Snail shells, if no one lives there, are found in nature for free. Empty snail shells can be collected in the forest, in the garden or on holiday by the sea. They can also be found for sale at craft stores. In a short time you can spend a lovely afternoon outside with the children looking for empty snail shells. With a little creativity you can create really great things, such as pendants, jewelry and garden decorations. Below we will enrich you with wonderful ideas for crafting with snail shells.
What can you make from empty snail shells?
When crafting with snail shells, you can never have too much of them. Collect small and large ones because you can make something beautiful out of them all. Maybe you even brought some really big sea snails back from your last vacation at the sea. They find new use as decorative small vases or mini planters. Beautiful jewelry can be made from the smallest snail shells. The empty shells of the garden snails can be decorated, painted and used decoratively in the home.
Make decorations
Before you decorate the empty snail shells or use them to decorate your home, it is advisable to clean them very well. First soak in lukewarm water for 20 - 30 minutes, then use an old toothbrush and brush off all deposits and dirt. Once the snail shells are nice and clean, let them air dry. Only then can you polish them a bit with fine-grain sandpaper. But that is not necessary.
The easiest way to do this is to use colored permanent markers and pens. This allows you to draw detailed shapes and figures and after the dye dries, the drawing remains permanent. To make the small work of art more durable, we recommend applying a layer of clear nail polish or top varnish after the color has completely dried or after at least 30 minutes.
To decorate the snail shells in a colorful way, you can also use acrylic paints or old nail polishes in different colors. In order for the paint layer to adhere better, it is advisable to carefully sand the surface of the bowl. Finally, apply clear nail polish to make the color but also the cases more durable.
Make tea lights
You can use the beautiful and relatively large, empty shells of snails decoratively as candles. This requires candle wax and candle wicks with metal supports. To keep the snail shells stable, we recommend using an egg carton as a base when crafting and placing the snail shells there individually. In addition, you would need a small funnel to easily fill up the wax.
First, the candle wax is melted in a water bath or microwave. During this time, insert a wick into each snail shell. Now carefully shake in the candle wax using the funnel. Let cool and then arrange nicely.
These homemade snail candles are definitely something for nature lovers. Due to their natural effect, they look particularly friendly and environmentally friendly. Arranged beautifully in a glass next to moss and small river stones, they certainly look wonderful.
Make jewelry
The smallest empty sea snail shells can be used to create beautiful pieces of jewelry. Of course, you would have to have cleaned these very well beforehand. Necklaces with natural motifs and pendants such as shells, sea snails and starfish look very nice, especially for summer. Here we recommend designing the selected figure in a metallic color beforehand.
If you want your necklace to be as natural as possible, then leave the snail shell as it is. You simply need to attach a tag. You can bend one yourself out of wire using round-nose pliers or, alternatively, use a ready-made one to make jewelry. Chains and clasps can be found at most craft stores. Simply thread this through the pendant, close it and you're done. Long chains don't even need a clasp, just a small eyelet.
Mini vases and flower pots
The larger shells of different sea snails can be used creatively, for example as small vases or imaginative containers for small plants. Presented as an imaginative table decoration, it is recommended that the bowls be really clean. On the one hand, leftover salt water can kill the plants, but on the other hand, it's just not nice to have something dirty on the table. To do this, you can immerse the snail shells in vinegar solution and then clean them with an old toothbrush. Some toothpaste, baking soda or bathroom cleaner can also be used. The most important thing is that you finally rinse the peels very well.
So that the snail shells can be placed on a surface in a really stable manner, we'll tell you a very clever trick here. Simply use a key ring or alternatively an eyelet if the bowl is a little smaller. Fix the ring on the lower side of the snail shell using glue so that it remains stable in the desired position and just let the glue dry.
The empty shells of the garden snails can be used wonderfully as garden decorations. This means they end up back in nature and at the same time provide a decorative eye-catcher in the outdoor area. You can use the slightly larger ones as mini flower pots. Plant species such as succulents that do not require a lot of space or substrate to thrive are perfect here.
Green plants in mini format are particularly suitable for mini planters. You can choose between many different varieties and depending on the season. This idea is also ideal as a guest gift or for decoration on the garden table. Succulents, but also cacti and small orchids are particularly popular as mini plants and are also very easy to care for. Cyclamen, flaming cats and bromeliads are also in demand in mini editions.
If you want to give something other than a bouquet of flowers or a boring potted plant, a cute souvenir in a snail shell is an inventive idea that will definitely bring a lot of joy without taking up a lot of space.
Mini plants in such an unusual plant pot will wonderfully complement any vintage or country house ambience. However, they don't need much to thrive. A sunny or partially shaded location and watering every now and then is sufficient. You should avoid waterlogging.
Wreath made of snail shells
Crafting with snail shells is a great idea to make pretty garden decorations yourself from natural materials. The bowls, as they are, have their charm, but can be designed and colored in a variety of ways using acrylic paints or paint pens. Threaded onto a string or tied together into a wreath with hot glue, they decorate all around the garden, and why not indoors too.
