This hand painted Bumble Bee Seashell Refrigerator Magnet is super easy to make! You’ll need acrylic craft paints and a few other supplies. You can whip up several of them in one weekend if you plan on gifting them or reselling at a craft fair.
Love crafting with shells? You’ll find 100+ seashell craft projects right here on the Classy Chics blog. Projects for kids and adults! When painting on them always make sure that the shells are clean and dry before starting on a project!
Hand Painted Bumble Bee Seashell Refrigerator Magnets
Scallop Shells
Acrylic Craft Paint – Yellow, Black, and White
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Commercial-Grade Magnets
Gorilla Glue
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer – Glossy Finish
Small Tile Nippers or Pliers
Use a pair of tile nippers or pliers to clip off the flat end (hinge) on each shell. You want the head to be triangular in shape.
Base coat the entire shell with 2 to 3 coats of yellow acrylic craft paint. We had to use multiple coats to get the coverage needed. Allow for 30-40 minutes of drying time between coats. Once dry you’ll paint the head and stripes as shown in the photograph using black acrylic craft paint. Let dry until no longer tacky.
Dip the end of a paint brush into white acrylic craft paint and dot on the two eyes and the antannae. Once dry, repeat using the end of a paint brush but dipped into black paint and dot on the pupils of the eye. Let thoroughly dry.
Take the painted seashells outside and spray with 1-2 light coats of the clear acrylic spray sealer. We chose one with a glossy finish, but it also comes in matte if you prefer that look. Let dry. Bring them back inside and flip them over. Use Gorilla Glue to add a commercial-grade magnet on the back. Let dry overnight.
Tips: Don’t use hot glue or craft glue to apply the magnet. You need something stronger than that, so we recommend Gorilla Glue or E6000 Adhesive. You want to use commerical-grade, industrial-grade magnets because the shells are semi-weighty. You don’t want them sliding down the refrigerator every time you open and shut the door.
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This is another very cute craft using seashells. I do not know if my grandkids could make the black lines correctly, but that would make the bees more interesting!