Mickey Mouse Seashell Birthday Party Favors

A friend of mine is hosting a birthday party for her 4 year old son in a few weeks. The theme for his party is Disney's Mickey and Minnie Mouse. She asked me to help her make some decorations and unique party favors for the upcoming event.

We decided to paint some seashells that feature an image of Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse on the front. We're NOT artists, so we needed the design to be easy to paint. This is what we came up with and guess what? You can whip up several of them in one afternoon! Plus, they don't cost a lot of money to make.

You will need to collect large clam seashells from the beach. Wash and thoroughly dry them. Base coat each one with 2 coats of red acrylic craft paint. If you're making several of them to use as party favors...do it in an assembly line fashion. After they're all dry...move on to the next part.

Use Google to find a FREE Mickey Mouse (head) image. We found one that we liked, re-sized it, printed it out and used scissors to cut it out....use this as your template. Place it onto the shell and use a black Sharpie Marker to trace around it.

You'll need 2 coats of black acrylic craft paint to fill in the image, allowing 15-20 minutes of drying time between each coat of paint. You can use a Sharpie Marker to add a child's name, birth day, or other wordage onto the shell. Let everything dry.

Take them outside and spray them with a coat of clear acrylic spray sealer. We used a glossy-finish, but you can certainly use a matte finish. Let them dry for several hours. This is a project that the kids can do too!

Pallet Wood Seashell Covered Seahorse Wall Art

Last month I made this adorable seashell covered seahorse by using pallet wood and seashells that I've collected from the beach. It stands a little over 2 foot tall and is now hanging on the wall in our sun room. It took my husband one afternoon to do the wood portion and it took me 3 days to do the seashells.

If you're interested in learning how I made it along with assembly tips you'll want to check out my post over on my other blog TwoClassyChics.com. The Coastal Craft: Seashell Covered Seahorse Wall Art has become one of my most popular posts over on the blog, so I wanted to mention it over here too.

Living at the beach or traveling to the beach often has its perks! I used over 250+ shells to make it. You'll need to collect a lot of tiny, small and medium-sized seashells if you plan on making one. The pallet wood was FREE (hubby gets those at work, brings them home, tears them a part) and we use them in various craft and landscaping projects around our home.

I love the coastal and beach lifestyle, so I'm always making new projects that work with that home decor theme. Since completing the seahorse, I'm already working on a dolphin, whale and mermaid tail one too. They're easy to make, but do take several days to complete. My only expense was a few nails, screws, wood glue, E6000 adhesive glue, clear acrylic spray sealer and a sawtooth hanger on the back so that I could hang it up. That's about it!

Kid's Crafts Painted Seashells Beach Vacation Memories

This past June we took both of our grandchildren down to the beach for summer vacation. The kids enjoy playing in the sand, jumping waves in the ocean and collecting seashells from the beach. Over the years I've taught them to ONLY collect the un-occupied shells and to put occupied shells back onto the beach.

Like most kids...they love collecting seashells and when we got home we had 3 bags of shells that we could use for crafting and home decorating. We decided to paint on a few of the larger clam shells that we collected that measure at least 5" in width. Before you paint on them you'll want to wash them really well with liquid dish soap and water. Let them dry for out in the sunshine until completely dry. It's important to remove the debris, sand, and the smell.

You can use acrylic craft paints and paint brushes or you can use acrylic paint pens or markers. My 10 year old granddaughter made the one shown in the photograph using ONLY acrylic paint pens that we purchased from Amazon. They're great if you want a no-mess craft project to do with the kids, plus they dry quickly.

The Princess painted a beach scene featuring glistening, golden, sandy beach, waves crashing onshore, the Atlantic Ocean in the background with sea gulls flying above. I think she did a really nice job! On the back of the shell she wrote her name and the date. To protect the painted design we sprayed them with 2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer and left them dry overnight.

Painting on seashells that you collected while on vacation is a great way for children to preserve those beach vacation memories. Plus, it's a frugal craft and will cost you less than 50 cents to make (paint supplies), since the seashells are free!

Teacher's Gifts: Painted Seashell Paper Weights

The end of the school year is approaching and my grandchildren needed a few end of the year Teacher's gifts. Every year we buy their teacher a small gift and then have the kids handcraft one too. I feel its important to let kids be artistically creative and this project is fun for them to complete.

For our project we used large 4" and 5" wide clam seashells that we collected off of the beach. Wash them with a little bit of soapy water (to remove sand and debris) and let them thoroughly dry before painting on them. This size of a clam shell is weighty and makes great paper weights for the teacher's desk.

