Have a great vacation here on the North Shore guys, Aloha!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Tina & her new Sunrise Shell
It was so nice to meet one of my Mainland customers in person today! Here's a shot of "Tina" as she adds to her MonicaByTheShore Sunrise Shell collection with a new shell necklace & some Koa wood earrings. Perfect for that nice Haleiwa Joe's dinner date with her husband, John.
Have a great vacation here on the North Shore guys, Aloha!
Have a great vacation here on the North Shore guys, Aloha!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Orange Sunrise Hoop Earrings
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| Thats Jamie O'Brien surfing that huge glassy faced wave at "Rock Piles" North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii. |
This color melts in my mouth! Sooooo pretty, how does Mother Nature do it so well?
Available on the website now! www.monicabytheshore.com/necklaces
Available on the website now! www.monicabytheshore.com/necklaces
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Red Kauai Whole Sunrise Shell Pairs Necklace & Earrings Set in 14k Gold!
Well, this is the grand finale in my Sunrise Shells Pairs collection for now... dark RED whole shells from the island of Kauai! Sometimes these pairs are called Doubles, or Double Shells, but what they are is actually the entire shell that the scallop lived in, both the top and the bottom shell. The top shell is always the darker color, in this case red, and the bottom shell is always a lighter color, in this case yellow. They are BEAUTIFUL and its very rare to find them dead (empty shells) in pairs. These seashells are so very special I just HAD to use 14k gold. I added the tiny gold Hawaiian Plumeria flowers for a special touch of Aloha to the post earrings.
Here's some pics, enjoy, & Aloha from the North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii!
MonicaByTheShore
Click on any of the pictures to super-size them!
Click on any of the pictures to super-size them!
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| See the bright yellow bottom shell on the necklace???? :) |
Monday, October 3, 2011
Hawaiian Sunrise Shell Whole Pairs jewelry
Whole Pairs!! Its so rare to find whole Sunrise Shell pairs (both top & bottom halves) that its a real special treat for me to work with them because we just don't see them that often! I've recently had the pleasure to create two pieces of beautiful jewelry with pairs, here's some pic. The colors are AMAZING too! Enjoy, & Aloha from the North Shore, Haleiwa, Hawaii. MonicaByTheShore
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| This is dark, deep red pair, made into a locket on a sterling silver chain bracelet. Custom for "Kim". The shell on the bottom is yellow & pink. |
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| This is a very beautiful & colorful whole pair! Both top & bottom shells are bursting with colors. Hawaiian Sunrise Shell whole pair made into a locket that opens & closes, and hangs on a simple twisted cord natural color necklace, with Puka Shell closure. Custom for Michelle in Hanalei, on the North Shore of Kauai, Hawaii. |
Monday, September 26, 2011
New MonicaByTheShore Home Decor & Sunrise Shell Gift Items!
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| 15 oz ceramic Coffee Mug |
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| Large size Cutting Board |
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| Sunrise Shell Coolie Cup wrap Check 'em out at www.MonicaByTheShore.com/ |
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Purples & Greens of Nature~
Two new beautiful pieces today. We had a Hawaiian Blessing (rainy day) and I felt inspired to go green & purple like the flowers that surround me in my yard. I hope you like them!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Hawaiian Style Home Deco by MonicaByTheShore
Almost forgot about the newest new product - Home Decor products with the MonicaByTheShore Sunrise Shell image! Cutting boards, place mats, coasters, jar openers and mouse pads. More home decor products to come soon too, before Christmas! here's some pics:
Aloha Summertime!
Wow! What a great summer we've had here on the beautiful North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii! The fishing was fantastic - our boat won the prestigious Hana Pa'a Jackpot Fishing Tournament with a 538 pound Blue Marlin! The diving has been wonderful & I even was able to take a fabulous vacation to Alaska to hang out with my son, Chris, on the boat he captains up there during the summer for Salmon season. And most importantly we have a new little "Parker" expected to join the family in mid December! Congratulations Bonnie & Chris!
