Everything Coastal....

What's in My Beach Bag? Surf Spray!

2013-05-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Why do I have short hair? Because I am always at the beach, and I would rather spend what free time that I do
have, playing in the sand, and not in front of the mirror. Besides my hair is always in my eyes - pretty difficult to look for sea glass or shells when my bangs are blowing in the way!

I have been spoiled for years by my friend James, owner of Sugar Daddy's Salon in Port Orchard, Washington. It is so bad, that I wait patiently until I go home to Seattle to have my hair cut and styled 4 times a year... I am such a baby. I haven't really tried very hard to find the right stylist here in California!

The last time I was home, James found me a new miracle hair care styling product so that I can actually "look" like I have just been at the beach - every day! And it works great for days when I do go to the beach for that messy-styled look, keeping my hair where it's supposed to go in the wind and salt air.

In my beach bag - Surf Spray from Bumble and Bumble!

I just spray it in my hair either when it's dry and needs a little extra "oomph", or when it's still damp and I am in a hurry running out the door. (always!)

Here's James' advice for how to get a great beachgirl look -

5 Easy Steps to Beachy Babeness!

(image courtesy of Bumble and Bumble)

1. Shampoo with BB Surf Foam Wash and condition with BB Surf Creme Rinse (rinse out immediately for the maximum sea-feel)

2. Towel dry and apply BB Surf Spray to the roots and ends

3. Scrunch a small amount of BB Grooming Creme to the ends

4. Twist hair away from face and blow dry

5. Finish with a misting of BB Surf Spray or polish the look with some outer barrel curls using your curling iron, and run hands gently through your hair to break up the curls

To get your very own Surf look - it's so easy to order online from Sugar Daddy's Salon, www.sugardaddyssalon.com. Just look for the "Shop Bumble and Bumble" button located conveniently on the right hand side of their home page - then simply search for "Surf" and all of the products will come right up on B & B's site.

This is way more fun than spending more time trying to get gorgeous!

Our View from Nepenthe - Magic on the Big Sur

2013-05-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Tom and I spent a beautiful March weekend on the Central Coast at the Cayucous Sea Glass Festival and decided to drive home on Hwy 1. What we did not expect was the crazy spring weather, or the stress of driving on the edge of the continent in a cloud bank. Sharp hairpin turns, no guard rail, lots of road construction and rock slides; yep, it was more than a little bit scary. After driving for many miles in peasoup thick fog along the windy, steep rocky coastline of Hwy 1 we were ready to get out of the mini-cooper. (quickly)

So when we finally arrived in Big Sur, we just wanted out of the car. Did not care where we stopped. Since it was my turn at the wheel, I decided to turn into the driveway of the first restaurant sign we saw.

Oh mi... sometimes an simple bend in the road leads to a magical place... Nepenthe. Driving up into the clouds was worth it for this view above the sea. The California fruit and cheese platter with a glass of Central Coast Pinot Noir was not too bad either.

We are headed back next weekend! Can't wait.

P.S. I could not resist buying their cookbook in their gift shop - a history of Nepenthe, sprinkled with some fabulous family recipes.

My Nepenthe, by Romney Steele - can also be found online at Liberty Bay Books.

Photo Shoot at Pigeon Point Lighthouse

2013-05-07T10:07:00.001-07:00

Alex at Half Moon Bay

A few weeks ago, my son Alex came out to stay for a few days of beach adventures along our Northern California coast. Including a sunny (but very windy!) afternoon photo shoot at Pigeon Point Lighthouse, just a tiny bit south of Pescadero and north of Santa Cruz. He's a pretty darn good photo-website assistant!

Here he is helping me find purple sea urchins for my "Sea Urchin Fascination" post...

Alex and I stuffed the mini-cooper with piles of our new tangerine orange and deep navy blue sea pillows. Not sure how we got them all in there! (greatest car EVER) Packed up our ham and cheese sandwiches in our beach picnic backpack and we were off, down Coastal Hwy 1.

Pigeon Point is one of my favorite spots on our coast - I could go there every single day and see something different; pelicans, sea gulls, sea lions and of course, chubby harbor seals soaking up the sun.

Just a week before Alex arrived, Tom and I were out on a Sunday drive to Santa Cruz, we stopped here for
a quick lunch break. SO lucky that day - we were treated to a display of water spouts, breaching whales, and tails from spring grey whale migration! Moms and babies traveling very close to shore on their way north to Alaska for the summer. Unfortunately, the water was so wild that day that it was impossible to get any good images to share.

At the Las Vegas market in January, we discovered a bright summer collection of pillows from a small manufacturer in the Midwest. I like supporting American made products, and I really liked the care and attention to detail that the owners have put into selecting fabrics and creating the finished pillows. Bonus - they are affordable at $56-$68.00, depending on the design and size of the pillow. Many other pillow companies that we looked at put the retail price of similar pillows beyond $90.00 +. Our online coastal home decor store is the first website that this family-owned company has worked with. I am very excited about our new partnership.

There is a wonderful circle of benches at the Lighthouse park overlooking Prisoner Rocks - a perfect spot out of the wind to take the photos.

For a complete selection and pricing check "Caron's Collection - Coastal Pillows". We hope you like them too!

Have a great Tuesday. Thanks so much for stopping by.

A Visit to East Egg

2013-05-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

Cannot wait to see The Great Gatsby on the big screen this week!

The Party - Jay and Daisy (images from The Great Gatsby, Warner Bros)

In anticipation, I decided to spend some quality time with F. Scott Fitzgerald this weekend by re-reading the story before seeing the movie. Tom poured me a lovely glass of 2010 Ladera Cabernet and I began reading this American classic on Saturday night on my deck. Highly recommend! F. Scott Fitzgerald makes every single word in this story full of meaning and count for something on the pages of this short novel published in 1925.

The words (lyrics) are still reverberating in my brain on Monday morning. This particular passage on page 6, just grabbed my imagination and senses! Can't you just see the sun setting into the bay, showering golden magical light across manicured, lushly scented gardens as Nick drove up to Tom and Daisy's house?

"And so it happened that on a warm windy evening I drove over to East Egg to see two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all. Their house was even more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion, overlooking the bay. The lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile, jumping over sun-dials and brick walks and burning gardens - finally when it reached the house drifting up the side in bright vines as though from the momentum of its run. The front was broken by a line of French windows, glowing now with reflected gold and wide open to the warm windy afternoon, and Tom Buchanan in riding clothes was standing with his legs apart on the front porch."

East Egg From The Great Gatsby Movie - image from Warner Bros.

See you at the Movies!

