For these projects, you'll need shells, wax paper, clear-drying cement, toothpicks, aluminum foil, tweezers, and nail scissors. Use toothpicks to create tiny dots of cement, spinning the toothpicks to prevent gluey strings. Change toothpicks often, and cap the cement jar between steps.
Coquina Butterfly
Tools and Materials
Wings: 1 joined pair of coquina shells (use the prettier side)
Body: 1 large sea urchin spine
Antennae: 2 small sea urchin spines
1. With a toothpick, dab cement on the underside of the "hinge" between the open wings. Let dry.
2. Dab cement on waxed paper; set the wings on cement.
3. Dot cement on the body, and secure it between wings. Let dry.
4. Dab cement on aluminum foil. With tweezers, drag each antenna through cement, then affix each to the body at an angle.
5. While cement is tacky, use tweezers to lift and spread antennae. Let dry.
6. Peel butterfly off waxed paper. With scissors, trim away excess cement.
Cowrie Honeybee
Tools and Materials
Body: 1 asellus cowrie shell
Wings: 2 yellow coquina shells
Head: 1 small snail shell
Antennae: 2 small sea urchin spines
Stinger: Larger sea urchin spine
1. Dab cement on waxed paper; set the body on cement. Let dry.
2. Dot cement on aluminum foil. Drag wings through cement, then affix to the underside of the body.
3. While cement is tacky, tilt wings upward. Let dry.
4. Cement head to body. With tweezers, drag each antenna through cement on foil, then affix each to the head.
5. While cement is tacky, use tweezers to lift and spread antennae. Let dry.
6. Glue stinger to the body. Let dry. Peel bee off waxed paper. With scissors, trim away excess cement.
Snail-Shell Snail
Tools and Materials
Body: Snail shell in any color, 1 operculum
Antennae: 2 small sea urchin spines
1. Dab cement on waxed paper; set the operculum on the cement. Let dry.
2. Cement the snail shell to the operculum. Let dry.
3. Dot cement on aluminum foil. With tweezers, drag each antenna through cement, then affix each to the body at the head of the snail.
4. While cement is tacky, use tweezers to lift and spread antennae. Let dry.
5. Peel snail off waxed paper. With scissors, trim away excess cement.
Seashell Blooms
This technique is used for flowers with flat petals, as well as ones that curl upward.
Tools and Materials
Petals: Sufficient coquina, mussel, or cup shells for a circle
Center: Tiny starfish
For curled petals: A circular base of heavy-gauge wire, a soda-bottle top, or a ring of aluminum foil
For Flat Flower
1. With a toothpick, dot cement on waxed paper.
2. Arrange as many petals as needed in a circle, with each of their tips positioned in the cement. Let dry.
3. Dab cement on a starfish, and affix it at the center. Let dry.
4. Peel bloom off waxed paper. With scissors, trim away excess cement.
For Curled Flower
1. Place circular base on waxed paper. Dot cement in the center.
2. Arrange petals in a circle, with their tips positioned in the cement and their other ends elevated by the base. Let dry.
3. Dab cement on a starfish, and affix it at the center. Let dry.
4. Peel bloom off waxed paper. With scissors, trim away excess cement.
Never mind...just saw it.
I see no instructions on how to make the flowers...! That is the craft of the day isn't it? Good grief!
Hi
I'm Azza , I'm lebanese and I live in Qatar I love your work and I watch your Tv show . I'm interested in craft works and I'd love to learn more and be like you .
Thanks alot
Please show us the instructions for the sea shell blossoms.
Where can I find the sea urchin spine and the small sea urchin
Thank You
Edna
These would be great hung in a window, to decorate a gift, or make into ornaments. So many things you can do with this!!!
Ms. Lavid there is a page two if you click on it you will see the sea shell blossoms and instructions. See the turquoise it is beautiful. I just remembered I have scarf blossom roses made out of a type of colored metal. If you can get a scarf clip from a craft store this would make a beautiful scarf clip for silk scarf.
i thought today's project was "seashell blooms"...i think there is a mistake in the link.
Get a cigar box with 2 side-by-side doors. The cigar boxes can be made into a beautiful little girls jewelry box. I love the turquoise. For the knobs I use tassels or earrings are good. For boys I thought 1.)spray paint brown 2) decoupage the box with maps 3) using sand dollars, starfishes, little sea horses (can be toy seahorses)
When I lived in Hawaii, I found sea-urchin spines more often than other shells. They wash up on the beach after the creature dies, so we're not actually harming them by collecting these off the beach.
A good source for shells? Try your local thrift store jewelry department for discarded shell lei's for very little money. Even if part of the strand is not fully intact, you'll still have plenty of shells to work with.
I made a Mussel shell flower like this years ago - glueing them onto a small piece of beach glass. I painted the edge of the shells with silver paint and smudged silver glitter glue at the pointy, inside end of the shell. A small periwinkle fills the centre. I glued a strong bit of wire, in a loop, to the back and hang it on our Christmas tree every year. It is a treasured ornament. I Summer in the New Brunswick(Canada)/Maine Border where these shells are plentiful on the beach :D
e-x-p-e-r-t-i-s-e
winterbeach, what on earth is negangered? Might you really mean endangered? For someone so particular with all your experties, I'm surprised you made such an obvious mistake. I am a daily visitor to MS Craft of the Day and I see that you comment often, but I don't think it has ever been positive or even nice, You appear to be one of those angry enviro nuts who are always complaining. Do us all a favor and find a different site to harrass, this is a place for creataivity and "good things".
What kind (or brand) of clear-drying cement?
If you could find these shells in a smaller size, it would make a beautiful broach.
Sea urchin spines? How are these obtained? Lets use a material that is readily available and doesn't require dismembering a creature! Even at the beach, one doesn't find urchin spines. How about the little spiral shells instead?
I can't wait to give this one a try!!!!
Does anyone know where to get all these shells and sea urchins as I live in the flooded midwest? Thank You!
I am very excited about this idea. I am engaged and doing a beach wedding. This will be a nice feature for the table or maybe place settings.
This is superb!
What a beautiful idea!