DIY Mermaid Inspired Seashell Hair Accessories Tutorial

I'm completely over winter at this point. The cold, the ice, the constant runny nose and cough that I perpetually have until warm weather returns. I'm very, very ready for summer to be here, and I've been fantasizing about the ocean and how much I want to go back for a week. Or month. Or more. This is probably a large part of the reason I'm currently obsessed with everything mermaid, which led to today's project.
I just discovered the show Mako Mermaids, which I have been scouring Google for screenshots from, although without much luck. One thing I really love about this show is the many gorgeous hairstyles and ocean inspired hair accessories that the girls are never without.

With every progressive seashell hair clip that appeared, I became more and more determined that I need my own personal array. After all, I was a mermaid in a previous life, depending on who you ask. Once I dug up my stash of seashells from previous trips to the ocean, I was very pleasantly surprised at how fast and easy these are to make. So if you want to try making your own, go for it! This is such a fun and easy project.

All you need is:

*Seashells

*Glue (I used hot glue on a couple, but for most I used Elmer's Craft Bond Ultra Stix All. It's a lot more durable than hot glue, and has more flex than regular super glue. I found this in the craft section of Walmart.)

*Bobby Pins

*Metal Barrettes (I used 2" blank barrettes from the craft section for these clips)

*Clear Nail Polish (optional)

Assembled items:

For a clip, just apply glue to the barrette and place the seashell(s) you want to use on it. If you're using the Elmer's Craft glue, keep in mind that it takes 24 hours to dry.

If you are using more than 3 shells, it can be difficult to keep them all in place while the glue sets, so for the barrettes I made with 5 shells, I glued them on with hot glue and then re-secured any loose shells with the Elmer's Craft glue. The five shell clips are definitely worth the extra effort when finished though! 

For just a basic seashell hair pin, apply glue to the underside of the shell and add a bobby pin. Hot glue would be the simplest for this style, and if you're able to get a decent amount of glue inside the shell, it should anchor the pin securely enough. Since I wanted to make sure mine will stand up to a lot of use though, I used the Elmer's glue again. 

Finished hair pieces!

The clear nail polish can be brushed onto the shells if you like to create a wet straight from the ocean look.

For an added bonus, if you happen to have several seashell pieces that look like this, there's an extra hairstyle you can try.

For this hairstyle, I threaded hair through the natural holes in these shells as I braided my hair. These shells create an effect that reminds me of fish scales, only prettier, so I can picture a mermaid weaving these into her hair. 

It can be pretty frustrating trying to hold the braid secure while threading strands of hair through such small holes though, so if you have someone willing to help, this will be a lot easier. 

That's all there is to it! Enjoy your new mermaid accessories, and feel free to share how yours turn out, I'd love to hear!