As I collected shells at the beach this spring, the question I was asked most often is, “What do you do with them?” And I get that question! When we cleaned out my Oma’s attic, there were about a dozen 5-gallon buckets filled with shells she collected over the years. It was a great example of what happens when you love collecting shells, but don’t know what to do with them. I found that I was just storing shells in plastic bins at the top of a closet and I decided that I wasn’t going to do that anymore. If I love collecting them, I need to use them. So, here are some ideas for decorating with shells for my fellow shell collectors.
First of all, collect shells that you love…ones that speak to you and that you will want to use and/or display. Even though they are free to pick up, they should serve a purpose. It’s a shame to bring anything home whether it’s expensive or free, just to put it in a bin in the closet.
decorating with shells | just enjoy them
This isn’t a very specific tip for decorating with shells, but I think it’s still worth mentioning. You collected them for a reason. Something about that shell spoke to you and you leaned down to pick it up. So, enjoy the ones you’ve collected. I have a big ironstone bowl in the studio filled with shells that I pick through to draw and paint. I enjoy the texture and colors in the bowl, but I also love admiring them as subjects.
I am itching to paint some more oyster shells when I have the time. I painted a few small studies last summer and I’d like to do some larger works.
decorating with shells | use them as shelf filler
When I decided my shells needed to be out of bins, I moved a lot of them to my shelves. I just tucked them in among books and ironstone and I love the natural and textural element they bring.
The shells took a cabinet that was fine, but a little boring, and made it much more interesting. I think it looks more like a “cabinet of curiosities” now, which is a vibe I’m into!
decorating with shells | put them in a shadow box
I framed some of the small olive shells I’ve found over the years to hang in the boys’ bathroom and I love how that little project turned out. You don’t even need to buy a specific shadow box, but just a frame with a little bit of a gap between the glass and the backing.
You can back the shells with pretty textured paper, woven fabric, or even an old letter. I just glued them in place with a hot glue gun.
decorating with shells | use them for holiday decorating
I had never done this before, but last year I decided to stick some blue whelks among my Christmas greens and garlands and I loved the look. It didn’t feel strange at all that a “summer symbol” was mingling with the winter decor. I’m definitely going to repeat this idea.
decorating with shells | use them in the garden
It’s actually quite traditional to use shells in a garden. I’ve heard of (and seen) paths and borders made out of shells (specifically oyster shells.) My mom has been collecting shells for a few years to put in an area of rock between her house and the sidewalk. She said they make her smile every time she walks past them. I’m definitely going to put some oyster shells in the garden of our next house.
decorating with shells | make something
I snapped a picture of this eagle sculpture made out of oyster shells when visiting my great aunt’s house. Isn’t it cool? We used to make animal sculptures out of shells as an activity when our family was at the beach. We mostly made mice and rabbits. I’ve seen beautiful things made out of shells, though, like mirror frames and wind chimes.
I haven’t finished this project, yet, but I collected and ground blue/gray and white shells to try making paint out of them. It is actually a thing and I thought it would be fun to try!
These are just a few ideas, but of course, the possibilities are endless! Shells can even be used as paint palettes and have been for centuries. So fascinating! Anyway, I hope that you are inspired to pull those collected shells out of bins and decorate with them.
Oh, one more tip! I have started writing where I found the shell and when on the inside of it. It’s a small thing that ties the shells to memories of people, places, and special times.
Of course, shells are more special if you collect them yourself, but if you can’t, you can .
19 Responses
I absolutely love walking on the beach and picking shells. Such fun free entertainment!
There are special ones I’ve dated too making it fun to remember when and where it was found.
PS. Hope your foot is healing and giving you less pain.
You could use them as place settings around a table! Use a silver or gold sharpie to write the persons name on the shell! I just thought of this and think it could be really lovely.
Where did you find the time to do this blog amongst your moving? I think your ideas are stellar for all the collected shells, we both seem to collect. I do love your Christmas ideas and think it’s perfectly normal, especially since we live here on the coast! Hoping you are progressing in your move and best to you!
