DIY shell crafts for beginners. Crafts from seashells

After a trip to the sea, positive emotions always remain, and stylish crafts made from shells will remind you of a pleasant vacation for a long time. Collecting shells on the beach is a fun activity that adults and children enjoy, but often this natural material is thrown away or stored in bags. Shells come in different shapes and sizes, so handicraftsmen use them to make animal figurines, flowers, jewelry and much more. Find out, what beginners can do with seashells with your own hands and spend your leisure time profitably.

DIY shell trees

Materials:

- glue gun

- cardboard

- shells

- decorative elements.

A tree made of shells will remind you of a good holiday at sea for a long time. First prepare a cone-shaped case made of cardboard or plastic. Apply glue to the cone and start gluing the shells. First you need to use thick shells, and then glue on the medium and small ones. If you think through the drawing, you will get a very original composition.

Small gaps between shells can be hidden using sea or white sand.

Shell ball for beginners

Today, craft stores sell a large number of blanks, which can be used to create original crafts. If you can find a foam ball, the shells will stick well with hot glue. Another way is to take any ball and prepare a special mixture of sand and tile adhesive. This composition is applied to the ball using a spatula, so that the layer is uniform, rub it in with a cloth.

You should glue the large shells first, and then the small ones. You can select shells that are approximately the same size and start gluing them in a circle. The original ball can be presented as a souvenir or gift from a sea holiday. Try it in the same way. To do this, place the ball in a special microphone and cover it with shells of different sizes.

How to make a candle holder from seashells

You can break or saw some shells, the main thing is that the edges are not sharp.


A candlestick can be easily made from an ordinary glass.



If you wish, you can cover it with small shells or simply pour sand into a container, fold the shells and light a candle.

Original crafts from shells for beginners

Shells are quite easy to work with, so don't be discouraged if you're new to this type of craft. Sand in a jar along with shells is one of the simplest crafts that requires only your imagination. Print out photos from your last vacation, pour sand, shells into a beautiful jar, add photos and other decorative elements. Tie the jar with twine and your craft is ready.

Shell pendants will complement the marine-style interior and give the interior a creative look.


DIY craft from shells

sailboat



We suggest assembling a sailboat with your own hands.
If you are on the sea coast, do not buy ready-made shell souvenirs.
It’s better to collect a collection of shells yourself and make an elegant, beautiful sailboat with your own hands!

You will need:

Materials:
- one medium rapan for the body;
- three wooden sticks (thin skewers or branches) for the masts and one for the bowsprit;
- 6 matches for yards;
- a dozen to one and a half small shells for sails;
- threads for rigging;
- a large scallop shell for the stand.

Tools:
- knife;
- glue (superglue “Moment” is better, it really sets instantly. You won’t spend half an hour pressing a shell to the mast, waiting for the sail to stick!)

Manufacturing:
We measure the length of the masts, divide the sticks into the required sections. We sharpen the tops with a knife for beauty.
We glue the sails to the masts: small shells at the top, larger shells at the bottom.
If you want to make the model more complex and beautiful, we will also glue to the masts transverse yards made of matches sharpened at both ends, on which the “rigging” will be attached.
For strength, tie the yards with thread at the junction with the mast. Let's wait until everything sticks tightly.

Now we will install the masts in a rapan casing.
For stability, we recommend inserting them into plasticine balls glued inside the rapana, and then securing them with drops of glue. We wait again: it is important that the masts hold tightly. For additional stability, the lower yards can be glued to the hull.
On the front of the sailboat we will glue a sharpened long stick - a bowsprit. We glue the front sails to it and the hull - a jib and staysail, and on the stern of the sailboat there is a rear sail - a mizzen. When everything is glued together, we stretch thin white threads between the upper and lower yards of each mast, as well as between the upper yard of the forward mast and the bowsprit.

