Wondering what to do with all those beautiful seashells you found on your Ocean Isle Beach vacation? Why not turn those seasidetreasures into charming keepsakes. Today we have ten fun and easy seashell projects to inspire you. All the projects in this post are DIY friendly and we’ve provided a link for each project that provides you the full instructions and materials list. So get out your glue gun, put on some beach music, and have fun.
The first step to making beautiful crafts or keepsakes is having great materials. Well, you’re in luck! Ocean Isle Beach has miles of beautiful beaches full of treasures just waiting to be collected. Fall is a particularly great time to enjoy seashell hunting. With fewer crowds and lots of tidal action, Ocean Isle Beach is a seashell hunters paradise. Read our previous post: How to Score the Best Seashells on Ocean Isle Beachto learn everything you need to know about seashell hunting on Ocean Isle Beach. Now let’s get started!
Cleaning Seashells
Before you start any of these projects it’s important to first clean your seashells. You may notice seashells…kinda smell. This, of course, makes sense considering at one time they were homes for little sea creatures. You also don’t want to leave sand or gunk on the shells as this will cause problems with glue and paint adhesion. Grab an old toothbrush and use a simple water and bleach solution to clean your shells. Click here for detailed instructions on cleaning your shells.
10 Great Projects
Now that we have nice clean seashells you’re ready to start. From simple painting to more complex projects, you’ll find something for every skill level and interest. Most of these projects require few supplies and some can even be made while enjoying your Ocean Isle Beach Vacation.
This project is a fun way to use your smaller shells and great to do with the kids. Take your small shells and paint them to look like your favorite tropical fish. You can then use the shells to make a windchime or to decorate a frame. The possibilities are endless with this easy project!
Sure there is nothing as relaxing as a day at Ocean Isle Beach, but when you leave why not take some of those soothing beach soundshome with you. With every gentle breeze, you’ll be reminded of your days on the beach with the easy to make windchimes.
Every time you set down a drink you’ll remember your Ocean Isle Beach oceanfront vacation with these creative coasters. This simple project isclever as well as useful. Making the coasters requires using a resin which is a fun and long-lasting product that allows you to make a lot of interesting crafts. A great tip is to use small bits of seaglass to add color to these coasters. In the end you will have beautiful and unique coasters. Maybe you’ll even be able to get the kids to finally use a coaster!
Bring the beach to your garden with these seashell garden pots. Whether you’re looking to add a small accent pot or jazz up some large containers, these pots aren’t just beautiful but functional. This is also one of the more kid-friendly projects on the list and make great gifts.
What better way to celebrate your favorite season or holiday than by making a beach themed wreath. With so many combinations and ideas, the possibilities are truly limitless with these wreath ideas.
Candles make any setting cozier. Almost any size shell
can be turned into a beautiful candle. These can be used as small accent candles or combined to make a centerpiece brightening any table.
7. Christmas Tree Made of Seashells
One of our favorite ideas is to make Christmas trees out of seashells. There are so many different and creative combinations, the possibilities are almost limitless. Adding driftwood to the project creates some really fun beachy Christmas decor.
8. Seashell Lights
Leave it to Martha Stewart to give us this great idea. The simple beauty of a seashell collides with one of the holiday’s staple decorations…Christmas lights! With this project, you can combine the beach and Christmas by adding seashells to strings of white or colored lights. The end result is strings of colorful accent lights which go great as an accent to your patio or porch. You could even wrap your Christmas tree with these.
Leave it to Martha Stewart to give us this great idea. The simple beauty of a seashell collides with one of the holiday’s staple decorations…Christmas lights! With this project, you can combine the beach and Christmas by adding seashells to strings of white or colored lights. The end result is strings of colorful accent lights which go great as an accent to your patio or porch. You could even wrap your Christmas tree with these.
Maybe it is the hint of fall in the air that’s getting us excited about Christmas and these seashell ornaments. Making seashell ornaments is the perfect craft to get you in the holiday spirit. A great idea is to take a permanent marker and write the date of your Ocean Isle Beach vacation on the back of the ornament making it a great family heirloom ornament.
Make the beach a permanent part of your favorite vacation photos with this simple project. Using inexpensive wooden photo frames you can easily turn a plain frame into something special with these ideas. Use the tropical fish in the first idea we shared to give the frame a really colorful look.
We hope you enjoyed these ideas and would love to see what you decided to do with your Ocean Isle Beach seashells. This fall is a great time to take long walks on the beach searching for seaside treasures. With fewer crowds, the seashell hunting is at its peak! Looking to find the perfect place on Ocean Isle Beach to begin your seashell hunting adventures? Click below for the best selection of vacation rentals on Ocean Isle Beach and you’ll have the sand beneath your feet in no time.
