Come Out of Your Shell
Decorate a large paper-mâché seashell, add paint, glitter, and personal symbols to express yourself and display your creation proudly and share it with friends.
Step-by-step guide to Come Out of Your Shell
Step 1
Spread newspaper or a drop cloth over your table to protect it.
Step 2
Put on an apron or an old shirt to keep your clothes clean.
Step 3
Place the paper-mâché seashell in the center of your workspace.
Step 4
Arrange your paints brushes water cup palette glue glitter embellishments and markers within easy reach.
Step 5
Draw a few design ideas on scrap paper to plan your colors symbols and layout.
Step 6
Lightly sketch your favorite symbol or pattern onto the shell with a pencil.
Step 7
Paint a smooth base coat over the whole shell using a large brush.
Step 8
Let the base coat dry completely before adding more paint.
Step 9
Use smaller brushes or paint pens to add your symbols details and decorations.
Step 10
Apply thin lines or dots of glue where you want glitter or where jewels will go.
Step 11
Sprinkle glitter over the glued areas and shake off the excess onto scrap paper.
Step 12
Press stickers jewels or other embellishments onto glued spots so they stick well.
Step 13
Brush a coat of clear sealant or varnish over the shell to protect your design.
Step 14
Let the shell dry completely in a safe place without touching it.
Step 15
Share your finished decorated seashell on DIY.org so friends can see your creation.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a paper-mâché seashell or clear sealant?
If you don't have a paper-mâché seashell, use a real seashell or cut a shell shape from sturdy cardboard, and for the 'Brush a coat of clear sealant or varnish over the shell' step substitute Mod Podge or a diluted white-glue mixture as a protective finish.
My paint keeps smearing when I add details—what should I do?
Make sure the 'Paint a smooth base coat' is completely dry before adding details, apply thinner coats, blot excess water from brushes, or use a hairdryer on low heat to speed drying so the smaller brushes or paint pens in later steps don't smear.
How can I adapt this project for younger or older kids?
For younger children skip the 'Lightly sketch' and fine brushwork and use sponge paints, stickers, and pre-cut jewels with adult supervision, while older kids can refine pencil designs, use fine paint pens for symbols and thin glue lines for glitter, and finish with the clear sealant.
How can we personalize or turn the decorated shell into a gift or keepsake?
After completing the paint and glitter steps, 'Brush a coat of clear sealant' to protect the design, glue a felt pad to the bottom to make a jewelry dish, add a ribbon loop to the back for hanging, or write a name/date with a permanent marker before sealing.
Watch videos on how to Come Out of Your Shell
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Facts about paper-mâché crafts for kids
✨ Modern glitter is usually tiny plastic flakes invented in the 20th century—eco-friendly plant-based glitters are becoming popular for crafts.
💖 Decorating with personal symbols is a creative way to tell your story—artists and kids use symbols to show feelings, memories, and dreams.
🌊 Many seashells grow in a logarithmic spiral, a natural math pattern that creates their beautiful swirls and repeating shapes.
🎨 Papier-mâché has been used for centuries worldwide to make masks, puppets, and decorative sculptures.
🐚 Seashells are created by animals called mollusks—snails, clams, and scallops all make shells to protect their soft bodies.
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