Made by Hand, Inspired by the Coast
Shells by Elaine began with a love of coastal beauty and the simple idea that something found by the sea could become something worth keeping. Each piece is created by hand, combining the natural character of oyster shells with carefully chosen designs to make distinctive décor and gifts.
Meet Elaine
The water has always felt like home to me. From lifelong visits to the rocky coast of Maine to the warm beaches of the Caribbean, I’ve spent years exploring shorelines from the East Coast to the West Coast. Each place has its own colors, textures, and character, and all of them have shaped the way I see coastal beauty.
After more than two decades living along the Chesapeake Bay, I now create from my home in historic Gloucester, Virginia, surrounded by the oyster and fishing communities of Mobjack Bay. Living so close to the water keeps that connection to the coast present in everyday life and continues to inspire the work I make.
My decoupage shell art grew naturally from that lifelong love of the sea. I enjoy taking shells that are already beautiful in their own right and transforming them with carefully chosen patterns, colors, and details. Because nature never repeats itself, no two shells are exactly alike — and no two finished pieces are either.
For me, creating these pieces is about more than decoration. It is a way to preserve a little of the character of the coast and turn it into something that can be enjoyed, displayed, gifted, and kept.