As the holidays draw near, finding gifts for loved ones can be stressful and expensive. But what if you already have, collecting dust on your shelves, the perfect gifts for everyone on your list?
The Outer Banks is known for its extensive array of seashells along its vast beaches. Beachcombers travel great distances, searching far and wide, in hopes of filling their buckets with handfuls of sea glass, perfectly intact whelks and scotch bonnets, and whatever other treasures the ocean offers up. With just a little bit of creativity, you can turn your hand-picked Outer Banks treasures into a gift that any beach lover is sure to cherish, without breaking the budget!
The best part? You don’t have to worry about duplicating someone else’s gift; your personalized sentiment will be one-of-a-kind! Here are a couple of creative ideas to help turn your findings into a creative masterpiece.
For the dog lover
All you need for this holiday ornament is a scallop shell (which are in abundance here on the Outer Banks!) for the face, three smaller shells for the ears and snout, a little bit of paint, hot glue, and ribbon, and you’ve got the perfect memento recognizing your loved one’s favorite furry friend(s)! To see an example, click here.
For the beach lover
For an even easier ornament gift idea, put some of your smaller shells into a clear glass or plastic sphere ornament (you could even throw in a little OBX sand), glue on the top, finish with a little twine, and voila! Your recipient will feel like they’re spending their holidays relaxing by the beach! Visit this blog to learn more.
For the plant lover
Who doesn’t love a good plant? Grab one of your best whelk shells and tuck a few succulents inside, with some light succulent potting. Easy, beautiful, and a great piece of décor that everyone is sure to compliment. See a few examples here.
For the sea glass lover
There’s not much you CAN’T do with sea glass. Jewelry, mosaics, wall art-you name it! And let’s face it-what are we actually going to do with the pounds we’ve collected throughout the years? Your friends will be honored you chose them to display your hard-earned findings with your works of sea glass art! Get inspiration here.
For the photo lover
Have some driftwood laying around? Click here to learn how to turn it into a picture frame! You can screw or nail your pieces together, or for an even easier solution, you can just hot glue your pieces to an already existing frame. And don’t forget to add the obligatory Outer Banks sunset photo!