Top Quality Seashells for Crafts: Perfect Picks for DIY Decor Projects

Looking to enhance your crafts with a coastal flair? ‘Seashells for crafts’ provides endless possibilities. In this guide, we’ll explore the best types of seashells for different projects, offering practical inspiration for your crafting journey. Get ready to elevate your DIY decor with the perfect seashell picks.

Key Takeaways

• Seashells are an enduringly popular material for crafting, with a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors available including cowrie, babylonia, and scallop shells.
• DIY seashell craft projects range from photo frames and candles to coastal-inspired decor, offering a creative way to bring beach vibes into your home.
• Atlantic Coral Enterprises offers a wide selection of quality seashells for crafts with a minimum order of $100 and multiple payment options, shipping from Florida.

Types of Small Shells for Crafts

It’s easy to understand why the art of crafting with seashells has endured for centuries. Their natural beauty, combined with their versatility, makes them a fantastic material for a range of craft projects. The small shells available for crafts are as varied as nature itself, offering countless opportunities for artistic expression.

Crafters can choose from a wide array of options, including:

• Small cowrie shells
• Babylonia shells
• Cone shells
• Scallop shells
• Nerites
• Small turban shells
• Small ribbed cardium shells
• Rose cups
• Small conch shells

Each type of shell brings its unique charm, texture, and color to your craft projects.

Scallop Shells

Crafters often favor small scallop shells. Their visually appealing and symmetrical shape lends a desirable aesthetic to crafting and decorative projects. There are different types of scallop shells that can be used in crafting, each with their distinct characteristics.

For instance, some types of seashells that are commonly used for craftwork include:

• Pecten Maximus also known as Scallop Baking Dish Seashells, range from 2 to 5 inches in size, making them an ideal choice for intricate craftwork.
• Pecten Diegensis, or San Diego Scallop Seashells, which are noted for their ribbed appearance.
• Pecten Nobilis Scallop, known for their naturally colorful shells, provide a bright appeal. These shells, with their average size of 2.5 to 3 inches, are suitable for various decorative applications.

Small Mixed Shells

For versatile crafting, small mixed shells provide a wealth of shapes, sizes, and colors. These shells include:

• Ribbed Cockle Shells
• Babylonia Spirata Shells
• Green Turban Shells
• Murex Shells

With such a variety of mixed shells, crafters can expect an assortment that caters to different crafting needs. Whether you’re creating a mosaic, decorating a picture frame, or crafting a piece of jewelry, there’s a shell in the mix that will perfectly suit your project.

Small Conch Shells

Small conch shells add a distinct touch to craft projects. Sourced from tropical waters, these shells can add a hint of the exotic to your crafts.

The Strombus luhuanus or Strawberry Conch are commonly used in various craft projects. These small conch shells with their unique shape and texture can be a centerpiece in a seashell mosaic or a statement piece in a jewelry project. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!

Creative DIY Craft Ideas with Seashells

The world of creativity opens up when crafting with seashells. Their natural beauty and diverse shapes make them a great addition to various DIY projects. From seashell photo frames to candles and coastal-inspired crafts, the possibilities are endless.

These DIY crafts can utilize a wide array of small seashells, starfish, and sea snails. Regardless of your preference or home decor style, there’s a seashell decoration that will perfectly match your taste, including:

• Sophisticated lanterns and light fixtures
• Seashell-filled jars
• Seashell wreaths
• Seashell mirrors
• Seashell wind chimes

Get creative and bring the beach vibes into your home with these seashell decorations.

Seashell Photo Frames

One of the most popular seashell crafts is creating photo frames for your cherished photos. Using an assortment of seashells, starfish, and pearls, you can transform simple wooden frames into ornamental keepsakes.

This DIY craft involves fastening seashells directly onto pre-existing photo frames or wooden planks as wall-mounted displays. This not only offers a personal touch but also adds a coastal charm to your living space. Green limpet shells are a favored choice due to their attractive blue and sea foam green colors, enhancing the craft’s visual appeal.

Shell Candles

Shell candles are another unique and decorative craft you can create with seashells. The process includes:

1. Thoroughly washing and drying the shells
2. Preparing your work surface with protective waxed or parchment paper
3. Trimming the wicks to about two inches before the crafting begins

The next step is to melt paraffin wax in a water bath, using a melting pitcher with a spout or a small ladle for easy pouring into the prepared shells with wicks. Once the wax cools and hardens, the wick is trimmed to a quarter-inch above the wax, and a second layer may be added to smooth out the surface for a complete finish. Larger shells are ideal as they can hold a sufficient amount of wax, resulting in unique and decorative candles.

Coastal-Inspired Shell Crafts

Coastal-inspired shell crafts are a great way to bring the essence of the beach into your home decor. These crafts include items like resin coasters, oyster shell trees, and glittery sand dollar ornaments.

Painted seashells offer flexibility in crafting and serve various purposes. They can be used in sensory bins, three-dimensional models, or beach-themed setups. Seashells strung together and hung from driftwood make for interactive and enchanting home displays, highlighting the natural beauty and variety of seashell shapes and sizes.

