Love Seashells? Try Seashell Decor!

Have a look at the photo with the seashell picture in it - that picture was actually created by my parents, with seashells they found here in Perth while they were visiting from Germany last year. I was stunned when they sent me photos of what they had done with these little shells - I mean, I know my parents, and they are both not crafty AT ALL - and I mean that when I say it!! All they did was glue the shells into this white paste on a cardboard, and then they took it to a framing place to have it framed (granted, that can cost a bit of money, but isn't it worth it?).

Here is another one - one that I did a few years back after a holiday around Melbourne, with a very dear girlfriend from Germany, so it holds a lot of sentimental value... I had collected the shells on a beautiful beach in Wilsons Promontory, and decided to make a (very rustic!) mirror out of them. I think it looks ok, don't you? If you go to your nearest home improvement store (here in Australia it is Bunnings, for example), they have sections with craft items, have a browse and see what you can put to use with your seashells.

Did you know that you can actually create great artwork from seashells even if you don't have any "real life" specimens? I am talking about simply drawing or painting pictures of seashells. Granted, it's good if you can draw or paint a little. So if you can, why not grab a book from the library (or from here ;) ) and look for a great picture of a seashell, and get into painting! Like I have done in this pastel drawing...You need to make sure that you get a really good frame for it, and I promise that it will look great even if you are not a Picasso!

Or what about buying plain pillar candles (they are quite cheap), - white, light blue or sandy colors will look especially fresh and "seabreezy". Now glue the shells around the bottom of the candle by melting a spot on the candle with the tip of a hot glue gun and pressing the shell into it. Once the wax has set, the shell will be stuck to the candle. You can glue shells all around the bottom of the candle. After, maybe tie a nice ribbon around the candle, and it will look fantastic!
Make sure to check out "How to make a seashell candle" on ehow.com; I found they have some great ideas if you are a fan of candles, shells and the beach!

Large Seashells make absolutely perfect display pieces. They look stunning by themselves in a very special spot reserved just for them. They also elude mystery and tend to be center of attention at least for a short while every time you have guests around! People want to touch them, hold them and, depending on the shell, hold it to their ears and see whether they can hear the ocean.