In Search of the Perfect Sangria

2013-05-04T11:23:00.001-07:00

We have had a spell this week of really hot weather in the Bay Area - perfect weather for a refreshing, cold fruity sangria cocktail! Last night we tried a new restaurant in Redwood City, Quinto Sol on the town square. They serve a really interesting red wine based sangria. Full of fruit flavor, but unlike many other sangrias that we've tried, there were no floating fruit pieces in our cocktail glasses.

Got me to thinking about Cinco de Mayo and trying a new recipe for tomorrow night. Here are a few ideas that we've been collecting on our "Cocktails, Anyone?" Pinterest board!

Mint-Melon Sangria from Martha Stewart (looks so yummy!)
1/2 honeydew melon
1 pound seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 liter chilled ginger aleIceStir to combine first 5 ingredients and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to overnight). To serve, add ginger ale and ice.I have mint in the frig, may this will be the one!

From BevMo's Mixologist! Sunset Sangria

Sunset Sangria
2 DOLE Blueberry Frozen Fruit Single-Serve Cup
2 DOLE Pineapple Frozen Fruit Single-Serve Cup
2 DOLE Strawberry Frozen Fruit Single-Serve Cup
14 ounces chilled Pink Rose'
2 ounces Hiram Walker Pink Grapefruit Schnapps
2 ounces Clear Creek Brandy Pear
Yields 8-12 servings
For larger parties use 1 bottle of wine, and a cup each of the grapefruit schnapps and brandy.

Directions: Place each DOLE frozen fruit cup into a large pitcher. Add the chilled rosé, grapefruit schnapps, and brandy. Mix well and serve, or chill for up to 24 hours. Looks super easy and super yum!

From the Edible Perspective (gorgeous food blog!) Head on over to the blog to get the Citrus Sangria recipe and directions - love the canning jars used for cocktail glasses and the blood red oranges.

Red Wine Sangira from Beach House in the City

1 bottle of red wine (cab, merlot, zin, shiraz)

1 lemon cut into wedges

1 orange cut into wedges

1 lime cut into wedges

2 Tablespoons of sugar

splash of orange juice

2 shots of gin or triple sec (optional)

1 cup of raspberries or strawberries (may be frozen)

1 small can of diced pineapples with juice

4 cups of ginger ale

Mix wine with squeezed citrus wedges, pineapple, sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving.

And this last one is from Martha Stewart... Dang, she always has good ideas!

Prosecco Sangria - love the sparkly fun in this one! Now to just find some peaches and nectarines....might have to wait until later this summer.

1 peach

1 nectarine

3 apricots

5 ounces peach brandy

1 bottle (750 ml) chilled Prosecco

1 cup peach nectar

superfine sugar (optional)

In a pitcher, combine peach, nectarine, and apricots, all pitted and cut into wedges. Stir in peach brandy; let sit at least 1 hour. Stir in Prosecco and peach nectar. Add superfine sugar, if desired. Serve chilled.

Don't forget the pretty glasses!

New - School of Fish Margarita Glasses!

Stemless Wine Tumblers would work great for parties!

Starfish Wine Tumbler

And don't forget pretty pitchers!

Starfish Etched Pitcher

School of Fish Pitcher

Have a great weekend everyone!

Trend Alert: Design with Nautical Rope - Update!

2013-05-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

As promised in our February Rope Design Trend post, we have now added many of the items that we "spied" at the Las Vegas Market Show earlier this year! For even more rope-themed home decor check our site; just add "rope" in our handy search bar, and over 130 items will pop up!

Here are a few of my faves!

Wish I had a spot for this rope-wrapped Saturn Chandelier at our house!

Rope 14" Buoy Lantern - great polished nickel details!

This nautical lantern with the anchor details was one of my favorite finds at the market! Just imagine large white candles and a sprinkling of white sea shells around them inside this lantern.... I might have to keep one for myself.

Very excited about this tall Burke Candle Holder in particular. I like the idea of being able to add your own sea glass, rocks or seashells in the hurricane underneath the pillar holder. Coastal candle accents like these are so versatile - simply change out the details to fit with the season!

Keep your fingers crossed, it appears that HGTV Magazine will be featuring our fun rope wrapped hurricane in a later summer issue! We were contacted by the magazine last week, requesting additional information and two hurricanes for a photo shoot. Needless to say, I have more than just my fingers crossed!

Surya Spring Rug Sale - Limited Time Only

2013-04-29T15:53:00.002-07:00

Creating a fabulous outdoor living space can start with a fabulous rug!

I am proud to say that we have worked diligently to curate an entire collection of indoor-outdoor coastal rugs for our customers - all durable, all easy to care for, and long-lasting.

And for a short time remaining - we have a small collection from Surya on sale! Save 10% through midnight April 30. No need for a coupon, just click on this link: Special Spring Sale to preview the nearly 30 different styles, all different colors and motifs, plus all available in several different sizes and shapes.

Have fun planning an escape right in your very own back yard!

Starfish....

Stripes....

Tropical Palms Too!

A Note from Boston

2013-04-24T13:17:00.003-07:00

I have tried many times to write some kind of blog post about how the Boston Marathon tragedy effected me last week, and I just have not been able to. How can you put into words the complicated emotions and utter heart break for the families and the victims of this senseless act?

Last week, as we sat in the airport waiting for our flight back home after
our trip to Washington D.C. to see Tom's daughter and to experience the beauty of the Cherry Blossom festival, we heard the horrific news. I was glued to the television by our gate to see what had happened before our eyes on the streets of Boston. A day that is usually filled with fun and celebration...

I think I cried all the way home on the plane.

Then this weekend, I received an unexpected note from one of our customers.

"Dear Caron,

I received the new bowl today. I love it! You would not have known, but I was on the finish line of the Boston Marathon last Monday here in my home town, and was badly injured in the second explosion. I had surgery in the ER, and am now on the mend. The bowl brought me some colorful joy!

Thanks, and I hope to do more business with you in the future.

Tom"

Once again, I was reminded at how connected we all are. So humbled that he thought to reach out to me for such a simple thing...

I wasn't sure what to expect in Washington D.C., but I can tell you this; it was an amazing, and at times an emotional journey. Everything we did, and everything we experienced while we toured the city, the monuments and explored the museums, made me so proud to be an American. In spite of all of our differences, (and there are a lot of those!) we are all part of such a grand, successful experiment. Just look at how we've all come together to help the city of Boston... incredible.

We've (Tom and I) donated to OneFundBoston.org, in hopes that our small donation can help the families so deeply affected by the tragic Boston Marathon event. It's just a drop in the bucket, but I hope that it can help with all of the unexpected medical expenses for the injured.

P.S.
This is the bowl that our customer Tom ordered....