Teacher's Gifts: Painted Seashell Paper Weights

Large, Clean, Clam Shells (see note above)
Acrylic Craft Paints
Paper Towels, Water Dish, Paint Brush
Medium-Tip White Paint Pen
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer, Glossy Finish

Have the child base coat their large clam shell with their desired color of paint. We wanted our seashells to resemble a blackboard, so we painted them with 2 coats of black acrylic craft paint. Leave them dry for 60-90 minutes or until the paint is no longer tacky.

Once the paint is dry...have the child hand-write the teacher's name using the medium-point white paint pen. Let them write out the name which shows off that child's penmanship. They can use additional paint colors to add polka dots or other fun little designs around the outer edge of the seashell if they want to add color and/or additional decoration. Let dry for 60-90 minutes or until paint is no longer tacky.

Tip: To make the perfect circular polka-dots have the child dip the end of their paint brush (non-bristle end) into wet paint and then place the wet end (tip) onto the seashell. Perfect polka dots every time! Have them re-dip the end into wet paint before "dotting" on a new polka dot each time.

After they're done drying have an adult take them outside. Lay them down onto a plastic placemat, old table cloth or drop cloth. Lightly spray them with 2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer. We like the glossy finish, but you could certainly use matte finish if you prefer that look. Let them dry for 60-90 minutes. This will preserve the painted design and help to prevent cracking and crazing over the years. That's it, you're done!

Looking for more fun kid's craft projects? Adult DIY craft projects? You'll find over 400+ craft projects over on our "sister" blog called TwoClassyChics. All of our craft projects are inexpensive and easy to do!!!

Kid's Crafts Painted Seashell Paperweights

Looking for a fun craft project to do with the kids that won't cost you a lot of money? All you need for this easy-to-make project are some large clam seashells and craft paints. Once completed they will have made a beautiful and unique seashell paperweight. A great end of the school year teacher's gift too!

If you enjoy crafting with seashells you'll want to check out the 100+ Seashell Craft Projects that we've published over on our TwoClassyChics blog. You'll find hundreds of fun and easy designs over there too!!!

Kid's Crafts: Painted Seashell Paperweights

Large Clam Shell Seashell
Acrylic Craft Paints, Various Metallic and Glitter Colors
Acrylic Craft Paint Pen in White
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels

Wash and thoroughly dry seashells. We used large clam shells that measure at least 4 1/2" in width. We recommend washing them in hot, soapy water and letting them air-dry out in the hot sun. Make sure all of the sand and debris has been removed.

Cover work surface with sheets of old newspaper or an old plastic drop cloth. Kids can get messy when they're using paints.

Have each child give their seashell two base coats of paint in their desired color. We used metallic paints and glitter paints that can be found in any craft supply store for about $1.00 per bottle. Using the metallic colors give your seashells a nice glossy finish. Using glitter paints give them sparkle. Once the base coating is done...let them dry for about an hour.

Let the children come up with their own designs and color schemes! Its important that we let them be creative without a lot of input from us. Not every craft that a child makes needs to be "Pinterest Worthy" if you know what I mean. Plus, we can all tell when a craft was made by an adult and NOT by a child! Sigh, I wish people would just be honest!

For these designs my 10 year old granddaughter base coated both seashells with a bubblegum pink color. One was done with metallic paint and one was done with glitter paint. She then used a white colored paint pen to write the word MERMAID on one shell and her nick-name on the other shell. She dipped the end of her paint brush into royal blue and purple metallic paints and added a dotted border around the MERMAID seashell. Kids could use cotton swabs dipped into paint to get the perfect-sized polka dots too.

They can paint on nature-inspired designs, animals, just names and words, rainbow colors, etc. Whatever their little hearts desire. Once they're done decorating them you'll want to let them thoroughly dry for 2-3 hours. If they're giving them as a gift I recommend letting them take a Sharpie Marker and writing a message on the back side of the shell, along with their name and the date. In other words, autograph their artwork. Fun!

These type's of kid's craft projects don't cost a lot of money. If you live near the beach or will be visiting one on summer vacation...pick up some of those large clam shells you see lying around on the beach. Don't have access to seashells? You can do this same project using smooth river rocks too.

Kid's Crafts: Painted Seashells for Spring and Easter

Looking for a fun craft project to do with the kids? To make these adorable painted seashells you'll need to collect a few large clam shells found lying around on the beach. If you don't have access to seashells, you can try adjusting the designs and using smooth river rocks or another type of found object from nature.

We completed this craft project with a group of kids ages 9 to 12 years of age. I will describe each design briefly, but they're pretty easy to figure out by just viewing the photographs. You can use these designs to inspire your own. Looking for more fun easy-to-make Seashell Craft Projects? You can find over 100+ different projects on our TwoClassyChics blog.

