She Turns Oyster Shells Into The Most Stunning DIY Pumpkin Decor

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Year in and year out, you set out the same boring porch decor to usher in the fall. Don't make the front porch fall decor mistake of haphazardly mixing styles or adding too much to your display. If you have a little DIY savvy and an artistic eye, you could emulate the pumpkin creations of a Mississippi artist. Chelsey George, the person behind chelseygeorgeart on Instagram, makes a variety of art pieces out of oyster shells. She also shares details about how she manipulates shells into unique pumpkin-shaped pieces. Let this rustic DIY become inspiration to transform your fall porch into an autumnal paradise.

Oyster shells can be repurposed into all sorts of creative projects, from decorative dishes to seasonal decor. But what if you are not the biggest fan of oysters? If you don't relish the thought of eating enough oysters to make a pumpkin, you can always turn to Etsy. You can find bulk quantities of real oyster shells that have already been cleaned and prepared for crafting. Prices vary, but you can get 100 Bleached Oyster Shells for Crafts currently on Etsy for $77. George also uses metal wire to create the curly pumpkin stems, along with modeling paste and Mod Podge Outdoor Sealer (available at Amazon for $8.49). While you can purchase premade modeling paste, you can also mix up a DIY recipe using drywall joint compound and acrylic paint.

There's no exact formula for making pumpkins out of oyster shells. As the original artist shares, this DIY creates unique pieces with no two being exactly the same. Her process involves fitting each shell together carefully like a puzzle. As you build each pumpkin, you'll need to select shells that fit together without their edges or bumps getting in the way. Then, apply Mod Podge to bind the shells together. Finally, modeling paste fills in the cracks to create a cohesive look. George also uses modeling paste and metal wire to create the twisting stems that extend from the tops of her pumpkins.

George also shares the difficulties involved with getting the right shade of paint. If you decide to create your own oyster shell pumpkins, you should strive for an orange shade that is not too bright or flat-looking. Layering paint over the shells also helps blend the individual pieces into a more cohesive pumpkin shape. One of the acrylic paint brands she uses is Liquitex, and you can find a Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint Set on Amazon.

Take this pumpkin DIY a step further and model them after more unique pumpkins to decorate with other than plain old orange. Arrange the oyster shells into a large squat shape and add blue-green paint to mimic a Queensland Blue pumpkin. Or follow the basic steps to create an oyster shell pumpkin with the appropriate shape and paint while adding green bumps with modeling paste to form the "warts" of a funky Knuckle Head pumpkin.