Happy Earth Day! Meet the Artisans behind Living Simplistically

2013-04-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

We started with working with Josh and Rhonda about a year ago, and are simply crazy about their natural, creative approach to coastal home decor. I thought it might be fun to get a little more in-depth with them about their art and their philosophy. Enjoy our interview!

1. How were you inspired to create your company, Living Simplistically?

Rhonda: Josh & I were friends before we started Living Simplistically, I knew he created gorgeous functional art pieces made from driftwood and once I saw them, I knew his work was too fabulous not to share with other. That’s when I offered to design and build his website.

Josh: I’ve always been most inspired in life by my time spent outdoors while exploring nature and Living Simplistically was created with this in mind. It was important to me to try to design furniture, along with some home décor items that were not only one of a kind pieces of functional art but more importantly, were designs that allowed me capture the simple beauty that I saw in nature and to be able to bring that beauty into a living space.

Living Simplistically Driftwood Lamp

2. How did you start Living Simplistically?

J: It was a time when I was going through some life changes and I came to the conclusion that what I needed was to simplify my life and so I moved onto a small property nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains where I was surrounded by nature. At the time I didn’t have much furniture so I decided to make my own out of natural materials that were reclaimed from friends, local ranches and the beach. When my friend Rhonda saw a couple pieces that I had finished, she told me that I could probably sell them if I wanted to. And so she really inspired my confidence and pushed me to start Living Simplistically.

R: Sharing the same eco practices and concerns as Josh, while being an artist myself, we decided to form a partnership and combine our talents together to form Living Simplistically. Our hopes are to inspire others to rethink how they decorate their home. You can have beautiful and modern pieces made from nature and/or recycled material in your house and still be kind to the environment.

3. Why does “Living Simplistically” mean to you?

R & J: Living Simplistically means exactly what our brand says. To live simple. Living in an age where most people feel the more they have the better they’ll feel. We believe if you cut out all the excess clutter and simplify, you can enjoy nature while preserving the future of our planet and still be fulfilled.

(Large Starfish Driftwood Wreath)

4. What do you feel is your biggest influence on your own design ideas?

R: I live in the same Southern California beach community that I was born in, so my biggest influence has been the beach, ocean, surfing or anything maritime. {Which is kind of funny because I have a huge phobia of deep water and cruise ships.} Right now all of our pillow collections have some sort of ocean influence in their design.

J. By far, the biggest influence on all of my designs is what I find in nature. Whether it is down at the beach or up the mountains, it’s the beauty of the natural colors, the lighting, the shapes, and the sounds that I find guidance in.

5. Do you have a design or artist's mentor, someone that has inspired you to push your boundaries? If you do, who is/was it and why?

R: There are so many great designers and artisans out there that I don’t have any one in particular that inspires me. Now that artists, designers and bloggers are documenting their talents and artwork through pictures with apps such as Instagram, Pinterest and Vine, it broadens our access to such great talent not just locally, but from all over the world. Keeping up on that raises the bar for me to push my boundaries as an artist. I appreciate great design and when I see it, I try to soak it all in.

J. See number 4.

6. What do think is your true "uniqueness" with your products? What sets you apart from other home decor companies?

R: The true uniqueness with our products such as our pillow collections are the illustrations and the process to create the handmade product. Or the time and craftsmanship that goes into every driftwood piece that leaves our studios. Every step of the creating process is done by Josh or I. While having a gorgeous finished product, at the same time we feel that imperfection is perfection whether it be our driftwood or our pillow products.

I think what sets us apart is our size, I always say “we are small, but mighty”. We know how hard it is to compete with the nationally recognized stores who mass produce, but that’s why we work so hard to have unique quality designs that will stand out from the big box retailers. We sell to customers who are looking for something unique to display in their homes, who appreciate the artisan’s work, while caring about the future of our environment. We love that online retailers like Caron’s Beach House support our work and mission.

J: For me, because we’re a small company and I build everything myself, I enjoy the relationship that’s sometimes developed between myself and our customers. I put a great deal of my heart and soul into each and every custom piece that I create and I think that there’s something very special in that.

7. Do you have any favorite eco-green charities that you like to support?

R & J: Blood Water Mission. I recently finished a “40-days of Water” challenge to raise money for wells to be built and bring clean water to small villages in Uganda. The challenge was to replace any drinks that you would normally drink with water and tally the amount of money you would have spent on those drinks and donate it instead. Without being a soda or fancy coffee drinker I was able to raise $192 and drank over 32 gallons of water during the challenge. Living Simplistically matched the donation.

8. Does your company participate in any fun green activities in your community?

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve Trails

R & J: Yes, we like to give back to our communities and help whenever possible and are active volunteers with our local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. The two most recent volunteer activities were the Surfrider Foundation’s “Hold on to Your Butt” campaign where joined with other locals to comb Huntington to pick up cigarette butts that litter our beaches. It is estimated that several trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year and are so damaging to our ecosystem. Surfrider has recently been installing canisters throughout downtown Huntington to help eliminate this problem.

The second volunteer activity was January 19^th on The National Day of Service at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve to do a trash cleanup. I run these trails 3 to 4 times a week and it’s sad to see the slow build-up of trash, especially floating in the levy. This water flows directly into our oceans.

9. What are you, Josh and Rhonda most proud of?

R & J: We’re most proud of the fact that we are able to keep everything we make sourced locally and in the USA. It’s easy to get products mass produced overseas by large manufacturers, but we pride ourselves on finding resources, whether natural or manmade, from other small businesses in our own backyards. This helps to generate more local economic activity for our communities so it’s a win win for everybody.

10. Describe your perfect day at the beach…. (surfing, beachcombing, reading, etc.)

R: I’m at the beach 4 to 5 times a week so a typical day at the beach for me is grabbing my 2 boxers and heading down to dog beach. They have soooo much energy that I like to run them a couple miles along the water before I let them off their leashes to play. That’s typically when I spot a unique shell or object that has been washed ashore. While they’re playing, I like to sift through the warm sand and look for nerdles.

J: I like to collect shells.

11. If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?

R: Costa Rica! I’ve never been, but I just know it’s a place that I could spend the rest of my life there. {and often daydream about doing so}. Their way of life is so much more relaxed and slower paced than ours here in the states. Not to mention everywhere you look is gorgeous. There motto is “Pura Vida”, a phrase that characterizes their culture……Pure Life! Who wouldn’t want that?

(Living Simplistically's City Pillows are Fabulous! Key West)

J: I was surfing since I was about 6 years old and I just love the ocean. I’ve traveled to some pretty amazing beaches around the world but there are too many places that I’ve yet to see to know where I’d like to live. However, my ideal place would have to be uncrowded, a tropical climate, a good right point break, good fishing, plenty of fresh fruit, no mosquitoes, and no poisonous snakes.

