Seashell Walls

The use of shells is very whimsical and creates an instant feeling of being down at the beach, even in the middle of winter. I've got a great wall technique using the old standby — Fixall — for bringing the seashore into your rooms. You can also use this technique on furniture, too.

Materials:

fixall (or QuickFix)
water
mixing bucket
mixing stick
rubber gloves
seashells
trowel
universal tint
spray bottle with water
spray bottle for mixing tint and water
liquid hand soap
sponge brush

Instructions:

Wear rubber gloves to protect hands. Pour a little Fixall powder into a bucket and add a small amount of water. Mix with a stick or your hands until the Fixall is a soupy consistency. (Don't add Fixall to water or you'll have more Fixall than you'll ever use before it hardens.)
Using a trowel to apply a thin (1/4-inch) layer to the walls. Skim coat the wall surface, leaving uneven stroke in the Fixall mixture. This is great for old basement walls that may be costly to fix.
If desired, tint the Fixall mixture with Universal tint. You can get a marbleized effect if you don't stir it completely. Or mix well for an overall solid color.
While the Fixall is still wet, embed seashells into the mixture, spacing them apart, and let them dry in place. The skim coat will hold the shells onto the wall.
When completely dry, spritz the surface with water. If working on a large surface, use a large garden sprayer.
Add a little tint to water in a spray bottle and mix well. Add a little hand soap to make the color move easily on the surface. Spray onto the wall surface.
Drag a sponge brush in one direction through the sprayed tint to produce an aged look. Spritz the surface again with water to break up the tint a little. Be careful when working on a vertical surface so the water doesn't run down the wall.
When dry, the surface will have a textured, antique look. The shells embedded in the wall makes it look like the tide has come in and gone out, leaving a wonderful display of seashells. It's a great look. Have some fun and add a whimsical touch to a room in your home or a fabulous flea market find. YOU CAN DO IT!