If you’ve been finding yourself spending an inordinate amount of time recently daydreaming about being at the beach, or taking a trip out to the desert dunes, you’re not alone. Sure, sand feels great under our toes, and it can be a lot of fun to sculpt it at the beach. But, there are some really great ideas out there that will turn those tiny grains into lovely decorations, home décor, or art. Next time you find yourself in a sandy spot, scoop some up and take some home. Then, try out one of these super nifty projects that are sure to brighten up your day, and your space.

Make A Sandy Picture Frame

If you have that one perfect beach picture that you absolutely adore, you should defs check out this DIY project from The Handy Homemaker. If you’re a shell collector, you can even add a few of those to the sandy frame. You’ll need a frame, some sand (obvs), and mod-podge or other clear drying craft glue. It may take a few layers before you get the desired level of coverage, but its an easy project with really lovely results.

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Create a Beach Vacation memory picture frame with shells and sand collected on vacation. Link in bio for step by step instructions #thehandyhomemaker #diygiftideas #diy #diygifts #diygiftsandcrafts #vacationmemories #vacationgoals #vacationvibes #beachvibes #beach #beachlife #seashells #saltlife #seashellframe #memoryframe #kidscrafts #family

A post shared by Mina Arseneault • DIY & DESIGN (@thehandyhomemaker) on Jan 7, 2019 at 10:12am PST

Paint A Sandy Picture

With the help of a little tacky glue, sand can stick very nicely to canvass. The possibilities here are kinda endless. You could find and cut out nautical themed stencils, think seahorses, shells, crabs, mermaids, turtles, fish, whatever beachy theme strikes your fancy. Adding a bit of glitter to your sand will make it pop even more. From there it’s just a matter of layering and drying. Or, you could even paint a little coastal scene, like this one.

Photo Credits // craft.dollargeneral

Make A Decorative Sand Bowl

Okay, these things are just straight up neat looking. They would look good anywhere in your home too. Just make sure it’s not a place that sees a lot of traffic, as they’re really pretty fragile. You can even create layers if you wish. The finished project almost looks like a slow-mo of when water hits sand, and the effect is really quite eye-catching. Check out this link for the how to.

Photo Credits // ipinimg

Craft Some Sandcastle Candles

Alright, so we couldn’t resist a little sandcastle love. This DIY is from the woman, the myth, the legend, that is Martha Stewart. It uses those little plastic sandcastle molds to shape the candles. But, you could always use other molds if you like. The sand mixed with the wax makes for an interesting texture and you can color them however you wish to match or compliment your space.

Photo Credits // assets.marthastewart 

Create A Sand Terrarium

Who doesn’t love succulents? You can make some really adorable looking terrariums with some sand, a glass container that you like, and some of your favorite little plants. You can use sand from your travels, or even layer colored sands for a bright, multi-hued aesthetic. There are so many ways you could go about this, but this link has some really good inspo ideas.

Photo Credits // honestlywtf