How to Decoupage Seashells
Summer may be over, but you can make your vacation memories last with a project that uses the seashells you collected on the beach. It's fairly easy to use decoupage techniques to create a beach masterpiece with your found treasures.
Things You'll Need
- Seashells
- Hot-glue gun
- Decoupage medium
- Paintbrush
- Photo or picture
- Seashell
- Ribbon
- Hot glue gun
Instructions
-
Shell-Embellished Objects
-
1
Choose an object that you want to embellish with shells. It could be an old mirror, a picture frame, a wreath, a decorative box or even a piece of furniture.
-
2
Complete any prep work on the object. Make sure the object is clean. Paint the object if necessary and allow it to dry completely.
-
-
3
Make sure the shells are clean. You wouldn't want to start this project, only to find out that your creation smells really bad. Refer to the eHow article "How to Clean Seashells" for more information.
-
4
Play with the shells first before you begin to glue. Arrange them in a design, or come up with a totally random design using a variety of shell sizes. Let your imagination run wild, but know what you're doing before you start gluing.
-
5
Use the hot glue gun to carefully apply glue to the shells. Once the shells are in place, leave them alone so that the glue can dry.
-
6
Pick up your shell project once the glue has dried and see if any shells are loose or come off.
-
7
Reattach shells as needed. If the same shells continue to fall off, try a different shell in its place, or bend wire around the shell to give it some support, then hot-glue the wire ends in place.
Seashell Decoupage Ornament
-
8
Choose a shell that has a large open space to allow you to see a picture inside.
-
9
Select a small picture that you love: it can be a clipping from a magazine, photo of your kids at the beach, or a holiday sentiment printed in a pretty script.
-
10
Glue the picture inside the shell using the decoupage glue.
-
11
Give the shell a lovely border by painting around the edge of the shell with craft paint or puffy paint. Allow the paint to dry.
-
12
Paint the inside of the shell with the decoupage medium.
-
13
Add a ribbon for hanging with your hot glue gun, or carefully drill a hole to thread the ribbon through. Hint: next time you're at the beach, look specifically for shells with natural holes--they're out there.
-
1
