Etceteras: shell souvenir jars

Summer is winding down and beach, pool or outdoor days will soon be over. Every summer we try to get to the beach as much as possible and at the end of summer we wish we had gone more.


I’ve always collected shells along the beach and used them for projects here and there and then tucked the rest of them away. This year I decided to display them in little jars.

I wanted a weathered vintage look for this jar and went to work “rusting” the lid. 

One of the fastest ways to rust metal is with vinegar. This jar lid had a brushed gold look so I sanded it with fine sandpaper to remove the gold layer. To start the rusting process, soak your lid in vinegar – I left mine in for about an hour. Place the lid on a paper towel so it’s exposed to air. The combination of oxygen and the acid in the vinegar will start the oxidation process. The photos above show the jar lid before the vinegar, at one hour, two hours and the next day.


I found this broken sand dollar and it’s too fragile to put in one of the jars. So I just placed it on a small glass tile. It’s rare around here to find an unbroken sand dollar and I love this one even if it isn’t perfect.


Every summer our last beach day is spent with a group of friends. It’s a symbolic end-of-summer tradition and I’d love to have more of these tubes filled with shells for years to come.


If you don’t live near the beach, you can make summer souvenir jars with other items. Pebbles, sand, or other bits of nature that have meaning.

I feel very lucky to live so close to the beach. Do you have a favorite summer spot? I’d love to hear how you like to make your summer special.

Thanks for visiting.

Carolyn

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