Hand Painted Ladybug Seashell Plant Pick

I love gardening and that includes inside and outside! Indoors I grow all kinds of different houseplants. Outside we have 4 flower beds and 2 vegetable ones. I’m always looking to beautify my spaces and to add color. Adding in a hand-crafted seashell plant pick is one easy way to do it!

These hand painted Ladybug Seashell Plant Picks are easy to make! You can make several of them in just one afternoon. You’ll need scallop shells, acrylic craft paints, and a few other general crafting supplies.

Hand Painted Ladybug Seashell Plant Pick

Scallop Seashell
Acrylic Craft Paint – Red, Black, and White
Paint Brush, Water Dish, Paper Towels
Gorilla Glue or E6000 Adhesive
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer
Wooden Dowel 1/8″ Diameter by 6″ long
Tile Nippers or Pliers
Round Wooden Toothpick

Scallop shells come with a flat end on them called the hinge. You need to clip that off using tile nippers or pliers, so that your ladybug has a triangular face.

Using red acrylic craft paint base coat the shell with 2-3 coats of paint, allowing for 30 minutes of drying time between coats. Once dry you’ll use black acrylic craft paint to make the head, spots, and wing lines. Let dry until the paint is no longer tacky.

Dip the end of the paint brush into white paint and dot on the eyes. Wait about 20 minutes and dip a wooden toothpick into black paint to dot on the pupils. Let dry for 1 hour.

Take the painted shells outside and spray them with 1-2 light coats of clear acrylic spray sealer. I used one with a glossy finish, but it also comes in a matte finish too. Let dry for 2-3 hours.

Now to finish up. Use Gorilla Glue or E6000 Adhesive to glue the wooden dowel onto the back of the seashells. Don’t use hot glue as it doesn’t work well for adhering things to shells. Let dry for 8-12 hours.

You can use these hand painted ladybug seashell plant picks to decorate your indoor houseplant pots or outdoors to add color to your garden. I’ve made them in various sizes…some of my shells are about 2 1/2″ in diameter while others are 4″ in diameter.

Love crafting with shells? We have over 100+ seashell craft projects right here on The Classy Chics blog. Easy projects for adults and kids! A lot to choose from!

* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!