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Friday, May 2, 2014

We're All Ears :: May Inspiration


Zigzag Nerite shells - Neritina Communis - from Atlantis Shell Co
God is the most marvelous artist.

There is such beauty in this world. And a lot of it is so tiny that we don't even get the chance to see it!

Case in point... this month, at the suggestion of our editor Linda Landig, I discovered the Zig Zag Nerite shell - neritina communis. The Greek legend is that there was a boy of astonishing beauty named Nerites. He was a lover of the sea-born Aphrodite. When Aphrodite was invited by Zeus to join the gods on Mount Olympus, she invited Nerites to join her. He refused, preferring to stay in his home, the sea. In revenge she metamorphosed him into a seashell.

Now all shells are simply amazing, but what I love about these tiny treasures - just over a 1/2" in size - is that each one is completely unique. Within the same population of these creatures found in the brackish mangroves in the Western Pacific, each shell will be completely different from the last. The typical shell is black and white, but can have colors that range from cream and yellow to red and burgundy, proving to be a very variable species. Of course, the more colorful, the more highly sought after!
Zigzag Nerite shells - from SeaLifeGifts.net

Check out this link to a blog post about the 12 Most Common Nerite Shells to see even more variety!


What inspires you from this marvel of nature?

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To participate in the We're All Ears creative challenge:
Make earrings inspired by this picture.
Write a post on your blog.
Add your exact blog post URL link to the InLinkz code right here
on Friday, May 16th.
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5 comments:

  1. Love pink & black and the lines from the shells. I am feeling really inspired! Thanks so much!

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  2. Seashells? You had me at hello! Plus, would you believe I just bought some of these shells a couple of months ago for my seashell-drilling experiments? Can't wait to do this challenge!

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  3. I love the look of these shells. I'm already turning over thoughts on how to meet them in earring form!

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  4. I love this, I'm happy to have an idea for earrings for this challenge since I've missed the last couple!.

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  5. late to the fun again...but loving this inspiration so I think I'll have to play! I've added it to the ever growing list of hops, challenges and design fun...I better get busy ;)

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