Beach Combing for Seashells for Shell Crafts

Dress comfortably. Wear deck shoes or beach sandals or even those wading/swimming shoes I've seen people wearing in the water. You need to protect your feet from the hot sand and sharp objects while beach combing. Take your swimsuit along if you plan on a dip. Drive or walk out to the beach.

You’ll need a container or two to put your findings into. There are a variety of containers you can use. I have a small nylon bag that holds about a quart of seashells and sand. It’s waterproofed on the inside, which keeps any water that comes along from ending up inside my car.

You could also use a bucket or a sand pail like the kids play with on the beach. Or try zip lock sandwich or food storage bags. For larger items a net bag can be real handy. While beach combing the important thing is that you are comfortable and can carry the collector easily.

 Take a walk along the shoreline. As you walk along keep a sharp eye out for items of interest. When something catches your eye, take a closer look and see if it is worth your time to take.

 What can you find while beachcombing? A variety of seashells are the obvious items. There can be scallops, clams, augers, cowries, bubbles and many others. All of these come in various types, sizes, and colors. Some can have very nice patterns.

Along with whole seashells, you can also find seashell pieces and formed shells. Shells can be formed by wind and water and sand. The formed shells can sometimes be of higher interest than the whole ones.

Sand dollars, coral pieces, sea glass, seeds, and drift wood can also be gleaned from the sand.

Each time you take a walk on a beach, you can find new items of interest to you. If you find seashells with live animals inside, do the world a favor and put them back in the water. Unless of course you plan to eat them.

What can you do with your findings? You can start a collection, placing the items of most interest on a shelf for display.  Fill clear glass jars with seashells and other findings. Place a bunch inside ivy bowls, or shallow vases.
Use them in shell crafts. Use the crafted items for home decor and gifts.