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How to display seashells


sheryl
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We live in an ocean state and over the years we've gathered quite a few seashells.  Also, years ago I bought a cheap tall vase, added beach sand and placed the shells on top.   It was ok until dd's friend ran in to it and shattered it!  

I've put off finding a replacement until now.  I'd rather have "something" than our local plastic grocery bag.  While I love wood, stone, etc the shells will not be easily seen.   I'm thinking glass because the shells/sand will be seen from "head on" not just looking down in to it.

Table top or floor.  I'd like something I could place on floor and table top - one piece that can transition.  Glass, short and squatty?  Then at Target I saw a Smith and Hawken's lantern with a nautical twist to it.  The metal holder looked a little like a lighthouse and it held a glass vase.  It doesn't look a lot like a lighthouse but the shape resembles one.  I thought that would be adorable.  What do you think?  How would that look on floor and table?  Usually those are more for floor I think. 

Aluminum Outdoor Lantern Candle Holder Black - Smith & Hawken™ : Target


I've seen other glass containers.   Bowl?  Vase?  Metal backet holding bowl?    Do not want to spend much so looking at these as styles only and will find less expensive version. 

Longshore Tides Agosto Glass Decorative Bowl | Wayfair

Ideas?

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I put them in a bowl or basket I like so kids can play with them. If you want a display I’d consider a fillable glass lamp. They have nice (inexpensive) options at Target, but many lamp stores carry similar options. 

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I bought a shadow box at Hobby Lobby to glue them onto. Now if only I'd get my act together and get it done.

Some of them (jewel boxes, all small and white, adorable) I put in a blue canning jar in my window. I've thought about the fillable lamp and I just don't get it done. Something on the wall might be safer in your case. Do you have a mantel to put a container on? I'd start with where you want to put it then find the container that fits that spot. 

Have you made an outdoor area? If they're large, you can put them on gravel fill around bushes, etc.

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If you have a Homegoods near you, I would start watching there for what you want. They often have glass decor items that would be great for your purpose. You may not find it on the first trip, but something will eventually show that would be beautiful.

 

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4 hours ago, Katy said:

I put them in a bowl or basket I like so kids can play with them. If you want a display I’d consider a fillable glass lamp. They have nice (inexpensive) options at Target, but many lamp stores carry similar options. 

Yes, dh and I were at Target the other day and he actually suggested a lamp.  I will consider this.  At first I wasn't interested but maybe.  Use it in an office or foyer area perhaps.  ??

4 hours ago, PeterPan said:

I bought a shadow box at Hobby Lobby to glue them onto. Now if only I'd get my act together and get it done.

Some of them (jewel boxes, all small and white, adorable) I put in a blue canning jar in my window. I've thought about the fillable lamp and I just don't get it done. Something on the wall might be safer in your case. Do you have a mantel to put a container on? I'd start with where you want to put it then find the container that fits that spot. 

Have you made an outdoor area? If they're large, you can put them on gravel fill around bushes, etc.

I love shadow boxes and made one with beautiful dried flowers.  Several little box compartments to make one shadow box.  I have small bud red roses, purple something, yellow, etc - all dried.  It's lovely.  We have a lot of seashells that we've collected over the years - dh, dd and I.  So, a shadow box won't work as it might be too heavy. ??   But, I'd really like a bowl or vase or such.  Something that can be seen from all angles to show dimension.   Our dd is older now so there aren't kids that come to play.   LOL!  We do have a mantle.  We don't have an outdoor area.  We're fixing this house up to sell and buy locally.  Our next house will have an outdoor area but because these seashells are associated with fond, family memories I'd like to display inside.  So looking forward to an outdoor area.  A screened in porch is a must in our next house! 

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3 hours ago, Grace Hopper said:

Not what you’re looking for, but I keep many of mine in the China cabinet mixed with dishes. I have a few really fragile pieces. 
 

Otherwise (common, non-fragile) they are just scattered throughout bookshelves and tabletops around the house.

 

Yes, I love that look too of scattering this and that but I'd like to preserve them by displaying in a container.  I found a sand dollar I will mount by itself in to a shadow box.  

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3 hours ago, Tap said:

If you have a Homegoods near you, I would start watching there for what you want. They often have glass decor items that would be great for your purpose. You may not find it on the first trip, but something will eventually show that would be beautiful.

 

LOL x 10.   I'm always at one of several HG we have here.  I almost bought the large glass container with iron/metal grid overlay.  It was just so big but I really liked it.  I just don't know if I should put on floor or table.  I'm thinking one place or the other but not both.   ???

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1 hour ago, Malory said:

Thank you, Malory.  Yes, I made our Christmas wreath and as creative as that is I'm just set on either a vase or bowl.  🙂   

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4 hours ago, PeterPan said:

I bought a shadow box at Hobby Lobby to glue them onto. Now if only I'd get my act together and get it done.

That's exactly what I did. I made these to go over a dresser in my bedroom. I'm looking to do one with shark teeth too but I haven't decided what wall I want them on so I'm waiting on that so I'll know what size shadow box I need.

