Sailor's

Valentines

Have you ever gone on vacation and brought home a souvenir to remember your trip? On Nantucket in the 1800s, whalers left their home island and their loved ones and voyaged around the world. While they were away at sea, many whalers missed loved ones they left behind and purchased gifts such as sailor’s valentines. These detailed works of art were made from tiny seashells arranged in patterns in octagonal wooden boxes. Whalers purchased these souvenirs on the island of Barbados, often one of their final stops before returning home to Nantucket. Today, people from all over the world continue to practice this craft. You can join them!

Image
Image
Image

Count how many sides the box has. What designs did the artist create out of shells?

Materials

● Scissors
● Liquid glue
● Cardboard octagon or paper plate
● Collection of small objects to decorate your valentine with: dried beans, pebbles, seashells, and/or dry pasta of different sizes and shapes
● Optional: paint (to paint your collected objects if you want specific colors)

Directions

1

With the help of an adult, cut out an octagon on cardboard or from a paper plate. This will be your “box,” or the base of your valentine.

2

Collect small objects you can use to decorate your valentine. See the suggestions above.

3

If you would like to paint your objects, do so and let them dry before proceeding to the next step.

4

Add a layer of glue to your base. Make sure the entire base is covered in glue so that you can cover every inch with your collected objects. Tip: Use a paintbrush to spread the glue.

5

Arrange your collected objects on top of your gluey base. Decide if you would like to make a pattern with objects of different sizes, shapes, or colors. Maybe you'd like to include a border around the edges, or go freestyle and sprinkle your objects all over!

Image

Consider giving your sailor's valentine to someone you love!