Over the summer my family and I visited Homer, Alaska and as we were walking on one of the local beaches, I found a perfectly lovely Alaska jingle shell. I held it up admiring it’s pearly sheen and the beautiful sculptural aspect of thepiece. I instantly wanted to try to replicate this shell with silver and a tiny bit of turquoise in pendant form!
Fast forward a few months and my first jingle shell earrings are here! Capturing the character, texture and shape of the shell in silver was  such a challenge, but what fun it was playing with this kind of realism! 
Here’s a little background on this beautiful shell so indicative to the Alaskan coasts:
Alaska jingle shells, also called “rock oysters,” are fascinating little sea creatures that live along rocky ocean floors. Instead of sticking directly to the rocks, these shells use a special, short, thick “anchor” called a byssus. This byssus is like a tiny, tough cable that threads through a hole in the shell’s bottom half, keeping it securely attached while allowing a bit of movement. The ones found along the beaches in Homer all seem to be clinging to long pieces of seaweed. 
Interestingly, even though they’re called “rock oysters,” jingle shells aren’t true oysters at all! They’re part of the Anomiidae family, which sets them apart from the oysters we usually think of. Their name comes from the way their shells clink together, making a jingling sound when they’re dry and moved around, which beachcombers find wonderful .🥰