Oyster Shell DIY

These oyster shells would look so in any home or on any place setting, when I saw them at Anthropologie I knew I had to try and make them for myself. When we were home for mother’s day, we walked along Cove Island and picked the best shells for this project. It’s so simple and easy that I wanted to share it with you as well. Follow below for all the easy step by step directions.

What you’ll need:

• gloss Mod Podge and two soft brushes
• printed napkins, tissue or regular copy paper to print your favorite designs ( You can download our free designs at the end!) See Step 1 for pros and cons of each option
•  gold acrylic paint to paint the edges, white acrylic paint to cover darker spots in shells.

Step 1:

Make sure your oyster shells are clean. I use half bleach and half water solution to soak the shells overnight. If your shells have darker spots on the interior surface, give them a coat of white acrylic paint, especially if you are using napkins or tissue paper later for this project. Let the paint dry before the next step.

Step 2:

Pick your design. There are tons of graphic designs that you can choose from. My favorites are canva or creativemarket (some you will have to pay for) or you can sign up at apieceofrainbow.com for the pattern you see here.

Step 3:

Print your design. After selecting your design, simply print it out on paper or if you have paper napkins with design you like (you will have to peel off the back layer) use those! Cut your design to fit just a bit larger than your shell.

Step 4:

Brush a coat of Mod Podge on the inside surface of an oyster shell. Brush a coat of Mod Podge on the back of the printed paper or napkin. Starting from one spot on the inside shell surface , lay the paper or napkin on the spot, and gently press the paper down little by little until it covers the entire surface. Gently tap the paper to the inside surface of the shell.

Step 5:

Carefully tear off the excess paper around the edges. You can use a nail file to smooth out the edges but since we’re painting the edges it is not totally necessary.

Step 6:

Add another coat of Mod Podge over the entire decoupaged surface. This will create a water resistant surface.

Step 7:

Take some gold acrylic paint and dab along the edges all the way around. 

Head to my Instagram Highlights to see the whole tutorial video! If you have any questions feel free to message me.

xx

Emily