Crafting with Seashells

From fabulous to just plain fun, let's look at Shellcraft!

Shellcraft is an artform that has been around for generations- Native Americans incorporated it into their clothing and jewelry designs (as well as using shells for wampum!)
Some sailors would collect shells on their travels and bring them home to loved ones who then created masterful works of art out of them.

Other sailors would purchase intricate works of art created by locals in the tropical ports they visited while away from home. They would sometimes include small sayings such as "thinking of you" and were brought/sent home to wives and families as a way to let them know they were thought of and missed while the men were gone on long voyages. These are commonly known as "Sailors Valentines".
Then there are simply those of us who love shells and have baskets, bowls and bottles filled with them and are constantly looking for new ways to display them. This lens will explore any and all forms of shellcraft we can think of!

Beachy Crafts For the Holidays and Year Round

If it's good enough for the White House...

First Lady Laura Bush spotlighted the nation's seashores for the 2007 Holiday Season.

Recreate the look of the shell wreaths hung in the West Garden Room of the White House!

You will need:

12" foam wreath (a tightly bound grapevine wreath will also work)

24" floral wire

wire cutters

glue gun

hot glue and 2 bags glue sticks

seashells and sea life in various shapes and sizes

Make two or three loops around the top of the wreath with floral wire and then make a small loop at the top. The small loop will become the hanger for the wreath.

Hot-glue the shells to the wreath base as desired. Make sure to fill in any spaces where the foam/vine shows, especially on the sides.

For a step by step video, visit the HGTV White House Christmas 2007 page by clicking here.

You can also check out this terrific little DIY seashell wreath kit in our eBay store!