DIY Decoupage Oyster Shell Christmas Ornament & Fun Craft Idea

Looking for a fun oyster shell craft idea? Check out these decoupage oyster shell decorations. You can easily add a custom napkin decoupage to make oyster shell Christmas ornaments for your Christmas tree, add them to a garland, or make them for Christmas gifts.

There are so many options for adding unique napkins to Oyster Shell Crafts. You can customize the ornaments for many coastal Christmas Tree Decor ideas, and they make great hostess gifts as well.

Follow these simple instructions to make unique Christmas Decorations.

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How To Prepare Oyster Shells For Crafts

You can easily obtain free oyster shells from seafood restaurants to make oyster shell crafts. However, you need to take precautions before using them for a craft.

Begin by washing in soapy water and remove any meat from the shells. Then, rinse and add them to a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part Clorox. Allow the shells to soak for several hours to remove any unpleasant odor.

Rinse and allow shells to air dry for a few days before beginning your Decoupage Oyster Shell Craft.

How To Drill A Hole in Oyster Shells

To make Oyster Shell Christmas Ornaments, you will need to drill a hole into the shell.

Oyster shells are extremely hard and require a masonry drill bit. I used a 1/8-inch bit added to a small Demel drill press.

Place the oyster shell into the drill press to create a hole in the upper top side of the shell.

Paint The Oyster Shells

First, paint the inside of the shell with white paint. The napkin is very thin, so any coloration will show through once it is applied.

You can also paint the backside of the shell with metallic gold paint while the paint on the other side is drying.

Paint Wooden Beads

In addition, you may want to enhance the Oyster Shell Decorations with wooden beads. I used a package with a variety of wooden beads for this project.

I used an appetizer skewer to hold the beads while applying metallic gold paint. Then, lay the beads on wax paper to dry.

You can paint the beads any color that you choose.

Prepare the Napkin for Decoupage

While the paint is drying, you can prepare the napkin for decoupage.

Begin by separating the layers. Most paper napkins are three-ply, and you only need the top decorative layer.

Use a piece of tape to separate the layers easily.

Since I plan to use the decoupaged oyster shells at our beach cottage, I chose these great Coral Reef napkins.

Begin by cutting the napkin to the approximate size of the shells, aligning the design you wish to show on the oyster shell Christmas ornaments.

How To Decoupage Oyster Shell

Once the paint is dry, you can begin to apply the napkin decoupage to the oyster shells.

Add a coat of Mod Podge to the inside of the shell and press the napkin to the shell gently. The napkins can be easily torn while adding to the Mod Podge, so a gentle application is best.

Once the napkin is in place, you can trim any excess away with scissors.

Apply another coat of Mod Podge over the top of the napkin and allow it to dry.

Add Jute Twine and Beads

You can use ribbon, yarn, or jute twine to make hangers for the Decoupage Oyster Shell Christmas Ornaments. I used a medium size jute twine and small beads.

To allow the twine or ribbon to be threaded through the oyster shell and beads, wrap the two ends closely together with a piece of tape. Thread the twine through the shell from the backside and create a loop to secure the ornament.

Finally, add the beads you wish to enhance your oyster shell ornament. Just slide them over the taped pieces of jute that you just tied onto the shell. You can add as many beads as you desire.

How To Decorate with DIY Decoupage Oyster Shell Christmas Ornaments.

There are many ways you can use the DIY Decoupage Oyster Shell Christmas Ornaments to decorate your home this holiday.

They will obviously look lovely on a Christmas tree, but these unique ornaments have other creative uses.

I plan to use these ornaments to decorate our tiny beach cottage. Because our space is limited, a Christmas tree is not an option.

Therefore, I look for alternative ways to add Christmas cheer to the cottage.

Make A Driftwood Garland

First, I added several of the ornaments to a piece of driftwood and hung it above our kitchen island.

Each of the Oyster Shells is tied onto the driftwood with the jute twine and placed so that they are all facing forward. Then, the driftwood is hung above the island using an invisible fishing line.

Next, I added a few pieces of natural cedar to the top of the driftwood for added holiday style.

Ornament Charms

You can use your DIY oyster shell decorations as charms for door knobs, cabinet handles, or tassels.

Attach the Christmas ornament to a string of beads and use it as a charm for a large bottle or container, a lamp, or add it to a tray or basket.

They also look great hanging from peg hooks and shelving.

I added my ornament to an existing beaded tassel that I had tied around the large bottle previously. You can make your own beaded tassel or add to one you already have. Just tie it between two beads with jute twine.

Oyster Shell Decorations Gift Ideas

The individual oyster shell decorations also make great hostess gifts, thank-you gifts, secret Santa gifts, and more.

The beach cottage is already feeling festive with the addition of the decoupage oyster shell Christmas ornaments.

Oyster Shell Garland

For another fun oyster shell craft, see this easy Oyster Shell Garland tutorial.

Resources

Click the images below for supplies and resources used for this project.

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