Completely Coastal | Beach + Nautical Decor, Art, Craft Ideas, Books, Homes + more

Ships in Bottles in The Lovely Bones

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:15:00 +0000

Have you seen the movie The Lovely Bones? Since I'm not going to the movie theaters I'm waiting for the video release. I love "ghostly suspense" (and get to the story in a moment), but what's also featured in this film...

... are the masterfully crafted ships in bottles by Jim Goodwin.

Similar to David Fink's Driftwood Boxes that were used for the movie Nights in Rodanthe, Jim Goodwin was contracted by Dreamworks Production to provide ships in bottles for their adaption of Alice Sebold's 2002 Novel.

The Lovely Bones (2009), directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings films), centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven; and she must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. And there is a video clip of this father daughter scene that you can watch here.

It gives you a close look of the ship in the bottle. Here the sails of the ship are still collapsed that's how it got into the bottle. Or in Jim's word's, "The main secret in how a ship goes in is collapsing the mast."

Then when the string is pulled...

... the masts stand up.

In a previous life Jim Goodwin was a geologist and an educator. Now he devotes his time to preserving this maritime art form.

You can find a large selection of his ships in bottles @ Village Craftsmen here.

And check out Jim Goodwin's Lighthouses in Bottles too!

I leave you with this short clip of one of Jim's presentations. I love the part when he says, people who knew him in the past would say, "Eventually Jim's going to end up in a bottle."

HGTV Dream Homes

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:15:00 +0000

I don't know how many of you have been following HGTV's Dream Homes, but every year HGTV scans the country to find a builder/developer team to design, and construct a dream home in a different part of the country and millions of people enter to win. Today, March 15th, it's that time again -the winner of the HGTV Dream Home 2010 will be announced (see HGTV Dream House Blog). The home is located in the desert of New Mexico, not exactly coastal, but it inspired me to feature all the coastal HGTV dream homes of the past -and out of the 12 homes, 8 are by the sea! Only for half of them though I have the interior shots. So let the tour begin.

HGTV Dream Home in the year 2008. A colorful beachfront dwelling in Islamorada, the heart of the Florida Keys.

The living room looks out over the ocean as you would expect from a dream home by the sea.

"I think you feel like you have awakened in the middle of a rain forest," says HGTV Dream Home interior designer Linda Woodrum. A pretty wild color, don't you think!

I love the guest bathroom. Clean white tiles with bold artwork. "The clean white subway tile became the perfect backdrop for featuring some fun local artwork," says guest designer Monica Pederson who you probably know from HGTV's series Designed to Sell.

The couple who won the home sold it after enjoying a vacation there. They stated that it was always their intention to sell the house due to the anticipated tax burdens. You can read more here.

Next up. A very large coastal Victorian in Cumberland Harbour, three miles from historic downtown St. Marys, Georgia. HGTV dream home 2004. The historic houses in St. Marys were used as a guide to build this beauty.

"When I watched the television show that year there was a small town feel that I will never forget. The people seemed so friendly, it was like a flashback to 1950's America," Susie of Caliendo Design says.

I have to admit that I have not seen any of these shows, and wonder where I have been.

This is what you see when you enter. A rustic shelf with sea life, an old shutter above and beautiful wainscoting that is prevalent in the house.

Then you arrive here and you get a sense for the classic and traditional style that you find throughout the home.

Dream home 2003 was built on the outskirts of Mexico Beach, FL, along the Panhandle's "Forgotten Coast".

The interior is traditional in style and different shades of blue are used for furnishings and accessories.

A lovely spot for a bathtub -just outside the master suite.

A contemporary style home with a vast deck and views of Chesapeake Bay in Sherwood, MD, was chosen in 2002.

You would imagine that stardom comes with winning an HGTV dream house, but not so much according to this Interview with the Winners. They were contacted for several weeks afterward by the same magazines and newspapers to do some follow-up about them and the house, but that was it.

These winners from Texas also had no intention of keeping the house and sold it to This Couple for $1.3 million, within minutes of getting the title.

Dream Home 2001, a classic New England shingle-style cottage that overlooks the Maine coast in Camden, a town known for having the state's prettiest harbor.

Nehalem, OR, location of HGTV's Dream Home in 2000. A "cabin" with a spectacular view of the coast, said to be northwestern through and through.

