How to Make Shell Crafts
- 1). Cover found shells in a dry bath of one part baking soda and three parts salt to help remove dead tissue. Place the mixture and the shells inside a freezer bag, seal the bag and freeze it. After freezing, remove the dead material with tweezers.
- 2). Clean the shells with soapy water. Place them on a towel in the sun to dry completely. Omit Steps 1 and 2 if you purchased already cleaned shells.
- 3). Separate the shells by size and shape. Large flat shells work best as background shells for the wreath design. Smaller, three-dimensional shells work best as fillers.
- 4). Arrange large, flat shells along one section of a grapevine wreath. Glue the shells in place using viscous, waterproof craft glue. Hot glue also works, but will not hold the shells in place as well as viscous craft glue.
- 5). Glue medium-sized shells onto the spaces between the large, flat shells using the same viscous craft glue. If the top shells start to slide, tape them in place until the glue dries. Allow the glue to dry completely, up to 24 hours.
- 6). Arrange and glue smaller shells on top of the medium shells to finish the wreath design. Let the glue dry.
- 1). Cut a 20-inch strand of fishing line. Tie an overhand knot in one end. Tie another overhand knot on top of the first. Pull the knots tight.
- 2). Slide a top-drilled shell bead over the open end of the fishing line, to the knot. Tie another double overhand knot in the line at least 1/2-inch above the shell. Slide another top-drilled shell bead to the knot. Repeat this process to fill the line with shell beads; leave 3 inches of line open at the end. Make at least five shell bead strands for the wind chimes or mobile.
- 3). Insert a screw-eye hook on the underside of a piece of driftwood, wherever you plan to hang a shell strand. Tie one shell strand to each screw-eye hook.
- 4). Insert another hook in the top of the driftwood, at the center. Make a hanger for the wind chimes/mobile with fishing line.