Greek designer, Maria of Grecmuse has a number of collections. However, what caught my eye were her statement real shell and pearl jewelry. Her designs are big and bold!

The shells she uses are sometimes edged with gold or teamed with gold plated findings and charms. Many of her designs feature the shells in their beautiful natural state but she sometimes uses the dyed ones to great effect! 







How to Drill Holes in Shells
Shells are fragile so you need to take care in making holes in them. There is also the safety factor - you do not want to breath in any of the dust. See the cautionary tale from one of my past posts in the link below. 
 
So the best way is to drill while the shells are submerged in some water - you do not need a lot of water. Only the shell and the end of the drill bit is underwater. Just enough water to contain the dust and to keep the drill bit cool. It's the same technique as drilling sea glass - see my past post on How to Drill Sea Glass.
 
This one from @creativefnk  is clever because it doesn't require a drill. Just be careful you do not over heat the shell. I would wear a dust mask and some safety glasses if you chose this method.

Before You Go :

jewelry making supplies

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM