Wedding Reception

How do you make fancy looking gilded seashells? It is easy! Follow these steps, and you will have piles of these gorgeous gems in no time. I’ve added in some ideas for what to do with them once they are made as well! Make your beach themed wedding look lush and luxurious with this clever D.I.Y. method. Enjoy!

Step 1: Collect And Clean

Gather shells of all shapes and sizes. Clean them out using a bleach and water solution. You only need about a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.  Do this step in clothes that you don’t mind staining (I have a pair of “creativity pants” that my husband insists I only wear at home! They make me feel like a true artist!). Soak shells in the bleach water, and after about an hour rinse them off with plain water. The fishy smell will be gone! You are going to paint over them, so it is okay if they are a bit faded! Scrub off any remaining

Step 2: Paint On The Bling

Next, apply liquid gilding paint. This type of paint has a metallic finish. Martha Stewart’s brand offers liquid gilding paint in an array of metallic hues, as does Liquid Leaf and Lefranc & Bourgeois. One coat should be enough. The bottles that liquid gilding comes in are small, so try to be conservative rather than using thick layers.

Step 3: Get Creative

If you plan to paint a high volume of shells, think about only painting one part of the shell and leaving the rest naked. This will let nature’s pretty patterns shine through! You could coat the bare parts of the shell with a layer of clear spray paint in order to draw out the color. Another idea is to use your chrome paint to decorate plain shells with zebra stripes or funky polka-dots.

Step 4: Decorate With Your Fancy New Shells

What’s a girl to do with all of these fancy shells? Here are some ideas. String them up along a piece of drift wood to make a pretty wall hanging behind your dessert bar. Fill bowls with the shells and use as a centerpiece. Scatter silver shells across a blue table runner. Use one as a brooch or boutonniere! Glue shells onto the ribbons that wrap your bridal bouquets.

Seashells are truly amazing. They are abundant, free, and sculpted into fantastically intricate shapes. With just a little touch of love, they become jewels to display at your glamorous beach themed event. Can you think of any other ways to use these little D.I.Y gems? Let me know in the comments below!