These adorable Thanksgiving Turkeys were hand-painted onto Scallop Shells aka Seashells using Acrylic Paint Markers! The design can be painted on the inside or the outside of the shell (we’ve shown it both ways). A great arts and craft project for older kids, adults and seniors to make. Scallop Shells can be collected from a beach or picked up from your local craft supply store.
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Always start by washing your shells in warm, soapy water using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. It’s the best for removing sand, debris and fishy odors. Rinse with clean water and air dry for 1-2 days.
You can certainly use acrylic craft paint and a paint brush to make the designs or use Acrylic Paint Markers like we did. We recommend the BETEM Acrylic Paint Markers with dual tips that we picked up from Amazon. There’s a medium tip on one side and a fine tip on the other side. The paint dries quickly, no odors, clogging or drippy messes to deal with.
Start by making the Turkey’s feathers first! We used green, orange, yellow and red. Once the feathers are dry you’ll use chocolate brown to make the turkey head and neck. Add the black hat then let it dry for about 20 minutes or so. Time to finish up with the facial features and gold buckle on the hat. Let everything dry until the paint is no longer tacky.
Use a foam brush to brush a coat of Clear Mod Podge Sealer (glossy finish) over both sides of the scallop shell. This will seal the paint and protect it. Let dry for 2-3 hours.
Seashells can be semi-weighty…we purchased commercial grade craft magnets from Amazon. They’re small in side and give you a strong hold. You don’t want them sliding on the refrigerator door every time it’s opened and shut. To attach the little magnet on the back we used a small dot of Gorilla Glue. Let dry overnight.
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