Decorating with Shells: How to Decorate with Shells

One of the best spring and summer decorating themes is that involving the ocean - the sea - shells - nature's pastel colors. You can go hunting for shells on the beach or look for them in stores. Either way, shells are a fabulous way to bring the outdoors inside and add that lighter, airy look that works so great in hotter months. So if you've been looking for ways to decorate with shells, here are some good ideas.

Or if you're a purest and want to preserve the beaches and not strip them of their treasures, you can buy legally harvested shells and other artificial coral over the internet or in stores. It saves time, you won't get sunburned and you can get on to other matters. A good target search will give you many websites where you can buy shells effortlessly.

• Decorate a Journal - Glue a shell or two on your journal. Choose a flat shell. Starfish are also good choices.
• Fill the book with remembrances of your vacation or pictures.
• Decorate Your Fireplace - Acquire a large resin replica of a shell and fill it with plants in potting soil. Water sparingly.
• Place the decorative shell with the plants (recommend succulents) in your fireplace for the summer, as you won't be using it for anything during the hot months.
• Use Shells as Pinch Pots - Don't grab that small bowl when you're cooking. Use a clean shell. Serve small items such as sugar, salt, pepper in shells rather than shakers.
• Decorate a Frame - Glue flat shells and star fish on to the wood frame of a mirror. Paint the frame white first for a blended look.
• Position the largest pieces first and balance the frame. Then fill in with small pieces.
• Use a paint brush to apply the glue to the shells.
• Decorate an Old Purse - Have some purses you're tired of using. Give them new life by gluing on some shells in an artistic arrangement.
• Decorate an Old Hat - You're going to need to wear a hat more often during the summer months. Give your walking hat new life by gluing some shells around the brim. Don't over do it as you don't want it to become too heavy.

Decorating with shells is not difficult and you can literally add them to any surface that can take glue. Be creative. Be venturesome. Enjoy.

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Barbara Jennings is author of 10 decorating books: Decor Secrets Revealed, Rearrange It, Home Staging for Profit, Home Staging for Yourself, Arrange Your Stuff, Advanced Redesign, Pro Art Consulting, Where There's a Wall - There's a Way, The Art of Hanging Art, Great Parties! Great Homes!