15 Spellbinding Sea Shell Crafts for Summer
Let these spellbinding sea shell crafts remind you of your last trip to the beach and encourage you to take many, many more this summer!
Have you ever held up a sea shell to your ear, hoping to hear the ocean calling out to you? Well, I certainly have done it, although I have been disappointed more times than I can count!
Playing with sea shells is an integral part of kids’ trips to the beach, and forms fond memories of childhood summers. There are so many shapes and sizes of sea shells, and we rarely stop to think that these are actually exoskeletons of animals who have died or decomposed!
That aside, shells are beautiful, mysterious and unique – some shapes are truly hard to find! It’s no wonder then, that in the past, sea shells were used like currency, since they were durable and convenient to transport. Sea shells have also been used as tools, with larger ones being used as oil lamps or bowls or even natural musical instruments!
Sea shells are also used to make beautiful crafts, especially among the Aboriginal women of Australia. Let’s get inspired from them and create our own set of sea shell crafts that are perfect for summer. So gather your sea shell collections – it’s time to get crafty!
15 Spellbinding Sea Shell Crafts for Summer
1. Sea Shell Sea Creatures
We know that sea shells are formed from exoskeletons of animals, but Crafts by Amanda turns things around and converts sea shells into cute little critters! Make yourself a little friend to keep at your desk all day!
2. Paper Plate Sea Shell Craft
Sea shell crafts don’t have to include sea shells – you can make your own sea shell out of a paper plate! Check out our tutorial to know how to make large sea shells that would work perfectly well for a beach-theme party.
3. Sea Shell Necklace
Sea shells are popular in making jewelry, and some of it can be quite high end and expensive! However, you can easily make yourself a custom, beautiful piece without having to spend a penny – just follow this tutorial from Moms and Crafters!
4. Tie and Dye Seashell Craft
Tie and dye projects are all the rage these days, and East TN Family Fun goes with the trend with a twist – using sea shells as a canvas! We love how the sea shells have turned out, and they can be used to make any other ornaments or charms.
5. Sea Shell Fish Aquarium Craft
You can’t have a list of sea shell crafts without mentioning the sea or the creatures that live in it! We love this little paper plate project for multiple reasons – it’s colorful, open ended and uses shells to make both the fish as well as the ocean bed.
6. Sea Shell Collage Art
This sea shell collage art from Art Bar Blog is truly something worth framing, and the best part is that even young kids can do this without much effort. All you need is a blank canvas, some shells and paints and you’re good to go!
7. Sea Shell People
Sea shells aren’t just useful for making critters and fish; they can also be used to make shell people, like these cute ones from Let’s Do Something Crafty! Different shapes of sea shells can be used to create different outfits for your people, which opens up a world of possibilities!
8. Sea Shell Flower Garden Craft
This is probably the simplest among sea shell crafts for kids, and can be done even by toddlers and preschoolers. You can also make it a mixed media project by using pistachio shells, dry pasta or dried beans in addition to sea shells.
9. Sea Shell Crab Fridge Magnet
If you enjoyed your beach vacation so much that you’d like to create your very own souvenir that you can see everyday, this crab magnet from Red Ted Art is the perfect idea. Put it on your fridge and remember that lovely day every time you enter the kitchen!
10. Miniature Sea Shell Paintings
Painting a landscape on a canvas is hard enough, now imagine painting a scenery on a tiny sea shell – it sounds near impossible! However, Moms and Crafters proves that it can be done, that too quite easily – just follow the tutorial for instructions.
11. Sea Shell Butterfly Craft
Sea shell crafts don’t just have to reflect the beach; they can also reflect other scenes like gardens and mountains. Take for instance our spring themed sea shell craft, where the shells are used to create the butterfly wings.
12. DIY Sea Shell Flowers
If sea shells can be used to make butterflies, sea shell flowers can’t be far behind! Kiwi Families takes sea shells and turns them into some truly beautiful 3-D flowers that would make great gifts for Mother’s Day or Teacher’s Appreciation Day.
13. Ocean Theme Play Dough
We love summer play dough recipes, since they can keep kids occupied indoors during high temperatures or heat waves. One of our favorites is this ocean themed version from The Imagination Tree that also uses additional ingredients like sea shells.
14. Glitter Sea Shell Picture Frame
Got a special picture from that beach vacation that you truly treasure? One Little Project has got the perfect frame to preserve it and keep it out where you can see it everyday. We love the glitter on it – makes it look like something Ariel the mermaid would approve of!
15. Coastal Shadow Box
If you’ve gathered quite a collection of shells from the beach and are thinking of the best way to display them, try making a shadow box like this one from Across the Boulevard. It keeps everything safe, while also displaying them in all their glory.
I’m sure these sea shell crafts have given you many more ideas to use sea shells in your DIY projects. When buying things made from sea shells, make sure they’ve been sourced responsibly, and not by killing live animals just to extract the shell. That’s why it’s best to gather your own shells and make your own sea shell crafts – you can make anything from decor to jewelry, and each one will be unique and special!
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