The location for the dream home contest in 1999, Rosemary Beach in Florida, one of the master-planned communities on the popular beachside road, 30-A.

And you made it to the final destination! Built in 1998, this classic low-country beauty is located just outside Beaufort, SC on Bermuda Bluff Island, which has become a popular tourist stop when visiting the Beaufort area. I'm sure that is true for all the HGTV Dream Homes -you want to check them out when you're in the area! Only Bermuda Bluff is a gated community and this home usually goes unseen.

Coastal Decorations -Painted Wood

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:50:00 +0000

If you love the beach cottage look and the colors red, blue and yellow, Coastal Decorations has some fun accessories for you. From shell hooks to coat racks to planters to lighthouse decor, and more.

And in case you don't want or don't have the time to Make a Wooden Beach Sign, check out their collection!

Happy Weekend!

Stores to Sea
Featuring a coastal online store (or two) on most weekends.
Previously featured:
Home at Sea
Wisteria
Go Zazzle
Save on Crafts
Outer Banks Trading Group
Shopping New York City
Uncommon Goods
Christmas Coast
Origin Crafts
Chic Beach Cottage Style
Handmade Beach Decor
Vietri Accessories inspired by Italy's Amalfi Coast
White Flower Farmhouse
West Coast Glass Float Shop on Ebay
Treasures from Tuvalu
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville

Kids Paint Shells in Wild Colors

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:27:00 +0000

Speaking of Painted Shells earlier this week, I thought I'd follow up with these fun pictures from Pink and Green Mama who publishes the craft adventures with her two girls.

Here she gave her youngest some watercolors and sparkly dot paints to ad a little personality to a bunch of white shells.

Mission accomplished, and happy as a clam!

And just as colorful, the Marvellous Beach Marbles, posted at my other blog Daily Vitamin Sea.

Super Bowls

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:45:00 +0000

Nothing to do with the NFL! Only "winner bowls" that my fellow bloggers use to showcase their seashells and sea treasures.

First off, Michelle of Vintage Junky. It think her beautiful mercury glass bowl truly makes these gorgeous pink urchins shine.

And for all of you who gave up smoking, but still have some ashtrays around. They can be re-purposed to hold your sea treasures! Seen at Kendall's Finesse your Nest.

Think tropical, or more specifically coconut. Sylvia of My Trinkets finds the perfect bowl in a coconut fiber liner for her shell/coral arrangement.

Forget about baking. Annie of Firefly Hill Design shows us how cake forms make wonderful bowls for jingle shells -so named because a handful of these thin, translucent clam shell halves make a jingling sound when shaken together.

Barbara of The Book Blog finds her bowl in the kitchen also.

And who would have thought that you can fit so many Japanese Glass Floats in a small bowl like this. Just stack them up like Therese of La Dolfina.

For Rhonda of Blue Creek Home it's a white ceramic vintage bowl that houses her beautiful shells.

Diane of Lavender Dreams goes "au natural" in her Florida room.

And you find this sweet starfish bowl in Laura's casita of Sea Laura.

And lastly, Susan of T-Cozy keeps adding the seashells she brings home from the beach to this decorative bowl.

All winner bowls, don't you think?

Feel free to copy and paste the code for this button -it links to this post!

And on Daily Vitamin Sea, Sue's taking the trolley out to the Scallop Shanties, come and see!

Coastal Living's Coffee Table Book Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:12:00 +0000

It's Coastal Living Magazine Review time! From a Beach Cottage Makeover to a sanctuary on Mexico's Mayan coast, there are always wonderful homes to view. For this months though I want to show you the books the editors recommend. It's a section called Current Good Reads (page 22), and the theme is Look Books -coffee table books that deserve to be on display every day. And since I love photography (see category Posters and Prints -mostly beautiful photos) I "needed" these in the Books category. Now let's see what the Coastal staffers picked, and said.

An Island Sanctuary: A House in Greece

"This book takes me back to time I spent in Greece on my honeymoon. You'll pad through a rustic hillside home in Patmos and absorb every sun-drenched detail along the way. There are whitewashed rooms warmed by cobalt blues and timeless bougainvillea-covered gardens, but you'll always return to the neverending view."
Erynn Hassinger, senior designer

Slim Aarons: Once Upon a Time

"This classic book defines midcentury beach chic and has been on my wish list for years! You can almost hear the ice rattling in the cocktail shakers and smell the Coppertone as you take a voyeuristic cruise through the lifestyles of the powerful and privileged post-WWII jet set -the original glam."
Steele Marcoux, design editor.

