Seashell Crafts

We recently got back from a wonderful vacation in Oak Island, North Carolina. We really enjoy going to the Carolina Coast each year because the beaches are so different than the ones here in the Pacific Northwest. The water is warm, the sand is soft and there are tons of seashells! Big Brother had a great time collecting the shells each day. With so different many textures and shapes it made for a great sensory activity.

We came home with 3 ziploc bags of shells, so I knew some immediate seashell crafting was in order.
Tip: Clean your shells by washing them in the dish washer! I put them in the utensil compartment or if you have a baby bottle dishwasher basket that encloses, that would work too.

We started by making Souvenir Seashell Frames. I bought small 3×3 wood frames for $1.00 at Michael’s and painted them with white acrylic paint. I used my alphabet stamps from Mindy Mae’s Market to stamp on the location of our trip. Then I arranged the seashells and hot-glued them on! I love how the mussel shells make a sweet heart on top.

Lastly, I made some cute Seashell Butterfly Artwork. I love how when the shells come together, they form what looks to be butterfly wings.

Originally, I had big brother put together the butterflies with pipe cleaners, but then I decided to use yarn since I had more colors and it was easier to glue.

I glued the yarn onto a matte frame with Elmer’s glue and then hot glued the seashells on top of the yarn. I found a cute butterfly quote/artwork from the Craftionary.  I printed it out and glued it between the matte frame and a piece of foam core. This would be beautiful hanging, or resting in an easel frame.

If you have a beach trip planned this summer, consider saving your seashells! They make wonderful souvenirs and craft projects.

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