As I shared earlier this week and in my Instagram Stories every day, the main activity that my mom plan around is shelling. We set out at low tide each day and spend an hour or two combing the beach to add to our shell collection. For me, it hits a lot of things. Of course, it appeals to the collector in me. I get to hunt and peck and celebrate great finds. I also love being at the beach (when it’s not too hot!) As with many, many other people, I find the sound of the waves, the sand beneath my feet, and the water lapping around my bare legs to be relaxing. It’s what I look forward to anytime a beach trip is on the calendar. When I’m by myself, I’ll put on a podcast or some music and just melt into my own world. When I’m with mom, we’ll keep an eye out for things to add to each other’s shell collection and share our best finds.
We come back with shells filling our bags (mine is usually heavier because I like chunky shells) and take some time to rinse off the sand and salt. I started washing my shells in the outdoor shower, but the spigot is only about a foot off the ground, so it was a killer on the back and water splashed all over me as I squatted to get the shells under the water. We finally found a hose on the other side of the house, next to an outdoor table. I dug a large plastic lid that was formerly covering a shrimp cocktail platter out of the trash to use as our “sink” and we ended up with a nice little shell collection washing set-up.
We rinsed our shells and removed small shells that were stuck in the tight twists. As we set out our collections to dry in the sun, we noticed how different they were. My shell collection pretty much stuck to my favorite color palette – blue and white. Most of my shells were in shades of blues, grays, blacks, and creams, but all read as blue and white when arranged together. I also went for shells that were sculptural, chunky, crusty, and looked old and worn.
Mom’s were more colorful and delicate. She likes the shells that are iridescent, shiny, or are tight, pretty little twists. She also collects whelks and partial whelks to put in the rock beds in her garden.
There was a pretty stark difference between the two collections and my mom, being ever competitive, said we should ask my Instagram crowd which shell collection they liked better. So, we posed the question on my Instagram stories, showing both collections and sharing a little bit about how they were curated.
Here is my shell collection from that day…
…and here is my mom’s collection…
She carefully arranged the shells in the hopes of winning styling points.
My mom won handily.
At first, I was glad that she won because she might’ve cried if she hadn’t, but she has since been impossible to live with. Anytime the shell collection competition comes up as a topic of conversation she triumphantly declares, “Oh, I just killed her!” She cackles and points out that even my good friend, Cheri, voted for her. She has gone on to accuse me of rinsing my shells off in secret so that my collection isn’t compared to hers again, since I would lose miserably. My mom went as far as wanting to have another competition when we were taking an art class together one evening. “Let’s put it to a vote and see which sketches they like better!” “No, mom. We’re not going to do that.”
I would like to point out that I collected several shells that ended up in her collection, so I could’ve had them in my collection if I wanted them. But, they were my rejects. Just saying.
Of course, it’s all in good fun and I love my collection even if I’m in the minority. And that’s the enjoyment of curating a collection. Whether I’m at an antique store or the beach, when I unload my finds, my style is clear. I wouldn’t have it any other way, even if I’m the big loser of the shell collection competition of 2022.
You can see more posts about Isle of Palms HERE, including a post with my best shelling tips HERE.
As a side note, I found this really awesome old shell. One of my readers said it’s a lion’s paw. I picked it up because it looked old, almost ancient, and unusual. It’s crusted with natural concrete and is thick and heavy with age. Does anyone have any thoughts on this interesting find?
25 Responses
Such fun! It’s wonderful that you and your mom are able to continue making beautiful memories. Beautiful cache of shells for you both. I love the newer, most perfect shells too, but those old, damaged shells and partials hint of generations of stories in the deep. I keep both, and each has ts own appeal.Thanks for sharing.
I think that the contest results just reflect the tastes of readers more than anything else. It doesn’t say that one collection is better than the other. I like all the twisty shells the best. Also, it’s great that you can have this kind of time and fun with your mom!!
Oh yeah, it’s totally a taste thing and all in good fun. I was laughing when I wrote this.
Love your collection! It’s so my home too!
I love your story about shell collecting/competing with your mother! I have to say that i probably would have voted for her arrangement as well. Although, if I were collecting shells for my own collection/display, mine would probably look more like the ones you picked up—rustic, imperfect, bluey-grey.
