My grandchildren love to work on arts and craft projects. My grandson is more of the artistic one while my granddaughter is more of the crafty one. The two of them could sit for hours working on various projects together. We tend to keep them simple and we enjoy using “found objects” to complete them.
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A few weeks ago I shared the Seashell Garden Markers project here on the blog. Today I’m sharing a different version that young kids can do! You just need to collect a few RAZOR CLAM SHELLS from the beach, wash them and thoroughly dry them before beginning the project.
When it comes to cleaning seashells I recommend washing them in a sink or bucket full of warm, soapy water. I like using Dawn liquid dish soap. It’s great for removing the fish smell, sand and debris. If you have stubborn debris stuck on your shells you can clean them with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Rinse them thoroughly with clean water. Lay them out to dry. Depending on the weather it can take a few hours up to a day or two.
You can decorate them with acrylic craft paints, Sharpie Markers or Acrylic Paint Pens. We opted to use paint pens with a medium tip to decorate the ones you see in our photographs. You can simply just write out the plant’s name or add any type of decorating accents that you like. Keep it simple or get creative…that’s up to you! Let them dry for 2-3 hours before moving on to the next step.
To protect your painted finish from chipping, fading and washing off you’ll need to spray them with 2-3 light coats of clear acrylic spray sealer. Follow the instructions printed on the spray can for use. Let them dry for at least 8 hours or overnight before placing them into the ground.
Additional Tips: Leave one end of the Razor Clam Shell un-decorated as it will be placed down into the ground and not seen. We found it easier to paint on the outside of the shell as compared to the inside. Make sure you place them a few inches away from your garden plants. Never place them right up against the plant which could interfere with the plant’s roots.
Ages: Project was completed by a 4 1/2 year old and a 11 year old girl and both did a beautiful job decorating them.
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Craft markers like these are really cute and I would like my grandchildren to try to make some of them.
These are so cute! so many craft markers don’t really hold up thru the season. But these look like they would last