Is it just me, or has shell jewellery made a major come back?
I love it when a trend I’ve loved comes back, meaning I can dig out my favourite pieces and breathe new life into them, or make something new from scratch! I was recently in a local thrift store and come across a bag of cowrie shells, and knew it would be fun to get creative with them. Cowrie shells are my absolute favourite to make jewellery out of, particularly the ones that have been cut open at the back, as they sit the best and are the easiest to work with. You can also often find mixed bags of shells in dollar stores. Read on for some very simple ideas!
You need:
- Shells
- Necklace chains
- Jump rings
- E6000 glue
- Jewellery pliers
The Cowrie Pendant
The easiest DIY to make out of shells is a cowrie pendant necklace. Simply take a chain, one cowrie shell and a jump ring. Using jewellery pliers, attach the shell to the necklace. Done!
The Cowrie Bracelet
Using a chain with a large sized link, take a series of shells, one for each side. We used 8 for a small bracelet. Using your pliers, attach the shells next to each other on the same link. Voila!
Shell Statement Necklace
This style uses a mix of shells to create a bigger necklace. The best way to get started is to find shells that have holes, as this makes it easy to attach the jump rings. You can also drill your own holes but in my experience this can be tricky. The other option is to put a small dab of E6000 onto the ends of the jump rings then secure them to the top edge of the shells. Wait for these to dry and then attach them onto the chain of the necklace.
