How To: Make a Seashell Ornament
It is Christmas time which means time to decorate your tree! I like Christmas trees that have a great abundance of decorations, so that every branch has one or two ornaments danging from it. A great way to ensure a tree brimming with ornaments is to make ornaments of your own. Here is how to make a clam shell diorama ornament. For this project, the clam shells are being used to make Christmas-themed dioramas. The idea for these ornaments was adapted from a project I did a while ago using shells to make miniature dioramas. Here is a link to that post.
and.......
The paint is for the back of the shell. If you want, you can paint a Christmas-themed design on the back of the shell. This is an aesthetic choice since the focus of the ornament will be the inside of the shell.
Step One: Decide what you want the back of your ornament to look like.
Step Two: Make a sketch of what you want your diorama to look like.
It does not need to be a beautiful sketch, just something quick to give you a general idea of what you want your ornament to look like. I decided to make two ornaments, a Christmas tree and a snowman. Your ornament should have two layers, a back layer and a front layer. For the Christmas tree ornament, the back layer is the tree and the front layer is the presents. For the snowman ornament, the back layer is the hills and the front layer is the snowman.
Step Three: Make the back layer of your ornament.
Trace your shell on your cardstock. This way you know what size you are working with.
Draw and cut out the design for your back layer.
Add any extra touches on your back layer design.
Step Four: Make the front layer of your ornament.
Follow the same directions described in step three when making the front layer of your design.
Step Five: Glue in back layer.
For my back layer of a tree, I did not press the tree against the back of the shell, I put glue on the back only on the outer layer of the tree and placed it on the back.
Step Six: Glue the front layer of the diorama.
The front layer is glued to the rim of the shell.
Step Seven: Glue the Bead Cap to the top of the shell.
Bead caps are a less accessible supply than the rest of the materials used in this project. If you cannot find bead caps at your local craft or jewelry supply shop, you can definitely find them online. Just use a strong glue to glue the bead cap to the top of the shell. Let rest over night before hanging on your tree.
Here are my two finished ornaments.
Step Eight: Hang on your tree.
Use an ever-dependable Christmas ornament hook and hang your new ornament on your tree.
and.......
The paint is for the back of the shell. If you want, you can paint a Christmas-themed design on the back of the shell. This is an aesthetic choice since the focus of the ornament will be the inside of the shell.
Step One: Decide what you want the back of your ornament to look like.
It does not need to be a beautiful sketch, just something quick to give you a general idea of what you want your ornament to look like. I decided to make two ornaments, a Christmas tree and a snowman. Your ornament should have two layers, a back layer and a front layer. For the Christmas tree ornament, the back layer is the tree and the front layer is the presents. For the snowman ornament, the back layer is the hills and the front layer is the snowman.
Step Three: Make the back layer of your ornament.
Trace your shell on your cardstock. This way you know what size you are working with.
Draw and cut out the design for your back layer.
Add any extra touches on your back layer design.
Step Four: Make the front layer of your ornament.
Follow the same directions described in step three when making the front layer of your design.
For my back layer of a tree, I did not press the tree against the back of the shell, I put glue on the back only on the outer layer of the tree and placed it on the back.
Step Six: Glue the front layer of the diorama.
The front layer is glued to the rim of the shell.
Step Seven: Glue the Bead Cap to the top of the shell.
Bead caps are a less accessible supply than the rest of the materials used in this project. If you cannot find bead caps at your local craft or jewelry supply shop, you can definitely find them online. Just use a strong glue to glue the bead cap to the top of the shell. Let rest over night before hanging on your tree.
Here are my two finished ornaments.
Step Eight: Hang on your tree.
Use an ever-dependable Christmas ornament hook and hang your new ornament on your tree.
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| Mue Mue loves his new toy! |
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| Mue Mue is all tuckered out after battering the Christmas Tree. |