12. What would you like to try next?

R & J: More collaboration between Josh and I and our products, where we combine our burlap with his woodworking to create another unique product customers would display proudly in their homes.

It will be a pleasure to continue working with Living Simplistically as they come up with new ideas and new products.

Thanks again for stopping by!

(P.S. You can find Living Simplistically products on our site - simply use the search bar with the key words - "Living Simplistically")

Birthday Wishes from the Beach

2013-04-18T11:30:00.001-07:00

So.... today is my birthday. Unlike most other years, this one has been a little tough, as I am rapidly approaching the big five-zero. I was actually was okay with just ignoring the whole thing until I woke up this morning to a flood of birthday wishes on my personal Facebook page, along with texts and phone calls from my family.

Wow - what an outpouring of love. I feel so so so lucky.

This pretty cake was sent to me by another San Francisco beach girl - isn't it heavenly??

Have been saving up these sea-inspired cakes for just an occasion like this - wish only that we could be sharing some of these yummy creations together!

All sources can be found on my Pinterest page - The Coastal Gourmet

"Green" Coastal Living Decor Fabulousness!

2013-04-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Not sure if "fabulousness" is a real word, but this company represents it well! Enjoy our interview.

Laura's Office at Eco Accents

1. How were you inspired to create your company, Ecoaccents? My inspiration really started with my love for the outdoors and particularly with time spent on the coast and in the Florida Keys. I developed a fascination with sea life and marine creatures that shows in many of our designs. I am drawn to the look and feel of minimally processed fibers like burlap and natural cotton.

2. How did you start Ecoaccents? Ecoaccents started when I took the leap from making pillows for my own use to creating "green" pillows and bags using my artwork and bringing those products to consumers.

When?
We launched Ecoaccents in January 2011.

Where are you?
Ecoaccents is located in Raleigh NC - right between the NC mountains and our beautiful shore.

3. Why create "green" products?
Given the choice, I believe many consumers would prefer to purchase well designed and well priced green products over comparable traditionally manufactured products. Every green step makes a difference.

All natural cotton canvas pillows printed with environmentally -friendly ink, inserts are all made from recycled plastic

4. We love your bright, clean colors and design - why do you think you are drawn to create in "technicolor"?
One of my favorite design approaches is to take inspirations from nature and classic motifs like cane patterns, houndstooth and Greek key designs and add something just a bit out of place like vibrant colors.

5. What do you feel is your biggest influence on your own design ideas?
The natural world has the most influence on my design choices. Bringing the outdoors inside through design and combining those choices with traditional patterns and bright colors is the core of our design philosophy.

6.. Do you have a design or artist's mentor, someone that has inspired you to push your boundaries? If you do, who is/was it and why?
Joe Cox, a great NC artist and one of my professors at NC State's School of Design, taught me to view color differently. Joe knew no fear when it came to expressing himself through his art with color.

Ecoaccents bright turquoise coral trellis pillows for spring 2013

7. What do think is your true "uniqueness" with your products? What sets you apart from other home decor companies?
Ecoaccents is unique in that Ecoaccents products are made with earth friendly components and processes. We use minimally processed and sustainable fibers, no VOC inks, recycled paper, paper products sourced from sustainable harvested trees and recycled plastic fiber inserts for our pillows. Ecoaccents is unique in that we combine fresh design with an earth friendly approach to manufacturing.

Burlap and Natural Cotton Blue Shell Placemats

8. Do you have any favorite eco-green charities that you like to support?
We are happy to support the Ocean Conservancy. Another wonderful charity, the Cristodora Foundation, caught our attention with it's thoughtful approach to educating children about the natural environment. The Cristador Foundation provides inner city children with the opportunity to spend time out of the city and in the country on a working farm that the foundation owns. This experience allows children to connect with nature on a personal level. Having children grow to love their time spent in the outdoors is like creating an insurance policy for our earth. We all want to protect and care for what we love.

9. Does your company participate in any fun green activities in your community?
We have participated in local river clean ups and coastal turtle nest watches. We plan to join NC coastal clean ups this summer.

Ecoaccents unique soft washed burlap sea turtle pillows

10. What are you, Laura Allen, most proud of?
Of course, as a mom of three boys - I am most proud of my sons.

11. If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?
I would live anywhere with my family but would love for us to be planted somewhere along the intra-coastal waterway overlooking the marsh.

12. What would you like to try next?
I have a list of home decor products that I would like to reinterpret in ecoaccents green style. Stay tuned.. we hope to color your world green!

Can't wait to see what Ecoaccents comes up with next! For a full selection of their beach house pillows, including their unique washed burlap styles, and their fun table linens - check our website, and simply use our handy search bar with the words "Ecoaccents".

Here's just a few of my favorite examples:

Can't get enough blue seahorses!

Or modern coastal bamboo-style in bright colors!

Hope you all enjoyed having a peek into one of our favorite eco-artists' world. We love their well-made, durable and affordable coastal home decor, but especially admire their thoughtful approach to saving our oceans... one pillow at a time.

Sea Urchin Fascination

2013-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up on a rocky, barnacle covered beach in Kitsap County, we could find tons of shells; dark blue mussels, salt-water tumbled oyster shells, all kinds of golden snail shells and white clam shells.... but finding a sea urchin shell was very unusual. In all the years of beach combing around Puget Sound, I have only found one pretty green sea urchin and it wasn't even on our beach!

And then I moved to Northern California....

Now, I can't seem to leave any on the beach! This is just a tiny glimpse of my growing collection; love their green and deep purple shades and nature's perfect symmetry. Fascinating.

Tom and I have found a secret shell treasure spot at Half Moon Bay - shhhhhhhhh.

The beach can be littered with these gorgeous delicate sea shells after a storm, but you have to hurry and grab them before anyone else scoops them up!

Last week, we got lucky and had a very low tide - perfect for exploring tide pools in search of these purple spiny little gems.

Scrambling over the rocks while enjoying pelicans, sand pipers and a beautiful great white egret, we found whole colonies of sea urchins burrowed into crevices and every tiny hidden hole imaginable. (I took this shot while "sort of" hanging upside down!)

For me, decorating your home with coastal elements means adding natural reminders of wonderful time spent with friends and families at the shore. That is why I am constantly inspired by what we see and experience in our natural world; the colors, shapes and sounds of a favorite beach, or the creatures and shells we may find while we while we are strolling through the sand and waves.

Enjoy some of my sea urchin beach house decorating finds!

Teal Sea Urchin Jars

Blue Nerine Pillows - Sea Urchin Pillows

From Currey & Co. - these are real sea urchin shells!