The Sea: An Anthology of Maritime Photography since 1843

"It's fascinating to look through these photos -some taken soon after the camera was invented. From sepia-toned sailor portraits to contemporary coastal landscapes, they document out epic connection to the ocean."
Julia Rutland, senior food editor.

The California Surf Project

"This book feels like I'm flipping through someone's journal -there are even handwritten notes in the margins. Two California natives take you on a two-month surfing trek from Oregon to Baja in their '78 VW bus. The groovy action shots make me want to hit the road."
Kristen Shelton, assistant photo editor

I'm so glad I know about these books now!

There's one more on their list, Claire Murray's Women and the Sea, which I've already introduced you to here. Sarah Latta, assistant features editor said this: "I'm a sap for anything inspirational, so this is my new favorite tonic. Reading the stories of these 16 artists, photographers, and entrepreneurs makes you believe that everyone can turn dreams into reality."

Subscribe to Coastal Living Magazine

Painted Quahog Shells Make Perfect Tea Light Trays

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:38:00 +0000

A craft project that was cut out for me! Easy and quick, and it's for candles which I love. If you are a regular visitor here then you know that I also love the local Quahog shells, see here, here and here.

All I did was applying some primer, then giving it several coats of glossy gold paint, which adds that extra glow when the candles are lit. Oh, and if you wonder about the sparkly starfish (like Aylee Bits did -see comments), go here: Sparkling Glitter Crafts.

Then, turns out that I'm not the only one with a golden touch! This painted Quahog shell is one of Kim's creations.

And since Kim is an artist and talented painter, her's of course has a lovely seascape on the inside! You can see more of Kim's work @ 1022 Sea Shell Ave. I'm also featuring her "Black Beauty" and the spot where she finds all the shells on Daily Vitamin Sea here: Painted Seashells from the Jersey Shore.

Browse all Craft Project Ideas
A new craft project idea posted every week!

Shared with: DIY Show Off + Make it for Monday.

Daily Vitamin Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:42:00 +0000

My new (other) blog Daily Vitamin Sea is up and running.

I get so much of my daily vitamin sea through people who blog about their life that I wanted a place to store and showcase all the articles I enjoy; posts about seaside towns, coastal travels, beaches, sea treasures, arts and crafts, sea inspired cooking, and more. I can see Daily Vitamin Sea growing into a great resource too that you hopefully will enjoy as much as I do!

So please click over and check it out. Thank you so much! Oh, and the name came from the last house on this post: Does your Home have a Name?

Have a great weekend!

Fun with Fish Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

We're in the month of pisces (Feb 20 - March 20), my zodiac sign. So I thought this is the perfect time to go through my files and show you how you can have fun with fish decor. From carved wood fish to a golden fish sculpture to a wire fish to fish plates and others.

And there are more fish here, posters of the underwater world with tropical fish that burst of color.

Making the Oyster Shell Mirror from Wisteria

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:38:00 +0000

Did you ever see something in a store that was just so perfect, except for the price? What do you do? Either you forget about it or you make it yourself, right? So when Sandi of Self Confessed Lamp Tramp saw Wisteria's Oyster shell mirror she was inspired, and determined to make one herself.

And here it is! Pretty amazing, don't you think? For a moment though, Sandi might have had crafter's remorse when she said, "Maybe that price of $399 from Wisteria was not so bad. I appreciate the hours of work that went into that mirror!"

Click here to scroll through the posts of how to make this Oyster shell mirror, step by step. To give you an idea: you'll need a beveled edge mirror, a large 1/4 inch piece of plywood, liquid nails, small shells and a big bag of Oyster shells.

Free oyster shells that is. And Sandi knew just where to go, a big Oyster Factory. Warning: the shells are smelly and need thorough cleaning. The process is fairly simple. Cut out the oval shape from the wood, attach picture hangers on the back, then glue on the mirror. After that you can begin gluing on the Oysters ring by ring, outer ring first, letting them hang over the edge a little, finish with small shells.

A priceless masterpiece!

Browse all Craft Project Ideas
A new craft project idea posted every week!

