Turn Eggshell Scraps Into A Stunning Faux String Of Pearls Wall Planter
Do you have a blank area of wall in your home that you'd like to fill with a stunning decorative feature? If you're feeling a little artsy and have some spare time and a bunch of eggshells, why not try this clever DIY from crafty Instagrammer @jos_art-journal? While there are plenty of unexpected uses for eggshells around your home and garden, in this project, the creator uses glue, string, a round board, and halved eggshells to fashion a stunning faux string of pearls wall feature. It might look complicated or like something a professional sculptor would create, but with a bit of patience and the right know-how, you can easily create this piece yourself.
The first thing you need to do is gather all of your materials and tools. Depending on the size of the wall art you want to create, you're going to have to collect the halves of at least eight to ten eggs. Focus on eggshell gathering before you go hunting for the other supplies, since the project simply won't work without them. To make the string of pearls, get a long piece of cord, a hot glue gun, green spray paint, and a non-stick silicone mat, like this Gartful Silicone Crafting Mat. Finally, to put the project together, you'll need a round cake drum, like this Riccle 12-Inch Gold Cake Drum, or a similar round board, Mod Podge, white tissue paper, thick twine or braided cord, and some white acrylic paint.
How to make trailing faux string of pearls strands
Before getting started on making the faux string of pearls, you need to prepare the eggshells, making sure they're nice and clean. Rinse them really well to remove any residue, then peel off the thin membrane inside each piece of shell. Soak the shells in warm, salted water for at least 15 minutes, then set them aside to air-dry completely. Use this time to craft the faux succulent strands that will give character to this quirky wall art.
Lay down a long piece of string, looping it at the ends so that the entire length is spread out. Use your hot glue gun to add rounded blobs of glue down either side of the string at fairly regular intervals. The blobs should resemble the leaves on a string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) — a trailing houseplant that fills your home with fresh cinnamon smells if you're lucky enough to see it flower. Just do your best; the blobs also don't have to be an exact reproduction of the plant's leaves.
When the glue is dry, lift the entire string — faux leaves and all — off the mat. It should come away easily. Spray paint the string and leaf-like blobs green. Repeat this process until you have a large bundle of strands to hang from the eggshell halves in your wall sculpture. Don't have the patience for or interest in this particular part of the project? Get a four-pack of Palonu Artificial Hanging Plants for about $20 and cut them up.
Making the eggshell base and adding the finishing touches to your wall art
To make the base for your planter, cover the front-facing side of the round cake drum or wooden board with Mod Podge and glue on the white tissue paper. Next, adhere the eggshells to the center of the board using your hot glue gun — the cups should face outward. Paint the eggshells, the board, and the border with white acrylic paint, then affix a length of thick twine or decorative braided cord around the edge of the board. The last thing you need to do is grab your faux strings of pearls strands and glue them into some eggshells so they cascade out of the cups.
Make a loop with the twine or braided cord and glue it to the back of the round board, then hang your gorgeous creation on the wall. The modifications for this project are nearly endless. Got some leftover eggshells? When you add eggshells to paint, it creates a sand-like texture that could be perfect for the base of this project. To add a luxe vibe, switch out the tissue paper for white fabric or hand-apply gold paint to just the jagged edges of the eggshells. In fact, you could use any color — for the fabric or the paint — that suits your existing interior style. Think red fabric with gold paint for a festive look, or brown fabric and terracotta edging for an earthy vibe. Switch the faux string of pearls strands with Mizii Artificial Eucalyptus Vines for a softer aesthetic.