The long-awaited summer has arrived. And many have already packed their suitcases and bought tickets to the warm sea. And on the way back, almost everyone has a bag of shells in their suitcase... I really want to keep these memories longer...
The shells themselves are very different. In rivers, you mainly find simple flat oval mussel shells. They can also be found in the Baltic Sea. A much greater abundance of shapes and sizes can be found in the southern seas. Donaxes, cardiums, zebras and many other mollusks live in shells of the most bizarre shapes. These can be spiral shells, spindle-shaped or heart-shaped shells, as well as many other shapes.
Crafts made from shells begin with collecting them. Even a child can cope with this. The collected shells should be washed with running water and dried. After this, to make crafts from shells, they need to be examined and sorted. Looking at each shell, trying them on one by one, images of future crafts will appear in your head.
Ask for help in sorting the child. With those who are younger, you can consolidate knowledge of the concepts of “more and less.” And older children are able to offer their own versions of crafts.
The next stage will be the actual production of the shell craft itself. It is better to start creativity together with your child with simple things. It is best to start with a snail or turtle. If the child has never seen or does not remember these animals, then it is better to prepare a high-quality photograph or drawing of the selected animal in advance.
For crafts from shells, we recommend that you use plasticine. This material makes it possible to fasten the shells together well, and it is also quite easy to sculpt the missing details of the animal image from it.
The right stand will help you create a complete image or an entire composition. When making crafts from shells in the shape of animals, it is better to use natural coasters. Such bases can be a flat stone for a turtle, a thick branch for a snail, etc. Try to make the stand for the shell craft contrast with the animal, otherwise your craft will get lost against the background of the stand. If you want to preserve the memory, then it is better to make a thematic inscription on the stand. A child will be happy to give this craft made from shells with an inscription to his godparents or grandmother for the New Year or other holiday.
In general, choose an idea and create!!!
Animals:
Flowers:
Frames for photos or embroidery:
Little things for the interior:
The shell hairstyle has been known since Soviet times, but even its advanced age does not prevent it from occupying one of the first positions in the hairdressing hit parade. Follow the detailed step-by-step instructions and try to replicate this luxurious style on your own hair.
Who is the French bun suitable for?
One of the main advantages of this classic hairstyle is its versatility. Shell or snail fits any length - medium or below shoulder length. The texture is also not important - the hairstyle looks great on perfectly straight strands and wavy curls.
Let us also note the fact that the French shell makes the silhouette slimmer and the neck thinner and longer. A woman with such a hairstyle looks feminine, graceful and incredibly stylish.
What will you need to create a snail?
The snail hairstyle requires the presence of a whole set of various tools:
- Massage Brush – Choose a medium-hard flat or square brush. It will untangle knots and give your hair the desired shape.
- A comb with a pointed end and fine teeth. With its help, you can easily separate your partings or backcomb your hair.
- Mousse and varnish. These strong hold styling products will keep your style in place all day long.
- Straightening iron with wide plates. It will be necessary for those who want to straighten curly strands and give a stylish styling a more formal shape.
- Hairpins and hairpins are necessary for fixation.
- Accessories - will decorate the evening version.
It is better to style your hair on perfectly dry strands - wet ones can affect its final appearance.
Variations on the theme of the French snail shell
The shell hairstyle for medium hair comes in several variations. It’s very easy to make them – our step-by-step photos will definitely help you with this.
Classic snail
The classic French bun is based on a regular spiral. Having mastered this element, you will be able to make a traditional snail yourself.
- Apply a little mousse or foam to your hair to make it more manageable. If your hair is thick, dry it well.
- Comb the prepared hair and gather it with your hand at the back of your head.
- Do not tie the resulting tail with an elastic band, but twist it into a tight rope. True, if there is a desire, it can be made free.
- Make a loop from the rope and hide the remaining tip inside the shell.
- Secure your hair with hairpins (their number depends on the thickness of your hair).
- Gently comb any stray hairs using a fine comb. They can be smoothed with gel, and then sprinkled with varnish on top.
Snail for curly hair
How to make a shell hairstyle for curly hair? Everything is quite easy! You don't necessarily have to straighten them out with an iron, because the French snail can be quite careless, disheveled and loose. The hairstyle will be voluminous, with protruding curls, which will make the image playful, light and playful.
