During the holidays I decorate one of my Christmas trees in a coastal, beach and nautical theme. Every ornament placed on that tree has something to do with the coastal lifestyle which I love! The majority of the ornaments on that tree are store bought and others are ones that I’ve personally made.
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For example, I collect seashells every time we go to the beach. I bring them home, wash them up and use them in various home decorating and/or craft projects. I made several of these adorable Santa Claus seashell ornaments by utilizing clam shells that I found on the beach. The ones with the red Santa hats are for my daughter’s tree and the ones with the blue Santa hats are for my tree.
Santa Claus Clam Shell Christmas Tree Ornaments
Clam Shells
Acrylic Craft Paints
White Textured Faux Snow Paint
Small White Pom-Poms
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Clear Fishing Line
Scissors
Quick-Drying Craft Glue
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer
You will want to base coat your clam shells with 2 coats of white acrylic craft paint and let dry. Next you’ll want to paint on his hat and use flesh-tone colored paint to make a u-shaped face. Let Dry.
Next you’ll want to add his facial features: 2 black eyes, white eye brows and a white mustache. Use the textured faux snow paint to add his hat’s brim. Let dry. Dip the rounded end of your paint brush into white paint and dot on his inner eyes. Dip it again into pink colored paint and dot on his nose. Let dry.
Take your painted seashells outside and lay them down onto sheets of newspaper or an old plastic placemat. Spray each seashell lightly with 1-2 coats of the clear acrylic spray sealer. Let dry until no longer tacky.
Cut a 5″ piece of clear fishing line and tie it into a hanging loop by knotting the ends together. Glue the hanging loop onto the back of your seashell and then glue the white pom-pom onto the top of the hat. Let dry. That’s it, you’re done!
As you can see you don’t have to be an experienced, talented painter to make them. You can do the basic painting technique just like I did and they still turn out pretty darn cute!
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I want more ornaments on the tree from my daughter. Crafts like these would be fun to see her artistic growth every year.
You continue to surprise me with the cute sea shell projects you create. I love these santa shells.
Just when I think you’ve outdone yourself on these decorated shells – you come up with the best ones yet.
These are adorable
This would be fun to have everyone in the family do one to hang on the tree. Very cute especially with different color hats.
Shelly, you are so talented. I just love your shell art. These would be great sitting in a soap dish in the bathroom too. It would help decorate.
These are the cutest painted shells yet! Looks as if this would make the perfect child’s craft. Also, wouldn’t it be fun to clue magnets on the back on put this on the frig at Christmas time?