Last month I was going through my stash of nail polishes and was going to discard the ones that I no longer wanted. Then it dawned on me…don’t trash them…upcycle them! Upcycle them? Yes! They’re perfect for kids who enjoy painting designs on seashells and river rocks! Matter of fact, it’s less messy and easier than a paint brush and acrylic paints!
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I collected 17 bottles of nail polishes and placed them into a shoe box. The next time the kids were over for a play date they got them out and used them to paint seashells and river rocks! This project would be a great one to do with Seniors too. It helps them with their eye-to-hand coordination and gives them a creative outlet to explore.
Here’s a few tips to keep in mind:
– Some polishes have an odor. Make sure they’re painting in a well-ventilated area.
– Put newspaper or an old plastic table cloth down onto your work surface to protect it.
– Make sure your seashells and river rocks are clean and thoroughly dry.
– Shake bottles thoroughly to mix the color before using them.
– Clear polishes or tinted polishes with glitter make nice top coats over a painted design.
– Let one side completely dry before flipping it over to do the other side.
– If they want to make polka dots dip a cotton swab down into the bottle of polish and dot the design onto your surface.
– You can use the polishes to paint the background and use fine-tip Sharpie Markers to add more intricate details.
The grandchildren and 2 nieces had a great time painting their rocks and seashells. It was a great way to keep them busy for almost 2 hours and allowing them to be creative. Plus, it was a great way to use up some of that nail polish that I no longer wanted or used. Yeah! Win-Win for Me!
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I love how bright the nail polish makes the shells look. I think that this is a great idea.
That is a really clever idea. I have TONS of nail polish I never use. Especially the glitter type because it is too hard to remove.
I have many bottles of old nail polish and this would make a good way to use them up instead of throwing them out. Great idea.
I love this idea and you’re right nail polish is a lot less expensive. This is a great craft idea thank you for sharing and Happy Mother’s Day.
Seashell and Rock Painting with Nail Polish is a great craft idea. I have so many polish bottles that I don’t really use. A nice way to spend a quiet afternoon creating a craft like this.
That is a great idea. I will do this with the girls when they visit again. Thank you.
That’s a great use for nail polish. The ones with sparkles would be neat.
WOW I never would have thought about that. I have flat rocks (dollar tree) and lots of nail polish. Great project for my great niece when life settles down and she gets to come back to spend the day with me and her great grandma. Hopping it early June!
This is a good idea. I was painting a cookie jar once and couldn’t find the color I wanted in paint, but I realized I had nail polish in the shade. I used it! It worked fine.