Shell Art

When we were in Wellfleet a few weekends ago, the sand bar was covered in scallop shells, and we gathered a bunch.  So many, actually, that this is my first of three pieces of "shell art."  Maybe four. 

I picked up this frame on clearance at TJMaxx a few years ago.  I liked the distressed wood, but it had no glass, which is probably why it was on clearance.  I hoped it would come in handy some day.

I used spray adhesive to adhere some fabric to the cardboard backing.  I would have used burlap if I had it, but this was some leftover tweed-y fabric from when I turned the coffee table into an ottoman. 

Of course, I didn't have one scrap that was big enough, so I pieced two together and lined them up so the seam would be behind the shells. 

Then I glued the shells on.  I used Gorilla Glue, which is certainly overkill, but there was so little overlapping surface area on the shells, I wanted to make sure they were going to stick well where they did touch.  In fact, a few had to be glued a second time.

And, here's what it looks like hanging on our porch.

I also thought it was overkill when I used Gorilla Glue to cover the shade of that (free) garage-sale lamp in rope, but I'm glad, because it's holding up quite well.  Please note that the lamp does actually work now, thanks to an easy fix with an $8 kit from Lowe's.

You may have also noticed (though I wish you hadn't) that our porch floor is still not stained.  The before-summer-starts project has now become a #1 priority before-summer-ends project.  Stay tuned for more porch improvements, and certainly more shells, coming soon.  Anyone have any suggestions for something to do with large clam shells?