Our local craft store, A.C.Moore, has a shell section in one of the aisles. You can buy bags of various shells as well as bags of dyed shells. Check your local craft store and hopefully they'll have some you can work with.

Bead stores occasionally carry shells that have a hole drilled in them for stringing. Or you can find a cowrie and glue on a finding with jewelry glue so the shell can be strung on a necklace.

I've drilled holes in shells before with a fine-tipped dremel. It's easy to do but you have to work very slowly to avoid chipping the shell.

I've also drilled holes in shells with a hand drill set with a tiny drill bit. The shells broke easily but I did get some good ones. Cowrie shells are really hard and I've never tried drilling one.

Let us know if you find what you need for your daughter to make the necklace. Sounds like a fun activity for her!

Julia