Aloha and welcome, everyone — I’m so happy to have you here at my work table today.

Before I share the story of how these beautiful, super cute Hawaiian pineapple earrings come to life, I just want to say… this set feels very special to me. Before they became what you see here, I had been quietly collecting these colors for a long time — one shell at a time, whenever I came across them. And today, finally, I get to bring them to life… now let’s get into how these earrings are created.

So… what type of shells do I use to create this design?

For this set of earrings, I created them using Momi, Laiki, and Kahelelani shells. They feel just right for this design, and together they begin to resemble a little Hawaiian pineapple… don’t you think? And you might be wondering — why do I call this Hawaiʻi’s pineapple? I’ve shared a little about this in one of my blogs before, and I’ll link it here so you can take a closer look.

Today, instead of starting from how I usually sort my shells, I’d like to go straight into this design — how I choose the colors, how each pair comes together, and how these earrings shape up from my work table today.

Blue ʻŪliʻuli Momi & Laiki Shell Earrings with Pink Kahelelani – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2803

This pair of Hawaiian shell earrings is created using soft blue ʻŪliʻuli Momi shells, carefully matched blue Laiki shells, and delicate pink Kahelelani shells arranged in my signature pineapple design. The tones come together in a gentle, natural harmony — a combination that feels both fresh and timeless.

As I shared in my blog, blue is one of the rarer colors found in Niʻihau shells. For this particular shade of Momi and Laiki, I have been collecting over many years, slowly gathering pieces that match in both size and tone. Only after that time and patience was I able to bring them together into this special design — one that I have truly been looking forward to creating.

Blue uliuli Momi, Yellow Laiki & Red burgundy Kahelelani Shell Earrings – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2911

And this is where the design begins to feel a little more playful. For this pair, I used brighter golden yellow Laiki shells at the top, and to me… it feels like the pineapple is just beginning to ripen. The body is rare blue uliuli Momi shells, while the crown starts to glow with warmth.

At the same time, the deeper burgundy Kahelelani tones bring a sense of richness and depth, gently grounding the piece and giving it a more complete, settled feeling. It’s this balance between light and depth that makes this pair feel so alive to me.

Soft Blue Undertone Momi & Laiki Shell Earrings with Red and Green Kahelelani – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2910

After I looked through my Momi shells collection, trying to find the matching medium soft blue tone, this pair came together in a softer way. These Momi shells appear off-white at first, but as I worked with them, I began to see a very light blue undertone — a gentle reminder that they were collected from the same beach as the blue ʻŪliʻuli shells.

The color feels calm and quiet, almost like the ocean on a soft day.

For this design, I paired them with light yellow Laiki on top to add a warm glow, and used Kahelelani shells in deep red burgundy and touches of green to bring contrast and life into the piece.

Butter Pecan Momi & Golden Lenalena Laiki Shell Earrings with Burgundy Kahelelani – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2908

For this pair of my pineapple earrings, I used soft butter pecan tones with creamy off-white and a gentle golden hue, with Momi shells showing natural blends of beige, soft caramel markings, and deeper brown edges with black waha adding subtle depth.

I added bright golden Lenalena Laiki shells on the top for a soft glow, while the Kahelelani shells in rich brown, known as Mākuʻe, bring an earthy balance to the piece. Altogether, the colors feel warm, natural, and softly comforting… sometimes even reminding you of butter pecan ice cream.

Soft Creamy Momi & Light Golden Laiki Shell Earrings with Pink Kahelelani – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2905

As I continue searching for the butter pecan color of Momi shells, I begin to notice another tone that feels more calm. These Momi shells are softer and more subtle, almost a pale yellow, but with a strong black waha that gives them a beautiful contrast. I told myself this color would turn out so nice with my pineapple design, and I began looking for soft pink Kahelelani to pair with lighter yellow Laiki shells on the top.

And what do you think… how did this one turn out?

Yellow Lenalena Momi & Light Yellow Laiki Shell Earrings with Pink ʻĀkala Kahelelani – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2909

For this pair, the Momi shells carry a warm creamy tone with more visible golden and light brown speckles throughout, giving them a slightly richer and more textured look. The color feels a little deeper than the softer pale tones, while still keeping a natural warmth, with black waha adding gentle contrast.

I paired them with light yellow Laiki shells on the top for a soft glow, and added pink flower Kahelelani in ʻĀkala, bringing a fresh and delicate touch to the design.

Altogether, this combination feels warm, lively, and softly grounded.

Yellow Tone Momi & Light Yellow Laiki Shell Earrings with Deep Red and Brown Kahelelani – Hawaiian Pineapple Design #2907

As I thought, I was running out of the yellow Momi tones… so I paused for a moment and went back to look through my shells again. I carefully checked to see if I still had Momi shells in the size I needed.

And yes… I did.

This set of Momi shells carries a warm cream tone with a gentle hint of yellow, along with black waha that adds a soft contrast. It wasn’t the exact yellow I had in mind at first, but as I looked closer, I realized it still held the warmth I was searching for.

So I paired them with light yellow Laiki on the top to bring out that soft glow, and added Kahelelani shells in deep red and brown tones to give the design more depth and balance. I think it turned out very nicely… what do you think?

The Pao Hana Time for My Creation

As the day comes to a close, to pao hana, I take a moment to look over my work… and I see how colorful and beautiful these pineapple earrings have become. One of the most challenging parts today was matching the shell sizes and colors. When it comes to poking Laiki shells, I have to use the smallest needle I have and slowly expand the hole as needed, being very careful not to make it too large.

The next step will be another challenge — adding the small puka shell on the top and attaching the earring hook, because there is only a very small space in the middle of the Laiki shells to work with. It takes a steady hand and a lot of patience to bring everything together in such a tiny area.

That will be my next step, and the part I’m really looking forward to… is photographing them.

I hope to have these earrings available on my website soon, so please check back in the next few days to see if they are ready. And again, thank you so much for stopping by and spending this time with me… I’ll see you next time from my work table.

With aloha,
Janjira