PAINTED EASTER DESIGN SEASHELL

We used purple metallic acrylic craft paint to give the shell 2 base coats of paint. We left it dry for about 40 minutes. Use a white medium-tip paint pen to write the word EASTER. Let dry for 30 minutes. Dip the end of your paint brush into medium pink paint and add your polka dots around the border. Dip the end of your paint brush into teal green paint and add polka dots around the border, between the pink dots. Let dry.

PAINTED SPRING FLOWER DESIGN SEASHELL

Base coat your shell in your desired color. We used 2 coats of lavender colored craft paint. Let dry. We decided to do a free-hand easy floral design by using white craft paint and making 4 tear drop shaped petals. Have the points of each tear drop over-lap in the center to form the flower. Use green acrylic craft paint to make the stem and leaves. Dip the end of your paint brush in pink paint to dot on the center of the flower. While that's drying you'll want to add your polka dots around the border of your seashell. Let dry.

PAINTED EASTER BUNNY DESIGN SEASHELL

This design will take longer to make and you'll need 1 large clam shell and 2 smaller slipper shells, along with craft paint and glue to make it. When gluing seashells together we recommend using E6000 Adhesive Glue and recommend that an adult to do that step. The adhesive is powerful, so avoid contact with your skin.

Give all three of your seashells 2 base coats of white paint. Let dry. Use pink paint to make an oval shaped nose. Use a black medium-tip paint pen to draw on the oval shaped eyes, outline the nose, add the whiskers and the mouth. Let dry. Use pink paint to add the color to the bunny's inner ears on the slipper shells. Set aside to dry. Dip the end of your paint brush into white paint and dot on the inner eyes. Let thoroughly dry. Once everything is dry you'll use the E6000 Adhesive Glue to attach the slipper shell ears to the top of the head. Glue them on the back side of the large clam shell and be generous with the amount of glue that you use. Let dry for 4-6 hours.

To Finish: Take all of your finished designs outside and lay them down onto an old plastic table cloth or placemat. Give each one a light coat of clear acrylic spray sealer. Wait 20 minutes and spray them with a second coat. You'll want to do this on both sides! Let thoroughly dry. You can now display them inside or outside your home. It's important to spray them which will help to protect the painted finish from chipping, cracking or crazing...and will prevent the colors from fading over time.

Kid's Crafts: Mother's Day and Father's Day Painted Seashells

We visit the beach several times every year and often times we take our grandchildren down to the shore along with us. The kids enjoy playing on the beach and collecting seashells, especially large clam shells that they find along the shoreline.

Like most kids...my grandchildren enjoy easy-to-make craft projects and as a grandparent, I love that this project doesn't cost me a lot of money...basically just painting supplies. You can have the kids hand paint these large clam shells (seashells) to give as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day Gifts, Father's Day Gifts, etc. My granddaughter is working on one that she's going to give to her school teacher at the end of this school year.

For this project we used large clam shells that measure 4 1/2" to 6" in width. You want to wash them with a little bit of soapy water, rinse them and then let them thoroughly dry. Make sure all sand and debris has been removed.

Cover your work surface with an old drop cloth, plastic table cloth, old newspaper, etc. Give the kids some acrylic craft paints, paint brushes, a water dish and some paper towels. Have the kids give each seashell 2 base coats of paint. Let them dry for 60-90 minutes or until the paint is no longer tacky.

Let the kids come up with their own artist designs and let them paint whatever they want on the top of the seashell. For this project they worked on Father's Day and Mother's Day designs. One seashell says "Mom" and one says "Dad". The smaller one has a heart design painted on it and my granddaughter gave that one to her Mom for Valentine's Day.

You will want to let the painted seashells dry overnight. Then take them outside and spray 1-2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer on top. This will protect the painted finish from chipping, cracking or crazing. These painted seashells can be displayed inside or outside of your home. They look beautiful displayed in the garden, a flower bed, on the front porch or back deck!

Kid's Crafts: Painted and Glitter Seashell Christmas Ornaments

During our beach walks my grandchildren will collect hundreds of seashells that wash up onto the beach. We collect them in our mesh bags and then wash/dry them once we return from vacation. So, what do you do with all of those seashells the kids collected? Turn them into fun Christmas and holiday ornaments with just a few basic craft supplies! For this project we used small clam shells which worked perfectly for the project! 

Kid's Crafts: Painted and Glitter Seashell Christmas Ornaments

Clean Seashells

Acrylic Craft Paints

Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Clear Fishing Line
Scissors
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer with Glitter
All-Purpose Craft Glue
Sheets of Old Newspaper

Lay newspaper down on your work surface. Let the kids paint their seashells in solid or multi-colors. They can paint elaborate or really simple designs. We opted to paint our's in a solid color using 2 coats of acrylic paint. Left them dry for 30 minutes and then used acrylic paint to add a simple "polka dot" design. Let them dry for 45-60 minutes.

