Hey seashell lover! Spread ocean love + sustainability by shopping our eco-boutique.
Sustainably made with recycled materials + always plastic-free packaging, they’re the perfect gifts for beach lovers:
What to do with all those seashells that you’ve been collecting on your visit to the beach?
These shell crafts will give you lots of options for creating something that’s a beautiful reminder of your beach time!
These are great crafts to do on a rainy day, as an activity to do with kids or as a family, a special date with a loved one, or when you’re hanging out at home looking for something to do.
Of course, these are meant to get your creative juices flowing so feel free to expand on them and put your own twist on them.
And don’t feel like you have to have all of the supplies listed. Look around the house for things you can re-purpose & recycle, like container lids, packaging materials, or cardboard.
Have fun!
1. DIY Seashell Shadowbox
You don’t need a shadowbox to make this: you could use anything flat like a wood board or even cardboard that’s painted or covered in fabric! We love putting seashells into shapes, especially hearts 💙
Click here for the Seashell Shadowbox craft
Our “Love Anchors the Soul” comes with a free printable anchor stencil and quote:
Click here for the Anchor Love shell craft
2. DIY Coastal Photo Frame
Have an old photo frame lying around? Recharge it with some seashells! We used a backless frame and added fish net & clothespins for a rustic feel, but any kind of frame will do!
Click here for the Seashell Photo Frame craft
3. DIY Seashell Wreath
All you need is a wreath base (re-use one that’s in storage, maybe?), seashells, glue, maybe some ribbon & scraps of floral (optional). We love this one because each wreath will be so unique, and it will adorn your home with beautiful vibes all season long!
Click here for the Seashell Wreath craft
4. DIY Mussel Shell Bloom
Have a lot of a particular type of shell? Make a design with them, like our mussel shell bloom:
Click here for the Mussel Shell Bloom craft
5. Seashell Love Wall Hanging
Use your tiny seashells or seashell bits for a sweet border. Instead of the slate heart, you could use a piece of cardboard or poster board that’s cut and painted or covered in fabric! Attach a string or twine on the back to make it hangable.
Click here for the Seashell Love Wall Hanging craft
6. DIY Coastal Christmas Ornaments
A traditional color theme for turning your seashell treasures into ornaments for your Christmas tree:
For the base of the ornament, you can look around the house for items to decorate with your seashells and attach a string.
For a fun recycled twist, use cutouts of used poster board, cardboard, old container lids, or even a packing mailer!
Click here for the Coastal Seashell Christmas Ornaments
7. Starfish & Sand Rope Lantern
This one is entirely open to decorating in so many different ways! We found a lantern that had the rope on it, but you could easily coil and glue rope to the top of a lantern instead. Use any kinds of seashells that you might have to fill the lantern!
Click here for the Seashell Starfish Lantern craft
8. Coastal Rustic Wood Sign
In this one, we used seashell bits and decorative sea glass for the heart. You could add a seashell border too.
Click here for the Coastal Wood Sign craft
9. DIY Seashell Animal Art
Make animal shapes with your shells! We made a turkey for Thanksgiving, but why not make other animals like a seahorse, fish, dog, or bird? So many possibilities!
Click here for the Seashell Turkey Wall Art craft
10. DIY Aqua & Turquoise Christmas Ornaments
These aqua hues will have you feeling like you’re at a tropical beach for Christmas!
For the base of the ornament, you can look around the house for items to decorate with your seashells and attach a string.
For a fun recycled twist, use cutouts of used poster board, cardboard, old container lids, or even a packing mailer!
Click here for the Aqua Seashell Ornaments craft
We hope you enjoyed our collection of seashell crafts! Do you have a favorite or one you want to share? Message us in a comment below! 💙
What kind of glue should be used for shells
Hi Angela, we usually use hot glue and find it works pretty well, depending on the size of your shells. (Hot glue heads up: on shell crafts used outdoors, sometimes the shells will eventually come off and will need re-gluing.) We’ve seen glue specifically for seashells (search “seashell glue”) but haven’t tried it. If you don’t want to use hot glue (especially for smaller shells), craft glue tacky glue or E6000 are good. Hope this helps and that you enjoy your shell craft adventure!