If you would like to learn how to decoupage a seashell to turn it into a beautiful Christmas ornament, then you have found the right place!

You can click on any of the underlined words throughout this post to learn more about each item.

You may already have some seashells from a past trip to the beach.

Or, perhaps when you visit a beach this summer, you will keep this project in mind when you are out there on the beach collecting shells like everyone else because they are so fascinating but at the same time not knowing what you are going to do with them when you get home! haha...

I would love this beach!!!

There are quite a few shapes that would make wonderful ornaments...

Oyster Shells

Clam Shells


Violet Clam Shells

Before we begin, please take the time to read information below to help you get set up for this project.

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In this post, I will outline for you through step-by-step instructions, pictures, and video presentations how to make a decoupaged shell ornament using any picture you can find online from one of your favorite search engines.

My absolute favorite search engine is PINTEREST and that is the one I will use for this tutorial. Pinterest is a lot like Google, but it's more of a visual search engine. There you will find many wintry Christmas scenes that would be perfect for this ornament project.

If you are need of getting an image for your seashell ornament, may I recommend using the following search terms on Pinterest such as... "wintry Christmas scene", "snow scene", or "Christmas scenery" just to give you an idea.

If you click on the underlined article below (in red lettering), you will be instructed on how to go about getting your 'wintry Christmas snow scene' image from PINTEREST. If you follow the directions in that article, you should be able to resize any image you want to use for this project to fit your ornament:

Learn How to Resize Pictures and Print from a Word Processing Document

Keep in mind that the article linked above explains the resizing process using different terms (it uses 'hummingbird' and 'garden flowers'), however when you do your search for this shell ornament project you will probably want to use terms like winter, Christmas, snow, wintry, skaters, skating, Christmas tree, etc. - you get the idea!

If you need assistance with any of the steps, please leave a question in the 'Comments' section below on this page, I will be happy to help!

You will need to gather some of the supplies listed below. You may, or may not, need all of these supplies, however, if you need help with attaining any of these items or just want more information, you can click on the underlined links to learn more.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, if you do happen to make a purchase, I will earn a commission (at no cost to you, so thank you so very much if you do!).

You may want to watch a short video explaining the basic outline to make this Christmas seashell project. It is linked for you here below...

SUPPLIES:

1. Printed Christmas scene image (more in STEP 1 below)

2. Blank Christmas ornaments

3. White Acrylic Paint

4. Foam paint brush

5. Gift Tissue or White Kitchen Napkin

6. Inkjet Printer

7. Computer Paper

8. Scotch Tape

9. Mod Podge

10. Clear Elmer's Glue

11. Rhinestones

12. Dimensional Snow

13. Glitter

14. Pebeo Gold Lining Paint

15. Bows

15. Glue gun

"How to Turn Gift Tissue into Paper you can use for Decoupage Projects"

Are you ready?? Let's begin!...

STEP 1

Finding and Choosing an Image

1. Go to your favorite search engine (I like PINTEREST).

2. In the search bar at the top of the page, type in the words that help describe what kind of image you're looking for, i.e. "Christmas scenery", Christmas skaters, Christmas tree snow scene. Your results should look something like this...

There are so many to pick from, it will be hard to choose!

3. From the search engine results, decide which image you would like to place on your ornament. After you make your decision, move on to the next step below.

STEP 2

Downloading Image to a Word Processing Document

4. Using your mouse, hover over the image you've selected, and 'left click' on the image two times to bring a larger version of the image to the top of the PINTEREST page as shown below...

5. Next, 'right click' on the larger image at the top of the page and select 'Copy Image' from the choices that appear in the menu that pops up as shown below...

6. In an open word processing document, select 'Paste'. Your image will look like this when in the WP document...

STEP 3

Use the Format Keys to Resize and Frame the Image

7. Now that your image has been pasted into the word processing document, use your mouse to grab the circle on the corner of the image (see pictures below), 'left click' on the corner and move your mouse back and forth to make your image the size you need to fit the specific ornament you are making...

Use your mouse on the corner of the image to make it bigger or smaller

8. The image on the screen will be true to size when it is printed so move the black line around the image with your mouse back and forth to get it to be approximately the size you need for the specific ornament you are making. Holding your shell up to the screen will help you determine approximately what size you need the image to be.

9. You may want to change the shape of your image too, so once you get the image size close to where you need it to be, 'left click' on the image once again (while it is still in your word processing program) to get that black line around it once again.

After you left click, you should see the 'Picture Format' pop up at the top of the screen. Click on 'Picture Format' and you will see different shapes show up. These are called 'Picture Styles' and will give you choices for the edges of your image. Select 'Soft Edge Oval' (or whatever style you would like to use). See the pictures below for reference.

You can use the 'Picture Format Keys' again
to make your image wide or narrow too.
Remember to click on the image to bring
the keys up to the top of the page. To make the
image wider, grab the side of the image with
your mouse and move left or right. You can
also change the color of your image with
these keys as well.

10. I use 'Soft Edge Oval' for my ornaments as shown above. In the 'Picture Format' is also where you can change the color and transparency of your picture.

11. If you are printing your image on gift tissue, make sure you have applied a coat of dried white paint on the surface of the ornament before gluing it down. However, it's not necessary for this to be done if you're using regular computer paper print outs.

12. Print your image out onto computer paper or onto the gift tissue affixed to computer paper (see video above "How to Turn Gift Tissue into Paper you can use for Decoupage Projects")

Cut the image from the paper and secure it to the front of your ornament using clear glue. You can use a glue stick, but I like to use a thin layer of clear Elmer's glue.

13. Embellish your ornament with dimensional paint, glitter, or flatback adhesive pearls and rhinestones, and don't forget the ribbon and bow which need to be added to the top using a glue gun for extra strength! Seal your ornament with Mod Podge.