Perfect craft project for children ages 5+ to make a coastal inspired string and clip photo display with items found from their summer beach vacation. They could use sea shells, sea glass and driftwood found while on vacation. A Starfish or Sand Dollar could be found at a local beach trinket store. I see them all the time on vacation and pick up a few.

I recommend using Quick Dry Tacky Glue instead of a Hot Glue Gun with children. What I love about this project, it is perfect for children. They can make a beautiful project to display of memories and treasures found while on summer vacation.

PROJECT NO. 3

All three of the projects in this series are easy and can be done in less than 30 minutes. I want to show you how to make beautiful accessories for your home.

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SUPPLIES

• Rustic Herringbone Transfer
• Satin Clear Coat (top coat) by Dixie Belle
• Foam N Daddy 1.5 sponge brush
• Applicator Sponge (comes in package of 2) – Optional
• Chocolate Bean Chalk Mineral Paint by Dixie Belle – Optional
• Scrap piece of wood (to your desired size preference)
• Hot Glue Gun & Glue Stick
• With children use Quick Dry Tacky Glue
• Sand Dollar or Starfish and sea shells (other options: drift wood pieces and sea glass)
• Jute Twine
• Mini Clothes Pins for Photos
• Photo hanger with nails
• Two eyes (hanging)
• Scissors

Let’s Create a Coastal Inspired String and Clip Photo Display

For all three projects in this series, I have used a sheet from the Rustic Herringbone Transfer. It comes with 4 sheets. The design size is 24 x 38″. A burnish tool comes with the transfer.

The first thing to do is add something to hang your photo display. If you are not embellishing the front, you can do this last. With embellishments of sea shells, you will want to do this step first. This way you prevent the possibility of cracking your Sand Dollar or shells.

To the back of my scrap wood, I used a sawtooth and two small nails. You can purchase a picture hanging kit for under $10 with 276 pieces. I keep it on hand for other projects. It will have the eye hooks for this project too. There is a kit linked under the supplies.

Adding A transfer

You will select one transfer sheet from the Rustic Herringbone Transfer. Your transfer comes with four sheets.

Measure to the desire length of your scrap wood. I cut one sheet into two strips to use to fit my scrap wood.

With your hand smooth it out the piece of transfer over you wood. DO NOT MOVE the transfer at this point.

With your burnishing tool, you will rub over the transfer until the image adheres to the top of the wood. Lifting film it should be clear if the transfer has adhered to your project properly. If not, carefully laid it back down and continue to rub the burnishing tool over your image.

You can watch my video instruction for burnishing on this post.

Since one piece was not long enough, I had to match the second cut strip to it. I up it on the ends too (optional).

age the transfer with paint

Did you know that you can add rustic charm and age the transfer with some darker Chalk Mineral Paint?

I wanted to add a little grudge to it. To make it look even more rustic. A little bit of Chalk Mineral Paint in Chocolate Bean added to an applicator sponge did the trick. I wiped it on and off with the same applicator sponge. This step is completely optional.

Sand the edges

A sanding sponge was used to clean up around the edge of the wood with the transfer. It helped to smooth out any rough edges.

sealing the transfer

To seal your project, you should seal it with one coat of Dixie Belle Clear Coat in Satin. It will protect the surface.

You can use a Foam N Daddy 1.5 sponge brush to apply a coat of Clear Coat over the entire bottom surface. Allow it to completely dry within one hour.

Add Eye hooks & Jute Twine

Before for we start adding the embellishments, the eye hooks need to be screwed into the wood. Screw an eye hook into the front at each end of the scrap wood.

Next cut a piece of jute twine to the length of the board. Allow extra jute twine to be able to knot tie and trim.

embellishments

The fun part of any project is adding embellishment. We will be adding a Sand Dollar and some sea shells to create a beautiful coastal inspired string and clip photo display.

I like to play around and layout the shells on the wood first. It gives me an idea of where to place them with the hot glue.

Apply some hot glue to the Sand Dollar and place in the center. Next apply glue to the sea shells and place on the wood.

The mini clothes pins will hold photos to the photo holder display. You can add the amount you need. I did two for this project to highlight a favorite photo.

A couple of long skinny shells worked perfectly on the clothes pins for more visual interest. I love how it turned out.

Final Project

OK is this not adorable? Yes, I think my grandchildren are pretty adorable too.

I hung it above a leaning shelf in my home office. Some faux palm branches in a vase with a glass shell adds to the summer feel.

This project was so much fun. I want to make another one with my oldest granddaughter after her family beach vacation. She loves doing crafts with me. I know she would love to make one with a photo of her and Anakin along with her beach treasures.

OTHER PROJECTS USING TRANSFERS

THREE EASY PROJECTS WITH ONE TRANSFER – NO. 1

THREE EASY PROJECTS WITH ONE TRANSFER – NO. 2

A GREAT THRIFT STORE MAKEOVER WITH PAINT & TRANSFERS

Hope you enjoyed these three fun and easy projects. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for notifications of my weekly posts.

Try to stay cool from the heat, sweet friend!