera.

7 A necklace made of broken coral.

One project that did not make the cut due to space in the printed story was a necklace made from small broken pieces of coral. (Please make sure your sources for these materials are environmentally conscious.) But we have offered it here in a video how-to. It is the perfect project for a quiet summer afternoon.

Posted by Shane Powers on August 4, 2011 in Inspiration Board