Fun craft ideas using seashells. Turn your summer memories into crafts!
When you go to the beach in summer, you sometimes pick up seashells to take home as souvenirs, right?
I think many people want to make something using those shells.
In this article, we’ll introduce craft ideas you can make with seashells.
They’re perfect not only as home decor but also for elementary school craft projects.
Use these ideas when you’re wondering what to make for a summer vacation project.
You can also buy seashells online, so if you want a variety of shells, be sure to check them out.
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Fun craft ideas using seashells. Turn your summer memories into crafts! (1–10)
Seashell Mermaid
Let’s make a mermaid that makes full use of the seashell vibe! Use shells for the mermaid’s tail, scales, and accessories.
First, paint the shells in your favorite colors with acrylic paints or similar.
Draw the mermaid’s tail on construction paper, color it as you like, then glue the shells on top.
Arrange the torso, arms, and face using colored paper, draw the facial features, and decorate with any remaining shells.
For the mermaid’s hair, try using yarn or cotton cord in your favorite colors.
clock
It depends on how you classify them, but they say there are about a thousand kinds of shells you can find in the seas around Japan.
Without even thinking about things like shells you pick up on sandy beaches, shells you catch along the shore, or what you’d use them for, you end up collecting them just because they’re there, right? So how about making a clock using those shells? You can buy the main clock unit at a 100-yen shop, then place shells for each hour—hamaguri for 1 o’clock, trigai for 2 o’clock, yakōgai for 3 o’clock, and so on.
If you dry the shells and finish them with varnish, they’ll look beautiful!
[UV Range] Accessories
![[UV Range] Accessories](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R-zBBu8vmH0/sddefault.jpg)
It’s an idea to use seashells like little bowls, pour resin into them, and turn them into accessories.
Pour colored resin into the inside of a shell and cure it with a UV light, then decorate it with seaside-themed charms, shell flakes, glitter powder, and more.
You’ll end up with cool, beach-inspired accessories made from small shells.
You can buy both the resin and the UV light at 100-yen shops.
When handling resin, be sure to wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated room!
Fun craft ideas using seashells: Turn your summer memories into crafts! (11–20)
piggy bank
A piggy bank made with seashells—what a lovely idea! If you use shells you picked up at the beach, it will become a special piggy bank filled with summer memories.
You could use a large shell as the base and decorate it with smaller ones.
Making it with your child could also become a fun summer vacation memory.
It’s also a great idea to use the shapes and colors of the shells to create sea-creature motifs.
How about shaping it like an octopus, a crab, or a fish? The key is to make the most of the shells’ natural texture for an organic finish.
Once it’s done, you can display it in your room and enjoy it as decor, too.
Shell decor
How about enjoying seashells as interior decor, by bottling them or displaying them on a windowsill? There’s nothing particularly difficult or unusual about it—just simple, stylish ways to make them look neat.
You could gather small shells and put them in a cute-shaped bottle, or line the bottom of a glass container or your favorite glass with colored sand and arrange a few shells to evoke the seaside or a sandy beach.
You can also pair them with summery fabrics or driftwood for display.
gel candle
How lovely to make gel candles with seashells.
Just arrange the shells you collected on a summer beach in a heat-resistant glass and pour in melted gel, and your memories of the sea will come flooding back.
Mix in colorful sand to create the feeling of being under the ocean.
When setting the wick, secure it with chopsticks so it won’t tip over.
Once it hardens, it’s done.
Tie on some jute twine or decorate with your favorite pieces, and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind original candle.
It’s perfect for a summer vacation craft project—and it might make a great gift for a friend, too!
Dinosaurs made from seashells
Dinosaurs are always popular, and many children are sure to love them.
If you have lots of seashells, how about making dinosaur models? Use a hot glue gun to stick the shells together and form dinosaur shapes.
You can create one large dinosaur, or make several different kinds and line them up for a spectacular display! For a diorama-like effect, spread sand over a board, fix it with wood glue or similar, and arrange your dinosaurs on top to create a realistic scene.
Any leftover shells can be used as decorative rocks or stones.