To prevent the threads from unraveling, add a little glue. For beauty, you can also glue flags made of multi-colored shell pieces to the tops of the masts. Finally, let's glue the sailboat to the stand. You're ready to sail!



Lily



Mom is pleased to receive flowers as a gift, but is it a pity to throw away dried bouquets? Does she hate artificial flowers? Here's the solution: make a bouquet of amazing flowers that will never wither, but you can't call them artificial either - the composition looks so original. If in the summer you collected a variety of shells on the seashore, then the idea of ​​a DIY flower is for you.

For each flower you will need:
- 5 small shells for petals;
- a lump of colored plasticine for the center of the flower;
- a long wooden skewer (straight stick, twig) for the stem.

Making crafts:
We stick the petal-shells into the plasticine ball with their tips and press lightly so that they hold tightly.
Then we stick a skewer-stem into the same ball from below.



Here you have a flower!
The classic daisy flower is made from oblong white and lilac shells. But you can take shells of any shape and color - scallops, toothless ones; not only white, but also brown, orange, pink - and you will get a bouquet of amazing beauty!
Let us also add that plasticine balls do not have to be the same color. It’s much more beautiful if you mix several bright colors into a lump! Make three or five flowers together with your child - while the baby is interested. And give your mom an extraordinary homemade bouquet of shell flowers on a festive morning!



Seashell painting


Who among us has not collected shells! Many even collect them. And, returning from a vacation on the seashore or river, they bring more and more exhibits. If you have a lot of them at home, this topic is for you. Try to use your imagination, be sure to involve your children in the work and create such a wonderful picture.



Progress:

The collected shells (about a hundred) should be thoroughly washed in running water. If some people experience a matte coating, don’t despair. The shine can be easily restored by treating the surface with a toothbrush moistened with a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid. Sort the cleaned shells by color and size.
Now you can start composing the composition. First, arrange the shells on a sheet of cardboard so as to obtain the desired pattern. There are many options here, it all depends on the choice of your imagination. Take regular organic glass (painted or tinted). Then transfer the shells sequentially to the glass and secure. Use “Moment” extra-strong glue. When the composition dries, cover the shells with 2 - 3 layers of varnish. Frame our work.


Ideas from the Internet


Panel





These frames are all made from shells.





Flowers







Animals










Compositions








Candlesticks





Sea, vacation, beach... Three simple words filled with positive emotions and a fresh breeze. I want to leave every summer in my memory for a whole year, or even more. I don’t know about you, but I’m bringing back from vacation half a suitcase of shells and colorful sand polished by the salty waves. What to do with all this goodness, the answer is simple - .

Shell trees will decorate a coffee table and preserve memories for more than one, or even two years - it’s not in vain that you wandered along the beach all day looking for interesting specimens of sea shells.

For shell topiary we will need:

  • cone made of cardboard or plastic;
  • 5-10 cups of shells;
  • glue gun

Apply glue to the cone and glue the largest shells first, then the medium ones, and only then fill the space with the smallest shells. A little advice - if you are not happy with the small gaps between the shells, you can sprinkle them with white sand - it will also stick to the cone. Such DIY shell crafts You can safely pack it and give it to friends and family.

To make a ball of shells, prepare:

  • ball blank;
  • assorted shells of different sizes;
  • glue for ceramic tiles (or PVA glue);
  • sand;
  • spatula, sponge and soft cloth.

  1. Mix a small amount of sand with tile adhesive in a disposable container. And spread the spatula onto the ball, rub the glue with a soft cloth to level the glue evenly over the entire surface of the ball.
  2. Then start gluing the shells - remember to use large shells first, then smaller shells.
  3. Wait a few minutes and smooth the surface with a slightly damp sponge.

Candlesticks made of shells

These two marvelous candlesticks seem to be created for romantic summer evenings. I warn you right away - making them is a task of increased complexity, but, nevertheless, the game is worth the candle.