Embroidered Red Sea Urchin Pillow

Pretty in Pink Shadow Box

Silver Stacked Sea Urchin Lamp

Barcelona Blues Area Rug

Coral-Tangerine Nerine Pillows - Modern Sea Urchin Design

Shells in your pocket!

See what I mean? I just can't get enough of these amazing shells!

Coastal Lifestyle - A Career in Flip Flops?

2013-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Enjoy our guest blogger Judy Thorne's story about her friend Juliette Bench. I spotted these fun summer nautical flip flops on Judy's Facebook page last week, and could not resist asking her if she'd like to write something up for our coastal readers.

--------
Knot your Typical Flip Flop!

There she was in China, exhausted from her New York flight and still feeling the tug of another wondrous weekend on Cape Cod. She’d had to rush back to the city for yet another overseas business trip, leaving behind the sand and the sea she loved.

Reaching into her bag, Juliette Bench pulled out a sailor’s knot bracelet, a circle of white cotton knotted rope just like the ones she and her cousins wore as kids summering on the cape. It reminded her of simpler times, vacations, sailing, swimming, the beach and summer. It was then that she was inspired to use the familiar knot design to walk away from her career as a New York shoe designer and create Cape Cod Shoe Supply Co.

A graduate of Cornel University, Juliette worked in New York City for more than 10 years designing shoes and accessories for large firms such as Kate Spade and Tommy Hilfiger. “I loved my career, but I felt exhausted,” she says. “I had just started going to Cape Cod regularly again and started to think of the different ways I could make a life there. But I wanted to keep on designing shoes – it’s one of my passions and I think sometimes I was born to do it.”

That sailor’s knot bracelet became Juliette’s inspiration for a line of preppy, nautical flip-flop sandals that incorporate the iconic design. It also was her ticket out of New York and onto Cape Cod. “I knew the only way to move out of New York, but continue to design shoes, was to start my own company and design something I really believed in.”

With $50,000 in savings and a year’s worth of free rent at her parents’ Cape Cod summer home, Juliette first founded a freelance consultant/design service in early 2011 for part-time income; she landed assignments with Taryn Rose, Sperry Top-Sider, Adrienne Vittadini and other footwear manufacturers. A few months later, she created her shoe company.

As a female entrepreneur, Juliette is part of the fastest-growing group of small-business owners, according to the website www.entrepreneur.com. The 2012 “State of Women-Owned Businesses” from American Express Open, based on U.S. Census data, reports that women own nearly a third of all businesses (29 percent), but they bring in only 4 percent of all U.S. revenue and provide just 6 percent of all U.S. jobs. Still, women own 8.3 million businesses in the U.S. and employ 7.7 million persons. And there has been a 54 percent increase in the number of women-owned businesses and an increase of 58 percent in revenue in the past 15 years.

Coaching made the difference for Juliette. Juliette found that her design experience and savings weren’t enough, and she needed a mentor who could advise her and would back her financially. Unlike many entrepreneurs, Juliette was able to turn to her uncle, Richard Harrington, chairman of a venture capital firm, who helped her create a business plan and cash-flow projection. She says he was her sounding board and reality check. Once Juliette had flip-flop samples in hand, he decided to invest in her company.

Juliette says, “Getting my flip flops sold in stores and having them sell out in days” is her greatest accomplishment so far. “And seeing someone on the street that I don’t know wearing them is a surreal experience.”

Juliette’s Cape Cod flip flops are available in retail stores or online at www.capecodshoesupply.com. She’s also on Facebook and Pinterest.

I will be buying a pair! Now to just choose the right color.....

Thanks to my friend Judy for the great entrepreneurial story! Being a fellow woman-owned business, I can understand and appreciate Juliette's journey to building a successful business. Especially since her business, like ours, is built around embracing a lifestyle beside the ocean.

P.S. You can find Judy's fabulous beach creations on our site!

Spiral Aqua Sea Glass Wreath

6 Ideas for Book Decorating at Your Beach House

2013-04-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

1. Use a clear glass vase or even a vintage mason jar full of collected seashells for bookends - easy to do! Makes your bookshelf instantly beachy, and so easy to change with the seasons and as you collect new beach treasures. Think sea glass, shells, driftwood....

My office bookshelf....

2. Use books to create an interesting impromptu side table! Would be such a great idea to use different books to reflect a season, or a favorite artist or coastal theme. I might add a fabulous tray on the top of my stack of books though, as I have been know to spill sometimes...

3. Make an impact by grouping books in coastal colors together. Or grouping themes together - like a group of classics in the same color shade. Especially interesting if they are well-loved!

4. Keep your coastal bookshelf interesting with space for artwork, vintage objects and real shells. Specimen shells are very cool, but honestly I am not a big fan of real coral, unless it is truly vintage. There are so many option out there for really good faux coral... Don't worry so much about matchy-matchy decor, just show off what you love, and what makes you happy!

5. Create a stack of books to make a design impact, giving your coastal room a completed elegant look. Mix with coral, shells or other found seaside objects. Get creative, but don't overdo it!

6. And my favorite idea of all - an entire wall of bookshelves to show off your

summer reads, favorite art and collected treasures.

Painting the inside of the shelf really gives it an extra pop!

So easy to change; paint the inside a different color, change the accessories, stack the books a different direction, change out the family photos or even add seasonal accessories. Possibilities are endless to create something that is truly an unique reflection of your home, and coastal lifestyle!

All of these ideas and more can be found on my Pinterest Board "Book.Dreaming". Stop by and see what else might inspire you to look at your collection of books just a little bit differently! If you are curious about where I look for inspiration, take a look at my Decorating Book Page at Liberty Bay Books for all of my favorites. Caron's Book Reads

My bookshelf is overflowing with sea glass books and these new favorites!

Books are just essential to me... do you have any to recommend? Happy Weekend!

Salmon Spring Fresh Risotto

2013-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

(adapted from Coastal Living Magazine – recipe by Julia Rutland; April 2013)

Confession time. I have never, ever even attempted any kind of risotto, but when I saw this recipe in the "Coastal Kitchen" section of Coastal Living Magazine, I thought I would give it a try. Especially since it appeared to have some short-cuts. (which I desperately need during the week!)

Ready in 30 minutes – I promise! Julia Rutland’s recipe makes 4 servings, but you could easily adapt it for 2.

Shopping List:

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil divided

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

4 cups chicken broth

4 salmon fillets

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

½ pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 ½ cups of sugar snap peas

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup grated Gruyere Cheese (Julia used Fontina, but I substituted Gruyere)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 lemon for garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and rice; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a separate skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper; sear 3-5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Super simple, and this way of cooking doesn’t clutter up the salmon with extra seasonings to cover up the taste.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Stir in asparagus, sugar snaps and mushrooms during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Stir in cheese until all melty and gooey – adjust seasonings if needed.
Dish onto plates and top with seared salmon. Serve immediately with a dash of lemon zest or lemon slices. Tom is a big lemon-lover on his salmon, so I served ours with lemon slices!

