For anyone that knows me or has been following this company since the beginning, it's no secret that the Hawaiian opihi shell is one of my favorites to find and create jewelry with. Let's get to know this adorable shell a little better shall we?
Opihi shells are a type of limpet. They come from a species of sea snail. Limpets are marine gastropods that have a conical shell and the Hawaiian ones typically have a 'spider-like' appearance.
Hawaiian opihis are endemic to Hawaii, and are found exclusively within the Hawaiian Islands. They are a highly prized Hawaiian cuisine and many consider opihi a delicacy here. (I've heard Roy's makes a really delicious opihi dish but I've personally never tried it- I'd probably feel too bad to eat one, and would embarrass my family by asking the chef if I can take home all of the shells from their dinner service).
Since opihi is a source of food on the island, there are opihi pickers who harvest these shells for consumption. Harvesting opihi shells are known to be pretty challenging due to their location and the waves along the Hawaiian coastline. Opihis live along the rocky shorelines and are known to be found in more dangerous spots that are harder to reach. You can however find a ton of empy opihi shells just in the ocean and on the shorelines.
There are several species of opihi found in Hawaii, including the blackfoot opihi (Cellana exarata) and the yellowfoot opihi (Cellana sandwicensis). Each species has slightly different characteristics and I personally love ALL types of opihis here - I don't discriminate!
Opihi are known for their strong adhesive properties. They use a muscular foot to cling tightly to rocks, even in the face of strong waves and currents. This adhesive ability helps them withstand the constant motion of the ocean.
Unique shell patterns: Opihi shells exhibit a variety of colors and patterns, ranging from black and brown to yellow and green. The shell's surface can be smooth or textured, with patterns such as stripes, spots, or mottling.
Symbolic significance: In Hawaiian culture, opihi shells hold symbolic significance. They are often used in jewelry and crafts, representing strength, resilience, and the connection to the ocean. Locals sometimes also refer to their children as opihi, given that children cling to their mothers for safety and security, similar to how the opihi clings to the rocks along our coastlines.
Due to overharvesting and habitat degradation, opihi populations in Hawaii have declined in recent years. As a result, there are efforts to protect and manage the opihi resources to ensure their sustainability, and we ask that you only take opihis that are unoccupied. Please help protect and respect our sea life and oceans by not taking live shells.
All opihis and shells that are used in our jewelry are found unoccupied. We never use any seashell that is home to any creatures, and ask that you help in doing the same.
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Diving in the ocean and jewelry making has been such a healing outlet for me on the weekends. I truly look forward to it now more than ever with how busy work and life has been lately. A ritual I sincerely look forward to every week is some alone time either under water looking for shells, or working in my office on the weekend, making jewelry and listening to crime podcasts. The older I get, the more I appreciate these moments in my life where I can be totally present in whatever I’m doing. During the work week, it’s tough to find those moments to slow down and prevent your head from racing, thinking about all of your ‘To Do’s’.
One of the things I appreciate most about the island is how it forces you to slow down, and gives you perspective in nature. There’s so much more to this life than the grind, the endless ‘to do’s’, the work, etc. and it’s easy to lose sight of that sometimes. For me, it’s honestly a constant battle to try and balance work with not losing sight of the bigger picture in life. Being here at home in Hawaii has helped me gain that perspective a lot easier. I just wanted to pop in to say hi, and to remind you all that life’s too short to worry and work too much. A little reminder to get out and get in those mountains, jump in that ocean, hit the road, whatever. Gain new perspectives and enjoy!
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There's actually two common types of miters that I personally find out here in Hawaii. There's another common miter that I call the a deep sea miter, but it's official name is the 'Episcopal Miter'. There’s something SO beautiful about these shells. I’ve found itty bitty small ones along our shores, and even larger deep sea miters on my scuba dives, and they’re all just as exciting to find. Something about the punctured miters reminds me of a crown; the way their horns sort of sit along the outside of the shell, creating this Queen or King like appearance. I just love their vibrant orange color, and I find myself getting the most excited to find these for whatever reason. Yes... even over sunrise shells. Sunrise shells deserve their own blog post entirely, but in short, sunrise shells are endemic to Hawaii and are the hardest shells to find in my opinion. They’re found at about 100 ft. and require you to scuba for these beauties. Gosh, and as I write this, I’m tempted to change this blog post entirely to say they’re my favorite to find, but for some reason I’m going to stick with the miter shell for now.