The Sunrise Shell business has picked up in popularity so much I couldn't ask for anything more to make me happier! "MonicaByTheShore Sunrise Shell Jewelry Designs" have appeared on TV shows including Hawaii Five-O, National & International magazines, commercial photo shoots for multi- million dollar Hawaiian resorts, and have been featured in numerous Hawaii based blogs and internet marketing programs geared at showing visitors to our beautiful paradise the treasures they can expect to find here in the islands! I feel so blessed :) I've really created some very unique designs this summer, ranging from old school authentic Hawaiian style to new & edgy leather designs! So many new shells, new designs & new opportunities! Enjoy the pictures & be sure to check out my website at www.monicabytheshore.com! Be sure to join me on FACEBOOK too! Its fun, informative, I'll keep you up to date on everything thats happening here on Oahu and will frequently offer special discounts to my Facebook Fans! Aloha to all~
Friday, May 20, 2011
Aloha everyone! I have a very beautiful selection of smaller sized Sunrise Shells that are perfect for RINGS! As you can see they are in every color of the rainbow! I can make the rings in sterling silver or gold filled. The price will be $190, but if you would like 14k I will buy it and charge you whatever the additional cost for gold is. Just choose your shell & let me know your size & its yours!
Aloha!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Aloha Summer!!!!
Awww yes, summer is around the corner and the water is absolutely BEAUTIFUL here on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii! The colors of blue are simply amazing, the temperature is perfect, the sun is bright, clouds puffy white.... well you know, its Paradise!
I have lots of new Sunrise Shells to work on for the upcoming weeks so keep an eye on the website for new creations! The "Beach Candy" seashell bracelets and earrings have been very popular, and so have the Seashell Love chunky choker necklaces. I've been doing lots of custom orders too, and beach wedding jewelry using Sunrise Shells are in high demand as well. Graduations rings have been a frequent requests and lots of leather "Naturalist" bracelets have been shipping out to the other islands, especially Kauai.
Look for more MonicaByTheShore jewelry on upcoming new episodes of Hawaii FIVE-O after their summer hiatus too!!
The Waialua Sugarmill Festival was a tremendous sucess and I'm really looking forward to my favorite show the year, the Haleiwa Arts Festival in July, on the 16th & 17th! Then its off to Alaska for a couple of weeks in mid August to spend some time on the boat that my son captains up there during the summer months!
Here's a few pics of some beautiful shells!
With Aloha,
Monica
I have lots of new Sunrise Shells to work on for the upcoming weeks so keep an eye on the website for new creations! The "Beach Candy" seashell bracelets and earrings have been very popular, and so have the Seashell Love chunky choker necklaces. I've been doing lots of custom orders too, and beach wedding jewelry using Sunrise Shells are in high demand as well. Graduations rings have been a frequent requests and lots of leather "Naturalist" bracelets have been shipping out to the other islands, especially Kauai.
Look for more MonicaByTheShore jewelry on upcoming new episodes of Hawaii FIVE-O after their summer hiatus too!!
The Waialua Sugarmill Festival was a tremendous sucess and I'm really looking forward to my favorite show the year, the Haleiwa Arts Festival in July, on the 16th & 17th! Then its off to Alaska for a couple of weeks in mid August to spend some time on the boat that my son captains up there during the summer months!
Here's a few pics of some beautiful shells!
With Aloha,
Thursday, April 28, 2011
SUNRISE SHELLS - Drilling Holes or Use of Adhesives?
To Drill, or not to Drill, that is the question. :) I'm talking about Shells of course! This is a recent concern, of questionable origin, and here are my thoughts on the subject:
1. Piercing (drilling) the shells is the traditional way of the ancient Hawaiians. They couldn't go to the hardware store to buy glue. They used sharpened pieces of bone, tooth or other shells to pierce holes in the shells so that they could string them into leis. They often used their own long hair as a stringing material!