Large Etched Starfish Goblets

Tom recommends serving with of crisp-cold Sauvignon Blanc... in a pretty glass of course!

Sea Blue and White - Always a Classic Beach House Look

2013-04-03T08:18:00.001-07:00

How can you go wrong decorating with blue and white in a beach house? Mixing stripes, florals, seashells - the possibilities are endless! It's also a style that can look "beachy" with out being obvious, simply remember to use a little restraint, and edit, edit, edit.

Check out this Malibu cozy beach house total renovation from Barbara Grushow Designs. Oh mi goodness, am drooling.....

A room full of collected treasures mixed with crisp denim blue stripes, and natural elements of white seashells and a classic sisal area rug screams "coastal", and I think can be very welcoming.

Another glimpse of that glorious view! The wood elements in the twisted lamp bases and those fabulous honey-toned polished chunky wood side tables enhance the nature outside and warm up the room beautifully. Not too sure about the fringe on the lamp shades - I might have chosen simple natural textured linen...

Not so sure that I would have that many things on my coffee table, I really need a spot for books and my coffee cup, but I do like the blue and white pottery bowl full of mosaic seashell balls. And a beach room can always use a vintage model sailboat!

Using the same denim blue and white striped upholstery fabric on the dining room chairs does a good job of tying the two rooms together. It also gives the dining room a more casual inviting feel. Love that round bamboo mirror - very British Colonial!

Totally decadent and totally Southern California - can't you just imagine having a dinner party beside the sea with your very own outdoor fireplace? I think the hanging candle fixtures and blue glass Moroccan style lanterns just add that extra special element.

Or maybe we should dine out here with a gorgeous Pacific Ocean sunset? The tiny shell covered candelabra is a very nice touch!

You can see all of the interior portfolio shots of this gorgeous Malibu Beach home on Barbara Grushow's site - Barbara Grushow Design. Lovely work. Reminds me a little of Barclay Butera's style, but a little less formal.

Have a great Tuesday!

Spring Scallop Salad- Super Easy!

2013-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Caron’s kitchen tested! This spring salad is super fast, and super easy for a week night meal. Tom and I whipped up this healthy seafood concoction in less than 30 minutes. Tom was in charge of searing the scallops, as I am not always very confident about my scallop chef skills…

(adapted from Sunset Magazine April 2013)

The original recipe was created for a 4-person dinner salad, we adapted it for 2, so that we would not have any left over scallops.

Shopping List:

8 large sea scallops

1 ½ Tablespoons Grape Seed Oil

¼ - ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 Meyer Lemon zest or ½ Tbsp. regular lemon zest

1 ½ Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice or 1 Tbsp. regular lemon juice

½ Tbsp. olive oil

¾ cup thawed frozen green peas (the petite kind!)

1 quart mixed fresh Spring greens

4-6 slices of prosciutto, torn into pieces

Pat scallops dry. Heat a large frying pan (NOT non-stick) over high heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into pan. Add grape seed oil (it can be heated at higher temps than other types of oil) then the scallops; season with kosher salt. Saute’ scallops without moving them until browned and easily turned. Should be about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Whisk lemon zest, juice and olive oil with ¼ tsp. kosher salt.
Thaw peas if needed
Toss Spring salad greens, peas and torn prosciutto with half of the prepared lemon dressing. Arrange on plates and place seared scallops on top; drizzle with the remaining dressing, and finish with a hint of sea salt to taste.
Serve immediately.

Seashell Etched Wine Tumblers +
Ice Bucket for your cold Chardonnay

Hint: Having all of the ingredients ready to go and organized helps, as the scallops sear more quickly

than you think.

A fresh loaf of French bread and a lovely Chardonnay completes your gourmet dinner. Enjoy!

Coastal Fish Flatware can be found on our site. We love ours!

Spring Table Ideas for the Beach

2013-03-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Spring is my favorite time of year! Everything is bursting out in blooms, the air feels and smells different and the sun casts a different light... I have an entire "board" on Pinterest that is nothing but beach tablescape ideas - thought I would share a few of the spring ones with all of you.

Great for Easter parties!

Casual aqua vintage bottles, florals and stripes - simply fun and creative! (love the sweet peas)

Delicate florals mixed with coral - so pretty!

Love those white flowering branches, combined with soft aquas!

Beach buckets and stripes...

Aqua and lime - perfect beachy spring colors!

Pinks and oranges with a tiny gift for your guests!

Color Inspiration!

This is so elegant! Perfect mix of stripes, flowers and pretty seashells

Easter stripes and polka dots

This table idea is my favorite. I love how cutting early spring blooming branches brings nature into your home. The aqua, white and pink shades flow together perfectly for a home at the beach. This is a look that is super simple to recreate, mason jars, white dishes, vintage linens, aqua glass balls (or aqua sea glass chunks would work!) and flowering branches. Ah.... this is when I miss my old house and the myriad of plum trees and flowering apples.

All of these ideas, and their sources can be found on my Pinterest Board - "Beachy Tablescapes".

For more inspired beach table ideas - I highly recommend these blogs!

Between Naps on the Porch

Home is Where the Boat Is

Stone Gable

The Art of Sea Glass

2013-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Most of you know by now, that I have a sea glass problem. It's in all of my coat pockets, my beach bags, my car, and sea glass finds fill countless bowls and endless jars in my house. When Tom met me, he had no idea that he would be constantly fishing pieces of beach glass out of the dryer!

I started collecting bits of sea glass when I was only 7-8 years old on our beach on the Kitsap Peninsula. And until just a few years ago, I thought I was the only one who had this addiction. Low and behold - there's an entire community of people that are also sea glass obsessed!

Meet Aileen Cabral, of "The Art of Sea Glass", one of my favorite sea glass artists and now a good friend. I met Aileen on Facebook, and then met in person at the Sea Glass festival in Santa Cruz in 2010. Since then, I have been lucky enough to purchase several pieces of her sea glass jewelry. (actually, Tom bought it!) I wear it all of the time - with many compliments! My newest piece, an adorable little silver octopus is probably my favorite.

We met up at the Cayucos Sea Glass festival earlier this month, and came up with an idea, after a few glasses of wine while watching the sunset, to write an "interview" - enjoy!

1. How were you inspired to create your company?

I love to make things. I’ve always made some kind of artwork – murals, pet portraits and jewelry. When I started to make sea glass jewelry my friends really loved it, so I made more. When I find something I love, I make a lot of it – thus the need to start a company and sell it.