- Apply any styling product (foam, gel or mousse) to washed and dried hair.
- Comb the strands thoroughly, distributing the styling along their entire length.
- Gather the tail with your hands. The lower it is located, the lower the shell will “sit”.
- Form a light rope and twist it inward, securing it with a pair of pins in the direction from bottom to top.
- Leave the ends of the ponytail - they can be wrapped around a curling iron and styled beautifully.
French braided bun
It looks very unusual and is suitable for parties. And the most interesting thing is that such a snail can be made in 5-10 minutes.
Shell in a couple of seconds
The “Second” shell for long hair is suitable for every day. Don't have time to style? This quick option is exactly what you've been looking for.
- Comb your hair and lightly tease your hair with a comb.
- Gather your hair into a ponytail, securing the elastic at the very end.
- Insert two hair sticks into it and twist the strands around them.
- Secure your hair with hairpins.
- Pull the sticks out of it.
Shell hairstyle with loop
You can easily do this hairstyle for every day yourself. It can be worn to the office or to meet friends.
1. Gather the ponytail with your hand.
2. Wrap it around two fingers.
3. You have a loop - you need to wrap it, making movements counterclockwise.
4. Continue curling the tail.
6. Decorate with a beautiful hairpin.
French bun for beginners
If you're just about to try your hand at hairdressing, try this very easy hairstyle.
Making a French bun using a twister
With a twister you can create almost any hairstyle, including shell.
Snail with bangs
- Comb the strands. Leave the bangs free.
- We move the hair on the left side to the right and fix it in the middle with bobby pins.
- Comb the bangs with a comb and pin them back.
- We twist the hair on the right side with a roller onto our finger and lay it on top. We hide the ends inside.
- We fix everything with pins.
How else to lay a snail?
As a rule, all shells are made according to the same scheme as indicated above. And then everything is in your hands! The French bun can be done for special occasions. It won’t seem ordinary, because you can easily add it with a hairpin or a flower - the result will be a chic hairstyle.
The youth style snail looks incredible! Decorate it with a scarf and you will be irresistible.
In an evening hairstyle for a shell, you can use sparkles, corrugated strands, rhinestones and other decor. Such an image will definitely not go unnoticed.
There is a traveler in each of us, and in order to prolong the pleasant sensations from happy days spent on vacation at the seaside, every time we bring small reminders to the stuffy cities - beautiful pebbles and shells. And if everything is prosaic with the first ones, their place is in glass vases or aquariums with fish, with the latter there is room for your imagination to run wild. Let's breathe a second life into sea shells!
Order is needed in everything
First, let's do some cleaning. Even if there are no foreign particles or shellfish remains on the surface, the shells should be soaked in a chlorine-containing solution. Any bleach or chlorine detergent will do.
Advice! If the contamination is not severe, half an hour is enough; removing dark deposits will require a long time and additional cleaning with a brush.
To get rid of live shellfish and their relatively fresh parts, the shells need to be placed in boiling water and the excess removed using tongs. There is another way - warm them up for 30 seconds and clean them of remains in the same way. If the first half a minute does not produce results, repeat the process until all particles are removed. Next, the material must be disinfected by rinsing in a solution with chlorine.
If there are chips
If cracks or chips are found, they must be sanded. Regular sandpaper or a sanding block will do for this.
Advice! To give the sink a more beautiful appearance, you can cover it with transparent nail polish or furniture, or rub with oil/fat cream. If you choose the second method, when gluing the contact points, you must first degrease them with alcohol.
Drilling holes
If we are planning necklaces, bracelets, dream catchers and other crafts that require stringing, we drill holes in advance.
You can do this in two ways:
- Using a drill or - place the shell on a wooden board and glue it with tape. We take the thinnest drill and make a hole right on top of the tape, this will not allow the material to crumble.
- Using a nail and a hammer – we cover the sink with tape (painting paper), draw a mark on the depressed side, place the point of the nail and lightly hit the head with a hammer several times to mark the hole. Next, we gradually expand it with the same nail or awl to the desired diameter.
Advice! The shell structure is fragile, so to avoid splitting, you need to remember a simple rule: the thinner the material, the thinner the drill or nail should be.
