Whenever you take the time to collect some seashells from a holiday destination, you always remember when and where you found them. If you look and play with them down the track, you can even get that same feeling back that you had the day you were strolling along the beach and you noticed the beautiful wonders of nature. Instead of just leaving them lying around in a jar some where, why not come up with an artwork design for your home, so you can keep them longer and look at them regularly?
There is an awesome array of sizes, colors and shapes to seashells. If you don't have your own collection but would still like to make some seashell art, you can buy them in stores or order some online. Usually they are divided into four size ranges, and if you are using your own it's a good idea to do the same. Some very small seashells are the size of little stones, or even a few grains of sand.
Buying your Seashells
An example of what you could order over the internet in large seashells would be Orange queen pink conch up to 8" long, or the Venus comb which is also a larger variety and resembles a fan. A few medium varieties are Pectum Pallium, Noble Pecton Singles and Rose cockle, which are between 1-3". And the tiny shells, which are fantastic fillers for your art could be some red cat's eye shell, which ranges from 0.5-1", or some Purple Money Cowrie which comes in sizes from 0.5" and up. Ordering seashells in bulk can cost between $3 and $20 for a pound.
What you can Create
You can use your shells for so many types of crafts, like decorating objects. Some ideas are a photo frame, trinket box, tissue box holder or tin for your pens. You can do the front cover of a notebook, or stick then together to make something out of shells, like a fish. They can also be used to make great name plaques for your children's bedroom doors.
The large seashells are fantastic for flower decoration pieces or even to plant things in. Some devout shell hunters have mastered the art of engraving the shells which is also an interesting possibility for you. Large shells look decorative on mirror frames and candle holders or candles.
Clean them Properly
You want to be sure you prepare the shell the best way possible to show off it's beauty. You don't want it to end up smelling, and there are many different natural substances that can be built up over time in the ocean. You want to clean them until they lose any leathery look they may have, and the best way is to soak them in half bleach half water. You may want to use a brush to scrub off any solids, then rub a small amount of baby oil into the seashell and it will look much brighter.
Summary:
Using shells in your art work is great for remembering your time at the beach, and also looks unique, creative and natural. If you don't have seashells of your own, you can order them online in packages or even if you want to add some extra varieties to your own collection. |
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