This is me, Aileen on the left

with my friend Kim,

who started me on this crazy

sea glass adventure!

2. How did you start the “Art of Sea Glass”? When?

My “big” start actually came from a little cameo appearance on the Travel Channel – on the show Treasure Hunter, Kirsten Gum. They were doing an episode on sea glass hunting and I made a piece of jewelry on the show. I got over 10,000 hits on my website that year alone. This was about 5 years ago. I still have customers that bought jewelry from me after that show aired – they come back over and over – which I love.

3. What or who do you feel is your biggest influence on your own design ideas?

The ocean is my biggest influence on most of my designs and some ideas were influenced by my oldest dear friend, Kim Ritner – she was the one who inspired me into making sea glass jewelry in the first place. (I used to do a lot of beading with natural stones)

One night we were looking through her stash of sea glass and I started wire wrapping the pieces. After a while I wanted to make more substantial jewelry so I got some books and taught myself how.

4. Why sea glass?

Mostly, because of Kim. She got the book “Pure Sea Glass” years ago and bought a sea glass pendant from an artist. I saw it and said “I can do that” – and I did. I love working with sea glass because every piece has a story and every visit to the beach is like a scavenger hunt.

5.. Do you have a design or artist's mentor, someone that has inspired you to push your boundaries? If you do, who is it and why?

I have a mentor who helped me tremendously with expanding my boundaries into the wholesale world. I met Dee Jansen, another artist, through a forum on WholesaleCrafts.com and she helped me with everything I needed to prepare for my first trade show. I didn’t even meet her in person until a year or more later.

6. What do you think is your true "uniqueness" with your products? What sets you apart from other jewelry designers?

My silver designs are definitely my uniqueness – they are different from most anything else out there that is made with sea glass. I make sea creatures that people just love. I have pendants made from molds of vintage and antique buttons. I come up with new ideas all the time. My jewelry isn’t just a piece of sea glass, it’s a piece of wearable artwork designed around the sea glass.

7. What are you, Aileen, most proud of? (can be anything!)

I’m proud that I was able to take a little hobby – sea glass hunting and jewelry making– and turn it into a viable business. My jewelry designs are in about 17 shops and galleries right now – and I’m always expanding. I’m actually really amazed that I’ve been able to do this – and I do it all. I’m the artist, photographer, web master, banker and bookkeeper.

8. If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?

I live in my favorite spot. Channel Islands Harbor. We moved from Horse Property (which was a dream come true) to a harbor house – which is another dream come true. I am so lucky to have the best husband in the world stand beside me. We are both so lucky to have lived in 2 dream destinations.

(Aileen's kitty, Cricket soaking up the sun!)

Check out Aileen's website, The Art of Seaglass, to find out how you too can own a piece of her art! I promise you that it will soon become one of your favorite pieces in your jewelry box.

Website: www.artofseaglass.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Artofseaglass

My Island - Where Art Comes to Life!

2013-03-18T11:26:00.001-07:00

Gerri posing with a selection of her fun beach cottage pillows!

We met our friend, Gerri Hyman of My Island Art a few years ago, and fell in love with her bright, colorful beach cottage pillows, canvas giclees and pretty floor mats. I thought you all might like to know a little more about what inspires her to create her incredible whimsical island-inspired designs!

1. How were you inspired to create your company, My Island?

I have always been inspired by sea life, tropical foliage, and all things colorful. These subjects have also always been my favorite things to paint so 6 years ago I decided to try "painting for a living" which meant I would paint and then reproduce my paintings onto products.

Blue Crab Art!

2. How did you start My Island? When? Where are you?

I started in spring of 2007 with 5 designs and 3 products: t-shirts, giclees, and prints. My Island is located in Greenville, SC.

3. We love your bright, colors and whimsical design - why do you think you are drawn to create in "technicolor"?

Because bright colors are never boring to paint with and almost anything you can create with bright colors turns out happy and cheerful!

Mermaid Art

4. What or who do you feel is your biggest influence on your own design ideas?

I am most definitely influenced by these artists: Diego Rivera and Henri Matisse. More current artists/designers whose work and products I am drawn to are Sally Huss and Laurel Burch.

5. Do you have a design or artist's mentor, someone that has inspired you to push your boundaries? If you do, who is it and why?

No not really!

Sea Turtle Pillows

6. What do you think is your true "uniqueness" with your products? What sets you apart from other home decor manufacturers?

It's certainly the color. I think my art is recognizable because the colors are bright and vivid. I could never paint a sea turtle, pelican or owl in it's "natural" colors!

7. What are you, Gerri, most proud of? (can be anything!)

My boys! They are bright, beautiful, insightful and kind.

Striped Grouper Pillow

8. If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?

HAWAII-- preferably Maui or the Big Island. I visited there for the first time when I turned 21 and I knew then that I wanted to live there someday. It all comes together there for me; the mountains, the blue water, the foliage, and the climate.

9. Describe your perfect day at your favorite coastal destination…

Sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling on a beach in Maui in the morning; a leisurely stroll down the beach in the afternoon; and a ride back home in my Jeep with top down in the afternoon!

10. What would you like to try next?

Ceramics!!! I don't know much at all about pottery-ceramics and I'd love to create some pieces. Eventually, I'd really like to have my art reproduced on these types of pieces, too.

Interviewing Gerri was a lot of fun! I for one, cannot wait to see what she comes up with for her next project.

We have a complete collection of My Island coastal home accessories on our Caron's Beach House site - come see! Bonus - All pillows are part of our "March Pillow Palooza" and ship for Free using our "pillows" code when checking out.

Happy Monday!

A Cayucos Sunset

2013-03-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night after we had been at the Cayucos Sea Glass Festival, Tom poured each of us a glass of delish California Cabernet for our walk on the beach. We walked right out of our hotel room and right down to the sand. Cayucos has a beautiful walking beach with tide pool rocks and tiny stones worn smooth by the pounding waves.

We strolled, picking up rocks (no sea glass!) and talking to many other beach combers, watching sand pipers scurry in the surf - all of us waiting for the sun to set into the Pacific.

Hope you enjoy our view!

Love this last shot of the sun light hitting the top of the waves.... Honestly, I think I have found my next beach town. Now I only have to convince Tom that we need to move.

(P.S. The photography is all mine, and not retouched or altered in any way)

St. Patty's Weekend

2013-03-15T09:20:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again - St. Patty's weekend. We started a new tradition about 4 years ago, and every year we find a new Irish Pub in the city to celebrate. If you have ever been to San Francisco, you know what I am talking about, there seems to be a never ending array of choices for interesting pubs and neighborhoods to explore. This year, we are headed to the Haight neighborhood to a highly recommended pub called Martin Macks, should be fun!

