DIY Shell Trinket Dish

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We just came home from a great vacation with extended family down the Jersey shore. While we were there, we gathered a bunch of clam shells along the beach to take home as a keepsake. I intended on using a few to make the viral shell trinket dish I’ve seen all over social media that seems inspired by Serena and Lily and has a preppy coastal aesthetic. Before we left for vacation, I had found a few cocktail and guest napkins at TJ Maxx and Home Goods with coastal patterns and pretty color palettes that I loved. I purchased some Mod Podge, white craft paint, paint brushes, and a gold paint pen.

I washed the shells and let them sit out in the sun for a few days. I started by painting the inside of each shell with three coats of the white craft paint, letting it dry in between coats.

I then peeled back the napkin design from its’ inner white layer and applied a coat of Mod Podge to each shell. I placed the design napkin on top of the Mod Podge surface gently pressing to try and remove any creases. I then applied another layer of Mod Podge over the napkin – this allows it to adhere to the shell and also acts as a coating on top.

I over saturated the Mod Podge a bit along the edges of the shell to make it easier to tear off the excess. After letting it dry completely, I trimmed off any remaining napkin along the edges with a scissor. I then used the gold paint pen and colored the rim of the shell and the very top.