Snowman Hand-Painted Seashells Craft Project

During the winter I enjoy decorating my home in a snowman theme. It’s universal and items can be left out for the entire winter season. With that said, my home is decorated with coastal cottage decor, so often times I have to make my own items as they’re hard to find in our particular area.

One thing I enjoy doing is painting on extra-large clam shells. I collect them from the beach, wash them and dry them. You need to remove ALL fish smells and debris before crafting with them. I recommend using liquid dish soap and a sponge. Rinse until all gunk is gone. Let dry for 2-3 days before painting on them.

While on the beach I had picked up a bunch of 4″ and 5″ wide clam shells which were used to make this project. You will need to recycle 3 metal bottle caps, along with acrylic paint and a few other supplies. You can whip up several of them in a weekend!

Snowman Hand-Painted Seashells Craft Project

Large Clam Seashells
3 Metal Bottle Caps
Acrylic Craft Paint – Navy Blue, White, Orange, and Black
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towel
E6000 Adhesive Glue
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer, Glossy Finish

Base coat the shell with 2 coats of navy blue paint, allowing 35-45 minutes of drying time between coats. While it’s drying you want to paint your three metal bottle caps with white paint. I had to use 3 coats of paint to thoroughly cover the wording that was printed on them. You just need to paint the top and sides of the caps. Set aside to dry.

Once your metal bottle caps are dry use the E6000 Adhesive Glue to glue them onto your seashell. Let dry for 1-2 hours. Next, add your snowman’s facial features, carrot nose, twig arms, and buttons. Below the snowman I added a little white snow mound to balance it out. Dip the end of your paint brush into white paint and dot on the falling snow. Let dry for 3-4 hours.

To preserve the painted finish you want to take the seashells outside and spray them with 1-2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer. Let dry for 6-8 hours. You can now display them inside and/or outside of your home.

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