Decor & More: Sea Shell Crafts

One way to keep the Summer spirit alive during these cooler months is to display those beautiful sea shells you found during your many trips to the beach. 

These crafts are fairly easy and inexpensive. All you need is a hot glue gun and some hot glue sticks. Some of these do require a bit of time, do it on a rainy day. 

Start off by cleaning out all the sand and grit from your shells. Best way to go about that is to run them in the dishwasher on your next cycle. 

With the Holidays coming up, here are a few personalized stocking stuffers using sea shells. 

1. Candles- Take apart tea light candles and glue the wick to the bottom of the shell. Melt the remaining wax and pour into the shell letting it cool. You can make dozens of these at zero to no cost. You can always add a few drops of essential oils to the melted wax. Place a few sea candles into ornate baggies and use as gifts or party favors. 
2. Jewelry Bowls- After you wash the shells and wipe them dry go ahead and spray paint them with a metallic finish for an upscale look. Each shell is unique and will be that much more interesting as a gift. This decor item can cost up to $75 at a boutique, you can make it yourself with a seven dollar can of spray paint. Add personalized notes or quotes to the inside of the shell. 
3. Accent Decor- Use smaller shells to create a beachy Christmas tree. Purchase a foam cone from your local craft store and hot glue the shells around the entire cone focusing on creating the tree shape. You can glue on a wooden or glass pedestal (like a candle stick holder) to give it a nice finish. 
4. Magnets- Pretty self explanatory…Glue magnets to shells and use them on your fridge or any metal surfaces. Great for coworker gifts because you can stick them to metal file cabinets.
5. Mirror- Embellish a plain mirror with your beach finds to give it a unique look. Get as creative as you'd like with this one. There is no wrong or right. 

Dont forget to share your creations with us by tagging us on Instagram @dennison_dampier or Facebook. 

Leave a comment and let us know what you think. We love feedback!

Until next time,
P