2. Piercing the shell is always done in the hinge area which is the thickest, strongest part of the shell. The hinge area is the oldest and least fragile part of the shell, the shell grows outwards from the hinge towards the scallop edges (which are the thinnest & sharpest part of the shell).
3. Piercing or drilling a hole in the hinge area of the shell does NOT weaken the shell. In fact, many, many shells are found with natural holes in them. These natural holes are the result of predatory Cone Shell attacks as the Cone tries to consume the scallop within the shell.
4. A ridiculous claim has been made that drilling holes in the shells is "disrespectful". All I can say to this is - I am 100% sure that the amazing Hawaiian women of the Forbidden Island of Ni'ihau, the most talented and revered Shell Lei Makers in the World, would be very, very hurt at that statement, as 100% of their shells are pierced...! Just google "Niihau Shell Lei Makers" to watch numerous YouTube videos of them at work, piercing their shells! This is the way they have made their shell leis for many Generations.
5. Adhesives - do they work or not? Well the answer is yes & no. I would not want to trust my prized Sunrise Shell to a crafter's adhesive, even the most popular E-6000 brand. Any flexible adhesive should be avoided at all costs! The only type of adhesive I would use is a 2-part epoxy, but even this has some drawbacks:
5.a. An epoxy, or any other man made material for that matter, is only as good as the manufacturing process with which it is made. As a former Manufacturing Quality Engineering Manager (10 years with Apple Computer, 10 years in the Automotive Industry) I can tell you with absolute certainty that no process is foolproof. If one or more components/processes of the epoxy is defective, so is the epoxy bond, your shell will fall off.
5.b. Epoxy has a shelf life. Can you be sure that the epoxy used on your shell was used within its dated shelf life? If not, the bond is not secure, your shell will fall off.
5.c. Epoxy must be mixed absolutely perfectly. If the mixing process is not followed per the product's specification, the bond is not secure.
5.d. Epoxy must be used within the manufacture's specified climate parameters - that is, temperature and humidity. Here in Hawaii it is frequently hot and rainy so this is a very important concern that often goes ignored by many who are trying to 'pump out' lots of jewelry as quickly as possible.
5.e. Preparation of the surfaces to be epoxied is extremely important. Surfaces contaminated by sweaty hands, lotions, oils, soaps, acids, wax, salt water, food - anything, will cause the epoxy to become separated from the shell surface, and you will lose your shell.
5.f. Storage of the epoxy is also important. Has the epoxy been stored outside in the sun, in the hot trunk of a car, etc...?
5.g. Epoxy does not last for a lifetime. Eventually it does become brittle and will crack. Even clear epoxy tends to turn yellow rather quickly, that is why some people like to use grains of sand to hide the yellow color, but this is merely a cosmetic issue.
5.h. Epoxy will soften with heat, even when used correctly. I would not trust a shell that has been made with epoxy in a hot tub or jacuzzi. Even extremely hot showers or prolonged high body heat can soften the epoxy bond.
So, do I use epoxy? Yes, sometimes I do. I like my design of the "floating" Sunrise Shell with the Puka Shell epoxied to the back so that nothing is seen except the beautiful Sunrise Shell. But I also trust my 20 years of experience in Manufacturing Quality Engineering, and I am confident in my ability to follow the process to the "T" and to inspect the products that I use for shelf life and all other manufacturer's specifications and process parameters, to ensure a secure bond.
To sum this discussion up I will say this: If you want to wear your shell as jewelry, and if you want to wear it all the time in all weather and temperature conditions, have your shell pierced just as the old Hawaiian Ali'i did and enjoy it for a life time! If you prefer the look of the epoxied shells, you have been informed of the potential failures, and you should be confident in your jewelry maker's ability to follow all the epoxy processes correctly.
I hope this note has been informative.
Aloha,
Monica
1. Piercing (drilling) the shells is the traditional way of the ancient Hawaiians. They couldn't go to the hardware store to buy glue. They used sharpened pieces of bone, tooth or other shells to pierce holes in the shells so that they could string them into leis. They often used their own long hair as a stringing material!
