This post is sponsored by Plaid in conjunction with the Blueprint Social.
If your summer travels take you to the beach, commemorate your trip by creating pretty sea shell ornaments. Made with Mod Podge Collage Clay from Plaid, this is an easy craft project that doubles as a lovely memento. Let me fill you in on all of the details for how these come together with a fun crafting technique called decoden.
Have you ever heard of decoden? Basically, decoden is the art of taking a collection of lovely trinkets and embellishments and affixing them to a surface to create a 3-dimensional collage. It is addicting and fun! These little plaques incorporate the decoden technique by using some of the shells my family found on a recent trip to the beach to create some lovely ornaments we will be able to hang on our tree at Christmastime. I love having ornaments to commemorate special trips and events!
For this project, you will need…
- Assorted sea shells
- Mod Podge Collage Clay*
- Mod Podge Mod Melts
- Mod Podge Mod Molds
- Small wooden plaque
- Acrylic craft paint
- Foam brush
- Eye screw
- Ribbon and/or twine
*Collage Clay is not recommended for children ages 12 and under, and the product is not edible. Small parts are a choking hazard for children.
To start, use the acrylic paint and foam brush to paint the surface of the wooden plaque. Allow the paint to dry completely.
While the paint dries, make assorted embellishments with the Mod Melts and Molds. These are so incredibly clever! Simply by piping the Mod Melts into the silicone molds with a mini hot glue gun, you can make any number of silicone embellishments to use for any project under the sun. When they have dried for 10 minutes, pop the embellishments out of the mold and set them aside.
With the bag of Collage Clay affixed with the tip of your choice, pipe a generous amount of the clay onto the surface of the dried plaque. Working with the Collage Clay is essentially just like working with a piping bag of cake frosting and decorative piping tips. (Although it is definitely NOT edible, of course!)
Press assorted sea shells and Mod Melt embellishments down into the clay in the configuration of your choice. This step is really fun! The nature of the Collage Clay allows you to arrange and rearrange until you are totally happy with your project. In addition to the Collage Clay, you can further embellish you creation with the Mod Podge Drizzle Paint and Podgeable Glitters. Go for a more ornate design like the plaque above, or take a simpler approach and use the clay to mount a single sea shell like a sand dollar onto the plaque. When you are satisfied with the look of your plaque, it is recommended that the project be allowed to dry for at least 5 days before use.
Once the project has cured completely, finish by inserting an eye screw in the top of the plaque and then threading a piece of ribbon or twine through for hanging. I love the idea of mounting the shells to the front of the plaque and a family photo of the trip when the shells were collected on the back. What a fun memento to treasure throughout the years!
Wanting to try your hand at creating a decoden creation? Plaid is currently holding a fun contest where you can show off YOUR projects to win an incredible assortment of decoden products! There are so many terrific ways to use this fun product to create fun, unique projects.
More about Collage Clay:
- Lightweight whipped clay great to use for decoden, 3D collage, assemblage arts, 3D stenciling, and more. Available in two colors: Vanilla White and Strawberry Pink.
- Mod Podge Collage Clay is available at Michaels stores.
- Check out the Collage Clay FAQ for even more product information.
For even more creative inspiration, be sure to stay connected with Plaid:
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Plaid via The Blueprint Social. All opinions are entirely my own.
Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.