Here are my tips on crafting with sea shells:
1. When shelling NEVER take live shells. When browsing the beaches you will find many beautiful shells, but when you look inside someone is still home! It is illegal to take live shells, starfish and sand dollars. So first and foremost, make sure all shells you are taking are empty!
2. Know your tides! The best shelling is at the beginning of low tide, when the shells aren't covered by waves and before the other shellers get to the best ones! If you have the opportunity to go after a big storm has churned up the ocean, you won't be disappointed! The large waves bring great shells to shore (maybe even some deep-sea shells!)
3. Clean shells with a 1:1 mixture of bleach and water overnight. This will take the fishy, ocean smell away and leave you with nice, neutral smelling shells. Rinse them with water after taking them out of the bleach mixture and you're good to go!
4. Glaze your shells, this will give them that nice shine like they just came out of the ocean. I like Triple Thick Gloss Glaze. I apply it using a foam paint brush, then let them dry on wax paper.
5. Use Tacky Glue to glue shells for your projects rather than hot glue. It takes a little longer to adhere at first, but it creates a very strong bond and dries clear.
6. Sand dollars are very fragile, so you have to harden them before using them for projects. I used a 50/50 mixture of white Elmer's glue and water. Brush it on in a thin coat with a small bristled paintbrush. After the first coat completely dries, do a second coat. This will not only harden the dollars but make them appear whiter.
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