I have a large collection of shells from a lifetime of beach trips. Sand dollars are beautiful on a Christmas tree. I brush multiple coats of Elmer’s glue thinned with water on each sand dollar, letting it dry between coats. Tie a thin ribbon through the holes and hang it on your tree. These also make great little gifts.
So lovely! I have always felt that I couldn’t incorporate shells into home decor unless I lived on the beach, but I love the idea of a curio cabinet!
I have made little candle wreaths, large door wreaths, and covered large styrofoam cones with scallops to make trees for the mantle.
I started filling small glass jars with sand and shells from different trips. I write the beach and year on the bottom. Even a small picture in one with my son. (These keep everything contained and dust free!)
I love your ideas and I have seen the jars with a beach photo, sand and shells. Wonderful memories.
We are more rock hounds than conchologists. We like traveling to the lake shores of Michigan and collect beautiful rocks. I have them in flower beds and on shelves. They are sweet reminders of our trips. I do have a small collection of shells from Sanibel from several years back, but North always calls us back.
Like your mom, I have shells that I have collected dispersed throughout our rock landscaping. The grandkids love looking for them and pretty stones too. Maybe it’s a grandma thing 🙂
I, too, have collected shells, however, the collections must have been lost in the various house moves. The remaining shells are in a tall empty vase on the shower shelf. The sea glass, collected in Lyme Regis, is going into a hobnob? glass vase as toilet tank art. 🙂
I love the idea of shells near walkways and in gardens and will need to borrow that idea.
Marian- You can paint little paintings in them; a turtle or a palm tree, ect… You’re so talented they would make great gifts! Very popular to make ring dishes out of oyster shells. You can drill a hole in them and make Christmas ornaments out of them. Many possibilities!
We moved to Lake Worth, Florida in 1959 when I was 10. My grandmother lived with us. She and I began a business, making shell jewelry that I would sell door-to-door on my bike. We made bobby pins, small bar pins, earrings and other items, mounted them on some card stock and off I went. It gave me the confidence to have several businesses over the years and honed serious marketing and sales skills!
Living in the Great Plains, seashells are like rare treasure. I have used them as soap dishes, salt cellars, and various other fun uses. I also have a few shoe boxes that are pulled out and set about on platters with candles to signal summer has arrived.
I have. Collection of shells and now I’m inspired to use them to create and decorate.
If you haven’t found @Gustthepoodle (Marian McEvoy) on Instagram, you can see photos of where she’s used shells to cover a headboard and mirror frame.
I love shells , I glued them around a mirror for my porch and filled lanterns on the deck for summer fun We also have made lamps filled with shells and put the rest in large shell shaped clam shell filled with them very summery decorations
I love sea shells, too. When my Dad passed away, he had buckets and buckets of shells also. My brother took them back to the beach and spread them along the waters edge. Beach goers asked him what he was doing, and he told them there had been complaints of not enough shells and he was restocking the beach for shell seekers. Hahaha!
Living in Florida since the 80’s means I have… or had… lot’s of shells. LOTS. I recently did a giant purge of my entire home and most of my shells ended up going to Goodwill. I kept the shells that my late son and I collected together, and the ones he gave me, and some from my mom’s trip down here. And the sand from Cozumel and a few shells from our honeymoon trip there and that’s all. I filled up a large jar with some oddball shells and put some fern stems in it for a summer centerpiece last year. And kept that bag of shells, “just in case.” I put it somewhere I wouldn’t forget and of course I no longer remember where that is!!!……
I just love your shells and other various items showcased with your books. The whole cabinet feels so unique, and personal. And I never thought of using shells outside along a walkway or garden. I live in south Florida, and sadly, decorating with shells has somewhat fallen out of fashion, not that I pay much attention to trends, other than to find new things to enjoy. Our lani, a screened patio with a pool, has french drains. They are currently filled with white rocks. Boring…but I think I will put some of my many collected shells on top! Thank you for sharing your ideas, and those you’ve found from others. Hope you have lots of help with your packing.