ETA: You can see I have some in a bowl, as well.

ShellShadowBoxes.jpg

Edited by stephanier.1765
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If you love shadow boxes, you could try to find one of those old printer's typeset drawers.  The kind they used to sort moveable type letters.  They're beautiful when hung on a wall to sort small objects.  Or you could make one yourself just to fit the shells using thin strips of wood with a plywood backing.

This kind of thing, genuine or newly made: https://www.etsy.com/market/typeset_tray

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2 hours ago, stephanier.1765 said:

That's exactly what I did. I made these to go over a dresser in my bedroom. I'm looking to do one with shark teeth too but I haven't decided what wall I want them on so I'm waiting on that so I'll know what size shadow box I need.

ETA: You can see I have some in a bowl, as well.

ShellShadowBoxes.jpg

That's lovely!  You assembled them/grouped them nicely.  I will do that with my sand dollar I found this week last year!  We have a lot of seashells but I do believe I want to put in a bowl.  Now I'm wondering if I should go back to my tall vase idea because we'll add beach sand on the bottom.  Beautiful wall color.  Love the colors!  And, the "time-worn" look.  Love that.  Did that with my dried flower shadow box years ago.

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19 minutes ago, Katy said:

If you love shadow boxes, you could try to find one of those old printer's typeset drawers.  The kind they used to sort moveable type letters.  They're beautiful when hung on a wall to sort small objects.  Or you could make one yourself just to fit the shells using thin strips of wood with a plywood backing.

This kind of thing, genuine or newly made: https://www.etsy.com/market/typeset_tray

That's just a cool idea.  Like it!  What else could you use that for besides seashells?

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11 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Is there any trick beyond using the super strong glue? Any tips? That's part of what slowed me down, visions of glued shells dripping or the whole thing bowing in or something, lol.

I found a glue specifically made for shells. These were made a number of years ago (7/8?) so I don't remember which one I bought but I'm pretty sure I bought it from Amazon. I'm also pretty sure I've seen some shell glue in a store recently, probably JoAnn or Michaels. I mounted them on a thick, heavy duty paper. Watercolor, I'm almost certain. I used a pencil and the mat from the frame to lightly trace around the opening in the mat, so I would know what area I had to work with. I played around with the groupings and then used a ruler to make them line up equally from each other and marked those spots with a pencil. I only used enough glue for those areas where the shell makes contact with the paper and not ooze out around the edges and then held each shell firmly in place until it was set enough not to move. If I over glued, you absolutely can't see it, I just checked. Then I left them to dry over night and put them in the frames in the morning. They fit into the frames pretty tightly so I don't know if that's helped them stay in so well but none of them have shifted over time.

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 These are nice, heavy Anchor Hocking jars. They have 2 or 3 sizes. I have several and use them for collections of soaps, dog treats, marbles. They're heavy and so far I've never broken or chipped one. I don't have many shells but keep them in vintage mason jars on a shelf.

Screenshot_20230306-103132~2.png

Edited by Idalou
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13 hours ago, wisdomandtreasures said:

My mom would display large shells on something like this s-l300.jpg

Yes, thank you!   We have a good many of them and need a container like a bowl or vase.  That would look nice to display a large conch shell!

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8 minutes ago, Idalou said:

 These are nice, heavy Anchor Hocking jars. They have 2 or 3 sizes. I have several and use them for collections of soaps, dog treats, marbles. They're heavy and so far I've never broken or chipped one. I don't have many shells but keep them in vintage mason jars on a shelf.

Screenshot_20230306-103132~2.png

Yes, a canister jar.   I just bought several canister jars for my kitchen LOL!  Back in Nov/Dec.  I will consider and need to determine if a lid is something I want to display for this purpose.  I get that I can buy the canister and not use the lid.  Or, do I want the tapered look of a vase?  Or, bowl?  Anchor Hocking is a solid product!  Thanks! 

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14 hours ago, Katy said:

If you love shadow boxes, you could try to find one of those old printer's typeset drawers.  The kind they used to sort moveable type letters.  They're beautiful when hung on a wall to sort small objects.  Or you could make one yourself just to fit the shells using thin strips of wood with a plywood backing.

This kind of thing, genuine or newly made: https://www.etsy.com/market/typeset_tray

That's exactly what I have -

back in my public school teaching days, I did this to display seashells when doing ocean unit.  Now, I have it hanging in my bathroom.

You don't have to fill all the "slots" - just fill in as you go. 

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5 hours ago, Myra said:

That's exactly what I have -

back in my public school teaching days, I did this to display seashells when doing ocean unit.  Now, I have it hanging in my bathroom.

You don't have to fill all the "slots" - just fill in as you go. 

How "deep" are the openings?  I'm wondering if our shells would be too big.

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Sheryl, 

the printer box "openings" are about one inch in depth- max

But length and width vary on the printer box - as originally made to fit various size typeset  

 

 

Edited by Myra
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