Nautical Rugs

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:15:00 +0000

For some of you this might be a Déjà Vu. The following rooms and nautical rugs were part of a larger post from a while ago that I deleted later. I wanted them in the Create the Look category, so here we go.

We all need a happy comfortable rug to step on in the bathroom. An oval Claire Murray mermaid rug completes this charming space.

A seashell rug defines this kitchen bar area.

In the same house you also find this sitting area, anchored by a seashell rug. Click on the image to tour the house. It's done beautifully!

A space made for a small nautical rug! No luck locating the one in the photograph, but I think the two sail rugs below are just as picturesque.

Hot Historic Homes by the Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:10:00 +0000

Meet "Hansel" (I suspect "Gretel" is nearby), one of the 20 plus fairy-tale homes of Carmel, CA, that were built in the 1920's by Hugh Comstock (1893-1950) who had no previous building experience when he started out. And lucky us, Brooke of Velvet & Linen was there last year! Click the link for a tour of the town.

Don't get distracted by the fabulous vintage Plymouth! What you're looking at is a typical Hawaiian Plantation Style Home which is basically a bungalow with a covered porch and corrugated metal roof. The bungalows were built by sugar plantation owners to house their 400,000 plus workers that came to the islands from different countries (China, Portugal, Japan, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Okinawa, Korea) between 1852 and the end of World War II.

Sweet as cake, decorated in sherbet colors and ornamented with gingerbread trim. The Victorian cottages of Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha's Vineyard (MA). Most of the cottages were constructed upon tiny lots that once held family tents that were summer quarters for New England Methodists attending camp meetings. For a peak inside click here.

Tiny Key West harbors a treasure of vintage structures, among them, the conch cottages that date back to the 1880s. They're simple wood houses that were once the residences for the spongers, wreck salvagers, and cigarmakers who filled the town back then. To read the full article go to Coastal Living. And what a funny threesome -a Ship Figure Head and two "watch" dogs!

Then, this is cottage #13 from Bette Midler's 1988 movie Beaches in Crystal Cove, CA. The Crystal Cove Cottages are part of the historic district within the nearly 3,000-acre Crystal Cove State Park. Once hideaways for the silent film industry (1920 -1930), 21 of the 46 dwellings have been restored for public use by the Crystal Cove Alliance and California State Parks and are available to rent.

If you could spend a week in one of these homes, which one would it be? Despite of offering only 300 sq. ft. of living space, I'd pick "Hansel".

Celebrating my Sponsors

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:19:00 +0000

Want to start Spring with fresh new pillows? Then check out these clever watercolor brushstroke designs from Seaside Design Group, an online store that caters to decorating your home with all things nautical, and they love pursuing that perfect item for a client, so give them a call!

A shabby cottage showpiece from Mermaids Tale. It's an awesome vintage lighthouse weathervane that's handpainted.

Long before Shari of Beach Grass Cottage came here, I had featured her fabulous glass jar with a seashell embellished lid on this post: 8 Ways to Decorate Bottles + Jars Beach Style.

Delightful nautical tea light holders from Outer Banks Trading Group that were also part of: Feeling Crabby? A fun blog post where Deanna highlights all the crabby things in her store!

It's always summer somewhere, right! And for us who live in the North East, spring is near and we can start thinking about some fun dishes and bowls for the garden or the deck, from Home at Sea. Click here for the discount code.

Happy Weekend!

Make a Wooden Beach Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:25:00 +0000

A few very creative fellow bloggers who express their love for the sea, the beach or their coastal town with a wooden beach sign.

If you happen to have an old crate, tear a piece from it like Jillian of The Virginia House did. First, she gave the wood a white wash, then penciled the letters on "freestyle", followed by painting over the pencil with white acrylic paint. Beautiful and simple! The rustic sign sits on a ledge in her bathroom.

Lili of Fearless Nesting who lives in Sorrento, Maine, gave these wooden letters a coating of liquid gold leaf, then attached them to a curved distressed board that once was part of a church steeple. And did you notice the sea urchins? They too are golden! The sign's now hanging right above her blue painted tin lobster. Gorgeous combo!

A beautiful wooden beach sign made by Gina of The Shabby Chic Cottage. She used pieces of beadboard, scrap wood and hand made stencils.

Marsha of Chandelier Magic saw the potential of an old chippy white fence picket. It only needed a few chunky white letters to make a statement. It's perfect for that space!

