Okay, so I’ve been seeing these adorable “mermaid tea sets” all over Pinterest and I had to try making one myself. Seriously, they’re the cutest things ever!

Getting Started

First things first, I gathered all my materials. I already had a plain white tea set that I got from a thrift store a while back – score! – so that was a good start. Then, I went to the craft store and picked up some stuff:

• Pearlescent paints (blues, greens, purples, and a shimmery white)
• Super fine glitter (because, duh, mermaids!)
• Small seashells (the real, tiny kind)
• Strong craft glue (I used E6000, that stuff is amazing)
• Paintbrushes (a few different sizes)
• Sealer (to protect all my hard work)

I’d got everything, then I headed back home.

The Messy (But Fun) Part

I washed and dried the tea set really well, making sure there was no dust or anything. Then, the fun began! I started by painting the tea set with a base coat of the pearlescent paints. I blended the colors together to kind of mimic the look of the ocean – darker blues at the bottom, fading to lighter greens and shimmers near the top. It took a couple of coats to get it looking how I wanted.

While the paint was still a little tacky, I sprinkled on the super fine glitter. Don’t go too crazy with the glitter, a little goes a long way! I just wanted a subtle sparkle, like sunlight hitting the water.

Next, I carefully glued the tiny seashells around the base of the teapot and the cups. I tried to arrange them in a way that looked natural, like they’d just washed up on the shore. Some I placed individually, and others I clustered together. This part took some patience, those tiny shells are slippery!

Finishing Touches

Once the glue was completely dry (I waited a full 24 hours, just to be sure), I applied a few coats of sealer over everything. This is super important because it protects the paint and glitter, and makes the tea set more durable. I used a spray-on sealer, but you could use a brush-on one too.

And that’s it! My very own mermaid tea set! I’m so happy with how it turned out. It’s seriously so pretty, and it makes having a cup of tea feel extra special. If you’re looking for a fun and creative project, I totally recommend giving this a try! It’s not hard, just takes a bit of time and a whole lot of imagination.