19 Fun Seashell Crafts You Can Create using Seashells

I had this whole collection of shells from beach trips just sitting in a jar looking pretty but doing absolutely nothing, when I was cleaning my room I considered throwing it away, but that would be a huge waste so instead I thought maybe I should try to make something with it. And when I finally started making stuff with them I genuinely couldn’t stop.

Turns out you can make some really beautiful things with them, stuff for your home, gifts for people you actually like, things for kids to do on a boring afternoon, and surprisingly enough, things people will pay you real money for.

You also don’t need to be some expert crafter to pull these off. A glue gun, acrylic paint, some twine, and a little patience is all you need for most of these. Here are 20 seashell crafts worth trying.

1. Seashell Candles

These are probably my favorite thing on this list because they look so much more expensive than they are. You take a large clam shell or scallop shell, those work best because they’re deep enough to hold wax, stick a wick in the center and secure it with a tiny bit of melted wax so it stands up, then pour in your melted candle wax and leave it alone until it sets.

If you want to get fancy you can add a few drops of essential oil to the wax while it’s still liquid and now you have a scented candle. People sell these at craft fairs for good money because they look like something from an expensive boutique and cost almost nothing to make.

2. Seashell Picture Frames

I feel like everyone has at least one boring plain photo frame somewhere in their house. Shells fix that really fast. You just hot glue shells around the border until the whole frame is covered. Mix in some sand dollars and tiny starfish pieces if you have them because it makes the whole thing look way more full and intentional.

These are perfect for vacation photos or beach wedding pictures and kids can absolutely help make them since there’s no real technique involved. Just gluing. Which is honestly kind of therapeutic.

3. Seashell Wind Chimes

These are so cute and the sound they make outside is actually really relaxing. You drill or carefully poke small holes near the top of each shell, thread fishing line or thin twine through, and hang them from a piece of driftwood or an embroidery hoop. The shells knock together gently in the wind and it sounds really soft and natural.

Thinner shells work best for sound. Some people paint theirs first and some leave them natural. Both look great, it just depends on the vibe you’re going for.

4. Seashell Jewelry

Seashell jewelry has been popular forever and it’s genuinely not going anywhere. Tiny shells can be drilled with a small hand drill or dremel tool and turned into earrings, necklaces, and bracelets using basic jewelry supplies like jump rings, ear wires, and cord.

Cowrie shell necklaces especially came back in a huge way and they are so easy to make. Like in the picture below, you can also mix shells with freshwater pearls or small beads for a more modern look. If you want something you can wear instead of just display, this is the way to go.

5. Seashell Mirrors

Okay this one looks so impressive when it’s done. You take a plain mirror and glue shells all around the frame in layers, bigger shells first and then smaller ones filling in the gaps. The finished result genuinely looks like something from a coastal home decor store that would cost you a lot of money.

These work really well in bathrooms or entryways. If you’ve ever wanted to try a DIY home decor project that actually looks expensive, this is a really good one to start with.

6. Seashell Christmas Ornaments

This one surprised me too when I first came across it but seashell ornaments are actually really popular, especially for people who do coastal or beach-themed Christmas decor. You can glue shells together into snowflake shapes, mini trees, or stars and hang them with ribbon or twine.

Some people paint theirs white and silver for a wintery look, others leave them natural for more of a tropical Christmas thing. Both are genuinely cute. And kids can help decorate them which makes it a nice thing to do together.

7. Seashell Wall Art

Instead of spending money on beach wall decor you can just make your own and honestly it’ll probably look more personal anyway. You arrange shells into patterns or shapes on canvas or a wooden board and glue them down. A heart shape, a starfish shape, or even spelling out a word like “Beach” or “Ocean” are all really popular ideas.

It adds actual texture to your walls which you just can’t get from a print or a poster. And every single one looks different because no two shell collections are the same.

8. Seashell Planters

This one is so simple but it genuinely transforms a boring pot. You just hot glue shells around the outside of a plain terracotta pot and it looks completely different when you’re done. Terracotta works especially well because the slightly rough surface grips the glue really well.

Looks really cute with succulents or small cacti. You can leave the shells natural or paint them first in soft colors like white or pale blue. Either way you’re taking something from the dollar section and turning it into actual decor.

9. Seashell Hair Accessories

Shell hair accessories got really popular with beach weddings a few years ago and they honestly never fully went away. You can glue tiny shells onto plain hair clips, headbands, or combs using jewelry adhesive or a low-temperature glue gun.

Mixing small shells with little pearls and gold accents looks genuinely elegant. Kids also love colorful shell clips because they’re fun to make and easy to customize. These are quick to put together and really easy to sell in sets.

10. Seashell Coasters

There are two ways to go about these. The simpler version is gluing flat shells onto cork or wooden coaster bases with strong adhesive. The fancier version is resin coasters where you pour clear casting resin into a silicone mold with shells arranged inside and let it cure for 24 to 48 hours.