A wooden beach sign that was part of this Craft Post. It was created by Chris of Just Beachy, gluing wood letters from Michael's onto a painted wood panel, spelling out two of her favorite words.

Karla of It's the Little Things also used scrap wood. She gave the piece a quick coat of color, and printed her letters on the computer.

And ending the presentation with a saying! Okay, I cheating with this one, it's not wood, Lynette of Lynette's LAM Blog used a canvas and vinyl letters for this great sign which she calls the "red letter knockoff" (click over to learn why).

And I just learn about this beauty! See comments. It's the works of Tina of The Artful Life.

Feel free to grab this button. It links to this post!

It's Called Coquillage

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:01:00 +0000

Did you know that attaching shells to objects such as frames, mirrors or pieces of furniture (see here and here) is a practice called Coquillage? Me of all people didn't know, until recently! Coincidentally the same Idea House from My Home Ideas that was part of the post Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, also has plenty of interesting examples of this art. Here's a quick tour.

Coquille is the French word for shell and the art of Coquillage goes back to the Rococo period of 18th- century France when the shell motif was popular as a carved decoration. In this picture you see a cute birdhouse distinguished by a shell exterior.

This is something that I want to do -decorate the necks of a couple of bottles with tiny shells, then use them as vases.

Local Florida Oysters were used to create a pair of shell encrusted table lamps in the guest room.

A large shell encrusted mirror.

And a picture frame by the bed is adorned with shells to carry the coquillage motif throughout the house. Coquillage..., love the word. Want to hear how it's pronounced? Go here and click on audio.

Something's Gotta Give -But It Ain't the Blue and White Striped Rug

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:18:00 +0000

Film maker Nancy Meyers is in the spotlight again with It's Complicated, which reminded me of her previous film Something's Gotta Give (2003). I'm sure you know, its Hampton beach house movie set was a huge hit and created a wave of requests for kitchens and living rooms that looked just like it. The big eye catcher in the living room, the blue and white striped cotton rug (or dhurri).

"The story goes," says Linda of Surroundings, "that the set decorators actually sewed two smaller rugs together to fit the space." The rug came from The Rug Loft in New York. Linda just clarified in a comment that Beth Rubino (who did the movie's set decoration) said that the original blue rug was one really big rug that they cut in half and sewed back together to fit the living room set and that you can see the seem in certain still images of the living room.

In this beach house, designed by Victoria Hagan, a large blue and white striped rug anchors a more modern living room.

Designer Ashley Whittaker used a pale blue to bring the beach home look into a dinging room.

And here's the original Something's Gotta Give rug! Hamptons Hostess bought the rug two years ago from a charity auction in the Hamptons. The yearly event, she writes on her blog, features rooms of furniture and antiques donated by some of the most fabulous homes in the Hamptons. And in 2008, one of the rooms was entirely furnished with pieces from the movie set.

You find a selection of movie inspired rugs at Aspen Carpet Designs. You have to wait for the dark blue version though until June 2010.

"Nothing quite says Something's Gotta Give more than the blue and white striped rug" says Joni of Cote de Texas, adding, "To duplicate this look in your space, there would have to be a blue and white dhurri - otherwise, it would just be a pretty room."

Thank you Joni for writing such a fabulous post about this Blue and White Striped Rug!

Kohl's Gone to the Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:29:00 +0000

I've never associated Kohl's with the beach, but check out what I found when I went to their online store.

Happy Sunday!

Beach Grass Cottage Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 07:46:00 +0000

And the winner of the Beach Grass Cottage Giveaway is: Anne of Get Your Martha On.
Congratulations Anne! And many thanks to all of you who participated!

Anne said in the comment that she loves the seashell mirrors and always wanted one. So will she use her $40 gift certificate toward a beauty like the one above?

Or will she change her mind and pick one of these lovely 4x6 seashell picture frames for $39...

... or go in a different direction and get eight of Shari's adorable seashell ornaments for $40?

And then, of course, there are the new additions, such as sparkly 10 inch seaglass wreaths that I think are a steal for $35.

And lovely lamps with hand embellished borders.

So I hope we get to see what she picks for her home, I'm just curious like that.

Curio Tables -A Way to Display

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:38:00 +0000

Have you ever thought of using a display or curio table to showcase your beach treasures?

