Mrs. Mango for accessories

Sunday, October 11, 2026

Saturday, October 3, 2026

What I Ate, I Wore

In novels, films, and documentaries, we often see the hunter or fisherman keeping a part of what they have caught as a keepsake or talisman—a simple cord worn around the neck with a shark’s tooth, perhaps, or a pendant made from a lion’s claw.

It is a tradition almost as old as humanity itself: a message to those around us, and to generations to come:

Look, I caught this fierce creature. This keepsake is proof of my story.

A piece of jewelry or a talisman can also reflect a person’s taste, awareness, and sophistication in the way they use nature’s resources—coral, pearls, shells, and other natural materials.

Shells and seashells have always been among the materials I love working with. I find them beautiful and refined. They give me the feeling that I am a part of nature, rather than simply making nature a part of my life.

A few months ago, I was at a popular market in Alexandria, not far from the sea. I found the kind of shellfish I love, so I bought a kilo and placed them in a bowl to wash them.

They were all moving around in the bowl.

Then I noticed one that looked different.

They all had pointed edges, but this one was smooth and swollen. I picked it up and discovered that the creature inside had two eyes and a tail.

Everyone at home warned me about it.

“Throw it away.”

But I boiled it along with the other shellfish and ate it.

It turned out to be the most delicious shellfish I had ever tasted in my life.

After cleaning the shell, I noticed that its shape was different. I kept it for several days, not quite knowing what I wanted to do with it.

Then my mother sent me a short tutorial video showing how to turn a shell into a pendant for a necklace.

That gave me an idea.

I decided to turn my shell into a pendant.

I made a set using crystals and natural shells that I had bought earlier for making jewelry.

In fact, this became the very first jewelry set I ever worked on with AI. I created a background of sand, a beach, and bright sunlight—the environment where this little shell truly belongs, and the setting it naturally deserves.

I was proud of what I had made.

And if fishermen wear jewelry made from what they have caught,

I wore a beautiful jewelry set made from what I had eaten .