CWD Craft Club: Shell Art

The final chapter of the radical scallop trilogy

I’ve been shouting from the rooftops the last few weeks about how we owe it to ourselves to use all of what we eat — not just the “best” parts. The impetus of this sermonizing, of course, was the twenty or so live scallops Mrs. CWD and I procured a few weeks ago¹. If you haven’t read the first two post inspired by these mollusks, you can find them here and here, cooking the abductor and frills, respectively.

For the last piece of the “bay to belly” trilogy, I had to call in a favor. Having used all the edible portions of the scallop, I had gotten outside my purview — but, like the Plains Indians using every part of the bison, there was more left to do with this shellfish. As all who know her are aware, Gma CWD is considered a “GOAT” crafter — one of the greatest of all time. The CWD Ranch holds countless “decorations” produced by her skilled hands, and we’re honored that she’s willing to pass on her craftiness² to Kiddo CWD. As she writes below, as soon as she saw the shells of our scallops, she had to have them, to use in a craft.

Having seen my friend Rocky from WARKITCHEN post recently about how “oyster shells are art” and listing them as one of the “coolest kitchen accessories that you should know about,” I knew I needed to ask Gma to put together a primer on how she does it. Because when you use everything that nature has to offer, you’re not just eating radically, you’re living radically as well.

So let’s get going — and next time you get shellfish, make sure to save the shells.

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I was both flattered and amused when Mr. CWD asked me, Gma CWD, to make a guest appearance on his food blog³. I argued that I didn’t believe my craft had a “space” in his food blog or the demographics of his readers would support readership. I’ll leave it to you, the readers, to determine the winner of that “argument.”

Although I’m an avid reader of CWD, it “speaks” to me in a different way…it’s not the recipes⁴ per se that interest me⁵, rather it’s the approach to eating. I also support a holistic approach to eating with a fully stocked pantry⁶. As an empty nester, I’ve perfected foraging in my pantry and creating something easy and good to eat. Further, the emphasis on nature, eating locally sourced ingredients, supporting small businesses and eliminating/reducing waste is something I’ve come to embrace wholeheartedly!

Several weeks ago, Mr. CWD ordered fresh scallops in the shell and sent a picture of the product to the CWD fam text chain. My immediate response, “SAVE THE SHELLS, I’ll take them!” This past summer I saw stores selling decorative oyster, clam, and scallop shells. Although beautiful, why would I buy them when I could make them⁷?! And, with a home on Long Beach Island, instead of ordering shells online, I could spend time outdoors (my favorite pastime) finding them in the ocean and bay. 

And that started my latest crafting project… I purchased a bunch of napkins which initially revolved around two central themes: nature designs⁸ and nautical ones.  Every time I finished a set, I ended up giving to interested friends and family and a new passion⁹ was born!  

So here we are in closing the circle and finishing up the CWD scallop series with the “how to” in creating shell art…a beautiful yet easy craft! Mr. CWD was kind enough to supply the clean shells and I thought I’d use some different looks¹⁰ to spark your interest.

Materials

1. Shells¹¹: Clean Oyster, Clam or Scallop Shells. (They may be either boiled or soaked in a light bleach solution to sanitize, and brushed clean and dried in the sun.)

2. Any Craft Matte White Acrylic paint

3. Mod Podge¹² (Gloss Finish). If you plan on using the finished product with food, you should substitute with the Mod Podge food safe version.

4. Gold Leaf Paint (I’ve seen shells with the Silver Leaf Paint but haven’t liked the look as much regardless of the napkin colors). 

5. Paint Brushes

6. 3-ply decorative napkins (cocktail or dinner version)¹³.

7. Small Scissors

Steps

1. Paint the shell with one or two layers of white paint – the white paint is used to enhance the design.  Dry completely.

2. Separate the napkin into the individual 3 different sheets and use decorative sheet only. Do a rough cut of the design you’ll be using in one piece or multiple pieces depending on how you’re “designing” your shell.

3. Apply mod podge to shell and immediately and carefully apply the design. Gently apply pressure to ensure the design is fully adhering to the shell, there are no air bubbles, and it is smooth¹⁴.

4. Apply layer of mod podge— immediately following the application of design. Do so carefully and double check the edges are sticking and carefully apply more mod podge underneath, if not. Dry completely. After the first layer, cut the excess design off the shell or crease it against the shell and tear it off. Apply one or more additional layers of mod podge.

5. Paint edges with gold leaf paint.

6. Apply another layer of mod podge, if desired.

7. Let dry/cure.

Uses/Variations: 

You can use the painted shells as random decorative pieces, as a salt dish, ring holder, etc. Drill a hole in them and add ribbon and hang on a tree, string with or without beads and make napkin holders, hang on a bottle of wine for a hostess gift. Make a wreath…. That’s my next project using a grapevine wreath.

The possibilities are endless. 

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So, there you go. Shell art. If you had asked me even a year ago, would I ever be writing a newsletter about crafting scallop shells which I shucked myself, I would have said, no, that’s silly, Cow We Doin’ is a newsletter about food. Stay in your lane!

Oh how far we’ve come.

Enjoy your weekends, folks. Get outside. Move around a little bit. Eat real foods. Live radically.

1. Thanks to Vertical Bay Farms and Island Creek Oysters for making these available. No, I’m not sponsored by either — or any food producers, for that matter — but I enjoy exclaiming and hyping places that I like.

(We’re actually heading up to Maine this weekend, celebrating the Damariscotta Pumpkin Fest with Tio and Tia CWD. Not too far from Booth Bay, where Vertical Bay Farms is located. Maybe we’ll be so lucky as to find some shells we can use to craft with ourselves — since I’ll certainly be enjoying a few oysters.)

Which, as I write this, is probably a good list to put together and send as a newsletter, for those who’d like to get closer to their food sources and actually “get to know” your farmers, fishermen, and ranchers.

2. In all senses of the word!

3. Ed. Note: To be clear, this isn’t a food blog. CWD is “a newsletter that thinks lightly about life and deeply about food.”

4. However, the mushroom risotto is my favorite CWD recipe. I like the story behind it as well as the generous use of varied mushrooms and everything about it. I neither want or need the recipe, I just hope CWD and Mrs. CWD make it whenever I visit.

5. “Some” have accused me of being a picky eater. I’d say I am an adventuresome eater and know what I don’t like!

Ed. Note: I have no idea who you are talking about.

6. Defined as every spice imaginable and kitchen equipment to support making every type of recipe.

7. Especially since they were retailing between $25 and $45!

8. I was recently asked, what was the best thing (my recently passed) Gigi CWD imparted on me. My immediate response was my incredible love, respect, and awe of nature. She was one of my biggest fans of my handmade crafts which always use organic materials in my creations.

9. I call it a “passion,” the extended CWD family, call it my OCD---Papa CWD tolerates it if I assure him, they’re not staying! And former “OCD” crafts have been accepted by Mrs. CWD on the sly when CWD himself has initially declined. But, who’s gonna tell?

10. Despite my best efforts, I could not find a Cow napkin that seemed “on brand,” so I went with a seasonal item and a more classic look.

11. Hunt for them at the beach, on vacation, bring them home from restaurants/festivals or order them online (but where’s the fun in that)?

12. Ed. Note: If you, like me, had never heard of Mod Podge before, here is a FAQ from the aptly named ModPodgeRocksBlog.

13. Note: you can also use wrapping paper, but the napkins are easier to use in such a small space. 

14. Don’t sweat the totally smooth comment since the ridges/nuances of the shell preclude perfection!