12 Creative Ways to Decorate with the Seashells You Brought Home from Vacation

Put shells, starfish, and other found items in a glass canister. Use a paint pen or permanent marker to write the vacation location on a sand dollar, and hang it from the side of the canister with twine.

Use larger items, such as conch shells or puffy sea biscuits, as paperweights on your desk for at least one daily reminder that isn’t about something on your to-do list.

A great way to use a big batch of shells is to create a mosaic. This easy craft is great for beginners and experts, and gives free rein to your creativity. Try turning your mosaics into a decorative piece, a set of coasters, or even a tabletop. Once you’ve bought some grout, you’re on your way to a lovely creation.

String starfish and shells along a piece of twine, and swag it along a window. Create patterns with your shells that repeat through the garland. 

Fill a rectangular glass container with sand, and tuck in bundles of wheatgrass. Glue shells and starfish to bamboo skewers, and then stick them in the sand so they stand up tall. (Note: You can water the wheatgrass while it’s in the sand.)

Shells are a great way to liven up your garden and planters. Create design with them or decorate with bold shells to draw the eye in. Their durability will make them last long and add beach vibes to your blooming plants.

Prop a photo from your vacation in a glass vase, and surround it with seashells to hold it up. This is an easy way to make a simple snapshot something see-worthy.

String shells along florist wire, and attach to a simple wire hanger for a primitive wind chime. You can drill a hole in each shell with a small drill bit, but many times you’ll find nature has done the work for you. Shells often already have holes in them because many mollusks drill into shells to get to the animal inside.

Use a large shell, turned upside down, as a bowl for jewelry. Put it on your bedside table for easy access morning and night.

This craft is as kid-friendly as it gets. Set up a plastic tablecloth, get out your watercolors or acrylics, and get painting. Experiment with different colors and shells for variation in texture and shade. If you’re an avid painter, try flipping a big shell over and using the inside as a palette instead.

Turning shells into jewelry is a great way to take a piece of the beach with you everywhere you go. Use a small drill bit (think 1/16-inch) or a nail and hammer to make a hole in the shell. Then string shells on chain of choice and decorate as desired.

Set down the glue gun. Get big impact without a lot of fussy arranging or gluing. Just set a large conch shell on a side table. While you probably won’t find one on a typical beach walk, you can easily purchase them from Nautical Seasons.