For candlesticks, stock up on:

  1. two old candlesticks
  2. shells of different sizes and shapes
  3. corals
  4. glue "Moment"

First, glue large shells to the candlesticks, and then corals and shells of small diameters. The more diverse your assortment of former clam houses, the more unusual and beautiful the candlesticks will be.

Sea shell bowl

What do you need:

  • a plate or bowl preferably made of wood
  • putty
  • many sea shells
  • hammer
  • sponge
  • white acrylic paint
  • bowl and some water

First, lay out the shells on a plate to get an approximate idea of ​​what the mosaic will look like. If your shells are too large, use a hammer to break a couple to fill the gaps between the shells on the platter.

Apply putty to the dish over the shells. Wipe the surface of the shells with a sponge soaked in water. Then wait a few minutes and cover the putty on the dish with acrylic paint.

Now leave the dish for the whole day, and then you can safely wrap it in a box and give it to your loved ones, or simply decorate a wall or coffee table with it.

DIY shell crafts “Sea Network”

This amazing network is suitable for a country house or for a child's room in a nautical style.

Prepare for her:

  1. two wooden sticks
  2. thick threads
  3. shells with holes
  4. small drill

First, let's weave our network. Using a drill, make several holes in the wooden sticks and pull the threads through them, fastening them with knots. You should now have eight threads stretched in parallel. Then we will start weaving the transverse threads. There are exactly seven of them and they are secured very simply - with knots. When the net is ready, tie shells to it and feel free to decorate the room.

Seashells and other memories in a jar

I saw hundreds of "sands and shells in a bottle" type souvenirs in all the small shops along the beach. They are all neat and uniform, and probably contain shells from China. So I decided to make my own, sand and shells in a souvenir beach bottle. It turned out pretty cute! Try it too.

Pour some sand from your trip into a jar, print out your vacation photo on a printer, only on plain paper, not glossy. Glue it to the inside of the jar, put shells washed in fresh water into it and sign it.

Vase from the ocean

This vase is very easy to make. Fill a large wide-necked vase 1/3 full with dry sand. Then top with clean shells, starfish, and scallops. Use treasures you collected on a trip to the shore, or simply bought at the store. Place the vase in the center of the table or on a shelf and let it bring joy to you every day.

Among the DIY shell crafts, candlesticks stand out. But I won’t go into complexity, I’ll just show you the lightest and most sophisticated candlestick, especially since it was already complicated at the very beginning.

Necessary materials:

  • Sand
  • Vase or glass
  • Candle
  • Shells

Place the candle inside the vase. Fill about a third of the vase with sand around the candle. Place the shells around the candle post. You may need tweezers for this.

It will be great if the candle is scented - it will make your evening even more romantic.

The long-awaited summer has arrived. And many have already packed their suitcases and bought tickets to the warm sea. And on the way back, almost everyone has a bag of shells in their suitcase... I really want to keep these memories longer...

The shells themselves are very different. In rivers, you mainly find simple flat oval mussel shells. They can also be found in the Baltic Sea. A much greater abundance of shapes and sizes can be found in the southern seas. Donaxes, cardiums, zebras and many other mollusks live in shells of the most bizarre shapes. These can be spiral shells, spindle-shaped or heart-shaped shells, as well as many other shapes.

Crafts made from shells begin with collecting them. Even a child can cope with this. The collected shells should be washed with running water and dried. After this, to make crafts from shells, they need to be examined and sorted. Looking at each shell, trying them on one by one, images of future crafts will appear in your head.

Ask for help in sorting the child. With those who are younger, you can consolidate knowledge of the concepts of “more and less.” And older children are able to offer their own versions of crafts.

The next stage will be the actual production of the shell craft itself. It is better to start creativity together with your child with simple things. It is best to start with a snail or turtle. If the child has never seen or does not remember these animals, then it is better to prepare a high-quality photograph or drawing of the selected animal in advance.
For crafts from shells, we recommend that you use plasticine. This material makes it possible to fasten the shells together well, and it is also quite easy to sculpt the missing details of the animal image from it.

