A Dish Full of Jingle Shells

They are called Jingle Shells because when you have several in your hand, they make a jingling sound if you shake them.  Jingle Shells attach themselves to rocks at the bottom of the ocean.  Usually, when you find them on the beach, you are just finding the top half because the bottom half stayed attached.  If you find a complete pair, it is rare and suppose to be lucky.  I have only found a complete pair twice.  I didn’t win the lottery either time.  I did however, have a great day with my family.  So, you decide.

A Days Find

The Jingle Shell is really fragile and can be crushed easily.  Because they are so thin, people use them in all kids of crafts.  I’ve seen them used in a variety of ways.  I make hair barrettes, bookmarks and wine glass charms out of them.  Here’s a picture of the little bookmarks I make.  I stamp a word or saying on them.  I spray the shells with a clear craft glaze to strengthen them and it brings out their color.  They’re cute and fun.

Jingle Shell Bookmarks

Probably my favorite way to display them is just to throw a bunch in a glass container and set it on a shelf.  They have so much color; nothing else is needed.

A Container Full of Jingle Shells

Now run to your nearest Florida Gulf Coast Beach and find yourself some Jingle Shells.  I usually pick them up by the dozens in Southwest Florida.  Enjoy!

I ended up there because my BFF Pattie, who is one of the greatest people I know, goes there every year with her family and told me to get my butt up there and see them.  So the family and I packed up and off we went.  Pattie and her husband are originally from Sarasota and grew up on Siesta Key.  They vacation there yearly and for the past three years, we go see them while they’re there.  Pattie’s daughter is my daughters best friend.  They are 1 month apart in age.  Pattie’s son is my sons best friend.  They are 2 weeks apart in age.  Very convenient!

White Sand, Blue Water

There are only a couple of places that I know of in the state of Florida that have sand like this.  It is powdery sugar-white sand that is absolutely amazing.  The sand is made of pure quartz that has been ground down to a fine powder.  It is always cool on the feet, even on the hottest of days.  If you have spent a summer in Florida and gone to a beach on the Atlantic Coast, I bet you hopped around, ran, and put those flip flops back on as fast as you could before tiny blisters made themselves prevalent on the bottoms of your feet.  That won’t happen at Siesta Key.

A typical sight on Siesta Key.

Siesta Key has consistently ranked in the top ten best beaches in the US.  In 2011 it won the top spot among Dr. Beach’s Best Beaches in the Nation.  The beaches are wide giving you plenty of room to pick your spot.  The water is shallow for quite a ways out.  Unless there is a storm brewing, the currents are pretty gentle.  If you enjoy skim boarding or paddle boarding, this is probably the beach for you.  At low tide there is a great sandbar to swim your way out to.  Once there, you will likely find sand dollars by the dozens just under the sand.  Looking is fun but just make sure you leave them where you find them.

Being a shell connoisseur, I was a little disappointed that Siesta Key was not one of those great shelling spots that I often discover.  Sometimes, though, you have to appreciate each beach for what it has to offer and Siesta Key has so much.  I found though, that if you look closely and sometimes search the small shell line just at the wave break line, you might snag a few small shells.  Small ones can be just as beautiful and colorful as the larger ones.

Shells at Siesta key.

Siesta Key also has what is called the Siesta Village.  It is a quaint area of streets filled with shops and restaurants galore.  The attire is Casual Beachy Chic, which means that flip flops, tanks tops and shell jewelry are mandatory.  One stop that we are not allowed to miss because my children simply would not allow it, is Big Olaf’s Creamery.  My kids believe it is the best ice cream they have ever put in their mouth.

Big Olaf’s has been there since 1982.  The ice cream is hand mixed and churned in Sarasota’s Amish Village.  It is fresh, creamy and yummy.  One more thing, the waffle cones are homemade.  Make sure you get yourself some before leaving the Village.

Great sidewalks for strolling through the Village.

If you want to be lazy and just really want to enjoy an unspoiled beach, go to Siesta Key.  It truly is beautiful.  One suggestion:  go either before or after spring break.  If you can handle the Florida heat, summer time is best.  Enjoy!

Marco Island Shells

The beaches can provide some beautiful shells  Walk along the beach and pick up those deposited by the waves or wade out to the next shell line, but once there you better be quick to snag that special shell before the waves pull it back home.   If you are lucky enough to have access to a boat, well then, the shelling really becomes incredible.  Places like Cape Romano and the the small outer islands open their arms to you and provide you with incredible gifts from the Gulf.

Cape Romano

Shells found at Cape Romano and some small outer islands.

With a boat, one day of shell scavenging can turn into buckets and buckets of treasures.  Figs, fighting conchs, whelks, cones, scotch bonnets, tulips and more make themselves plentiful.  We always pack our lunch, snacks and drinks and make a day of it.  Sometimes it’s just us and the birds.

Playing with the Seagulls.