From simple to complex
Working with sinks is not difficult, but requires careful handling. Let's go from the simplest to the more complex options for crafts. Bracelets and beads can do it all! Let's look at more interesting ideas.
Frames
The usual colors will sparkle with other colors if you decorate them with sea shells.
We will need:
- shells of different sizes;
- glue;
- newspaper or any unnecessary paper;
- scotch;
- any auxiliary material for decoration.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Cover the glass or mirror surface with paper and secure it with tape.
- We sort the material by size.
- We glue the first row from small fragments, the second from medium ones, then from the largest ones.
- Leave until completely dry.
Advice! If there are gaps between the tiers, fill them with additional decorations - beads, stars, etc.
Panel
We cut out a shape, any shape, from thick cardboard, make a hole for the rope, completely cover it with shells in any order, the main thing is that the gaps between them are minimal. We thread twine through the hole, tie it in beautiful knots, dry it - and panel ready.
It is best to preserve shells as a reminder of carefree days at the beach in the form of interior items, decorations and souvenirs. After all, they are such a beautiful, completely free, natural and durable material. In this material you will find 50 inspiring photos, 8 ideas and the same number of step-by-step master classes on making crafts from shells with your own hands for beginners.
Basic instructions for preparing shells
Cleansing
Before you start making crafts from shells, you need to prepare them well.
- If the shells are “dead” and there are no remains of mollusks left in them, then they just need to be soaked in a solution of water and any chlorine-containing product (for example, bleach, “Duckling”, etc.) in a 1:1 ratio for 30 minutes. If the shells are very dirty or you want to remove the dark outer layer ( periostracum), then soak them longer. After soaking, brush the shells and rinse in clean water.
- If the shells are “live”, that is, they have the remains of mollusks (even if they died long ago) and have an unpleasant odor, then they need to be thoroughly cleaned. To do this, put the shells in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then remove the remains of the shellfish using tongs, nail scissors, etc. There is a second way: heat the shells in the microwave for 30 seconds, then try to remove the remains with tongs. If unsuccessful, continue heating the shells in the microwave, checking the result every 10 seconds. When all remains have been removed, treat the sinks with a bleach solution according to the first instructions.
After processing, inspect the sinks for chips and, if any, sand them with a sanding block, disc or sandpaper. If desired, you can add shine to them using clear nail polish or furniture polish, as well as using oil or rich cream. True, in this case, before treating the shells with glue, the gluing areas will have to be additionally degreased with alcohol.
Drilling holes
To make some types of crafts from shells (for example, wind chimes, beads, bracelets and other jewelry), you need to drill a hole in them. This task is quite simple, the only difficulty is that the shells can crack or delaminate at the drilling site.
- Therefore, remember the main rule: the thinner the shell, the smaller the hole should be in it and, accordingly, the thread/accessories of the decoration.
There are two ways to make holes in shells - manual and automated.
Method 1. Select a drill bit for a drill, screwdriver or straight grinder with a diameter of 0.8 - 2 mm. Place the shell on a wooden or plastic board and secure it with masking tape. Drill a hole directly through the tape - it will prevent the shell from splitting or delaminating.
Method 2. If you do not have a screwdriver or drill, then you can make a hole in the sink using a nail and a hammer. To do this, first cover the shell with masking tape, put a mark on the inside of the shell, then place a nail and gently tap it with a hammer several times to make the initial hole. Next, widen the hole by moving the same nail back and forth inside it until you reach the desired diameter.
If you don’t have a nail or a hammer at hand, then use an ordinary needle, nail scissors or a knife and “drill” the hole by hand. The result will appear in about 10 minutes.
Idea 1. Inlay frames, frames and frames
You can decorate the frame of a mirror, painting or photo frame with shells. We present examples of such crafts in the following collection (scroll the photo to the right).
Today we suggest you decorate a mirror frame with shells, but using the same principle you can decorate any photo frame or painting frame.
Materials:
- Shells of small, medium and large sizes and, if desired, additional decorations (eg starfish, pearls, figurines of skates, etc.).
- Glue gun and several sticks of glue or clear epoxy glue.
- Newspaper or any unnecessary paper to protect the mirror from glue.
