Painted Crab Shells - Back to Work

 It has been a rough several months. The problem is health issues. I took a hiatus from painting shells back in January after a successful holiday season. I was not feeling well and was getting progressively worse. The problem this time was essentially a repeat of June of last year..........clogged arteries. After several testing procedures I went in for another catheterization/angioplasty. This time I had not reached the point of a heart attack but I knew it was coming. The end result is that I have two new stents...........which brings my total to seven. I am doing okay at this point............I resist.

 
 I have a whole lot of catching up to do. Slowly but surely I get it all done. This stuff takes a lot of time and the only physical aspect is the scrubbing and disinfecting of the crab shells........and the packing and unpacking of the large number of finished shells to be put on display at the flea market. I do occasionally have some help with that. These days I take my time.........I'm in no hurry. My life does not depend on painting and selling crab shells.........but my life does depend on me trying to keep the arteries functioning.

 After years and years of sitting there at the flea market painting the crab shells I still get asked if I really paint them. Yes........indeed I do. It's not like there is a machine that can spit this stuff out.........if there were I would use it.

 I get requests for all sorts of things put on a crab shell. Some are very challenging and some are very simple. It amazes me sometimes because I cannot see the correlation of some of the art and the crab shell. That's okay though..........if that's what the customer wants then that's what the customer will get.

Business owners love getting their logos put on a crab shell. This one was a challenge but it worked out well.

 Dogs on a crab shell are requested often. Favorite breeds, living pets and memorial images of long lost companions. 

Favorite cartoon and movie characters.

This one has a school mascot with the student's name and graduation year.

Here's another business logo on a shell. I imagine it now hangs in someone's office.

The shells in display boxes are very popular and they make great gifts. Any combination of shells. 

Now that I am back at it again, come on down to the Northpoint Plaza Flea Market in Dundalk, MD.   I am here on Saturdays from 7am until 3 pm and Sundays from 7am until 4 pm.  Even if you have no intention of making a purchase or ordering a crab shell, come visit us and have a look.........there is no other purveyor of painted crab shells that offers such a wide selection. We are the largest and best anywhere. It costs nothing to look and say hello.

Also, If you have nothing to do on a Monday, come and see me in Cecil County at Hunter's Sale Barn & Flea Market on Jacob Tome Hwy. from 3 pm until 8 pm.

Stay tuned..........