Craft Project: Painted Seashells and Clam Shells for Fall

Last year I went out into some of the local retail stores looking for coastal theme Autumn decor and found very little. Matter of fact, the few pieces that I did fine were outrageously priced! When it comes to decorating for the fall season I like to do a classic look with decor items that work for both Halloween, Fall and Thanksgiving. That way I can keep my items out on display for a good 2 months before putting them away.

While on vacation 6 weeks ago I collected several large clam shells from the beach. I brought them home, washed them up and got busy decorating them for the Autumn season. The clam seashells that I used for this project measure between 5″ to 7″ wide, but you can certainly use smaller ones.

Craft Project: Painted Seashells and Clam Shells for Fall

Large Clam Shells
Gold and Green Metallic Acrylic Craft Paints
Dark Brown Acrylic Craft Paint
Black Sharpie Marker
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer – Glossy Finish
Old Sheets of Newspaper
Maple Leaf Template

Note: To make my template I went outside and collected some fallen leaves that would fit on my seashells. I brought them in and traced around them on paper, cut out the shape and used that as my paper template. If you don’t have any maple leaves in your yard, you can print out a free template online.

Paint your clam shells in your desired background color. I used metallic gold and I gave each seashell 2 thick coats of paint, allowing each coat to dry for about 35-40 minutes. Metallic paint can take longer to dry than regular acrylic paint. Once my paint was dry, I traced my maple leaf shape onto the seashell using a silver Sharpie Marker. Why silver? It’s easy to paint over since it’s a light color and shows up better than pencil.

Fill in the maple leaf with your desired color of metallic or acrylic craft paint. Medium to shades show up best against the gold metallic background, so keep that in mind. You’ll want to fill in your design using 2 coats of paint and then let it dry for about 30-45 minutes. Once dry, use a black Sharpie Marker to outline your leaf shape. You can also do this with black acrylic paint if desired. Let dry for 10-15 minutes.

Lay old newspaper down outside and then lay your large clam seashells on top. Spray each clam shell with a light coating of the clear acrylic spray sealer. Let dry for 30 minutes and then spray on a second coat. Let dry for 2 hours. Your seashells are now ready to be displayed inside or outside your home!

Display Ideas: I like to place mine on the side of my steps that lead up to our front porch. A nice way to welcome guests as they walk up to our front door. They also look nice sitting on your patio table, displayed on your front porch, back deck and in your flower beds as garden yard art. If you’re using them indoors you can place them on a shelf or table. Fun to use when setting up Fall tablescapes too!

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