If I’m being completely honest, resin ones look incredibly professional when they’re done, all glossy with the shells visible underneath but gluing the shells can be a fun craft, I’m not sure people would want to spend on it. For the resin ones, you can charge more for them because of how polished they look.

11. Seashell Napkin Rings

If you like putting together a nice table for summer dinners or outdoor gatherings, these are such a good little detail. You glue shells onto rope rings or thick ribbon loops and the finished result has this really lovely handmade coastal feel that people always notice and ask about.

Really popular for beach weddings and outdoor events. And if people are asking where you got them that’s usually a pretty good sign you could be selling them.

12. Painted Seashell Animals

Kids go absolutely crazy for this one and honestly it’s fun for adults too. You paint shells to look like little animals with acrylic paint and stick on googly eyes. Turtles, fish, crabs, ladybugs, owls, they all work really well depending on the shell shape you’re working with.

Cheap, creative, easy enough for little kids to mostly do on their own. Perfect for a rainy afternoon when you need something to do and you probably already have everything you need at home.

13. Seashell Wreaths

These are such a satisfying project to put together. You use a foam wreath form or grapevine wreath as your base and start building up layers with shells, starfish, pieces of driftwood, and some faux greenery to fill it out. Hot glue holds everything really well.

Larger shells create the focal points and smaller shells fill in all the gaps. The finished wreath looks really full and detailed and people genuinely love them as front door decorations in summer.

14. Seashell Trinket Dishes

Honestly, this is one of the simplest things on this list, but it looks so good. Large clam shells already function perfectly as little jewelry dishes or trinket holders without you needing to do much at all. You just seal or paint the inside, and that’s kind of it.

Painting the edges gold takes maybe five minutes and makes them look really elegant. I have one on my nightstand, and people always ask about it. It’s one of those things that looks intentional and styled but took almost no effort.

15. Seashell Mason Jars

Decorating mason jars with shells is such a versatile project because the finished jar can become so many different things. You wrap twine around the jar using craft glue to secure it, then hot glue shells on the outside for that coastal texture.

Use them as candle holders, flower vases, or just pretty storage containers. Putting sand and a tealight inside creates the coziest little vibe, and they make really genuinely lovely gifts. The kind of thing someone actually keeps instead of putting in a drawer.

16. Seashell Bookmarks

This one is really underrated. Flat slim shells make such unique bookmarks, and they’re really easy to put together. You drill a small hole near one end, thread a ribbon or tassel through it, and that’s basically it.

You can add little letter beads to the ribbon to personalize them or paint a small design on the shell. They’re inexpensive to make, but they feel really thoughtful as a gift, especially for anyone you know who loves reading.

17. Seashell Shadow Boxes

If you have shells from trips that actually mean something to you, please don’t keep them in a box somewhere. A shadow box is such a good way to display them. You arrange the shells inside a framed shadow box with a little sand, maybe a small photo from that trip, and suddenly it’s actual wall decor instead of something tucked away.

Some people label where each shell came from, which makes it even more personal and meaningful. It’s one of those projects that turns a memory into something you can actually see every day.

18. Seashell Keychains

Simple to make and way more popular as gifts than you’d expect. You attach small shells to key rings using thin jewelry wire threaded through a small drilled hole, or glue on a jewelry bail if you’d rather skip the drilling. Adding beads, a tassel, or an initial charm makes them feel more personal and put together.

These are also one of the easiest seashell crafts to sell because they’re small, affordable, and people love a cute little beach-themed accessory to give as a gift.

19. Seashell Table Centerpieces

This last one requires almost no crafting at all and still looks really beautiful. Fill a bowl or glass vase with your shells, add a couple of candles, a small piece of driftwood, and a little sand. Done. It looks genuinely styled and intentional with basically zero effort.

Wooden trays give a more rustic look; glass vases feel cleaner and more modern. Either way, it changes the whole feel of a table or a shelf, and it’s a really nice place to start if you’re new to decorating with shells.

Before you start, a couple of things worth knowing

Clean your shells first. Soak them in water with a small amount of bleach for about an hour, rinse them really well, and let them dry fully before you use them for anything. It gets rid of any smell and removes dirt you might not even see.

Hot glue works fine for most of these projects, but for anything heavier or anything that needs to hold up over time, E6000 adhesive is a much better choice. And acrylic paint is your best friend for painting shells because it grips well, dries fast, and comes in every color imaginable.

If you don’t live near a beach, craft stores sell cleaned shells in bulk, which is actually really convenient and saves you all the prep work.

I really think seashell crafts are one of those things that sound simple but genuinely surprise you once you start. You pick up one project and suddenly you’ve made six things and you’ve got a whole little collection going. Start with whatever feels most doable, see what you enjoy, and go from there. You might end up with a whole side hustle on your hands.