35 Seashell Crafts So Your Summer Memories Will Last a Lifetime

These glittered shells are perfect for your tree or to be tastefully scattered throughout the house.

These candleholders bring natural charm to the table and are an instant conversation starter.

Transform your child's beach discoveries into an adorable shell creature.

Decorate stationery, postcards, or a travel journal using shells, stones, and other tokens collected on a recent trip. 

After a day at the beach, re-create an oceanic habitat with the treasures you've collected.

Made from a clambake's worth of mussels, this wreath is a perfect summer decoration for a front door.

Make a sconce or two to give any room that vacation glow.

Make a miniature seaside bungalow by crafting a cardboard "house" covered in shells from the shore.

Even when vacation's over, these pretty soap dishes will give your bathroom a seaside feel.

Add a summery touch to your reading room with bookends made of seashells.

The shells that the ocean cast at your feet this summer -- the ones you so fastidiously collected -- make lovely remembrances of the season with candles formed inside them. Deep shells such as scallops, clams, and quahogs work best and burn longest. 

Customize your own mirror frame using shells found along the beach.

When darkness falls, a string of seashells adds ambiance to a patio or porch.

Add a breezy beach house feel to any room with this clamshell wreath.

With their natural beauty, seashells make lovely and distinctive planters.

Try one of these techniques for creating beautiful works of art out of your seaside treasures.

Gluing seashells onto a terra-cotta flowerpot creates an original outdoor decoration that's sure to impress.

This beachy creation is sure to delight both the eyes and the ears.

These motifs are charming on kids' beachwear, and the process is easy enough for small helpers. 

Here's an enticing way to present poached shrimp at a summer meal: Spear them with seaside-themed utensils. Purchase assorted shells from a crafts store; wash them, then glue onto wooden skewers. Set them out with shrimp, alongside various sauces for dipping.

Make waves with an arrangement set in a seashell.

Even if the only water in sight is in a pitcher, you can still bring the feeling of the beach to your table.

Like a swimmer at the beach, seashells need a good shower before they're ready for the house, or for use in your favorite craft. Getting all the grit out of the shells by hand is a challenge; instead, slip them into the utensil basket of the dishwasher, and run them through a cycle. They'll be clean and ready for display when they come out.

A wide-mouthed, spiral nautilus shell can double as a pearlescent vase for bedroom bouquets.