The right stand will help you create a complete image or an entire composition. When making crafts from shells in the shape of animals, it is better to use natural coasters. Such bases can be a flat stone for a turtle, a thick branch for a snail, etc. Try to make the stand for the shell craft contrast with the animal, otherwise your craft will get lost against the background of the stand. If you want to preserve the memory, then it is better to make a thematic inscription on the stand. A child will be happy to give this craft made from shells with an inscription to his godparents or grandmother for the New Year or other holiday.

In general, choose an idea and create!!!

Animals:

Flowers:

Frames for photos or embroidery:

Little things for the interior:

Making something with your own hands is quite pleasant, but doing it with your child is doubly pleasant. This can be done not only from those materials that you purchased at a handicraft store or at the market. In this case, objects that Mother Nature gave us are also suitable.

Real masters use literally everything that their keen eye has noticed in pursuit of a new masterpiece of art: leaves, pine cones, straw, sand.

Today we will talk about how to make a variety of crafts from shells with your own hands.

These seafood are very beautiful and attractive in themselves, but if they become the basis of some homemade item, then its success is guaranteed.

You can make a lot of trinkets from such materials: bracelets, necklaces, earrings, souvenirs, vases, photo frames, dolls and entire paintings.

The list is quite large, so we focused on only some of its aspects. If you're wondering how we'll make all these seashell crafts, stay tuned!

How to make such a craft?

This process does not involve anything complicated, you just need to take shells of the desired size (this can be river brine, small sea shells, one large and beautiful shell) and decorative elements: beads, wire, threads, glue, paints, etc.

Below we will provide instructions for beginners on how to make crafts from shells.

Panel with marine motifs

After reading our article on crafts from shells and stones, you will learn how to make a modular panel from 3 parts. It attracts attention with warm notes and natural beauty.

In order to make such beauty, you just need to collect the necessary tools: sand, eggs, several plywood sheets measuring 15 by 15 centimeters, glue, varnish, shells.

Now you just need to follow a certain algorithm of actions:

  • We sandwich the plywood with an adhesive substance.
  • Sprinkle fine sand on top so that it remains on the picture. To do this, you need to press it tightly on top with something hard. After a few hours you can continue working.
  • Check to see if the glue on your base is dry so you can continue with your work. Now the base needs to be varnished.
  • When the first layer of varnish has dried, glue the corners of the future panel with eggshells and apply a second layer of varnish.
  • We attach shells of different sizes on top in an indefinite sequence.
  • To connect three plywood sheets together to create our sea triptych, we fasten them together with wire.

Seashell flower

One of the options on how to involve a child and create a masterpiece of handicraft with him is a handmade flower.

To create it you will need very little time and materials: shells, a frame, wire, beads and beads, velvet fabric in rich red, blue or black, glue and clothespins.

Now you need to follow these instructions:

  • In order to make a flower, in our case it is an orchid, using transparent glue we connect three small shells together. If you want your flowers to look as natural as possible, use shells of different sizes for different flowers.
  • Varnish the finished flowers, and decorate the center of each orchid with beads or large beads.
  • Glue velvet fabric to the frame that is the basis of your work.
  • Attach the wire to this fabric, making a kind of stem or leaves out of it. You can create different fancy patterns.
  • Along this wire, attach the orchid buds themselves in a scattered manner.
  • Wait for everything to dry, cover the frame with glass and place it on the wall.

Applications for children

To please your child and teach him to work, make a collage or applique with him using shells.

Such a master class will be very useful for him, as it will teach the baby perseverance and patience.

To work, you need a very small list of tools: shells, glue and cardboard.

Note!

To make the applique more interesting, use beads and beads, or simply take shells of different shades.

You can see photos of crafts made from shells below. We hope that among them you will find something interesting for yourself.

Photos of crafts made from shells

Note!

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