While the paint is drying you'll want to make hanging loops for all of your new ornaments. We used clear fishing line. Cut a piece that measures approximately 4 1/2" to 5" in length. Tie it into a loop and knot the ends together. Trim ends if needed. Set aside.

Take 2 sheets of newspaper outside. Lay them onto the newspaper. Lightly spray a coat of clear acrylic sealer with glitter onto the painted side of the shell. You don't need a lot! This sealer will protect the painted surface and add a shimmer to it thanks to the fine-grade glitter inside it. Let them dry for 1 hour.

Bring them back inside. If the clam shell has a tiny hole in the end (some do, some don't) you can add your hanging loop through the hole. If not, you can glue the hanging loop to the backside of the shell. Let dry for 2-3 hours. That's it, you're done!!!  

You can hang them on your Christmas tree or use them as holiday package toppers. A great way for kids to use up some of those seashells that they collected during summer vacation. 

12 Easy-to-Make Seashell Craft Projects

I love the beach and coastal lifestyle, so obviously I love to collect and craft with seashells. My current seashell collection has over 150+ specimens and growing. I like to use my leftover seashells in various craft projects and to decorate my home.

Besides the Passionate About Crafting Blog, I also own another blog called Two Classy Chics, which is a mom & lifestyle blog. It's my largest and most popular blog. With that said, I've been posting the majority of my seashell craft projects over on the TCC Blog and wanted to highlight them here on Passionate About Crafting. 

Here are 12 Easy-to-Make Seashell Craft Projects

* Seashell Windchime - Made with clam shells, paint and clear fishing line. This one will take you a few hours to make and you'll need a lot of smaller-sized clam shells to make it.

* Tropical Fish Seashell Yard Art - Made with a large clam shell, scallop shell and craft paint. 

* Seashell Soap Dish & Trinket Dish - I love making these and giving them out as gifts along with a bar of handcrafted soap.

* Painted Clam Shells for Summer Yard Art - You can use stencils or free-hand your own summer designs onto large clam shells. 

* Patriotic Design Painted Shells - These are fun to display in your flower beds, on your front porch, around the swimming pool or to decorate your table during summer picnics. 

* Painted Puppy Dog Seashells - My grandchildren loved making these adorable puppy dog seashells. Fun to display if your a dog owner and love dogs! 

* DIY Coastal Style Flower Pots - You can easily paint your own terracotta flower pots and then decorate them with your favorite seashells. 

* Seashell Crabs Yard Art - You can make these adorable red crabs with large clam shells, pipe cleaners, acrylic craft paint and some glue. A fun way to decorate for summer! 

* Home Decor Metallic Painted Seashells - Use metallic paints in bright colors to paint some of your seashells, toss them into a larger shell or basket to decorate your home.

* Displaying Beach Vacation Memories - Collect sand and seashells while on vacation and then display them in a glass memory block. 

* Seashell Refrigerator Magnets - I like to turn my smaller shells into refrigerator magnets! A quick and easy project that also makes a great little gift. 

* Panda Bear Painted Seashell - My granddaughter loves panda bears and made this adorable Panda Bear by utilizing a large clam shell for his head and 2 smaller shells for his ears. Cute! 

If you enjoy crafting with seashells you'll want to check out all of my Seashell Craft Projects by visiting my Two Classy Chics blog. You'll find over 100+ craft project designs! 

Preschool Craft Project: Rainbow Painted Clam Seashells

Looking for a quick and easy craft project to do with the kids? Got a few clam shells that you've collected from a recent beach vacation? Some craft paints? If so, you've got everything you need to make these adorable rainbow painted clam seashells!

We made them with a group of preschoolers age 3 to 5 years of age to help teach them about their colors, to educate them a little bit about rainbows and of course...we incorporated some education about seashells into our learning session too!

Kid's Crafts: Rainbow Painted Clam Seashells

Medium to Large Clam Shells
Acrylic Craft Paints
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Old Sheets of Newspaper
Black Sharpie Marker

Before beginning the project you'll want to wash and thoroughly dry all seashells. I suggest doing that a few days before you plan on beginning the project. They need to be completely dry before painting them.

Line the work surface with old sheets of newspaper. Kids can be messy painters! You can have the kids paint their seashells in traditional rainbow colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple) or in whatever colors that they would like. I recommend using acrylic craft paints which dry quickly and are easy-to-clean up.

