Seashell Treasure Box

Capture memories of the seashore and warm vacations by covering a wood box in found objects from the beach. You will want to run your hands over the wonderfully textured collage of objects. This project comes to us compliments of Candace Liccione for Inspired at Home.
 

Materials:

• Wooden box
• Texture Magic – white
• Seashells, pearls, micro beads (no hole beads)
• Sand
• Palette knife
• Cookie sheet or tray
• Acrylic paint – beige, oyster white
• Brush

Instructions:

1. Paint the wood box inside and out with beige. Let dry. To create a dry brush effect, dip tip of brush bristles into oyster white. Brush paint onto dry paper towel to remove most of the paint from the brush then lightly brush onto box. Repeat for desired white wash, weathered effect. Let dry.
    
2. Place box on cookie sheet and apply texture paste with palette knife on lid in a free-form shape. (Do not cover the entire lid.)
    
3. Press assorted shells into the wet paste. Immediately sprinkle sand, pearls, and micro beads over the entire lid. Set aside to let paste dry overnight.
    
4. When dry, tilt lid and let the extra sand and decorations fall onto cookie sheet.

Candace’s Designer Tip: Tiny seashells, colored beach stones and starfish add intrigue to your treasure box. If you want a more natural color for the texture paste, mix in almond colored acrylic paint to tint the paste before spreading onto your box.