- Masking or regular tape.
Instructions:
Step 1: Protect the mirror with paper and secure it with masking tape. At this stage, the frame can be painted if you are not satisfied with its original appearance.
Step 2. Sort the shells by size to make it easier to create your future composition.
Step 3: First glue the first row of small to medium shells (about the same size) around the mirror.
Step 4: Now start gluing on the largest shells. Beforehand, you can play with the layout options and choose the best one. If you are using epoxy glue, once all the parts are glued, leave the frame to dry overnight.
Idea 2. Making a Valentine panel
From a collection of shells of different shapes and sizes, you can make a panel in the form of a valentine. However, you can cut out any other shape from cardboard/plywood, say, the same seahorse or a letter.
Materials:
- Glue gun or any strong adhesion glue;
- Collection of river and sea shells;
- Cardboard;
- Scissors;
- Leg-split.
Instructions:
Step 1. Cut out the base for the heart-shaped panel from cardboard.
Step 2. Using a knife or awl, make two holes for the twine.
Step 3. Start gluing the shells, trying to leave minimal gaps between them. Leave the loop holes open.
Step 4. Cut the twine to the desired length, thread the two ends of the rope into the holes on the back of the panel and tie with double knots.
In the next video you can see a visual master class on making crafts from shells with your own hands in the form of a Valentine panel.
Below are more ideas for creating a shell panel.
Idea 3. “Painting” a picture on canvas
Here is another idea for creating a wall craft from seashells.
Materials:
- Canvas on stretcher;
- Shells;
- Glue gun or other strong adhesion glue, for example, “Moment”;
- A template or stencil of the desired design, printed on paper;
- Acrylic paint to create a background (optional);
- Brush (optional).
Instructions:
- If you want to repeat the idea of the painting in this master class, then first create a background for the composition from shells. To do this, use a brush and acrylic paint of the desired color. Wait for the background to dry and proceed to the next step.
- Secure the template or stencil to the canvas using masking tape, and then trace its outline with a pencil.
- Start gluing the shells onto the drawing without going beyond its boundaries.
Idea 4. Cooking candles for mini-candlesticks
Shells are almost ready-made miniature candlesticks that are just waiting to be supplemented with paraffin and wick. You can use the resulting candles for a romantic picnic or simply for interior decoration.
Materials:
- Sea or large river shells;
- Small round candles in tin molds;
- Water and a saucepan for a water bath;
- PVA glue or double-sided tape.
Instructions:
Step 1. Remove the candle itself from the tin container, and then remove the wick from it by pulling the metal base at the bottom of the candle (see photo). Set the wicks aside and return the candles to the molds.
Step 2. Glue each wick with double-sided tape or PVA glue in the center of the shell.
Step 3. Now we need to melt the paraffin until it is completely liquid. You can do this in three ways:
- Bring the water in the pan to a boil, then reduce the heat until the water stops boiling and lower the ramekins into it.
- Place the candles on the stove over low heat, and make sure that the paraffin does not burn.
- Warm up the paraffin using a hairdryer.
Step 4. Once the paraffin has melted, remove the molds from the heat and begin filling the shells. It is best to use some kind of tongs or a pair of Chinese chopsticks for this. Don't forget to protect the table surface with newspaper first.
- If the shells are too unstable and you are afraid that the paraffin will harden unevenly, then it is better to arrange the candles in the cells of the egg packaging or fix, for example, with soft plasticine that does not leave marks.
After about 20 minutes, the paraffin will completely harden and you will be able to enjoy the light of the shell candles.
Idea 5. Making topiary in a marine style
Topiary is a small decoration in the form of a tree in a pot. You can learn the principles of making topiary from shells with your own hands or from the following video lesson.
And in this selection of photos you can get ideas for decorating a topiary made from shells with your own hands in a traditional round shape or in the form of a Christmas tree.
Idea 6. Making a flower candlestick
If you have enough bivalve shells, you can make them into flowers.
Today we propose to make such a craft from mussel shells.
Materials:
- Bivalve shells;
- Any round base of small diameter;
- Glue gun;
- PVA glue (optional);
- Glitter (optional).
