Crafts from shells. Ideas and master classes

I would like to continue the topic, because the sea coast is rich in a variety of natural materials for handmade crafts. One of these materials is shells. In seaside resort towns, our attention, of course, is attracted by the large exotic shells and stars that line the counters of souvenir shops. Brought from distant seas, they will undoubtedly become a self-sufficient decoration for a marine-style interior. But you must admit, it’s much more fun to do something yourself, because when we create with our own hands, we put our soul and imagination into the product, and most importantly, even from ordinary shells found on Crimean beaches, you can make a truly unique gift, stylish decoration or item decor.

What can you find on the Black and Azov Seas? Most often you come across three types of shells - rapana, anadara and tritium:

As a rule, we find broken shells on the beach (finding a whole rapan is luck!), but this is not a problem, as we will see, fragments are also quite suitable for the job.

Now let's see what can be made from sea shells . Most of the craft ideas are found on www.etsy.com, where crafters from all over the world sell handmade items.

1. Decorating their seashells

Shells are an excellent material for marine-style jewelry: beads, pendants, earrings, bracelets. Depending on your idea, shells (both whole and broken) can be combined with pearls, beads and metal pendants.

To make jewelry, you may need to make a hole in the shell. Of course, if the volume of work is large enough, it is best to make a hole . But if buying a special tool is not practical for you, you can carefully poke a hole with a gypsy needle.

2. Photo frame

By covering an ordinary photo frame with shells and other seafood, you will get an interesting little thing that will become a decoration for your home or an original gift. A vacation photo just begs to be placed in a frame like this, which will remind you of the pleasant moments of the past summer all year round. As in the previous idea, shells are good to combine with other materials, for example, rope weave lace looks beautiful.

3. Wall decor

Or the initials of the newlyweds, lined with shells:

We hope our selection was useful to you and inspired your creativity!

There are so many things you can make from shells with your own hands! Candlesticks, paintings, flower pots, decorate the cake with a mastic shell, sew a toy of the same shape.

DIY shell crafts for a stylish home

See how to make beautiful candlesticks from old ones.

• old candlestick;
• glue "Moment";
• various shells.

• wide glass;
• sand;
• shells;
• candles.

If you don't have a suitable glass, you can replace it with a glass vase or another transparent fireproof vessel.

Using almost the same principle, you can make crafts from shells with your own hands. For the next one you will need:

• gypsum or sand and cement;
• water;
• shells;
• glass vase;
• wooden box;
• candle.

You can use a children's cube as a box. By removing one of its sides.

Then remove the cube from the mold and frame a cement or plaster candlestick with shells. All you have to do is wait for the mass to dry completely and then you can put a candle inside and admire how the shell stone has turned simple things into an elegant creation.

• vase;
• shells;
• sand;
• candle.

You can decorate this imitation of a seashore by cutting out seaweed from green paper.

How to make souvenirs from shells with your own hands

They will also help you make shells, photos will allow you to see interesting ideas. Such a network will be an excellent attribute and home decoration.

• wooden sticks - 2 pcs.;
• strong rope;
• shells;
• drill with a thin drill bit.

Before tying the end of the thread on the stick, thread it through the shell, and then secure it to the knot. Finish the ends of all ropes in the same way.

• dish or plate;
• flat seashells - halves of valves;
• sponge;
• hammer;
• bowl;
• white acrylic paint;
• water.

1. If the putty is in powder, dilute it with water according to the instructions. If you have one ready to use, then place it on a plate and place the shells on top.
2. Soak a sponge in water and wipe the surface of the shells to remove any solution that has gotten on them.
3. Let the putty dry. To prevent cracks on it, sometimes lubricate these places with water.
4. All that remains is to cover the putty with acrylic paint. When it dries, you can give an original gift to the recipient or place it in your apartment in the most visible place, like the following crafts made from shells.

• shells of different sizes;
• ball blank;
• PVA glue or for ceramic tiles;
• putty knife;
• sand;
• soft cloth;
• sponge

1. Mix some sand and tile adhesive. Take this solution with a spatula and generously lubricate the ball with it.
2. Walk over the solution with a soft cloth, aligning the edges of the adhesive layer.
3. Glue the large shells first and then the smaller shells. You can attach glass pebbles between them.
4. Wait until the glue “sets”, then wipe off any excess from the shells with a slightly damp sponge.

• thick cardboard;
• scissors;
• shells;
• glue or glue gun.

DIY shell pincushion, decorative items

The marine motif is also reflected in the following textile works. They can be placed on the table or used as a pincushion.

If it is a pincushion, fold the braid into a loop. Place its ends into this hole on the pad and sew it up. Now you can hang the necessary handicraft item on the wall and always have it at hand.

And here’s how to create such a pincushion with your own hands in the form of Monomakh’s hat.

• white thick fabric;
• threads;
• padding polyester;
• artificial pearls;
• beads;
• compass.

Now decorate the pincushion with pearls and beads, sewing them onto a large circle, which has become the top of an improvised cap.

You can sew a pillowcase onto a pillow by sewing a shell-shaped applique onto it. Place the soft item in the chair. A painting with elements in the shape of starfish will look great on the wall.

• thin tights;
• padding polyester;
• wire;
• insulating tape;
• pliers;
• pearl;
• eyes;
• needle and thread.

This is the shell you got, the price of which is incomparably less than the cost of a ready-made, store-bought one. This toy is made from old tights and leftover materials.

