Mum makes incredible "clam pram" for daughter and it cost just £25

5 March 2020 at 11:00 am

Bex Ellis-Dunstan, 31, wanted to create a mermaid-inspired pram for her daughter
She soon created her very own “clam pram”
Bex used second hand items from charity shops and Facebook Marketplace

Calling all mermaid-obsessed parents: you’ll instantly fall in love with this “clam pram” dreamed up by a creative mum.

Mum of two Bex Ellis-Dunstan, 31, from Newton Abbot, wanted to create a memorable mermaid outfit for her daughter Penny, four months, to attend a festival 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.

"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 from which to bring her idea to life, with Facebook Marketplace proving the perfect source.

"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.

"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.”

Bex was over the moon with how her craft project turned out, saying the clam pram’s finished look exceeded her expectations.

"I had amazing fun making it,” she remembers. "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!

“My tips would be to look for secondhand items. 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."

Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, says: “While parents will no doubt fall in love with Bex’s incredibly creative clam pram, there are so many lessons to be learned even for non-parents too!

“Bex’s resourcefulness at tracking down what she needs from second-hand sources such as Facebook Marketplace and charity shops shows we can all do the same, whether we are looking for a new wardrobe, some furniture to upcycle, or, of course, for bits for a new craft project!"

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