Meet Shell Mills… a creative mum of 3 who loves capturing special family moments on camera. She’s built a 42k+ following on Instagram sharing her family adventures, plus tons of inspirational ideas for parents.
We are big fans of Shell, and guess what, she’s a big fan of Sun Jellies! With an extensive jelly collection, we’re always delighted to see her and her family out and about with their jelly shoes and bags.
We love Shell’s vibe and we think you will too, so we invited her to feature in our ‘Friends of Sun Jellies’ series. Let’s dive into the life of Shell Mills… her background, her unique style, and of course, her jelly ways!
What has happened in your life to lead you to where you are now? I studied fashion design at university and have always been creative. I then went on to study photography, which is where my passion for capturing moments started. My husband and I met at university in Nottingham but as he grew up in Cornwall he always wanted to be back by the sea after we graduated. We spent summers working down in Cornwall and I fell in love with the county, so we moved here 22 years ago and now my parents live down here too, so it’s definitely home and a great lifestyle for the kids to grow up in. I never planned my instagram… I like to call it my happy accident, which helped me get my creativity back after having the children, and then turned into a career which I love. It works around my family so I always feel very blessed to do this and work with brands that I love like Sun Jellies!
What are your favourite things to do? I’m at my happiest with my family at the beach. I love being creative with interior design and have recently found a love for gardening and growing our own fruits and vegetables.
If you were heading out to eat, what would you be hoping to find on the menu? Living in Cornwall, we’re lucky to have lots of fresh seafood. I enjoy all foods really but Tex-Mex is a fave! We also like BBQs and cook everything from fish and meats, to grilled peaches… we’ve set ourselves a summer challenge to have 50 BBQs and we’ve currently had 15!
What’s your favourite tipple or sweet treat?It’s a bit of a strange one but I’m obsessed with Spicy Tomato Juice and drink it everyday! I definitely have a sweet tooth and love hot doughnuts at the seaside!
What values are important to you when you’re shopping for yourself and your family? We as a family are always trying to find ways to do better for the planet. I think I’m a conscious consumer….I like to support small businesses and shop as ethical as possible.
How would you describe your Instagram account? Who would it inspire, and what does it deliver to followers? My Instagram is a bit of everything….I share our family adventures from our life here in Cornwall, to travel, parenting, family food ideas, and of course fashion! The kids and I love having fun with fashion and wear what we love. I hope to inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and wear things they may not have felt confident wearing in the past.
How would you describe your sense of style? I love colour and mixing prints. As a mum of 3 I have to be comfortable but I don’t save things for best….I dress things down to wear them as much as I can.
Which Sun Jellies bag is your FAVE, and why? I love them all and all the gorgeous colours, but if I had to choose one it would be the Betty Basket as it’s got a large opening and fits sooo much in! I love the retro style and it’s great for everyday.
What would we find inside your jelly bag? My husband always jokes I have everything but the kitchen sink in my jelly bag but that’s having 3 kids! Usually there will be the obvious things like wallet, keys, snacks for the kids etc. Always SPF, all year through! A facial spritz, tissues, toys the kids have left in there and crayons, sunglasses, a little bit of makeup, and wipes of course!
If you’d like to follow along with Shell’s family adventures, head over and follow her on Instagram: @shellandthelittlies