This shell-shaped bag will add to your collection of personal items with a nautical theme.

For a hat, sweater, jacket, you can use a shell pattern; a diagram and a photo of a sample will simplify the task.

1. Rows 1 and 5, as well as rows 2 and 6 are knitted, row 3 is done like this: *from 5 loops we form five, then - 1 knit*, from 5 loops we form five.
2. Rows 4 and 8 - purl. Row 5 - knit 3, *from 5 loops we form five, knit 1*, knit 2 loops.
3. To form five loops from 5, pass the right knitting needle through five loops, grab the working thread, and pull it through the same loops. For now, leave the loops on the left knitting needle, yarn over on the right one, and knit the same loops again. Yarn over again on the right needle and knit these 5 stitches.

Baking decoration in the shape of a shell

1. To make the sea, add blue food paint to a piece of mastic, knead it, and roll it into a circle. Using a rolling pin, transfer it to the cake. It will also help attach the mastic so that there are no air bubbles left.
2. Form starfish and shells from red and yellow mastic. After wetting the areas of the “sea” with water, attach the shells here; the pictures will show how to make other elements of the sweet creation.
3. Make Ariel's body and arms from flesh-colored fondant, and her tail from green. Attach each of its scales separately or cut them out with a knife on a strip of mastic and attach these ribbons directly to the tail.
4. All that remains is to make a shell from white mastic. Familiarize yourself with the process.

• round shape with jagged edges;
• rolling pin;
• skewer;
• mastic.

Using a skewer, apply a pattern in the form of straight lines to the workpiece.

sailboat

We suggest assembling a sailboat with your own hands.
If you are on the sea coast, do not buy ready-made shell souvenirs.
It’s better to collect a collection of shells yourself and make an elegant, beautiful sailboat with your own hands!

You will need:

Materials:
- one medium rapan for the body;
- three wooden sticks (thin skewers or branches) for the masts and one for the bowsprit;
- 6 matches for yards;
- a dozen to one and a half small shells for sails;
- threads for rigging;
- a large scallop shell for the stand.

Tools:
- knife;
- glue (preferably superglue “Moment”, it really sets instantly. You won’t spend half an hour pressing a shell to the mast, waiting for the sail to stick!)

Manufacturing:
We measure the length of the masts, divide the sticks into the required sections. We sharpen the tops with a knife for beauty.
We glue the sails to the masts: small shells at the top, larger shells at the bottom.
If you want to make the model more complex and beautiful, we will also glue to the masts transverse yards made of matches sharpened at both ends, on which the “rigging” will be attached.
For strength, tie the yards with thread at the junction with the mast. Let's wait until everything sticks tightly.

Now we will install the masts in a rapan casing.
For stability, we recommend inserting them into plasticine balls glued inside the rapana, and then securing them with drops of glue. We wait again: it is important that the masts hold tightly. For additional stability, the lower yards can be glued to the hull.
On the front of the sailboat we will glue a sharpened long stick - a bowsprit. We glue the front sails to it and the hull - a jib and staysail, and on the stern of the sailboat there is a rear sail - a mizzen. When everything is glued together, we stretch thin white threads between the upper and lower yards of each mast, as well as between the upper yard of the forward mast and the bowsprit.

To prevent the threads from unraveling, add a little glue. For beauty, you can also glue flags made of multi-colored shell pieces to the tops of the masts. Finally, let's glue the sailboat to the stand. You're ready to sail!

Lily

Mom is pleased to receive flowers as a gift, but is it a pity to throw away dried bouquets? Does she hate artificial flowers? Here's the solution: make a bouquet of amazing flowers that will never wither, but you can't call them artificial either - the composition looks so original. If in the summer you collected a variety of shells on the seashore, then the idea of ​​a DIY flower is for you.

For each flower you will need:
- 5 small shells for petals;
- a lump of colored plasticine for the center of the flower;
- a long wooden skewer (straight stick, twig) for the stem.

Making crafts:
We stick the petal-shells into the plasticine ball with their tips and press lightly so that they hold tightly.
Then we stick a skewer-stem into the same ball from below.

Here you have a flower!
The classic daisy flower is made from oblong white and lilac shells. But you can take shells of any shape and color - scallops, toothless ones; not only white, but also brown, orange, pink - and you will get a bouquet of amazing beauty!
Let us also add that plasticine balls do not have to be the same color. It’s much more beautiful if you mix several bright colors into a lump! Make three or five flowers together with your child - while the baby is interested. And give your mom an extraordinary homemade bouquet of shell flowers on a festive morning!

Seashell painting

Who among us has not collected shells! Many even collect them. And, returning from a vacation on the seashore or river, they bring more and more exhibits. If you have a lot of them at home, this topic is for you. Try to use your imagination, be sure to involve your children in the work and create such a wonderful picture.

Progress:

The collected shells (about a hundred) should be thoroughly washed in running water. If some people experience a matte coating, don’t despair. The shine can be easily restored by treating the surface with a toothbrush moistened with a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid. Sort the cleaned shells by color and size.
Now you can start composing the composition. First, arrange the shells on a sheet of cardboard so as to obtain the desired pattern. There are many options here, it all depends on the choice of your imagination. Take regular organic glass (painted or tinted). Then transfer the shells sequentially to the glass and secure. Use “Moment” extra-strong glue. When the composition dries, cover the shells with 2 - 3 layers of varnish. Frame our work.

Ideas from the Internet

Panel

These frames are all made from shells.

Flowers

Animals

Compositions