My favorite shell to make jewelry out of is 100% the opihi shell. I’ve had a love for opihis for a very long time, and have always thought they were the cutest shells with such a symbolic meaning. This little guy clinging onto rocks along our Hawaiian coastlines, using these rocks as a safe harbor against the ocean’s power and force. Similar to little children, opihis cling onto these rocks similar to how children cling to their guardians. I find this analogy to be so touching and heart-warming. I just love working with opihis, and sometimes think of how beautiful each one is in their own way, similar to children. The gold-dipped opihi necklace is an original piece that I personally designed and created from my love of the opihi shell. From the start it’s been my favorite to work with in my jewelry, and continues to be a shell that I love to find and work with in my pieces.
As much as I favor opihis, miters, and sunnies, I truly do LOVE every shell I find, and am just as excited for a pretty broken piece as I am a whole one (they make for perfect ring pieces and are fun to keep for crafts and décor)!
What’s your favorite seashell? I’d love to know!
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Now can we take a minute to talk about this WALLPAPER?! Yes, wallpaper is totally in again, and I’m here for it! I went back and forth on the type of wallpaper I wanted, and researched TONS of companies. After much research, I landed on a beach mural wallpaper. The company I went with was The Goodies Wallpaper Company. If you take one step onto their Etsy shop, you’ll understand why I went with these guys. Their wallpaper collection is STUNNING! They are a small business out of Poland of all places, and Dominika, the owner, was so pleasant to work with; she made sure my wall measurements were accurate, worked with me to find the right size of wallpaper, and was communicative the entire time! I ultimately ended up going with their black and white beach mural, called the “Summer Breeze” wallpaper.
Immediately after installing this beauty, I was in love. I love the simplicity of colors in the room, and the black and white wallpaper gave it just the right amount of fun that I was looking for in the office. I wanted to feel a sense of serenity and calm by stepping into a beach scene any time I am working on jewelry, and The Goodies Wallpaper helped me achieve exactly that. I am excited to share that I’ve partnered with the company to offer you all a discount code to use for your next purchase on their Etsy site through the end of January:
>> CUTEST Wallpaper Promo Code: Use code “HAWAII10” at checkout in The Goodies Wallpaper shop <<
Now let’s talk about the three tiered artwork I have next to the window. Again, I leaned towards a more minimal style, with frames from Target, and prints from Pomelo Design Co. & Aloha De Mele. Two brilliantly talented local artists, Kristine and JT, whom I am honored to call my dear friends. Their pieces were the perfect pop of color for the office, and tied in really well with the rest of the room’s color scheme.
On the largest naked wall in the room, I decided I wanted to pay homage to some of my favorite places to scuba dive. I found a vintage collection of worldly locations on Etsy and decided to frame the ‘article-style’ prints. The locations that made the cut? Indonesia, Japan, Fiji, and of course, Hawai’i. All four of these locations have provided me with some of the greatest scuba diving experiences and memories. These give me energy and excitement to get into the water here on Oahu, but also inspires me to plan and dream of my next scuba adventure!
What I loved about these prints were that they were also black and white, similar to the wallpaper. I thought I’d keep the room really simple. (because in all honesty, there’s way too much going on on top of my work desk normally, that simple décor is for the best- let’s just say this office stayed tidy for all of 2 hours for this shoot, and then went back to its natural state of 'calculated chaos'). I hope you draw some inspiration from this work office renovation! Wild what a little wallpaper, flooring, and artwork can do to a space huh!?
Remember to use your promo code for The Goodies Wallpaper now through end of January 2022! Use code "HAWAII10" at checkout on their Etsy shop!
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