Name of Project
Sea Shell Toad House
Ages This Project is Suitable For
12 years and up. With adult supervison
Approximate Time Required to Complete This Project
1 hour, and that does not include drying time.
Materials Needed
Terra Cotta Flower Pot old or new and size you choose. The one in the picture is a six inch wide pot.
Dish of water to soak pot
Sea Shells ( I used very small -medium small on toad house pictured
Tacky Glue
Hammer
Nail
Clear Acrylic Sealer
Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks ( if you pot crack/break in half )
Instructions
Wash you Terra Cotta pot to make sure it's clean and dust free. Wipe it dry then let it air dry for a few hours. Fill a dish large enough to place your pot in. Place the wide end of the pot half way into the dish of water. Let it soak for several hours, this will make the pot easier to chip the door opening.
After several hours, remove the pot and dry it off. Take your pencil and draw on the door. Take your hammer and place the pointed end of the nail on the pot and tap hard enough to chip away and opening. Don't worry if your opening doesn't come out like you drew, that adds to the beauty of the house. After all what toad would live in a perfect house. If the pot breaks in half, don't panic; hot glue the halves back together, let dry, and continue. Once the door is made, decide on the design or if you want to free style your work, and choose which shells you want to use. I did not decorate the bottom of my toad house because I'm going to place mine outside in my garden, but if you wish to decorate your house from top to bottom that's find. Place enough glue on the shell to get it to stick to the pot. When pot is completely covered, let it sit until glue has dried solid. Then spray with clear acrylic sealer following manufacturer's directions.
Tips and Tricks
- Have all your materials gathered together before you
- Make sure you shelled are clean.
- Separated your shells by size, shape and color
- Use tacky glue because it dry clear.