We have had some wild adventures in the city, which do not go on the Everything Coastal blog...

One of my long-time favorite customers sent me these photos from her trip last year to Galway, Ireland. She graciously gave me permission to use them.

I love it when people share a tiny slice of their coastal life with us!

Absolutely beautiful painted wooden boat in Eyrie Square full of blooming summer flowers,

such a gorgeous display!

Gosh, now I want to go and explore Ireland too. Have you been there? What did you do? What would you recommend?

Have a great time this weekend! I know we will, but there won't be any photo evidence...

Fabulous design - Liora Manne's LAMONTAGE™ Pillows

2013-03-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

As part of our March Pillow Palooza promotion, we wanted to profile some of our favorite coastal pillow designers. Meet Liora Manne'; she has created an unique process of textile design resulting in affordable, fabulous indoor-outdoor pillows - perfect for life at the beach! Tom and I discovered her bright colors and durable, soft cushions at the Las Vegas trade show, and we were absolutely thrilled about making them available to our customers.

Born in Israel, educated in the United States and now a true New Yorker, lifestyle products designer Liora Manné has been a study in breaking the rules from early in her career.

After graduating from Georgia State University with a degree in journalism and drama, Liora was anticipating a life in theatre. A textile design class at North Carolina State University changed the course of her career. Intrigued by the dependency of design on cutting edge technology in order to make ground-breaking advances, she pursued a master’s degree in both textile design and textile engineering.

Armed with her dual credentials in art and engineering, and sparked by an insatiable curiosity she headed to New York City to test her creativity. Her first stop was to design textiles for the fashion industry, but she soon found herself challenged to explore something more creative and non-traditional within the textile industry. Liora gravitated toward home fashions, and rugs in particular. Her entry into the area rug business truly changed the directions of the industry. Bold, contemporary colors sparked a revolution in a category dominated by traditions. Today, Liora Manne's LAMONTAGE™ products are featured worldwide.

Liora continues to travel the world to unearth inspiration from sites off the beaten path and to develop both product and technology before it hits the mainstream. The versatility of the products coupled with their international design appeal make them at home in institutions such as the Rubin Museum and Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Mondrian Hotel in California, Brown University in Rhode Island, and some of the most exclusive nightclubs around the world. They are also in the permanent collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Each one of her pillows is hand crafted using modern technology of 100% antimicrobial polyester - made to be low maintenance and durable.

Batik Tropical Fish

Colorful Tropical Angel Fish

Coral Blue

Coral Red

Aqua Double Knot Pillow

Striped Lighthouse Pillow

Navy and Rope Anchor Pillow

We love the brilliant pops of color and the details! All come in either 14 x 20 lumbar or 20 x 20 square sizes. These are only a few of the designs that we carry - all can be found in our new and improved Indoor-Outdoor Pillow collection.

Drake's Bay Oyster Farm

2013-03-07T16:35:00.000-08:00

Saturday's Point Reyes adventure continued....

After a fabulous lunch at the famous Station House Cafe in Point Reyes, we hopped back into the mini-cooper and headed out for Tom's oysters at the Drake's Bay Oyster Farm. By the way, I highly recommend trying this landmark cafe out if you ever get a chance - our lunch was wonderful. Full of all fresh local ingredients, including creamy Farmstead Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese - YUM!

Drake's Bay Oyster Farm has been in the news for the past several months here in California - I am not really sure about all of the details, but let's just say that the this farm that provides 40% of California's oysters was, and still is, in dire jeopardy of closing. The courts are still reviewing all of the paperwork and we shall see what happens.

Oyster Bar at Farallon

Because Tom absolutely fell in love with the taste of Drake's Bay oysters after having them at Farallon in downtown San Francisco, (our favorite restaurant) we've been wanting to drive out and have some fresh right out of the ocean. He was not disappointed.

To get there, it's fairly simple; drive around the western tip of Tomales Bay after turning off of Hwy 1 onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd, follow the signs to Point Reyes Lighthouse through Inverness. About half-way out to the Lighthouse you will find Drake's Bay Oyster Farm on the left hand side of the road. Gorgeous views of a boggy estuary full of egrets, pelicans and of course a sea gull or two. Ideal for oysters.

It was a little gray...no worries!

And we're here! At times, the line was 10-12 deep in customers. Many people bring their lunch (minus the oysters) with them and take advantage of the picnic area next to the bay. Next time, we may have to do the same.

See - Fresh right out of the bay!

There are piles of oyster shells waiting to be turned into something else - they will even let you take them home if you find something interesting in the discard pile.

Oysters, plus a t-shirt for Tom!
(He is such a good sport)

Needless to say, two happy campers. I got my much-needed beach break, and fresh Pacific Ocean air, Tom got to enjoy his Drake's Bay Oysters and some Mumm champagne when we arrived back home. Only champagne for me...

Red Coral linens can be found on our new and improved website. I grabbed the chalkboard napkin rings at World Market last Christmas - love them for parties!

Oysters... Not my Favorite

2013-03-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

Rustic Oyster Sign at Caron's

But, I do like their natural ocean-shell beauty, and I do like to indulge that handsome boyfriend of mine. So, today we will hop in the mini-cooper and take a drive up to Point Reyes. Have a little lunch, take a drive out to the lighthouse and then down to Drake's Bay Oyster Farm to grab some fresh, right out of Pacific Ocean, oysters for Tom.

In the meantime, I thought I would leave you all with some of my favorite oyster shell home decor ideas. Oysters can be found on the West Coast, the East Coast and every spot in between. And as always, I am amazed at how adding that extra touch of pearl-lustre shell into your home can really make such a glamorous statement.

Just take a look at the oyster shell covered lamp in this Austin Home (not on the coast!) featured at House of Turquoise!

Check out this adorable DIY chandelier that I discovered at Dixie Delights!

She even added a complete tutorial -

And you can always count on Jane Coslick for gorgeous oyster shell ideas!

From Coastal Living - ignore the Christmas part - love love that oyster shell covered mantle!

Simply beautiful oyster shell table garland for a seaside wedding! This could be used over and over again for all kinds of beach parties - so pretty. (Source: OnceWed.com)

Who could resist this oyster shell candle holder? Completely Coastal featured a fun diy tutorial with her post - check it out! DIY Oyster Shell Candle Holder

Here are a few of my favorite oyster-shell items on our new and improved site - take a look.

New! Nantucket Fog Wreath with Nantucket oyster shells

From Currey and Co - Blue Point Oyster Shell Lamp

Fun Oyster-themed indoor-outdoor pillows - little works of art, these are extremely affordable and durable, and great to mix and match with our other indoor-outdoor beach pillow choices.

More tomorrow from our Drake's Bay adventure!