The Essential Beachcomber

  Happy almost-New Year to all my Shell Sistahs, Brothas and beach combing friends.  After you have written down all your resolutions for the New Year make sure you determine to have some fun in 2013 and get to at least one shell show this year.  It's so much fun to be in a bustling room filled with kindred spirits where the air is filled with excited chatter about the shells we love punctuated with "Look at this", "Did you see that?" & "I could make that".   May your New Year be filled with salt, sand, & shells.  I hope you get to dive with wild abandon into the surf with your clothes on after the treasure you've been searching for.  May you experience the bliss of the sea-sprayed wind blowing against your face and the luminous sunset blinding your eyes with it's beauty. I wish for you in 2013 that all your beachy dreams come true. Jan. 12 - 13, 2013 SPACE COAST SEASHELL ...

Are you ready for some shell shows! There are times when I am shelling on the beach that I have actually gotten dizzy.  The waves going in & out, birds buzzing overhead, and  bending up & down to inspect the wrack line can all contribute to a spinning of the senses that warrant a quick sit down on the sand.  But that pales in comparison to the sensory overload you will experience at a shell show.  Usually sponsored by the local shell club, a shell show is a gathering of shell enthusiasts of all kinds - the artists, the serious scientific collector, & the aficionado. There are shell flowers, shell mirrors, shells for sale, t-shirts with shells printed on them,  shell exhibits, shell collections, & the nobility of the shell craft - the sailor's valentine.   From the moment you enter the venue your senses are assailed with color of the shells everywhere, the movement of the crowds, the loud din of voices calling to one anothe...