It’s common to see people collect seashells along the beach during the summer. Shells come in a wide selectio           n of colors and shapes, making them irresistible to certain collectors.

Did you know that you can use them as part of several different art projects? See what you can do with some seashells and a few crafts.

Seashell Candles

Supplies:

• Seashells of varying designs, colors, and shapes
• Small chunks of paraffin block or candle stubs
• Plastic or newspaper for surface covering
• Candle wicks

Instructions:

1. Clean your shells and let them dry.
2. Cover the work surface with plastic or newspaper. Melt small chunks of a paraffin block (or old candle stubs) in the top of a double boiler.
3. Slowly and carefully pour melted wax into each of your shells. Quickly put a wick in the center of the wax.
4. Let cool about 30 minutes, then light the candles. Make sure you never leave burning candles unattended.

Sand Dollar Mirror

Supplies:

• Frameless mirror
• Assorted sand dollars of varying types and sizes
• Hot-glue gun

Instructions:

1. Lay the mirror on a flat surface.
2. Start with the larger sand dollars, and position them around the rim of the mirror. Layer on medium-size ones, add some accents, and fill in any holes with the smallest ones.
3. Carefully lift the base sand dollars slightly, and apply glue underneath to stick them to mirror. Continue adhering rest of sand dollars, and let them dry (if you make any mistakes, you should be able to pry them off so you can re-apply them).

Seashell Planter

Supplies:

• Seashells
• Mild soap
• Plants
• Twigs, preferably driftwood
• Twine
• Scissors
• Misting machine

Instructions:

1. Select your seashells. Use larger shells (4 to 7 inches long) that have cavities you can insert the plants into. If the shell is dirty, soak it overnight in soap and water, adding a few drops of bleach to help remove the smell and any remaining bacteria.
2. Clean and rinse the shell with mild soap and water. Insert a plant into the cavity of the shell, making sure that it is secure. Heavily mist the plant making sure that none of the water gets into the shell (this is why you shouldn’t simply water the plants).
3. To make the twig base, gather 3 twigs, each about 8 to 14 inches long. Tie them together with twine about three-quarters from the bottom end. Spread the twigs out slightly so that they form a tripod. Adjust the top of the tripod so that it will hold the shell planter.
4. Place your planters in a bright spot with indirect sunlight and good air circulation. Heavily mist the plants once a week so they stay healthy.

Tropical Fish Shells

Supplies:

• Seashells
• Googly eyes
• Hot glue gun
• Paint in various tropical colors

Instructions:

1. Set aside larger shells for the body, and smaller shells for the tail and fin of the fish. Coat each shell in tropical colored paint.
2. Figure out how you want to assemble your fish. Use hot glue to put the pieces together.
3. Finish by gluing on googly eyes.

 

Inspirations:

• Hatteras Island Blog
• Martha Stewart (Mirror)
• Martha Stewart (Planters)
• Crafts by Amanda

 

Looking for a way to store all of the supplies you need for art projects? The Stackable Caddy Organizer from Deflecto allows you to store everything safely until you need them.

 

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