sea shell art | Life Along the Gulf Coast

With less than 2 months to go before Christmas this question should be entering your mind: “What do I get for someone on my list who loves the beach?”

Here are some ideas from my Etsy Store, Crafty Beachcomber:

: Mini Seashell Wreath

: Mini Oyster shell Wreath

Shell wreaths are great wall decorations that don’t take up too much space so they can fit almost anywhere: office or cubical walls, home spaces, beach homes, RVs and dorm rooms.

Everyone loves a vacation and a lot of people love beach vacations. With this wooden photo frame, that beachy friend of yours can hang up his or her fondest memory of that last trip to the beach. Decorated with real sea shells, this painted frame reads: “my heart is at the beach”.

Yes, a shell topiary can add a beachy feel to any space at home. Jazz it up for the holidays with some Christmas bling or set on a pillar-candlestick for some height on a mantle or sideboard. Buy two for a balanced decorating style.

Know someone who is constantly losing their keys? Here’s a cute piece of art with key hooks for car keys, boat keys or even a small pet leash. Painted on a small canvas, this art piece includes a sand dollar, sea glass and drift wood.

: Expandable charm bracelet with shells, sea glass and an octopus

: Charm bracelet with sea-themed charms and shells

Jewelry made from shells and sea glass are fun to wear. Casual or dressy, that favorite person on your list can off her beach personality with earrings, a necklace or bracelet from the sea.

Where is your beach-loving friend or family member from? Where does he or she love to vacation? For the beach lover, these state-shaped sea-shell wall art pieces can be a fun decoration to display. Special order your state-shape before Dec 10 for guaranteed Christmas delivery.

: Caspian Tern #3

: Siesta Key Green

Note cards are always a great idea for gift giving. Some note cards, like these, are made with real photos that can be framed. Choose from a set of shorebirds, lifeguard stands and more.

Art, jewelry, wind chimes or wall hangings; all of these things add up to be great Christmas or Hanukkah gifts for that person on your list who loves the beach. Shop today at Crafty Beachcomber and start checking off your list.

Did you know that some U.S. states have an official sea shell?

States choose to have an official bird, gem or flower based on something that is common to the state or essential to the state’s commerce. Sea shell species are usually picked to be officially representative of a state for the same reason; it could be found abundantly or be part of their coastal economy (like oysters).

I’ve written previously on state birds and a time when an organization was trying to change the state bird of Florida. It is interesting to me how strongly people feel about their “official” representative and how political the debate to keep, change or even adopt one can get.

I was researching sea shells for a Crafty Beachcomber project and decided to find out which coastal states in the U.S. had official sea shells. Here’s the list: