DIY Sea Shell Napkin Rings

I love the ocean, but I live in land locked Oklahoma.  It's true that we do have a lot of lakes and there is lots of shoreline to walk, but nothing--NOTHING--can beat the sound of the waves rushing in.  Nothing can replace the feel of the sand between your toes.  Nothings can beat the water splashing against your feet.  Nothing.

I may not be able to go to the ocean...at least not right now.  That only leaves one option for me.  I've got to bring the ocean to me.

These napkin rings are super simple to make and
they allow for a lot of creativity of your own.  Here's what you need.

4- 5 inch strips of burlap ribbon
Assorted Sea Shells
Small Pieces of Felt
Hot Glue

1.  Affix one of the small pieces of felt to the back of the sea shells.  This is help provide stability to the shell and make adorning the burlap ribbon much easier.
2.  After the hot glue is dry, attach the shell to the burlap ribbon.  I used hot glue again.
3.  After the sea shell has been affixed and if dry, hot glue the two ends of the ribbon together forming a circle.  If you wanted, you could make the burlap ribbon strips a little longer and then simply tie the ends together.  I like the finality of glueing the ribbon ends together.
4.  To prevent burning your fingers and also to provide more stability to your ring, I suggest affixing one of piece of felt underneath the ring over the glue.  The felt acts as a binder.

See?  Super simple and one step closer to the ocean.  Stay tuned the rest of the week.  I'll be sharing how I used these napkin rings in my summer tablescape.  I think you will enjoy it.  In the meantime, did you miss yesterdays Summer Sunrise Mocktail recipe?  Here's a link for you.

Linking Up With

You're Gonna Love It

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DIY Gold Gilded Sea Shells

Last week I stumbled across these shells (here) from Aerin website and instantly fell for these shells.  I love them.  They are gorgeous  classic, and beautiful...from the ocean.  (Do you see the nautical theme I've got going on here?)

I decided to recreate them using
Martha Stewart gold gilding paint. (here)

The process was really quite simple.  First, after clean and drying your surface, prime your surface with a primer that will seal the surface's cracks and bumps.  Second, paint your shell with the gilding paint.  Be very cautious to avoid contact with the skin.  Also, avoid the fumes.  They are very strong.  Let them dry for about an hour and follow with a second coat or touch up.  After the gilding has dried make sure to seal your surface with a matte sealant.   The Martha Stewart collection at Michael's has a sealant.   I just used one that I had already purchases.

And there you have it.  Gold sea shells!

Arrange them anywhere.  Use them in floral arrangements or a centerpiece.  Maybe you just want to use a large shell as a paperweight.  Anyway you use them they will be beautiful.  Think of it as bringing a sunset over the ocean right into your home.  If you used the silver gilding you could create a wind chime of sorts.  It would look like the waves as it shimmered in the sun.

Ok, enough with the vivid imagination stuff.

Looking for other easy DIY crafts?  Here's a few links to check out.  (here, here, & here)

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