Last Updated on December 17, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
This seashell themed bottle neck decoration can be made in any size or color pattern to match your décor.
Most of us have old bottles or vases around the house just collecting space. Pull them out of the cupboard and bring them back to life. This project will help your create homemade art that can be displayed in any room of the house.
Supplies Needed to Make Seashell Beaded Bottle Neck Decor
- Various small seashells
- Beads in colors to match your theme
- Craft wire
- Wire cutters
- Adjustable vise
- A drill or Dremel rotary tool
- Small drill or rotary bit
How To Make Holes In Seashells
The first thing to do is make a small hole in each of the seashells you intend to use. Using a Dremel rotary tool is preferable as it works at a very high speed and drills hole quite easily. If you do not have a Dremel, a regular drill with a ceramic or diamond drill bit will work as well.
- Anchor the shell in a vice so it will not move around while you are trying to drill.
- Dip the drill bit in water to help keep it cool.
- Hold the drill straight up and down and begin to drill with light pressure. Take care not to apply too much pressure or the shells may crack.
- If the drill gets very hot, allow it to cool before starting to drill again.
Drilling will kick up a fair amount of dust; you may want to consider wearing a mask to avoid inhaling the dust and fumes. Also, practice on a few unusable shells first to get the hang of drilling before you try it on the good shells. If you find they crack once you are about half way through the shell, try drilling to that point, turn the shell over and drill from the other side.
Putting Together The Bottle Neck Decoration
Wrap some craft wire loosely around the bottle neck and twist the ends together to form a circle. Take a separate piece of wire and attach it to the circle, again by twisting, but leaving a long strand hanging. This is the part you will bead.
Add a mixture of seashells and beads to the wire, twisting between items to separate them. The shells and beads should hang down from the wire circle. Twist the wire around the circle until you get to a spot where you would like to add more shells and beads. Repeat the process until you have beaded all the way around the circle.
Once you have finished beading, secure the end of the wire by twisting it around the circle a few times and then trim the end with your wire cutters. Place the finished decoration around the bottle neck and you are ready to display your new artwork.