FASCINATING
SHELLCRAFT

by JANE EMERY

It all happened when we spent last Easter with some new found friends in the Wairarapa. Their white living-room shelves scintilated with eye fetching pieces of attractive shell-work, novelties fashioned from gleaming pauas, matt mussels and pipi-shells. Life like flower arrangements were assembled from a variety of whole and broken shells, with their delicate finish.

On the bedroom dressing table two large pearly pink scollops linked together with a tiny posy of dainty shell flowers were an invitation to drop earrings and bobbypins into their accordian pleated depths. But the masterpiece of the lot, was a bedside lamp which looked like alabaster bejewelled with treasures of the deep, tiny green and white cats-eyes, miniature scollops and other tiny shells, topped with a sky-blue fringed lampshade. Its effect was charming. Originally it had been an attractively shaped liquor bottle.

I could hardly wait till the morning to be initiated into the craft of making such things.

“There is really nothing to it,” said our charming hostess smilingly. First you need all the shells you can gather. Do not despise any—pick up all the odd and broken pieces as well as the whole ones. They will all fit in somewhere. It is surprising how soon your pile of shells will disappear once you start. So make sure you collect shells at every opportunity. Next you need a big box of water-colours and brushes, a tin of clear varnish and a packet of plastic putty. These are the ingredients of this shell-craft plus the gamut of your own ideas. That is why this handcraft is so fascinating.

The plastic putty is readily obtainable at all hardware shops. You mix what you feel you require with a little water to the consistency of soft plasticine and plaster it all over whatever you fancy for a base. Then you press your shells into the surface in the pattern of your choice. When this operation is completed the shells are wiped clean of any clinging putty with a damp rag, and the whole thing left to harden and dry out. This completed the shell work can be painted in what ever colour is desired. Finally when the paint is dry a coat of clear varnish is applied and your handwork is finished ready to adorn your home or to market for pocket money.

What better way to pass the winter evening than this captivating handcraft which provides full scope for your self-expression and enjoyment?