I haven't, until I saw this one (and others) at Barbara Jacksier. Do you like the look as much as I do? Touch of Glass sells a curio table that is similar in style. And IKEA carries a clever Curio with Drawer in white -thanks Janice for the tip!

A weathered antique. Unfortunately I have lost the source. I bet you could build this with an old rustic wood box.

And a great do it yourself idea from Tales from an OC Cottage, using a plastic urn from the garden department. Click over for the how to's and more pictures!

Relax with Rene Gruau

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:19:00 +0000

An easy breezy beach bedroom with a fashionable cruise poster that you can't miss.

Relax by Rene Gruau (1910-2004) who's illustrations became the favorite of the Haute Couture fashion world In the 40‘s and 50‘s. Thanks Liz of Shorely Chic for posting the source!
And as always, please click images for more information and/or purchase.

Making a Shell Chandelier

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:12:00 +0000

In a previous life this gorgeous seashell chandelier...

... was a slightly tacky ceiling light fixture.

I discovered this Shell Chandelier project at Tip Junkie where my Stacked Rocks were featured yesterday -thanks Laurie! I love this transformation that includes wrapping the arms of the chandelier in twine -very doable. Shells were glued to the large ball, covering as much area as possible with the biggest shells, filling in the empty spots with smaller ones. Pieces of seaglass for the next ball up, more shells for the cups that hold the lights, and a finishing tassel. Success! For pictures and all the details about making this shell chandelier visit Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy.

Cabinet of Natural Curiosities by Albertus Seba -A Book for the Walls

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:10:00 +0000

Cabinet of Natural Curiosities is a large, heavy book filled with amazing illustrations of animals, plants and insect by Amsterdam-based pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665-1736), and it includes, as you can guess from the cover, plenty of corals, shellfish, and other ocean creatures for us sea lovers!

This is what it says on the Publishers Website, "Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities is one of the 18th century's greatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time."

In 2007 Patricia Gray wrote on her blog, "This book may go down in the Guinness World Book of Records as the most photographed book." Here used by Tobi Fairley to accentuate her design. Without a doubt Natural Curiosities makes a fantastic coffee table book.

But some people tear out the pages...

... and frame them for wall art...

... like Leisa Tobler of Idea Mom who won the 2008 Idea House in Windmark (FL) from My Home Ideas (read here). Since the artwork, reproductions of drawings from Albertus Seba, did not convey with the home, and the price per piece would have been around $2000, Leisa purchased a used copy of the book for $20, then removed the pages from the binding and framed them.

This was the room before. Leisa's beautiful home is now a vacation rental and you can learn all about it @ Summer Dream -see more pictures and read about the "Forgotten Coast".

Then others, like designer Steven Gambrel featured here, paste the pages of Cabinet of Natural Curiosities on the wall. Here you see the powder room in his cottage in Sag Harbor, NY. It's busy, but I love it! And as I mentioned in this post: Going Wild with Wallpaper in the Bathroom, a small bathroom or powder room is a great space to experiment and go wild!

Create a similar effect with Vintage Printable:

For a similar effect check out what Roeshel from DIY Show Off did. She printed out some vintage illustrations from Vintage Printable and framed them, and gives you the how to's.

Sailors' Valentines -Lynda Susan Hennigan, other Shell Artists + more

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:25:00 +0000

In celebration of Valentine's day, I want to introduce you to Lynda Susan Hennigan, a Connecticut based seashell artist who makes stunning Sailor's Valentines.

While the term sailors' valentine is often applied to shell-encrusted frames and boxes, This Article at Country Living explains that true 19th-century sailors' valentines were octagonal boxes filled with mosaics of shells.

Here Lynda works on a worded piece, drawing the letters freehand, tracing the penciled letters with glue, then adding small shells.

The history in a nutshell (an excerpt from the same article):

Capitalizing on the height of the whale-oil industry in the early 19th century, English brothers B.H. and George Belgrave opened a shop in Barbados, which was the whaler's last port of call. Decorative shellwork was at its height in the 1820s, and the Belgraves' shop was sought out for its locally crafted shell designs in eight-sided boxes, like those encasing a ship's compass. Snapped up by seamen for loved ones back home, these pieces were soon dubbed sailors' valentines.

Lynda has so many gorgeous sailor valentines in her collection that it was hard to pick a few favorites, but here they are, starting with a heart shape.

