Sanibel Shell Festival Betsy Studley art

Every year, the first week of March is always exciting because the Sanibel Shell Festival comes to town. This 2016 year was a trifect-shell-a for me.

1. – Β The show was fantastic.

shell craft pink flower

Fun to see Carol Strange sharpie these beautiful shells.

painted shells sanibel shell festival carol strange

Kelle Covington’s shell encrusted ukulele.

Kelle Covington shell ukelele

Marti Gorun’s gorgeous seashell mirror.

seashell mirror sanibel shell festival Marti Gorun

2. – Fun to hang out with shell friends and everybodyΒ at the show was exceptionally happy and chatty.

I had such a great time hanging out with Rachel (we learned so much from her last year about Natural Pearls) and Brian.

pam rambo rachel brian

We are such a colorful group! The girls just gotta have fun in psycheshellic colors with Kelle (she made the awesome Ukulele) and Shelley from Naples. Thanks for sending this photo Kelle :)

pam rambo kelle covington sea shelley

Bill Jordan is a hoot! He’s also an amazing artist with his SAILORS VALENTINE and pocket watch valentine.

Bill Jordan shell valentine pocket watch artist Sanibel shell festival

Speaking of SAILORS VALENTINES… David Rhyne won Peoples Choice Award in the artistic division of the show.

david rhyne valentine peoples choice award sanibel shell festival 2016

You have to see the close up of this one because of the detail of the basket weave. The basket and the circle weave are made of SEA URCHIN SPINES.

sea urchin spine shell craft weave

Another amazing VALENTINE by Judy Dinnick.

Judy Dinnick valentine sanibel shell festival 2016

This one by Gerda Reid.

Gerda Reid sailors valentine Sanibel Shell festival 2016

Oooh shell la… so many stunning pieces!

sailors valentine sanibel shell festival-1

And then we come to #3 of the trifectshella – The shelling was awesome!

Rachel's junonia

Rachel found a JUNONIA on the east end of Sanibel about a mile from the Sanibel Lighthouse and her Aunt Margie found an amazing SCOTCH BONNET in about the same area.

IMG_0628

scotch bonnet

Not bad I’d say for a couple of days of beach combing.

Best Sanibel shells march 2016

I’ve run out of room on this post and lots of cool shells to show you.. and more cool shell people. So stay tuned for more photos of the scientific division of the Sanibel Shell Festival.

Pam-rambo-sanibel-shell-trips