Lovely shell crafts to try this summer
There's nothing more fun than a day spent at the beach – running in and out of the waves, soaking up the sun, building sandcastles and coming home with sand in between your toes.
If you'd like to bring a taste of the seaside into your home, you're in luck! We've found a fab selection of clever coastal and shell crafts to try your hand at.
It's important to say that you shouldn't pick up shells you find at the beach – they should be left as an important part of the ocean's eco-system. But there are lots of artificial shells available to buy from your favourite craft retailers – we've rounded up some of our favourites below.
TOP TIP: Make sure to give your shells a quick clean before using them to craft with. Fill a bowl with warm soapy water and give the shells a scrub with a brush before rinsing them clean and leaving to air dry.
Whether you've got creative kids to keep busy or are looking for a nature themed craft project to dress up your home decor you'll find plenty of inspo in our list. From delicate trinket dishes and beachy wind chimes to googley eyed crabs and mermaid hair accessories there is something to suit crafters of all ages.
Decoupage shell trinket dishes
There's nothing we like more than a good decoupage craft and @thehousehouseblog over on Instagram shares a great example of how easy it is to transform a simple shell into a beautiful trinket dish.
Little crab cuties
Want a way to use shells that the kids collected on their last trip to the beach? These little crab cuties from @redtedart on Instagram are the perfect project! If you push a blob of air dry clay into the underside of the shell you can add a small magnet so that they can decorate your fridge!
Mermaid-themed hair accessories
What little girl is going to turn down the chance to make her own sparkly mermaid-themed hair accessories? This fab DIY shared on Instagram by @go.ask.mum would be a great project for little hands. They can paint the shells and decorate them with all kinds of glitter and sparkles, then once they are dry you can use a hot glue gun to attach a hair grip to the underside of the shell.
Embellished embroidery
Stuck for an idea for your next embroidery project? Take a leaf out of @little.eden.handmade's book and use interesting shaped shells as the focal point of your design. Plan out your shell placement and trace around the outside of them with a pencil or fabric pen before you start stitching. Once you've got all of your embroidery done you can use a dab of hot glue to fix the shells to your fabric.
Seashell candles
There is nothing nicer than a scented candle and making your own is super simple. Why not take your candle crafting to the next level by casting your wax into pretty shells, as demonstrated by clever Instagrammer @samishome. Try dying your wax differents shades of green and blue to keep with the seaside theme.
Coastal collage
If you've got a collection of shells but aren't sure what to do with them, why not try making a shell collage? A heart design as demonstrated by @seasaltandsurf on Instagram is a lovely idea but you could take the theming one step further and arrange them in a starfish or even a seahorse shape.
Whimsical windchimes
Creating a DIY wind chime for your garden is a fab summer craft, we love this sea shell chime that @shellkrafts on Instagram shared.
Did you know that you can dye seashells different colours? All you need to do is submerge your shells in a mixture of vinegar, warm water (a 4:1 mix should do the job) and some drops of food colouring, leave them to soak for around 20 minutes and then take them out to dry on a piece of kitchen roll or newspaper.
Happy crafting!
Do you love crafting? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag in your pictures on Instagram!
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