Sea Glass Christmas Tree DIY

If you want a beautiful beach-inspired piece of Christmas decor, you need to make this gorgeous Sea Glass Christmas Tree DIY! It’s not hard to make, and each one turns out differently!

I LOVE the beach. Literally love it. My bedroom is done in antique and vintage nautical decor and I’m always looking for unique beach decor pieces.

Recently I saw trees like these Sea Glass Christmas Trees for sale in a store, and I was like, “Hey! I can make those!”

I learned some tips about how to make sure these look awesome, how to make sure your glue sticks etc along the way, and I’m gonna share those with you in the tutorial below!

I love making all kinds of unusual mini Christmas Trees like these for Christmas home decor, like my vintage button trees, feather trees, and even these really cool bottle brush trees! Check those out if you want some more ideas!

How do you make this sea glass Christmas Tree DIY?

Step 1: Gather your supplies.

You will need:

• Foam Cone
• Sea Glass
• Starfish
• Hot Glue Gun
• Paint and Foam Brush (optional)

Step 2: Paint your foam cone.

This step is optional, but I recommend it. I knew there would be space in my design, so I wanted to have a neutral color to fill in the space and not the bright white of the foam cone.

I just used a foam paint brush and put on a single coat of this grey paint. I let it dry for about half an hour and then moved on to the next step.

Step 3: Glue on your sea glass.

Next, you will need to glue on your sea glass, one row at a time.

I found my sea glass at Walmart in the floral filler section. The jars cost about $5 and they have a few different color combos (the pink and clear is calling my name) and one jar will do a large-sized (about 12″) cone like this one.

I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top, so the layers looked like they were more of a Christmas tree pattern.

I made sure the pieces were flush with the bottom of the cone so it didn’t sit crooked when it was finished.

Do one full round layer at a time, and then move up to the next. Don’t use pieces that are too large, and don’t be afraid to let them overlap some.

I found I could use bigger pieces on the bottom layer and smaller ones on the top for the best look.

Pro Tip: To make sure your sea glass Christmas Tree holds all its pieces on, you ABSOLUTELY need to put your hot glue on the top of the glass piece, and then press it firmly into the foam, denting it in a bit. This will make sure it stays in place.

Step 4: Add a starfish.

Leave the top of the cone exposed so you can add your topper. I found a set of seashells at Walmart and the starfish in them were small and gold and were perfect for this.

I used hot glue along the bottom of the starfish, and pressed it firmly into the top and held it while it dried for about 30 seconds.

Will hot glue actually work?

Yes! Hot glue is a great glue for styrofoam. Outside of that, the roughed up nature of the sea glass works well to hold it on.

If you want to use a sturdier glue like E6000, you can, but you will have to hold each piece of sea glass in place for a few minutes until it dries, and that will make this craft take much longer.

Is it fragile?

Take care of it and treat it like it’s made of glass (because it is) and it will be fine. I have very delicate glass ornaments that have lasted me for years, even with kids, because I took special care to keep them safe. Treat this Sea Glass Christmas Tree the same way.

Want more Christmas DIY projects?

• DIY Flannel Trees – These flannel Christmas trees are cute, cozy and super easy to make!
• Bottle Brush Trees – This whimsical Christmas decoration is as simple as it is fun!
• Feather Trees – These feather trees are much easier and take far less time to make than you’d think!

Whether you’re making this sea glass Christmas tree for you, or to give to someone else who loves the beach, I’m sure it will be loved for years to come!