2. Piercing the shell is always done in the hinge area which is the thickest, strongest part of the shell. The hinge area is the oldest and least fragile part of the shell, the shell grows outwards from the hinge towards the scallop edges (which are the thinnest & sharpest part of the shell).
3. Piercing or drilling a hole in the hinge area of the shell does NOT weaken the shell. In fact, many, many shells are found with natural holes in them. These natural holes are the result of predatory Cone Shell attacks as the Cone tries to consume the scallop within the shell.
4. A ridiculous claim has been made that drilling holes in the shells is "disrespectful". All I can say to this is - I am 100% sure that the amazing Hawaiian women of the Forbidden Island of Ni'ihau, the most talented and revered Shell Lei Makers in the World, would be very, very hurt at that statement, as 100% of their shells are pierced...! Just google "Niihau Shell Lei Makers" to watch numerous YouTube videos of them at work, piercing their shells! This is the way they have made their shell leis for many Generations.
5. Adhesives - do they work or not? Well the answer is yes & no. I would not want to trust my prized Sunrise Shell to a crafter's adhesive, even the most popular E-6000 brand. Any flexible adhesive should be avoided at all costs! The only type of adhesive I would use is a 2-part epoxy, but even this has some drawbacks:
5.a. An epoxy, or any other man made material for that matter, is only as good as the manufacturing process with which it is made. As a former Manufacturing Quality Engineering Manager (10 years with Apple Computer, 10 years in the Automotive Industry) I can tell you with absolute certainty that no process is foolproof. If one or more components/processes of the epoxy is defective, so is the epoxy bond, your shell will fall off.
5.b. Epoxy has a shelf life. Can you be sure that the epoxy used on your shell was used within its dated shelf life? If not, the bond is not secure, your shell will fall off.
5.c. Epoxy must be mixed absolutely perfectly. If the mixing process is not followed per the product's specification, the bond is not secure.
5.d. Epoxy must be used within the manufacture's specified climate parameters - that is, temperature and humidity. Here in Hawaii it is frequently hot and rainy so this is a very important concern that often goes ignored by many who are trying to 'pump out' lots of jewelry as quickly as possible.
5.e. Preparation of the surfaces to be epoxied is extremely important. Surfaces contaminated by sweaty hands, lotions, oils, soaps, acids, wax, salt water, food - anything, will cause the epoxy to become separated from the shell surface, and you will lose your shell.
5.f. Storage of the epoxy is also important. Has the epoxy been stored outside in the sun, in the hot trunk of a car, etc...?
5.g. Epoxy does not last for a lifetime. Eventually it does become brittle and will crack. Even clear epoxy tends to turn yellow rather quickly, that is why some people like to use grains of sand to hide the yellow color, but this is merely a cosmetic issue.
5.h. Epoxy will soften with heat, even when used correctly. I would not trust a shell that has been made with epoxy in a hot tub or jacuzzi. Even extremely hot showers or prolonged high body heat can soften the epoxy bond.
So, do I use epoxy? Yes, sometimes I do. I like my design of the "floating" Sunrise Shell with the Puka Shell epoxied to the back so that nothing is seen except the beautiful Sunrise Shell. But I also trust my 20 years of experience in Manufacturing Quality Engineering, and I am confident in my ability to follow the process to the "T" and to inspect the products that I use for shelf life and all other manufacturer's specifications and process parameters, to ensure a secure bond.
To sum this discussion up I will say this: If you want to wear your shell as jewelry, and if you want to wear it all the time in all weather and temperature conditions, have your shell pierced just as the old Hawaiian Ali'i did and enjoy it for a life time! If you prefer the look of the epoxied shells, you have been informed of the potential failures, and you should be confident in your jewelry maker's ability to follow all the epoxy processes correctly.
I hope this note has been informative.
Aloha,
Monica
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