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Sea Shell Mosaics

Published 07.30.2009 | Permanent Link | Comments (2)

Remember summer forever with this fun seashell craft!
By Brenda Ponnay

shell mosaic

I had a passel of kids at my house today for a craft project--seven of them, actually. I might as well call it craft camp. Usually organizing a craft for kids ages two through eleven can be quite a challenge, if not impossible, but today went surprisingly well. We made classic plaster-of-Paris mosaics in pie tins but added a special summer twist by arranging colorful shells and sea glass to create a beachy scene. It was quick and easy to prepare and occupied everyone happily for several hours. I'd say that's a summer win!

collecting

We've been collecting shells and sea glass all summer so this was the perfect craft for us. We also picked up some tiny clear marbles and faux pearls from a local craft store to simulate the bubbles that you often see in beach waves.

All you'll need for this simple craft is:

  • an aluminum pie pan

  • a big plastic bucket for mixing

  • a 1-cup measure

  • wooden stir sticks

  • a collection of shells and sea bits

  • some plaster of Paris*

  • a decoupage sealer (like Mod Podge)

    • Plaster of Paris is usually available at any craft or hardware store. It might seem a bit intimidating when you find yourself hefting around a giant plastic tub of cement powder but it's actually quite easy to mix and use. If you can make pancakes from a box mix, you can make plaster of Paris.

    * We would advise parents to mix the ingredients for this project when the kids aren't around. Please be sure to read and follow the safety precautions for this or any product recommended here.

    The mix is a simple ratio: two parts cement powder to one part water. You mix it up in a plastic tub or bucket, stir it thoroughly and then pour into your tins. You can pour it into any container, really. The pie pans work well because once the plaster hardens, they are easy to peel off, leaving you with a perfect little round shape.

    smorgasboard of sea bits

    Earlier in the week my daughter and I had sorted all of our shells into empty egg cartons. We sorted by color and size, and that was a fun activity in itself, but totally not necessary. I found that the shells in the egg cartons were really easy to carry and set up. I arranged them all in a row on a long table and it worked great for the kids to file by for their selections.

    selection

    After everyone picked out their favorite bits we set to work pressing them into the plaster of Paris. The instructions on the tub tell you to wait until the plaster is starting to harden before you press anything into it, but on a hot day like today I didn't really have to tell anyone to wait. The plaster was very forgiving and the kids had no trouble at all making their masterpieces.

    flame shoes

    Everyone had so much fun I let them pour the extra plaster into some odd jar lids I had handy to make little mini mosaics. I think we could have made these all day long but lunchtime crept up on us, which was perfect because while we pigged out on pizza the mosaics dried in the sun.

    patiently waiting for the plaster of paris to dry

    pretty shell pies drying in the sun

    a finishing coat of mod podge

    Before they were completely hardened, we popped them out of their tins and broke off all the rough edges along the sides. You could sand them too but we didn't really need to. The important thing to remember is to break off the rough edges while they are still somewhat crumbly because if you wait too long the plaster gets hard and could crack and break under too much stress.

    I also added a coat of decoupage sealer to some of them because I thought the shells looked prettier when they were shiny, but this is optional.

    ta dah!

    When the mosaics were completely dry, I wrapped them up in tissue and sent them home with the kids. I think the mosaics will make nice garden decorations or even something pretty to put up on a shelf. Either way, they are a great way to remember all the fun of summer.

    Comments (2):

    Sara said:

    What a great idea! I love this craft and will try it soon. I'm thinking of doing one with a bunch of rocks we've collected. Thanks!

    Posted on July 31, 2009 01:52

    eeloh said:

    Fantastic! I have been collecting broken crockery for years now and it's lying in a tub waiting for me to do something with. I also bought Plaster of Paris about 5 years ago but was too intimidated to do anything with it. If I can find it, I will follow your instructions.

    The pie plates are a god idea that have got me thinking maybe silicon bakeware could be good... I remember holidaying in New Zealand and seeing in a couple of gift shops some heart-shaped mosaics set in plaster of Paris, and there was a fabric loop set into the plaster so you could hang them up.

    Thank you for this.

    Posted on August 7, 2009 07:46

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    About this column

    This is a year-round Holiday column. Kids love Holidays. As parents we have come to appreciate how Holidays seem to help structure our lives. Plus, any excuse to have fun sounds good to us!

    We'll admit it, now that we're parents, we secretly look for Holidays to celebrate and between National, Secular, Unofficial and Bizarre Holidays, we think there are enough days out there to keep us inspired every week.

    This column will be a place where you can get inspiration for how to enjoy time with your kids. Crafting projects and ideas will be posted on Thursdays by our brilliant contributors (see below). Other fun ideas will be posted here throughout the week as the inspiration hits us!

    About our Craft Contributors

    Ellen Baker Bio Ellen Luckett Baker is the author of the long thread, a blog about handmade goods. She has always enjoyed making things, but the flexibility of staying at home with her two daughters along with the creative inspiration they provide has led her to craft on a daily basis. Combining her love of graphic design and sewing, she has created an Etsy shop selling machine embroidery designs and sewing patterns.

    Ellen lives in Atlanta with her husband and two young daughters. She holds a B.A. in Art History and a Master's of Public Administration with a focus in Non-Profit Management.

    Cindy Hopper BioCindy Hopper was fortunate to be raised in a family who appreciated the arts. This background led to a Bachelor's Degree in Art Education. With a keen eye for design and color, Cindy has continued her love of art and is now passing her creative skills on to her three children. Cindy's family and friends are the beneficiaries of her passion for fun and meaningful creative projects. Cindy's personal blog, Skip to My Lou, has taken her love of a project to new levels. Postings keep the family busy -– from testing new recipes for holiday treats to designing and building floats for a neighborhood parade to making fabric rolls to hold crayons to creating themed parties. Cindy seems to have an unending supply of ideas for gifts, parties and rainy days.

    Brenda Ponnay Bio Brenda Ponnay is a stealthy secret agent who juggles parenthood to her adorable daughter by day and freelance graphic design by night. Whether it's painting, baking, drawing, making castles out of card board boxes or just doing the laundry with flair, Brenda Ponnay has finally discovered (at the ripe old age of thirty-six) that what really makes her happy is being creative every single day.

    Brenda lives in Southern California with her husband, daughter, three cats and thirty-seven pet birds. You can read about all her crazy adventures on her personal blog: Secret Agent Josephine.

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    This column is only for entertainment purposes. Any recommendations or information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for advice by a trained professional. For a full statement of our site policies, please click here.


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