She Sells Seashells by the Seashore

It's long been claimed that this famous tongue twister was inspired by one of my favorite historical figures — Mary Anning (1799-1874). She was a pioneering fossilist who grew up along the shoreline of Lyme Regis, England and spent years gathering and selling shells and bones of prehistoric creatures.

As a child, Anning dug up her first major discovery — an Ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like reptile. She later discovered the first complete plesiosaur and a species of pterosaurs. Though she faced challenges as a pioneering woman in the scientific community, today she is celebrated as one of the greatest fossil hunters. Her many discoveries have inspired children of all ages to comb the beach in search for fossils.

This set captures the spirit of discovery and adventure from every visit to the seashore. 250 pcs

*Please note, I took some artistic license in my portrayal of the Ichthyosaur fossil tail.