This month’s skirt! magazine is focused on going All In.  You can find my original post on their blog here.

When I was a little girl, I enjoyed making little projects with all the craft supplies my mom would keep in her closet for rainy days.  Ironed bead designs, coloring, painting and anything with tissue paper.  As I got older, competitive sports took most of my time, but I still scrapbooked and did random projects.  In college, I didn’t do many creative things (in my opinion), besides painting some banners for Relay For Life.

After college I moved across the bridge with my friend into an apartment and occasinoally painted canvases, but still nothing too crazy… It wasn’t until I moved into my own apartment that I really tapped back into my crafty side!

Now that I had my own place to decorate, I really wanted to make it my own!  I hung my random paintings I made earlier, then got the itch to make more for all the empty spots on the walls.

It all started with using some of the natural elements I love from the coast…shells.  I put starfish on burlap, made a wreath for my front door, and put lots of mini starfish on canvases.  The blog that I started to keep my family up to date with my life quickly turned into a DIY blog with all of my projects for the apartment – and Coastal Kelder was born!

Today, Coastal Kelder has turned into a bigger (and more professional looking) DIY blog, with favorite recipes, travels, home projects & life updates mixed in, as well as a shop on the side!  I would never have imagined that – and even my friends and family were surprised by the new / rediscovered craftiness inside of me.

In honor of one of the first natural elements I worked with, and what has become a huge part of my brand, I’m sharing one of my shell DIY projects with you: an oyster shell wreath!

DIY Oyster SHell Wreath

What you’ll need:

• Oyster shells
• Craft ring
• Liquid cement
• Clear acrylic gloss spray

Choose the craft ring size you need depending on your space.  I’ve made both larger oyster shell wreaths, and mini 6″ ones and both sizes look great.  I also recommend using flatter shells, so they’re easier to fit together and secure to the craft ring.

First, make sure your oyster shells are clean, scrubbed and ready to craft with.  Then arrange them on your craft ring until you’re happy with the look.  I think either sides look great, and it’s just your preference!

Next, use the liquid cement to attach the shells to the craft ring.  When the glue is dried and the shells are secure, spray the tops of the shells with the gloss spray to seal the shells and add some shine.

Finally, hang your wreath on a hook or with ribbon!

It’s never too late to rediscover something that makes you happy, or find time for new hobbies & learning something new!  The world is your oyster after all…