Instructions:
Step 1. Prepare the shells - wash them with soap, remove any remaining organic matter and, if desired, bleach them using chlorine-containing products (see instructions at the beginning of the article).
Step 2: Paint the round base of the candle holder a neutral color such as white.
Step 3: While the base is drying, sort your sink set by size.
Step 4: Start gluing 1 row of shells to the sides of the base using hot glue.
Step 5. Once the first row is slightly dry, begin creating the second row, placing each new shell overlapping the previous one so that it is located between the two shells of the first row. As a result, you will have a checkerboard layout of shells in two rows as shown in the photo.
Step 6. Glue the third and all subsequent rows using the same principle, but not on the base, but on the joints of the shells of the previous row (the place is highlighted by the arrow in the photo below).
Step 7. Once you have glued the last row, look around the candle holder and add another row or two where you think it is needed.
Step 8. Hooray, the shell candle holder is ready! If you wish, you can additionally decorate it with sparkles. To do this you need to do the following:
- Treat the shells with PVA glue on the inside or just around the edges.
- Sprinkle glitter generously onto your craft, let the glue dry, and then shake off any excess.
Idea 7. Create wind chimes
Shells are an ideal material for making wind chimes, because the “chime” of such sea bells is very pleasant to the ear.
Materials:
- Twine, fishing line or any thread.
- A twig or wooden stick.
- Scissors.
- Hot glue gun or a tool for drilling small holes (drill with a 2 mm drill bit or just a needle and nail scissors).
- Seashells.
Instructions:
Step 1. If you want the shells to be tied to the threads, then first drill holes in them (see basic instructions at the beginning of the article). If you don’t have a tool, and you are satisfied with the adhesive method of fastening, then immediately proceed to the next stage.
Step 2. Tie twine to the branch as shown in the photo, measure approximately 7 cm in length from it and cut off the excess.
- If you use shells with holes, then the twine must be cut immediately to the desired length with a margin for knots.
Step 3: Glue the shell to the twine using a drop of hot glue. Then glue another 7cm strand of twine to the other end of the shell. Continue working until you are satisfied with the length of the first row.
- Shells with holes can be tied to a thread in at least two ways: by tying knots around the holes or under them (the knot must be larger than the hole).
Step 4: Continue hanging the shell strings until you reach the desired number. In this case, you can play with the length of the rows to form, say, an arch or a ladder. In this case, the wind chime has alternating short and long threads.
Step 5. When the piece is ready, tie another piece of twine at both ends of the branch.
Following the principles of this master class, but by replacing the branch with a hoop or adding shells with starfish, beads, feathers and other decor, you can create more fancy wind chime designs.
Idea 8. Making a bracelet from a cowrie shell
If you have at least one cowrie shell, you can make a boho-style bracelet for your arm or leg with your own hands. You can buy all the accessories for such decoration in handicraft stores or large sewing stores.
Materials:
- One cowrie shell;
- 1 m of silk cord;
- Half a skein of floss in a contrasting color;
- Beads (in this master class we use copper beads from an old bracelet);
- A pair of crimp terminals with loops (designed for cords and making bracelets);
- Clasp for jewelry (in the form of a ring or carabiner);
- Ring for fastening (detachable);
- Scissors;
- Pliers.
Instructions:
Step 1. Drill a small hole at the two ends of the cowrie (see basic instructions at the beginning of the article).
Step 2. Cut approximately 15 cm from the skein of silk cord and set this piece aside for a while.
Step 3. Pass the silk cord about halfway through one hole of the shell and tie a knot.
Step 4: Pass the other end of the cord through the middle of the sink and tie a knot in the second hole.
Step 5. Cut several strands of floss, gather them and fold the resulting bundle around the silk cord next to the shell as shown in the photo.
Step 6: Take a short piece of lace, wrap it tightly around the top of the folded floss, tie a knot, and cut off the excess. You will get a brush. Fluff it up and trim it with scissors if necessary.
Step 7: Start stringing beads onto both ends of the bracelet. Once the desired length is reached, bend the ends of the cords in half and insert the resulting ends into the crimp ends.
Step 8: Use pliers to pinch the ends of the bracelet and then cut off the excess cord.
Step 9. Using pliers, attach a ring to one end and a clasp to the other. Your shell bracelet is ready!