Perfect for Valentines Day.

Plain sweet.

I love this underwater scene, just gorgeous.

And orange is now officially one of my favorite colors.

And there are, of course, other talented shell artists, devoted to creating beautiful Sailors' Valentines, such as Pamela Boynton (image above), Sandy Moran and Bill Jordan. And if you would like to try this art, you could start with a Sailors' Valentine Kit.

Shell artist Blott Kerr Wilson has a different approach. She decorates entire walls with shells, and made sailors' valentines part of the design in this powder room that she created for a client.

This arrangement is so delightful that I have no problem showing it again! You might remember having seen it here: The Wild Nautical World of Diamond Baratta. Six Sailors' Valentines adorn the wall.

It's not an inexpensive look, even these reproductions from Newport Nautical Decor are over two hundred dollars, which of course is a fraction of the antiques that date back to the 1850's. Originals are rare (and very expensive), and most are held in public and private collections.

Lastly, a serene bedroom by Phoebe Howard.

These valentines are created using natural whites only and a few mother of pearl shells, also from Newport Nautical Decor. And now I wish you all a Happy Valentines Day!

There's Still Time to Make a Seashell Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:10:00 +0000

I think these seashell hearts from Vintage Chica are super cute and you don't need a lot of shells (nor time) to pull it off! Eren cut hearts from a red card stock, and "the glue-fest began". She says, "It's all about patterns, symmetry and repetition of one type of shell. A lovely gift for Valentines Day!

And speaking of Valentine..., instead of my usual weekend posts Online Stores and Coastal Curiosities, you can expect lots of awesome Sailors' Valentines -shell artist Lynda Susan Hennigan and others will be featured, as well as beautiful interiors.

Check it out!

The offer by Home at Sea still stands. All Completely Coastal readers get a 20% discount at checkout when using the code COASTAL.

Mermaid Tales brings beach cottage style to web design and your home!

And have you entered the Beach Grass Cottage giveaway?

Seashell and Seaglass Creations by Beach Grass Cottage -Win a $40 Gift Certificate!

noreply@blogger.com (Maya) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Artist Shari Curtiss is a self-proclaimed beach girl and shore lover who went from owning a corporate gift company to creating beautiful accessories for the home with seashells and seaglass. Her business Beach Grass Cottage, an Etsy Store and Website, is a dream come true for her, and she is offering you the chance to win a $40.00 Gift Certificate that you can spend any way you want at her Etsy Store! Also, if you are a store owner and love Shari's work, she's doing wholesale and drop ship as well. So take a look at some of her fabulous seashell and seaglass creations.

Beautiful hand embellished Picture Frames that are made of weathered wood and beadboard. The gorgeous frame to the left has sold, so you might want to check Shari's Etsy store often for new and one of a kind additions, such as this Barnacle Frame that she just completed.

More beauty; seaglass adorned frames in different colors, and designs in woven grass-like materials.

Elegant Mirrors that are truly pieces of art and create a great focal point.

Then Shari's newest Seaglass creations. Accent vases that she first rolls in beach glass in all sorts of beautiful hues, then fills in all the cracks by hand. And wonderful sparkly candle holders.

And you also find a selection of absolutely stunning Wreaths. From dune grass to flower designs, I think they're show stoppers.

Very awesome and trendy letters, made of solid wood, encrusted with layers of tiny shells; perfect for a mantle, ledge or bookshelves.

A lovely starfish garland that you can hang anywhere you want a beachy vibe.

And lastly, you also find a few other (non shell or seaglass related) items such as these awesome wooden buoys.

How to win a $40 Gift Certificate:
Simply let us know in a comment what you would buy if you won -make sure to visit Shari's Beach Grass Cottage at Etsy to see all of her creations!

Additional Entry:
For an additional entry, blog about the giveaway, and leave a second comment. Feel free to use the button below. Just copy and paste the code. It links directly to this post. Thank you so much!

Rules:
Entries will be accepted until midnight EST on Wednesday, Feb 17th. The winners will be announced on the weekend. Please note, Beach Grass Cottage does not ship abroad, to Hawaii and to Alaska. Also, please make sure that I have (or find) your email address.

Want to show your love for Beach Grass Cottage?
Display this image button and link it to Shari's Etsy store.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/beachgrasscottage