Mum makes mermaid-inspired clam pram for her daughter for just £25

Mum-of-two Bex made her daughter Penny an amazing mermaid-themed pram
Mum-of-two Bex made her daughter Penny an amazing mermaid-themed pram (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)

A mum has shared how she created an incredible mermaid-inspired clam pram for her baby daughter, for just £25.

Bex-Ellis Dunstan, 31, wanted to create a memorable mermaid outfit for her daughter Penny, four months old, to attend a festival.

But the mum-of-two decided to take things up a notch and make Penny a full-on mermaid carriage to stroll around in.

Bex, who works as a team leader for a multi-sensory support service for children in Devon, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘My husband came up with the idea of our daughter going as a mermaid to the pirate festival we attend every year.

clam pram pink shell
Bex found a sand pit on Facebook Marketplace (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)
pram with pink clam shell
The family already had an old pram (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)

‘There were mermaids in a tank last time so we thought it would be a good theme to go with.

‘Our oldest son has a pirate ship buggy which my dad and I upgrade each year and I wanted to do something special for our daughter.

‘When he mentioned a mermaid, I thought of her sitting in a clam, and so the clam pram idea was born!’

Bex went about finding second-hand materials to bring her idea to life, with Facebook Marketplace proving the perfect source.

clam pram for baby diy project
Paint and papier mache helped to transform the plain shell (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)

‘We thought about different ways to create a clam shell, and how to fit it around a buggy,’ she explains.

‘We use a lot of second-hand materials and things we already have when crafting.

‘I found someone selling a clam-shaped sand and water tray for £5 on Facebook marketplace and thought it would be perfect as the clam frame.

‘Luckily, we had an old buggy which I had bought second-hand a couple of years ago also.

clam pram with mermaid outfit
Faux pearls were added to create a proper mermaid-y look (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)

‘I cut into the shell and made channels and holes so it would slot around the frame of the pram. That was probably the hardest bit, figuring out how it fit!

‘We used cloth tape and hot glue to create the lines on the shell and newspaper to create a clam lip.

‘I bought some spray paint online and on sale in Wilkinson’s and sprayed the shells white, nude and pearlescent.

‘I found some pink material for 50p at a charity store to cover the seat, and used felt and left over material from my daughter’s mermaid costume for seaweed and ocean critters.

‘Overall, I think I spent around £25 on it.’

clam pram penny the mermaid
Penny loved the end result (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)

Bex was super pleased with how the DIY project turned out and Penny absolutely loves being carted around in her own pearl-packed clam pram.

The mum said: ‘I had amazing fun making it. I love making costumes and craft projects, especially for my children.

‘I’m really happy with how it turned out – almost better than I expected it to be.

‘It’s got a lot of attention already, so I imagine at the festival it will be a hit. It won’t be hard to miss us!’

To other parents keen to take on a big DIY project, Bex offers these words of wisdom: ‘My tips would be to look for secondhand items.

mum of two bex ellis-dunstan
Bex spent £25 on the project in total (Picture: Bex Ellis-Dunstan)

‘If it’s cheap or free, then if it doesn’t work you haven’t lost much.

‘Also, use what you have already. It’s amazing what you have lurking around the house.

‘Old prams and half cans of spay paint really do come in handy!

‘If you want to create something big, think about transporting it. Make sure it can come apart and go back together! Give yourself a lot of time to create it.

‘But most of all, have fun with it and enjoy the process.’

Have you completed a brilliant DIY project? Get in touch to tell us more by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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