Ballard Designs Inspired Seashell Topiary Tree

Ballard, oh Ballard. How I love thee. Not much as I love my much beloved Anthropologie… but dear you come in a close second. Tons of great home decor accessories at not-so-great prices. But have no fear! A simple DIY is here!

Once I saw these suckers I knew I could fashion up something really close. And the results are not to shabby if I do say so myself. Well, let’s dive right in. Enjoy!


Yes, I know the image says SALE…. but $99 to me really isn’t on sale. I was able to make three for less than $25. Beat that Ballard! Boo-Yah!!!


I chose to keep my shells natural. I prefer all the pretty tones, but you could give the shells a quick coat of a satin or flat spray paint to get the exact same effect as the Ballard Designs topiary. Completely up to you.

What you need: Some foam cones. I scooped up mine at Hobby Lobby for $3, $4, & $5. A hot glue gun with plenty of glue sticks. And finally a ton of seashells. I had a bit laying around the house and then got a couple of extra ‘grab bags’ at HL for $2.99 each.

What to do: Start with a base layer of the plain larger shells, applying lots of hot glue to secure each shell. Then work your way around the cone. Test out each shell to see if it is a good fit, kind of like a puzzle.

Fill in the gaps with smaller shells if needed. Finish up by adding a larger shell on the top of the cone. Simple as that. Now ready, set , display! I am working on two more but here are a few pics of the completed beauty.

Can you smell the beach? Kind of takes you away. Think I might try this with some other materials. Like fake fruit… or sea glass… or driftwood pieces… guess you can tell I have been thinking about taking a tropical vacation. ummmm someday, someday.