Broken Shells for Coastal Decor
6 Materials
$3
1 Hour
Easy
Finding whole unbroken shells isn't always easy. Don't go home empty handed, grab some of the broken shells. They can be used in many ways. My candle jar project is a good example. I used them to keep the candle wax from running over the sand and sticking to my jars.
Thought large whole shells are often a challenge to find, the broken bits are easy. Here is a pile like so many others on the beach. Just take baggies and scoop some off the pile in to your bag.
I filled up two in under a minute.
To clean them, rinse with hot water in a colander. Put them in a container with a lid. Add white vinegar until the shells are covered. Put the lid on and let site for at least 24 hours. Many people use bleach to clean shells. Due to sensitivities of other household members, I use vinegar in place of bleach.
After 24 hours, place the shells in a colander and rinse with hot water. Let them site for a short time to drain.
Next spread them out on a towel to dry. Gently run your hand over the pile ever so often to turn over. Let dry and your shells are ready to use.
For my candle jars, I sorted out some of the shells that had natural holes (no drill needed!) to string on my twine to wrap around my Jars. The rest went in to the jars.
These had nice holes.
A handful of colorful bits on top of the sand.
Using natural resources and recycled items is a passion of mine. I hope you are inspired to use what you have on hand and enjoy being creative.
Resources for this project:
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2 comments
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They are all so beautiful!!
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Thank you! Nature gives us so much to work with.
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