Transform sea shells with decoupage designs! Here’s the easy tutorial

These sea shells have practical uses, or you can just make them because they’re pretty!

It’s a dish. It’s décor. It’s both. These sea shell creations have been making a splash at high end boutiques and through the pages of magazines. They are practical, they are pretty, and, they are really simple to make yourself.

Studio 5 Creative Contributor Michelle Crowley showed how to make and use these handcrafted creations.

First, you can make them for no other reason than because they are pretty. Michelle finds that when she’s surrounded by pretty things, she feels happier… and that’s a value in and of itself.

She shared other practical ways to use these DIY shells.

• Place cards for a special table setting: These little shells can be decoupaged to match the theme of any dinner or table setting, then just add a little name card to go with them.
• Gift tags: By drilling a small hole in the shell or gluing them to a ribbon, they can then be attached to a gift bag or bow. They’re a fun little addition to the gift, to be kept and used for other things.
• Soap Dish: By creating a large shell that coordinates with the bathroom, they can add some color and fun pizzazz to the room. Be sure to use the Mod Podge formulas that are created especially for either outdoor or dishwasher use.
• Catch-All Dishes: Michelle likes to have little catch-all dishes scattered around her house.
• Giving a piece of jewelry or even a simple gift card placed in one of these lovely clam shell dishes will elevate any gift from special to extraordinary.
• Christmas Ornaments: Michelle has thought of lots of ways to use these during the holidays. Tree ornaments, in a wreath, dangling from ribbons on a mantel, hung from a chandelier. These could be anywhere you’d use a traditional ornament.

Michelle is the newest addition to the Studio 5 team, joining in Season 18 as our Creative Contributor. Friends describe Michelle as a gatherer. Entertaining, nesting at home, and jumping in painters overalls have become Michelle’s happy place. Michelle is a degreed interior designer. She gets her energy from other people.  And did you know — her bedroom is yellow! Find Michelle on Instagram @michellesdesignlife or via the Studio 5 email, studio5@ksl.com.