SHELLS
Collections (Shells, small boxes)
Collect and classify according to color, shape, etc., and keep in separate boxes.
Bottled Shells (Shells, bottle)
Put little shells in bottle of water to bring out lovely colors. (See [Bottled Pebbles] above.)
Border for Sand-Table
Place small shells along little paths in sand-table, sometimes with concave side up and vice versa.
Larger shells, as clamshells, make fine borders for roads and paths in the country. They outline the road on a dark night.
Water-Color-Cups
Collect and save shells to give to some artist friend as extra cups for his water-color paints.
Large shells make serviceable individual dishes for baked fish, etc. Appropriate for fish dinner.
Individual Salt and Butter Dishes
These can be made of the smaller pink and yellow shells found on many coasts. Let the children collect shells for this purpose, and use for fish dinner.
Toy-Boat
A small shell is often found which, with the little natural seat found at one end, at once suggests a little boat. Have the children collect and save for those far from the shore.
Pin-Tray (Scallop shell, oil-paints)
Paint a marine view in oils inside a shell for pin-tray.
Pin-Cushion (Small piece of satin or velvet, saw-dust, glue, two perfect scallop-shells)
Make a small pin-cushion of satin or velvet, filled with saw-dust, and glue between a pair of scallop shells, so that it fits in between as they open out.
Piano Scarf (Several dozen small, thin, yellow shells found on Atlantic coast, one yard Nile green India silk, strong sewing silk)
Hem the silk an inch deep at each end. Sew to one end a fringe of shells made as follows:
The shells usually have a tiny hole in them when found. If not, one is easily pierced by a strong needle. Take twelve lengths of strong sewing silk, white, each 20 inches long. To each of these tie twelve shells at intervals of an inch each. You will then have twelve strings of shells, which are to be sewed to the scarf as a fringe, putting them about three inches apart. Sew two rows of shells directly on the scarf itself, putting them about four inches apart each way. If desired, in making the fringe some of the strings may be shorter than others, arranged so that the long and short ones alternate.