Using Seashells as Vase Fillers

Beyond their utility in crafting, seashells also serve excellently as vase fillers. Their natural beauty and variety add a unique touch to home decor. Sets of small mixed shells, including sea stars, clam shells, and scallops, are available and cater to diverse decorative needs.

Delicate sand dollars and starfish can serve as charming vase fillers, bringing a touch of the ocean into your home. Incorporating colored sea urchin shells can add a unique and vibrant theme to the arrangement. Using a clear glass vase can elegantly display a personal collection of seashells, combining sentimentality with style.

Crafting with Kids: Fun and Easy Seashell Projects

Crafting with seashells can be a fun and educational activity for children. It not only fosters creativity but also helps children learn about nature. Creating a seashell collage can be a memorable activity, incorporating shells of various shapes and origins to produce unique artistic expressions.

In addition to creating collages, painting seashells offers a fun sensory experience and the chance to create colorful keepsakes. Another crafty use for seashells is constructing a shell wind chime by tying shells or sea glass to sticks with string, creating a pleasant sound and a charming addition to any outdoor space.

Painted Seashell Artwork

Painted seashell artwork is an excellent activity to engage children in. It allows them to explore various painting techniques, from using paintbrushes for detail to drip paint for a freeform approach.

Engaging children in seashell painting can enhance fine motor skills, introduce color theory, and initiate discussions on shell textures and absorption. Painted seashell art activities are not limited to summer and can be enjoyed throughout the year, using shells from various sources, including the beach or craft stores.

Seashell Collage

Creating a seashell collage can be a fun and educational activity for children. By arranging and adhering various seashells onto a backing material, kids can create unique and attractive decorative pieces.

The process of creating a seashell collage involves the following steps:

1. Select shells of different sizes, colors, and textures.
2. Place larger pieces first to establish the foundational layout.
3. Fill in gaps and add detail with smaller seashells.
4. Carefully arrange the shells before permanently affixing them to the backing.
5. Create a cohesive and attractive design.

Family Seashell Collection Display

One of the most delightful ways to showcase your family’s seashell collection is through a personalized and stylish display. Incorporating seashells into home decor allows for a variety of styles like modern, rustic, and Mediterranean, which can be tailored to create a personalized family collection showcase.

Tips for Choosing the Right Seashells for Your Project

Given the wide variety of seashells available, selecting the right ones for your craft project can seem challenging. However, considering factors like:

• durability
• quality
• size
• decorative needs

Our guide, updated on apr 24, can help you make the right choice when selecting a bag, considering the price and quantity in stock, which may vary.

For instance, small scallop shells are beautiful and versatile for various craft projects, though some may have concerns about their durability, quality, and size. On the other hand, you may find a wide variety of small mixed shells, including sea, clam, and natural scallop shells, along with the assortment of styles and colors found in small conch shells, suitable for different decoration and project needs.

Hosting a Seashell Craft Party

A seashell craft party can be a fun and inventive method to gather friends. With a variety of shell types and craft activities, a seashell craft party can provide a unique and enjoyable experience for everyone.

You can plan different activities such as creating photo frames, candles, or coastal-inspired crafts. Providing a variety of shells, including natural tiny shell sets, miniature starfish, and acrylic resin variants, can cater to diverse craft activities and preferences. It’s not just a party; it’s a crafting adventure that everyone will remember!

Ordering Seashells from Atlantic Coral Enterprises

Atlantic Coral Enterprises is your destination if you’re in the market for top-quality seashells for your crafting needs. They require prepayment for all orders through various payment methods including:

• MasterCard
• Visa
• Discover
• PayPal
• AMEX

We have a minimum order requirement of $100, so make sure to place your order soon.

Atlantic Coral Enterprises ships products from Saint Augustine, Florida, utilizing UPS, USPS, or truckline and chooses the cheapest shipping method if the customer does not specify one. Orders are dispatched within three days of payment, excluding weekends and holidays, and deliveries may require a signature for boxes valued over $300.00.

Crafting with seashells is an art that is both enjoyable and rewarding. With a variety of seashells available, the creative possibilities are endless. Whether you’re crafting with kids, enhancing your home decor, or even hosting a seashell craft party, there’s a seashell project that’s just right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best glue for seashell art?

The best glue for seashell art is a two-part epoxy like Hughes Associates epoxy 220 or epoxy 330 which are formulated specifically for this kind of work. They have been a popular choice for the last few decades.

What kind of small shells are available for crafts?

You can use small cowrie shells, babylonia shells, small cone shells, small scallop shells, nerits, small mixed shells, small turban shells, small ribbed cardium shells, rose cups, and small conch shells for crafts. They can add a lovely touch to your projects!

What is the weight of gallon shells?

Gallon shells weigh between 3 and 6 pounds, depending on the type of shells. The weight can vary based on the specific type.

What is the minimum order amount?

The minimum order amount is $100, happy shopping!

Is there international shipping available?

Sorry, international shipping is not available for this product.