Once the clam shells are completely dry you can have the kids flip them over and write their name, age and date on the other side or some type of message. I think it's always nice when kids sign and date their arts & craft projects. That's it...they're really easy-to-make and can be a great teaching tool in the preschool classroom.

Kid's Crafts: Painting Memorial Marker Seashells

Kids have a hard time expressing their sadness and grief. Depending on their age, they might not even comprehend what is going on and how they should feel. This is the same with the loss of a family member, friend or even a beloved pet.

To help children learn to deal with their grief and to express their feelings, we've come up with an easy craft project for them to do. Once their seashell memorial markers are completed, they can place them on a grave of a loved one...including a lost pet. When making them, let the children paint whatever designs they want...including their choice of paint colors.

Kid's Crafts: Painting Memorial Marker Seashells

Large Clam Seashells
Acrylic Craft Paints, Variety of Colors
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Disposable Foam Plate, Paint Palette
Old Sheets of Newspaper
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer

Cover the work surface with a few sheets of old newspaper. Kids can be really messy when working with paint.

You'll want to fill a dish with water (we like to use old plastic disposable butter dishes), provide paper towels and use disposable plates for paint palettes. Squirt a few puddles of different colored paint onto the disposable plate. Show the kids how to wash out their paint brush when changing colors by dipping it into the water dish and drying it with the paper towel.

The kids can paint just the outside of the clam shell or both sides, entirely up to them. They can make a design that reminds them of the loved one that they lost and/or adding wording to the design. I feel it's important for the child to come up with their own unique & creative design which helps them to express their feelings.

Let the seashells thoroughly dry. If you're using acrylic craft paint, this can take up to 60-70 minutes. Take the shells outside and lay them down onto newspaper or an old plastic placemat. Have an adult spray 1-2 coats of the clear acrylic sealer on each seashell and let thoroughly dry. This will protect the painted surface from chipping, cracking and/or fading. It will allow the seashells to be displayed outside.

We do this project with the kids in our family every time a loved one passes on or with the loss of a beloved pet. They really look forward to it...from the preschoolers and on up. Some of the adults will get in on the action too! You can make them as fancy as you want, but I think basic designs look best. We hope you enjoy this crafting with kids project!

Kid's Craft Project: Hand Painted Seashells for Summer

Every time we travel down to the beach we always come home with a big bag of seashells. My grandchildren love to collect them while we're on vacation and then we use them in various craft projects throughout the year.

This project is a great way to use up some of those clam shells that you collected. All you need is a few bottles of acrylic paint and let the kids come up with their own painted designs. If you plan on displaying them outside you'll need to protect the painted finish with clear acrylic spray sealer. If you're displaying them indoors, you can skip that step.

Kid's Craft Project: Hand Painted Seashells for Summer

Acrylic Craft Paints
Paint Brush and Water Dish
Medium & Large Clam Shells
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer - Glossy Finish
Old Newspaper and Paper Towels

Lay newspaper down onto your work surface. Make sure your clam shells and seashells have been washed and thoroughly dried.

We use old plastic margarine bowls and their lids when painting. Use the bowl as your water dish and the plastic lid as your paint palette. Squirt a few colors of acrylic paint onto the paint palette and let the kids go to town painting their seashells. I feel that it's very important to let them come up with their own creative designs, not that fancy stuff that adults want to do just to have a Pinterest-worthy pin. Nope, let the kids be creative!!!

Once the shells have been painted you'll want to let them dry for 1-2 hours. Take them outside and lay them down onto newspaper and have an adult spray them with 1-2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer. It comes in a matte, semi-gloss and glossy finish...we prefer the glossy. Let the shells dry for 3-4 hours (until they are no longer tacky). You can now use them to decorate inside your home or outside in your garden & flower beds.

Beach and Boardwalk Fun Scrapbooking Page Idea

I love the beach and one of my favorite places to visit is Wildwood in New Jersey. We try to get down to Wildwood about 6 times a year, spring, summer and of course, fall. There is always something interesting to see and super-fun things to do!

I'm a traditional scrapbooker and I enjoy playing with paper and embellishments. I know some people are into digital scrapbooking, but that's not me. The layout that I'm featuring today is a really easy one in the traditional 12" by 12" size. Plus, I was able to squeeze on 8 photos without the page coming out too gaudy looking.

The background is a sheet of 12" by 12" piece of scrapbooking paper in a wood board print. I selected it because it reminds me of the boardwalk boards! A lot of my photos had a red color in them so I selected red and turquoise for my accent colors.

The first photo mat has 4 photos on it and all of them were cropped down to fit. I matted them onto turquoise colored cardstock, trimmed to have an 1/8" edge and then matted onto red cardstock with a 3/16" edge. I accented this photo block in a unique way. I had taken a lot of photos of various signage down in Wildwood and on the boardwalk. One sign was in the shape of a string of beach balls and it spelled out a saying about Wildwood. I blew it up slightly, printed out the photo & then used scissors to cut it out. I then placed it onto the photo block (top left) using foam adhesive squares.

