Sea Shell & Sand Dollar Crafts
No trip to the beach is complete without returning home with at least a few seashells and sand dollars. But what to do with all your new treasures? Making unique craft projects from the shells is a great way to display them and put them to use.
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Sand Dollar Ornaments
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After cleaning your sand dollars thoroughly, make them into attractive ornaments with just a few supplies. Use acrylic craft paint to create any type of design that you prefer. The natural lines in a sand dollar make them perfect to paint a poinsettia flower on the top, using the lines to create the center line of the petals. Alternatively, you can paint a snow scene, a Christmas tree or a snowman. Once the paint on the sand dollar has dried completely, thread a thin ribbon through one of the holes and tie it together at the top. Use the ribbon to hang the ornament from the Christmas tree or anywhere else you want to place it.
Candle Holder
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Make an attractive and unique candleholder using a plain glass candleholder, glue, shells and sand. After cleaning and drying the candleholder thoroughly, plan where you want to place the shells ahead of time to make sure that they will fit snugly to the glass. Place a thin layer of glue around the edge of the shell and place it on the glass. This is best done with the jar lying on its side so that the shell has a chance to dry. Put shells all over the candleholder wherever you prefer and let them all dry. To apply the sand, put a thin layer of glue on a small section of the candleholder at a time and sprinkle sand over it. Once you have covered all of the area that is not covered by shells, allow it to dry for several hours before shaking off the excess sand. To keep everything shiny and intact, brush or spray a thin layer of polyurethane over the entire candleholder and let it dry before adding a candle.
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Treasure Box
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Most craft stores sell unfinished wood or cardboard boxes that can be decorated any way you prefer. If you use a hot glue gun or craft glue to attach beach treasures onto the lid and the side of the box, you will have a great place to keep memories from your beach trip or anything else you like. Plan your design before you start, and glue each shell on individually. Try a simple pattern of shells along the side and bottom of the box and then add a pile of shells all over the top. Once the glue is dry, your treasure box is ready to be displayed.
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