Gnomes are one of the hottest decorating accents in home decor. Every time I walk into a department store or discount store I see Gnomes everywhere! I see them on throw pillows, wall art, kitchen towels, bath linens, figural candles, painted onto the side of lanterns and all sorts of things! I have to admit, they’re cute and fun to look at.
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These painted Gnome Clam Shells Seashells are super easy to make! You don’t need any artistic or crafting skills. You’ll need 3″ to 5″ wide clam shells collected from the beach. Wash them in warm soapy water using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. Rinse with clean water and air dry overnight.
Each clam shell was given 2 base coats of white acrylic craft paint using a paint brush. Allow for 30-45 minutes of drying time between coats.
All of the design work was made using BETEM Acrylic Paint Pen Markers. They have dual ended tips (a medium and fine tips). They require no priming, they don’t leak/drip, no foul paint odors and they dry quickly. Use a pencil to lightly draw the design onto the clam shell. It doesn’t need to be perfect! You can make chubby gnomes or skinny gnomes. You can decorate the hat any way that you like…use any colors that you prefer!
Color in the larger areas using the medium tip and the smaller areas using the fine tip. Then go back over the design using BLACK and the fine tip to do the outlining. If you’re adding facial features…the fine tip is perfect for that too. When it comes to adding wordage…I like using the fine tip as it looks a lot crisper (the words). Let dry.
Seal the clam shells by brushing on 1-2 light coats of Glossy Clear Mod Podge using a foam brush. Allow 45 minutes of drying time between coats. Let dry until it dries clear and is no longer tacky. Sealing protects the painted finish.
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