The second photo mat features 4 mini photos of us goofing off in one of those photo booths up on the boardwalk. I left them in "strip form" and just matted the entire strip onto turquoise and red cardstock, so that they matched the first photo block. Underneath this photo block is a rub-on word that says "LOVE" and above the photo block is a rub-on word that says "Memories" with both being in a dark red color.

At the bottom of the page I added 3 different rope boarder stickers which reminds me of the rope you see all over the place down at the shore. I added a 4th rope boarder along the top of the page.  For the title block, I enlarged a photo that I had taken that said Wildwood from a sign that was on the boardwalk. I printed it out, cut it out around the edges and then matted it onto red cardstock. I used foam adhesive back squares to apply it at the top of my page.

What was fun about this page is that it didn't cost me a lot to make and took very little time. Two of my embellishments were made from actual photographs that I took, along with 2 rub-on words and 3 rope stickers. I wanted to squeeze on 8 photographs without it being too much and I think this worked out pretty well. Thanks for checking it out!

Family Beach Vacation Scrapbook Page Idea

We're really fortunate that we only live 3-4 hours from the Atlantic coast and visit the beach several times every year. Our beach trips are always special with our daughter and her family show up to spend a few days with us. Let's face it...vacation is a lot of fun when the entire family get's together!

I finally found some time to sit down and work on my scrapbooking projects again and to get things rolling...I'm working on our family vacation photos from 2015 to the beach in Wildwood. I had forgotten how many photos I had taken during that trip until I sat down to look through them. During the trip...my daughter was 7 months pregnant and she wanted a few family photos taken that showed off her very pregnant belly.

I decided to go with a simple scrapbook layout and with a pretty neutral color scheme of light beige, brown, seafoam and blue. The background is a sheet of 12" by 12" printed cardstock in a pretty light beige color. I then took two pieces of brown paper and ran them through my machine to turn them into cardboard-looking paper. You can see on the photo where I placed them on the background.

Two vertical photographs were used after they were slightly cropped down and matted onto light turquoise and bright blue cardstock. The inner mat has a 1/8" edge and the outer mat has a 3/16" edge. The title of the page is a block that says "Sunny Day Everyday" which I matted onto the bright blue cardstock and then accented it with a flower embellishment. To add a little pizzazz, I added a tiny turquoise colored rhinestone to the center of the flower. Underneath the title block is a 3-D pennant flag embellishment done in the same color scheme.

The bottom right corner features a travel themed 3-D embellishment and I added a pair of plastic sunglasses to the right upper corner to add more interest. I used a turquoise colored gel ink pen and made a mini list of some of the activities that we did together as a family during that vacation down to the beach. The top right photo is accented with a lighthouse cardstock sticker embellishment and the bottom left photo is accented with a blue ship's anchor cardstock sticker embellishment.

I didn't want to over-do it with the embellishments or color scheme with this particular scrapbook layout because I wanted the two photographs to stand out and speak for themselves.

Note: You can double click on the photograph to get it to open up in a new browsing window and in an enlarged size. That will allow you to see all of the smaller details up close.

DIY Coastal Seashell Christmas Ornaments

Every year I decorate a 6 foot tall Christmas Tree in a beach and coastal theme. I decorate three trees for the season, but I admit...my coastal Christmas Tree is my favorite.

Last week at our local Dollar Store I picked up some craft supplies to make my own Coastal Seashell Christmas Ornament Balls. I love frugal holiday crafts like this and I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. Here's how to make them!

DIY Coastal Seashell Christmas Ornament Balls

Clear Plastic Ornament Balls
Sand
Bag of Seashells
All-Purpose Craft Glue
Raffia

Note: I purchased all of the supplies at my local Dollar Store.

Remove the top from each ornament ball. Fill the ball 2/3 of the way full with purchased craft sand. Place small seashells down into the ornament through the hole at the top. Your ornament will be semi-heavy, so they are best for the bottom branches of your tree. Since they are semi-heavy, I used all-purpose craft glue to glue the top back into place...just for added extra-strength, so that the little prongs on the cap don't pull out.

Cut a 6" to 8" long piece of natural-colored raffia and tie it through the top for the ornament's hanger. If desired, you can make a loopy bow out of the raffia too. I kept mine pretty simple. I like the calming neutral tones, so I kept to those, but you could certainly use colored sand or small dyed (or painted) seashells too. Super simple to make!

