Sanibel Island offers beautiful natural surroundings and the miles of white-sand shelling beaches. One of the best pastimes on the beach is searching through the array of unique seashells to find the most beautiful pieces for your collection.

In honor of National Seashell Day, June 20, we encourage you turn your best seashell finds into a lasting memory with these shell craft how-tos from Martha Stewart!

 

 

Seashell frame

Add a special island touch to a photo or mirror by creating a seashell frame. All you need for this craft is a flat picture frame of any size, a selection of seashells and craft glue. Use the craft glue to adhere the seashells to the frame, creating a pattern by layering and overlapping the shells. Once you have created the design of your choosing, let the glue dry, and your masterpiece is complete!

 

Seashell wind chimes    

 

If you are looking for a beautiful and peaceful reminder of your beach experience, this craft idea is perfect for shells with natural holes. To get started, grab varying lengths of string or fishing line, a piece of driftwood, a couple small sticks and your shell collection to make a seashell wind chime! To make this musical piece, you will need to tie one end of the string around the driftwood and another end around your shell or a small stick. To finish the project, tie a string to each end of the driftwood and hang.

 

 

 

Seashell lights  

Looking to add some beach-chic ambiance to your patio or porch? Give your space a soft glow with personalized seashell twinkle lights. For this project, you will need a string of white twinkle lights (look for the small stands), a collection of scallop seashells and epoxy. Lay the string of lights on a flat work surface, apply a thin layer of epoxy on the shell hinge and press into place over the light bulb. Repeat this process for each light bulb.

 

Are you ready to scan Sanibel’s shores for inspiration for your next seashell craft? West Wind Island Resort’s 500 feet of white-sand beach gives you access to shells in a wide array of colors, shapes and sizes that will make the design completely yours. For tips on when and where to shell, and to learn more about the variety of seashells that can be found on the beaches of Sanibel Island, visit our page on Sanibel Shelling! Happy crafting!

 

Project photos courtesy of MarthaStewart.com