Im making seashells from fondant and I read somewhere that you can add bits of vanilla bean to the fondant before you roll it out to make specks. But since I don't have vanilla bean I was wondering if anyone has any other ideas for what I can use instead?

Maybe finely ground coffee beans?

lol, that's funny, as soon as I posted this I thought of coffee beans. But then I thought they might be too coarse, but I guess, like you said, if they are finely ground they should be ok. Bet it would taste alright too

I buy vanilla bean paste, which I use in my "vanilla bean" cakes and icings. You measure it the same as vanilla in a recipe, but it's got the added vanilla bean specks in it. You can find it at many food stores, Williams-Sonoma, Whole Foods, etc. Even my local neighborhood candy/nut shop carries it. HTH

You can also use edible glitter (not dusts) if you'd like a little sparkle.