I made a total of 8 of them and they will be hanging this year on my bigger, bottom branches on the Christmas Tree. If I can find smaller ornament balls and even tinier seashells, I would like to make some smaller ones too! Fun!

Kid's Craft Projects - Sharpie Marker Painted Clam Shells

Did you take the kids to the beach for summer vacation? Got an abundance of seashells that you collected from the beach? If so, I've got a great kid's craft project to share with all of you today and it's one that will allow them to get creative and stay busy for several hours!

For this craft project, you'll need the following supplies (just a handful of items) and you'll be ready to go for an afternoon filled with fun! We used surf clam shells that we collected from the beach, but you can use most seashells that you have on hand. Some will be better for just doing "dot-style" patterns on and others (like the clam shell) are great for artistic drawings.

Kid's Craft Project: Sharpie Marker Painted Clam Shells

Seashells and/or Clam Shells
Sharpie Markers
Newspaper
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer
Soap, Water & Towel

The day before, you'll want to wash up all of the seashells to remove sand and debris. You can use a little bit of liquid dish soap & water. Rinse clean and then lay them on a towel to dry. They need to be thoroughly dry before you begin the next step.

Lay newspaper down onto your work surface. Give the kids a pile of Sharpie Markers and let them draw designs, patterns, dots, swirls or whatever else they would like on the inside and outside of their seashells. We found it best to use markers with a medium point and NOT a fine point tip. You'll want to use permanent markers, not ones that will easily smear & wash off.

Once the designs have been "painted" you'll want to take them outside for the next step. Lay some old newspaper down onto the grass or sidewalk. Place the painted shells on top. Have an adult spray the clear acrylic sealer onto one side of the seashell. Let it dry for 2 hours. Flip over the shells and spray an additional coat. Let them dry for several more hours. Now your done!

By spraying them with the clear acrylic sealer...it will add a nice glossy coat to the finish and protect the painted design underneath. We placed our seashells in our flower bed and garden. They can be used inside or outside of the home.

Coastal Beach Seashell Candle Holders

Last month we took an extended vacation down to the Jersey Shore. We spent 2 1/2 weeks at the condo and had a wonderful time. Every time we go down...I go shelling and pick up all of the seashells, sand dollars and star fish that I find. In addition, I always bring home a small zipper closure baggie full of beach sand. I like to use these things in various craft projects & home decor projects around my home.

Last week I whipped up 6 of these very easy-to-make beach seashell candle holders to sit out around our deck and near our swimming pool for an upcoming party that we are hosting. Here's how I made them.

Coastal & Beach Seashell Candle Holders

Colored Glass Mason Jars
Battery-Operated Votive or Tealight Candles
Beach Sand
Pebbles & Seashells
Jute Rope
Glue Gun & Hot Glue

I found the colored glass mason jars at my local craft supply store for $1.00 each on sale. I also picked up battery-operated tealight candles and a roll of jute.

You can fill your jar up with beach sand, smooth pebbles that you found on the beach and small seashells. Whatever you found on vacation...use it in the jar, including small pieces of driftwood. You can fill your jars up as far as you would like. Since I am using small tealights, I filled my jars up pretty full.

I then took hot glue and glued jute roping around the neck of each of my jars...I think 6-7 rows of it. I then glued small clam shells on top of the jute roping to finish them off. You can decorate the neck opening of the jar however you would like.  You can make them simple & plain like mine (that's the way I like them) or fancy them up. You can make them all the same or vary the design & fillings to suit your own taste.

These look so pretty sitting on the tables and our deck railing during the day and at night...they look even prettier with the candlelight glow.

4 Easy Ways to Display Your Beach Vacation Treasures

I decorate my home in a beach & coastal style and I'm always looking for quick and easy ways to display my collected beach vacation treasures. These beach vacation keepsakes include things such as: seashells, starfish, sand dollars, beach sand, drift wood, sea glass, coastal bird feathers, coral, sea pebbles and other things that I personally collect from the beach and ocean.

Today I'm going to share with all of you some simple ideas on how you can display your collected beach vacation treasures around your own home. All of these ideas are quick, easy and inexpensive!

For the first project...I took an empty & clean pasta jar with a wooden lid and filled it up with a slew of my beach treasures, including a dollar bill that hubby found in the sand. I took a white chalk paint maker and wrote "Beach Treasures" on the wooden lid and tied raffia around the pasta jar to finish off the look.

I took an older glass coffee or tea canister with lid and removed all of the labels from it. After I had it cleaned it...I placed all of my collected pebbles and smooth rocks inside it. I've been collecting these from one particular beach in New Jersey and hoping to have it completely filled up after our next Jersey Shore trip. Once filled, I'm going to tie some raffia around the neck of the canister to give it some pizzazz and will probably glue a small sand dollar on it.

