Living in south Florida has allowed me many beach outings and I have very fond memories of gathering seashells with my daughter over the years. To be honest, most shells were kept in plastic bags, but I did display a few of them in a glass jar. In preparing for my Tropical Christmas tablescape, I decided to put the shells to good use and I created these seashell Christmas trees. I just love how they turned out! Not only do I have three beautiful seashell Christmas trees, but now I can display our wonderful seashell collection, and this brings me so much joy!
HERE’S HOW I MADE IT
I purchased three 15-inch styrofoam cones at the craft store. I didn’t want the styrofoam material to be visible anywhere, (since one was white and two were green) so I decided to coat the base with a layer of sand, prior to gluing the shells. This was done quickly with a little Mod Podge, a brush and a container filled with beach sand. Simply brush the Mod Podge glue on the cone and roll the cone in the sand, shaking off any excess sand. I did this in sections. While this step isn’t necessary, it does give the tree a more authentic look and it covers up the horrible styrofoam texture and color. While the sand dried, I sorted the shells by size and grouped them accordingly.
Working from the bottom up and from large to small, I glued the shells onto the cone. I used smaller shells to fill large gaps while allowing the sand to peek through the smaller gaps. As I got to the top, I glued together two small shells to make a perch where to rest and secure the sea star. It worked out perfectly.
GLUE GUN SAFETY
Friends, hot glue gun burns are no joke. They are painful and the scars are permanent. Please be mindful of this while working on any project that requires the use of hot glue and take extra caution when children are around.
SUPPLIES
styrofoam cone from your local craft store (shown here 15 inch tall)
Mod Podge glue and brush to apply
beach sand
assorted shells in varying sizes
three sea stars to be used as tree toppers
hot glue gun and glue sticks
This is a wonderful DIY project to do with the kids. Not only do you display their shells, but it allows them to be creative. There’s no right or wrong, just memories and beautiful trees to be made. I hope this inspires you to gather up your seashell collection and make something special.
