Why do I love oysters? 1) Oysters are full of vitamins a minerals! 2) Oysters act like a second liver and can help digest any alcohol you drink 3) Oysters can filter up to 10L of water in an hour, so the location of where your oyster is from is key to how your oyster will taste.

Step 1: Go Out to Eat Oysters

In order to make an oyster shell necklace, you need to get your hands on some shells. I recommend that you go out to eat them! Look at your oysters and pick a shell that is a pretty shape. I prefer small oysters for taste and for my necklaces, although you can make a necklace with any size oyster.

Tips for finding the best deal on oysters is to look for a place with happy hour! You get your oysters for less and can enjoy more if you want.

Step 2: Materials You Will Need

1) Oyster shell of your choosing

2) Chain of which ever color or style you choose, for this necklace I choose silver. I also chose to use more than one kind of chain for this necklace, you may use just one if you prefer.

3) 20 gage wire (you can use a 22 if you want but make sure the wire you get is not to flimsy or your necklace will need frequent repairs) FYI this will limit the beads you can put on it since some beads have smaller holes than you can string on this gage wire!

4) Beads- any color combination that you want!

5) One jump ring

6) Super Glue- (I specifically used gorilla glue that is in a gel consistency instead of a liquid, a gel is better because it won't run.)

7) Plier set- used for the chain, and to cut your guage wire

8) One clasp- you can use any style you want, I prefer a toggle

9) One flat head pin

10) Drill with small drill bit (as small as you can) This is to place a hole in your oyster shell (at the hinge of the oyster)

11) Towel- to place on the table this helps keep beads and materials from rolling off the table

Step 3: Making You Centerpeice

1) Start by drilling the hole into your oyster shell. use the smallest drill it you can a 1/16th or if you can get ahold of it a 1/32nd is best.

2)string the head pin through (can also use an eye pin if you have it). Cut to have enough to bend into a small loop

3) Use your pliers (I prefer my round pliers for this task) to bend into a loop.

4) Choose a center bead (mine is a real oyster pearl, but feel free to get fake pearls if you want since they will be round) Use gorilla glue to glue to shell.

You have your centerpiece ready! Now lets move on to making our chain...

Step 4: Sizing the Chain Links

You can make this necklace as long or short as you want. A short to medium length is preferred since you want you oyster to show off its bead inside.

I recommend you use 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches of chain per link

1) use your round pliers to open up a chain and the decided length and repeat 4-8 times

2) use flat pliers to bend ring back so you don't lose it, (I prefer to leave it open and place it on my towel to keep from losing it-just because you'll have to reopen them for the 6th step anyways so save your self the time)

When finished you should have an ODD number of chain segments.

Step 5: Designing the Beaded Lengths

1) Choose your beaded pattern. I make a few bead patterns using a variety of shaped beads. I specifically choose colored pearl (fake this time) beads as my primary bead to compliment the oyster necklace. Have fun with this step you can do anything with this step.

2) String all beads onto the wire

3) Loop free end closed

4) Cut with your cutting pliers on opposite end leaving just enough to loop opposite end

Repeat several more times. I used 4 beaded sections (two of each kind I made) in my necklace but you may use 6 in yours. Just depends on the length you want.