I had an empty large glass vase that I picked up at the flea market for .50 cents and decided to make a seascape inside it. The sand that you see is sand that I brought home from vacation in a small zipper closure baggie. I used a low-temp glue gun to glue natural colored twine (thin-gauge rope) around the base to make it look a little bit rustic. I laid a chunky piece of white coral inside it along with various pieces of driftwood, sea shells and pebbles. I'm hoping to find myself a small sand dollar or starfish the next time I hit the beach to complete the look.

Finally, I purchased this white wood shadow box at my local craft supply store (A.C. Moore) and used a coupon to get it 50% off. I believe it cost me $10.00. It holds a combination of photographs and treasures...so I placed four photos of my family at the beach inside it and then filled up the remaining 5 cavities with my treasures: seashells, driftwood, sand dollar and a star fish. Now that I'm done with it, hubby is going to hang it up onto the wall for me next weekend.

I like simple things when it comes to coastal & beach decorating and I like them in soothing neutral tones. You can make these items even fancier and more colorful than what I did. You can whip them all up in one day and do so very inexpensively if you're on a budget. In the coming weeks, I'll share some additional coastal and beach craft ideas with all of you.

Craft Project - Clam Shell Soap Dish

Every time we go down to the beach house I'm always out on the beach collecting seashells. Over the years...I've amassed quite a large collection. The special seashells get cleaned up, identified and placed in a specimen box and some are on display throughout my home. Others like these basic surf clam shells are used for various craft projects or in landscaping projects around our home.

On a recent trip down to the Jersey Shore I collected over 75+ very large surf clam shells and decided to turn some of them into seashell trinket dishes and others into seashell soap dishes. This project is amazingly easy to do!

Seashell Trinket Dish or Soap Dishes

Large Clam Shells (Halves)
E6000 Adhesive Glue
Faux Sea Glass Gems (from Dollar Store)
Clear Gloss Acrylic Spray Sealer

Wash and dry your clam shells. Take them outside and spray one side with the glossy clear acrylic sealer and let dry for a few hours. Flip the shell over, spray again and let dry overnight.

Place the clam shell half on a flat surface. You will want to place two of the faux sea glass gems underneath the clam shell so that it sits upright and doesn't tilt. Mark the placement on the backside of the shell with a marker.

Flip the shell over and add a pea-sized amount of the E6000 Adhesive Glue where you placed your mark. Push one of the faux sea glass gems (flat side down) into the glue. Let dry for a few hours to allow the glue to set. Flip the seashell back over and now you have a pretty little dish!

You can use these clam shell dishes for trinkets, bars of soap, to burn tea light candles in, put aromatherapy oils or beads in or leave them natural (don't spray them) and put a little bit of sand in them to house an air plant! There are a ton of ways you can use them! If you like color...spray paint the shells although I prefer mine to look natural. Enjoy!

Beach Summer Vacation Scrapbooking Layout

Last week I finally had a chance to sit down and do a little bit of scrapbooking. I am really behind on my crafting and trying to get caught up. The pages I am currently working on are from our summer vacation last year. Sigh....I really need to get this scrapbook done!

I am a traditional crafter so this layout is done in the 12 x 12" format and totally made the good old-fashioned way. I know some people love digital scrapbooking but personally, I don't.

The background is a sheet of pre-printed scrapbooking paper in a medium turquoise color. I really like the distressed tone-on-tone color pattern with this paper. I used a cardstock boarder that says "How I Spent My Summer Vacation..." and matted that onto a lighter shade of turquoise cardstock and left an 1/8" edge around it. I have it running down the left side of the page.

I used my Cricut to cut out the letters to spell "At The Beach" from patterned paper that had a turquoise and off-white plaid pattern. I used the 1 3/4 setting for the "At The" and the 2 1/4 setting for the "Beach". I then used the shadow effect and cut the letters out again from solid dark turquoise cardstock. I layered them together and placed them down the left side of my page. On each end of my title I used vellum sandcastle stickers as accents.

I used 5 photos on this page and all 5 were cropped down. The 3 on the left are square shaped and the 2 on the right are slightly rectangular. I matted them onto a sheet of darker turquoise colored cardstock and then again on light turquoise cardstock. I left a 3/16" border around the inner mat and a 1/4" border around the outer mat.

To finish things up I matted 2 adhesive stickers. One says "Warm Sand" and the other one says "Ocean Waves". I then added a little gold metal flip-flop charm to the one and a gold metal starfish charm to the other.

I really like this page because it's not LOUD, CLUTTERY or has a bunch of bold colors. I stayed within one color family...turquoise and just used multiple shades of it. I think it turned out nicely!