What a fun competition and in reality, you both were winners.
When I saw your shells I absolutely loved all the blues. Then I saw your mom’s iridescent ones and liked them also. So I couldn’t vote.
Y’all have such fun together. This story made me smile!
The lions paw is such a neat shell. Glad it was in your color scheme. Haha
How fun to share the search with your mother! Your lions paw might be the rarest of the bunch. I hear that they are coveted as much as the junonia by shell seekers. I live on Topsail Island, and I’ve only ever found one!
I like your blues!
But how could we tell your mother that hers didn’t win? Ha! Ha!
How blessed the two of you are to share this activity!
Love this! What a wonderful relationship you and your Mom have.
I would say it is a tie. I like your color scheme better but I like the multi shapes of your Mom’s better. Mix the 2 and you have a winner! ?
You have a very interesting collection of shells! We do not have most of those on the Oregon coast so I end up buying them at novelty stores there. Very fun!
Oh Marian, it is so much nicer to collect with someone who doesn’t have the exact same taste as yours. My mom and I had very similar tastes and were always sparring over our finds. I’m ashamed to admit it, but at an after Xmas sale my mom got my cousin to run for her to beat me to an item in a shop we were both after. I hauled! I won. And had to hear about it forever after , lol.
Cheryl
No shells on the California coast either although I have found tons of Sand Dollars (pure white not like the dark one Marian’s mom found) on the Oregon coast.
I’m so happy you and your mom share shelling together. You both win.
Shows how much I know about shells…I would have guessed that your ancient shell was a broken off piece of coral that got “smoothed out” a bit. I just showed my ignorance! Enjoyed the blogs on the shells
Okay, I will vote for your mother’s collection, it is more like what I pick up, lots of varieties, shapes and colors, pearly, smooth or textured. her shells go well with my style of painting which is trompe l’oeil, every tiniest detail is painted so that people may think they are real. I do not exagerate. Your shells are interesting, rough textured, often damaged and in the same monochromatic colors. I find them beautiful too, they have personality and they fit best your fast painting hand.
Conclusion: I like them all.
Marion, have you ever read the classic by Ann Morrow Lindberg (yes, that Lindberg) called Gifts of the Sea? Mrs. Lindberg would spend a week every year alone on a small island, away from husband, children and the world, and retreat with her journal. She likens each phase of life to a particular shell. She also compares the speed of life in America with life in Europe. She was surprised to learn that others resonated with her musings, and these journals were eventually published as a book. If you’ve never read it, I urge you to check it out.
Nate berkus once said you should have a shell (s) in every room. I have a shell my grandma got on a beach in fla. , In 1950, in my bathroom.
Great collections each!
I voted for Mom!!! I liked both….really …a lot. I figured you had a LOT of blue and white followers and more would vote for you and the blue. I would mix them all up in a clear apothecary jar.
Having fun and making memories…that’s what it all is about!!!
I would like to see the sketch contest too.
You know I love your collection of shells too! Good thing I’m not there with you or we would be competing for the nice blue welks! Love you both and the loving competition you two enjoy.
This has inspired me to haul out more of my shells and put them on display! I have them all stored in huge vintage restaurant supply jars so they are always visible from all sides and dust free. Easy to plop a jar somewhere and admire.
Growing up, I always wanted to find one of the huge pink conch shells but never did. As an adult I found a gorgeous one in a thrift store for $8!! It was dusty and dirty from years of display, so I took it home and gave it a bath and it gleams away at me here in the study on a prominent display shelf. The thrill of the hunt took a different twist and turn, and I ended up finding my prize far away from the ocean.
I also love the idea of having a shell in every room! I think I have shells in about half or my rooms. Lots of good memories hunting for shells with my sister, mom, and grandma. I don’t remember any of the men or boys looking for shells!
Also of interest here is that the west coast doesn’t have many shells….I never knew that! My shelling days were spent on the Gulf Coast.
I loved your collection best! The shells are exactly the ones I love to collect. Also, the book Jan mentioned, Gift from the Sea, is an amazing book about all the phases of a woman’s life. I read it once a year and it always brings me joy.
Yes, I much prefer your moms shell collection, but each to their own taste. 🙂