Flex your mussels

How to create a fun and easy seashell tree

By Phyllis Ford

This craft project is a fun way to turn your sea shell collection into a cute tree, perfect for the holidays or year-round. It’s easy enough to do with kids, and it makes a great gift for a friend or teacher—or a coastal decoration for your own home.

What you’ll need:

• Mussel shells, or any medium sized shells in your collection 
• Hot glue gun & glue sticks OR E6000 glue (more sturdy)
• Styrofoam tree form
• Round candle holder or wood base
• Pearls, shells, or starfish for decorations
• Clear acrylic coating spray
• Parchment paper

How to assemble your shell tree:

1. Collect 100-150 shells—mussels, scallops, abalone, or whatever you have on your beach. Rinse them clean, then soak in a weak bleach solution for a few minutes, and then set them out to dry.

2. Sort the dry shells onto parchment-lined cookie sheets by size—small, medium and large. Protect your work area (preferably outside), spray the inside of the dry shells with acrylic spray, and allow to dry.

3. Glue a candle holder or round piece of wood that is slightly smaller in diameter than the Styrofoam tree form to the bottom of your form. This raises the cone up so you can have the shells hang below the bottom edge.

4. Starting with the larger shells at the bottom of the tree, put a small amount of glue on the “hump” at the top of the outside of the shell and glue it so that it’s widest part is just below the bottom edge of the cone. Shells curve either left or right and come in many widths, so try several shells until you find one that fits well with the first shell. Add glue and attach it next to the first shell, butting its widest point closely against the first one. Continue around the form.

5. When you get close to being back to the beginning shell, take time to select the final two or three shells so that they will fit without gapping or overlapping.

6. Start the next row of shells so the bottom edge of the second row of the shells overhangs to cover about half of the first row, and the top of the shell is vertically aligned between two shells below. Use similar size shells in each row, gradually switching to medium and finally small shells as you go up the tree. Use as much glue as needed to ensure a secure fit, being careful to keep it on the back only so it doesn’t show.

7. Plan the last couple of rows so you have the correct number and size of shells to complete your rows. You may want to glue a shell on the top of the cone to have some place to attach the topper and your final rows of shells.

8. When you are done, coat the tree all over with acrylic spray. After it is dry, you can add pearls or small shells and add a shell or starfish topper to give your tree a winter holiday feel, or keep it as-is for a year-round coastal look.

This article appeared in the Glassing Magazine November/December 2018 issue.

No live shelling: Be sure shells are empty and sand dollars, sea stars, and sea urchins are no longer alive before you bring them home.