I’ve been painting seashells and using them in my various craft projects for the past 20+ years. Working with seashells can be challenging at times. Over the years I’ve published hundreds of different painted clam shell designs on the Two Classy Chics blog. A lot of people have told me that they can’t paint worth a lick…well, I can solve that problem for you!

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Those of you who don’t have an artistic bone in your body you can use rub-on decals to decorate the painted seashells. You can pick up rub-on decals in various craft stores, Dollar Tree, Amazon, etc. Look for packs that are inexpensive and/or on clearance.

Here’s a few tips for working with the decals:

1. Paint the seashell first. Let it dry thoroughly. I recommend at least 12 hours or overnight so that the paint “cures”.

2. Cut out the decal that you plan on transferring to make the application process easier. Smaller decals work better than larger ones since clam shells aren’t a flat surface.

3. When rubbing don’t rub too hard! You don’t want to rub off the paint that is underneath. Use the included wooden stick and gently rub until it has transferred.

4. Let the clam shells sit for 8-12 hours or overnight. Again, let everything “cure” and set up.

5. Seal the decal and paint by spraying a light coat of a clear acrylic sealer on top. Another option is to use a foam brush and apply a thin layer of Modge Podge over the top. Let dry for 12 hours to let everything cure.

All three of the painted seashells featured in my top photograph feature rub-on transfers that I applied in the manner that I just described. When looking closely at the shells you would never guess that I used rub-ons…they look just like a genuine hand-painted seashell. I made those 3 designs for a friend of mine who’s doing her Christmas decorating in pastel colors this year. Fun and unique!

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Have you heard of painted kindness rocks and seashells? If not…there are artists who paint various cute designs on rocks and seashells. They then give them out to family, friends, strangers and hide them throughout their communities for others to find. I’ve been painting rocks and seashells for 20+ years, before “it” was even a popular thing to do!

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The painted seashells that are featured today all contain positive quotes, sayings and affirmations. Two of the designs were painted onto oyster shells, one on a razor clam shell and one on a broken chunk of a large whelk shell. You need to wash all seashells and rocks before painting on them. Air dry.

Get creative with your background colors. I swirled together various acrylic craft paint colors to get interesting backgrounds (except for the gold metallic one). Easy to do with a paint brush and 2-3 complimentary acrylic paint colors. Let dry until the paint is no longer tacky.

You can look up on the internet for positive affirmations or specific themed quotes. You want to keep them on the smaller size if you’re using small shells but can do longer quotes and sayings if you’re using large shells. Keep that in mind when doing your design planning.

Writing words on seashells and rocks is a LOT easier when you use BETEM Paint Pen Markers. They have dual tips, a medium tip on one side and a fine tip on the other side. No priming is needed, no leaks or drips. No foul odors either! They contain acrylic paint in beautiful colors. I used the fine tip to write out all of the words that you see.

Once the words are dry you need to seal all of the paint by brushing on with a foam brush 2 coats of Clear Mod Podge Sealer. I used one with a glossy finish. Allow 30-40 minutes of drying time between coats. This will protect the paint and allow you to display them inside or outside of the home.

If you want to add jeweled accents (like the ones you see in the photo) I recommend that you use Gorilla Glue. Don’t use school glue, regular craft glue or hot glue. Those jewels will eventually fall off. Use a more permanent glue like Gorilla Glue or E6000. Let dry overnight.

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