Project of the day: Seashore in a Bubble

I love Hobby Lobby. So much inspiration. I was wandering aimlessly through my local store yesterday and was struck by an oncoming train of genius. Driven by a genius conductor… Who doesn’t stop for people on the tracks, apparently.
Bad jokes aside, I’m really excited about today’s project. Off we go!

Seashore in a Bubble

Materials list:
Glass Christmas bulbs
Jute
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Sand
Shells

Step one: Disassemble the Christmas bulb.
I didn’t like the way the wire bit looks through the glass, so I pulled it out.

Step two: Mix the sand
I used a combination of white and light brown sand. I like mixing two colors because this sand creates a cool swirl affect.

I mixed the sand in a ziplock, so I only added as much as I’d actually need for this one bulb. Then I cut a corner off of the bottom of the bag, creating a self-contained funnel.

If you save the packaging from the bulbs, it makes a great stand. This was so much easier than holding the bulb in one hand and the sand bag in the other.
(My motto: live and learn, and vacuum often.) 🙂

I used three types of shells. Some stores have bags of mixed varieties. Personally, if I do this again I’ll probably go to the beach and find some myself. 🙂 Although HL does have some adorable miniature starfish and seahorses as well.

Step four: Thread the lid
The small metal lid that comes with the bulb has two small holes in it already. The jute I bought is too thick for either, so I punched a third, larger hole with a pair of scissors.

Then thread the jute from the outside (top) of the lid to the inside (bottom). Tie a knot, trim the string, and voila!

Step five: Glue the lid and display!

I added enough hot glue to the inside of the lid to seal off the holes as well, to prevent sand from spilling out if the bulb should turn over. Remember that a metal lid will get very hot while you’re gluing it!
(My motto: Live and learn, and keep ice nearby always.)

I made all twelve bulbs. One I gave to a friend, but the others I tied together and hung from the curtain rod in my bedroom.

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Oh! And the bulb box is perfect for storing my leftover sand, shells, and jute! Yay for storage!