Sea shells by the sea shore

A few months back, I had been noticing an elderly couple stooping down, picking up sea shells along the sea shore  I finally got up enough courage to stop them one day and ask what they were doing.  They said that they were collecting shells for one of their friends that makes jewelry and sailors valentines.  I had seen some displays of sailors valentines at the St. Nicholas Abbey and knew what they were referring to.  Here is what one looks like.

The original Sailor's Valentines were started in Bridgetown, Barbados.  There was a shop in Bridgetown that carried the mahogany, octagonal cases.  The sailors would collect shells while they were stationed here in Barbados and would make these valentines to take back to their lovers overseas.  They can be quite intricate.

So, I got the grand notion that I wanted to make Gary a sailor's valentine before we left Barbados.  I asked the couple if they knew of anyone on the island that made the sailor's valentines and they gave me the name and number of a lady here that did them.  I called this lady - she invited me to her home - and when I got there, she showed me her studio.  It was awesome.  It was loaded with antique sailors valentines as well as some very impressive shell art displays.  She showed me the certain shells that I would need to collect and what supplies I would need and that after I had these materials - she would help me with starting the design of my valentine.

So, now I can explain to you the first picture.  That is one of my counter tops in my kitchen - which has been turned into a shell center.  I don't think Gary was that thrilled about this - but this condo is too small to have a separate work center anywhere else.  These shells that you see in this first picture is what I collected over last weekend!  It has turned into a major project of mine.  It is a lot more time consuming than I had thought.  I could go out and just buy a bag of shells - but, I want this valentine to be extra special - one in which every shell is a one that I painfully picked myself off the sea shore here.

So, we have less than 2 more months here on the island - and I am busy collecting shells.  I hope this doesn't turn into another violin project!  (Secret joke of Gary's - where I bought a violin and wanted to learn to play it - but only stayed with it a few months and then put it aside to never be picked up again.)

There are only certain beaches that have certain shells.  That was new to me.  I didn't realize this.  I guess a lot depends on the variety of reefs around the island - as to what shells will be found there.  I have also realized that the best time to collect them is at low tide.  It is also very painful on your back - after you stoop down several times to pick up the shells.  Oh, and another thing - be careful not to pick up one that still has the critter inside of it - it will walk off your counter later on in the evening.  (LOL)  And if it doesn't walk off your counter, will create a nice little aroma in your kitchen before too long.  I made the mistake about a week ago of putting the shells in a combination of vinegar and water.  Wasn't a good idea - it put a whitish film around the outside of the shells and they lost their luster and color.  Live and learn!  I now know the names of a lot of shells and it is very interesting - I just hope I finish the project and it doesn't become my next violin.

Here is a closeup picture of some of these shells - there are doves, limpid, rice, pinkies, coffee beans, etc.

This collection of shells is a time consuming process:  finding the shells, washing them off, letting them lay out to dry, painfully categorizing them and putting them together with their kind in storage bins.  And this is not even considering the time of actually designing and gluing them to the board.  But, I feel it will be worth it.  I know I want to write the word Barbados on it and I want to say something like "with love" or "to my other half" on it.  If you have any ideas - please pass them along to me.

Ok, for some other things that have happened lately.  I found out that yesterday, a man was caught shop lifting at the super centre - and the security guards shot him in the bottom as he was trying to escape!  Hum, maybe if more security guards did that in the states - I bet the shoplifting problem would become a little less of one.