How I Started & Why I Fell in Love with These Tiny Treasures
by Janjira! | ShellsHawaii.com

Aloha and welcome!                                   

My name is Janjira, and I’m the hands and heart behind ShellsHawaii.com

I’m a self-taught artist who fell in love with Niʻihau shell jewelry, not because it was easy, but because it felt meaningful. I didn’t grow up stringing shells, and no one handed me a step-by-step guide. I simply saw something beautiful… and something inside me said: Try. So I did. And I haven’t stopped since.

One day, I saw a woman wearing a Niʻihau shell lei.
I didn’t even know what it was called at the time, but the moment I saw it, I felt something deep inside. These shells, so tiny, so perfect, were unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I couldn’t stop thinking about how anyone could work with something so small and turn it into such incredible art. I was amazed. I truly fell in love with it, not because I wanted to make it, but because I admired it so much.

At first, I never imagined I would try to create it myself. I didn’t think I could. But one day, someone told me, “You can’t do it. You’ll never figure it out on your own.” Something about those words stayed with me. They didn’t stop me, they lit a fire in me. I didn’t try to prove her wrong. I just wanted to see if I could learn… even if it took me a long time. I didn’t know where to collect shells, or who to buy them from. I had no idea where to begin. So I started going to the beach more often, quietly looking and hoping to find those tiny treasures along the shore. I still remember the first time I found one, right there in the sand at the shoreline. I picked it up and felt so happy. It was just one shell… but to me, it felt like a small victory.

From that moment, I started collecting shells — not just to make jewelry, but to understand where they came from. I wanted to know how hard it really is to find them, to sort them, and to learn their shapes, colors, and Hawaiian names. When you want to learn something from beginning to end, you can’t just listen to what others say. You have to feel it — go through every step yourself. Only then do you understand the true value of each shell… and the work it takes to turn it into something beautiful.

Over time, I started to understand the shells — the weight, the curves, the colors. I learned which ones were too fragile to use, which ones looked best together, and how to string them so they would fall just right. No teacher, no shortcut. Just hours and hours of trying.

Along the way, a few kind people helped me. One woman showed me a sample. One man watched me work and gently said, “You’re poking the shells the wrong way.” That one sentence changed everything. I’ll always be grateful for those small moments of kindness — they made a big difference.

Eventually, I finished my first “real” pair of handmade Niʻihau shell earrings.
And then something amazing happened… someone wanted to buy them. When she said, “I’ll take it,” I felt this rush of pride, nerves, and joy all at once. That was the moment I realized — this is real. This is something I can do.

Since then, I’ve spent years improving my technique, learning the traditional styles, and building friendships with customers who feel like part of my shell ʻohana. Some have been with me for years. We’ve never met in person, but we connect through this shared love for Hawaiʻi’s natural art. I’ve made bracelets, earrings, and leis one shell at a time — always by hand, always with care. If a piece doesn’t feel right, I take it apart and start again. That’s just who I am.

Why do I do this?

Because I love it. Because every time I touch these shells, I feel connected, to the ocean, to the past, to something bigger than myself.

Niʻihau shell jewelryis more than decoration. It’s part of a cultural tradition that deserves deep respect. These shells aren’t mass-produced. They’re gifts from nature — collected one by one, and turned into wearable stories. These tiny shells have a way of keeping us all connected — to the ocean, to Hawaiʻi, and to something timeless and beautiful.

ShellsHawaii.com is my way of sharing that feeling through each piece, one shell at a time.

So thank you for being here. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for supporting this beautiful tradition.

I hope my work brings you a little joy, and maybe even a sense of aloha — wherever you are.

With aloha,
Janjira!❤️