If you love beach decor projects. I have a project that will teach you how to make seashell bookends with scraps of wood.
I am so lucky to live in the southern region of the united states where I am surrounded by beaches and waterways. I am obsessed with visiting different beaches. I have loads of baskets filled with seashells from all my trips to the beach. While walking the beaches my mind wonders what projects I can make next with these seashells.
With all the scraps of wood, I have a home I decided that I needed another set of bookends. I loved the ones I made with oyster shells. The new bookends would be perfect for the guest bedroom.
Supplies:
- Seashells
- Scraps of wood (4 pieces (5 inches by 5 inches)
- E6000 glue
- Liquid nails
- Stencil
- Foam brush
- Decoart white paint
- Decoart Blue vintage wash
Step 1: Paint the wood
Paint the 2 pieces of wood white. I used a white enamel Decoart for the base color, by painting the wood white it serves as a primer. It will make the main color aqua look bold and bright.
Step 2: Paint it turquoise
After painting the base color on both pieces of wood white. I made sure it was nice and dry before painting the second coat of turquoise.
Set 3: Stencilling the coral
Once the paint dries tape on the coral stencil to get ready to paint over it. Dab the foam brush onto the paint and lightly press over the stencil. Do not add to much paint onto the stencil so it doesn’t bleed. Once you cover the entire stencil, wait 10 seconds and lift it carefully.
Step 4: Adding the shells:
Now its time to glue the shells on the other piece wood. Position the shells in a way you find pleasing to the eye. Glue one shell at a time to the wood. Design a mound of shells that you feel create something artistic.
Step 5: Glue the wood together
Add liquid glue to one side of the wood and attach the two pieces of wood together. (As shown in the picture below.) Let the bookends dry overnight before adding any books to it.
I am so excited about the way the bookends turn out. I love the turquoise color, the white coral stencil really stood out and the mound of seashell design turned out better than I imagine.
For more similar projects!
I love this idea. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome! Take care and stay safe
Such a fun DIY! Love these.
Thanks so much Lori
That stencil, and that beautiful blue and those shells are like a match made in coastal heaven. Soooooo pretty Maria
Thanks that color is the key so beautiful
Love the stencil on the bookends. These look like something you would find in a high-end boutique. Pinning!
Thanks, that’s a great compliment. :))
Maria, I love this, especially the color with the shells. I have lots of seashells. This will be a project I do. Thank you
Thanks so much its super easy
Good morning, Maria! I wish I lived down your way, I’d be walking everywhere and letting those breezes blow away the stress of this pandemic time… 🙂 There is nothing like sun sparkling off the water, listening to birds chirping and hearing the crash of ocean waves and your seashell bookend projects just says that!!! The coral stencil is beautiful as a background and I love how simple this project is. Perfect for summer…
Thanks for another great idea,
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Barbara, You are such a wonderful person, Thanks for stopping by.
I think I may have to sneak out to the Hubs shop for some scrap wood hee hee! These are so pretty!
These are gorgeous, I really like the colour too. A creative use of old shells.
Thanks so much Claire it was truly fun~
Being landlocked now I love this idea. Thanks for sharing !!!!
Very pretty. It would also work well with those bags/baskets of seashells that you can buy for those who can’t go beach walking! Our shells in Maine aren’t anywhere near as pretty!