Christmas at the Coast

While we aren't decorating this year at the beach house I have been collecting ideas for the future.... hmmm next year maybe? 
                       I love these Lynn Haney Ocean inspired Santa's!

This Sea inspired Santa Claus would be a must, don't you think? 

I love this for a tree topper!  Below is a $30 white I found

at Wal-Mart this year with colored lights  which can be hard

to find.  I would like one like this for the beach house  dripping in  blue bead garland ( which I also found also at Wal-mart) and I have the silver and pale blue ornaments in sheen and glittery 

If you click on picture you can just see them. This tree has pretty pink , blue,red green and yellow lights on it.  However in the pictures  more pink?  It's quite and surprisingly pretty tree!

It also wears a star made of  Capiz shells, which came from Goodwill Auction

 !

Currently in our entry way!

I love this whimsical piece , wouldn't a tree look cute with little boats like this.

My friend Flora Thompson's darling snowmen!

(http://www.boneheadstudio.blogspot.com/)

 

                                           

For the mantel something like this with sparkly silver ornaments and some fresh boughs ?

I would like to try this only with a big conch shell 

the beach blue with ornaments!

Like the color

                   scheme of the blue & reds with crisp whites.

Joss & Main Finds 

                                         

                        SIGH! MAYBE NEXT YEAR!

MERRY  CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT!!

Thought I'd post some pictures of our recent stay up at the beach. The weather was gorgeous and warm! Enjoy! Spectacular sunsets this is the actual color!  New additions to the interior . Love this metal whale I found in Westport WA! and the Octopus is from Pottery Barn. Cute ittle shell with air plant was gift from friends . Isn't it cute?

DIY CABINET PROJECT

     Originally this cabinet was in our den , then was moved into our "library" area at this point an area of lost toys so to speak.
  We have had this piece for a long long time and I was tired of the oak wood.
  I finally decided to sell it. Trying to entice possible buyers, I suggest repainting it in black or beach colors . Offering it for a modest 125.00 ....No sale . 
  I had been drooling over some vintage cabinets on Pinterest that had been beach blue, when finally I realized one of the pieces I loved was very similar to something I already owned! DUH! slap my forehead..  

   I suggested to the hubby we could bring it back into the den IF he was willing to work his painting magic on it. Accommodating as always, he hauled out our stash of colors.  I chose Belize by Sherwin Williams.

Using liquid sand all over the piece, love this stuff, he then give everything 2 coats , we decided to use Surf on the inside, one of things I never liked about this cabinet was it was dark unless I turned on the display light, which we rarely ever did.

After the painting was finished , it was my turn. It's hard to see in the photos , but I took heavy grade sand paper and went to work. Especially on the doors and top edges. Then using glazing mixture of 1 part acrylic black paint (folk art paint) and 3 parts glazing medium  and a few drops of water , I glazed the entire piece.

If you would like a dark glaze you would add 1/3 black to 2/3 glaze. I love it!!!

Another great item from JOSS & MAIN

  Another great find for your Beach house or Cottage home!

 This adorable cabinet!! an you don't have to paint, it can you say SCORE!! at $76.95 ..... another DIY  without the paint!! 
HA HA!  I have attached the link on the right side of page for anyone wishing to check it out. 
On  today's list of sales 9/5/2013 I don't think it will last long at this price . Tell me Susan sent you!

SHOPPING ON A SHOE STRING! AND OTHER DIY'S STUFF

   Trying to furnish a vacation home can be a little daunting. Furnishings that I would love have in our little beach getaway are in one word EXPENSIVE!
  One has to be creative to create the look and feel without breaking to the piggy or charging credit cards sort of defeats the calm and tranquil vacation if you have to worry about the how you're going to pay the bills!

  My husband and I have a fondest for vintage pieces , having said that, I wanted something colorful and fun for our  beach house.  

     While I crave having those gorgeous slip covered white linen couches that Pottery Barn is famous for and the beautiful fluffy pillowed beds with duvets so luxurious they are also very expensive :(  It is not practical for us with grand-kids visiting .. 
   Ebay has been a big help for Pottery Barn bedding, I have found sets of  Pottery Barn bedding that was sold out on the site, that people have purchased when they had their clearances throw them on Ebay and find others had the same idea. This set was one I wanted for our guest bedroom, brand new Pottery Barn set for 110.00!! Still in original packaging. ( ugly lamps have since been replaced, came with the house)

  There are always bowls of  snacks on the coffee table/ game table  including the Yummiest Malted Balls I have ever had. The chocolate is thick and the malt ball is huge the size of a big jawbreaker! Which also means chocolate fingers, peanuts in the cushions ... you get the idea...
 So for now we'll keep using the leather couches we have, but that doesn't mean I can't have some of the other things I adore!  This cute beachy looking accent table I found after a extensive search  the original one I found was a whopping $400.00!  This one $114.00 on Amazon prime free shipping!

    I present to you an alternative to save you even more money! Joss & Main  has this little cutie for $55.95 right now on their site with free shipping! A small can of paint and liquid sand paper and you could have a knock off without the expense!

  
Here is a pretty cottage side table someone posted on Pinterest,  the person was wishing she could own that table.  can you say designer piece ...expensive?

On Joss and Main I found this table on it's website today for $55.95
It is not exactly the same , but has similar lines and would be adorable painted pink and look just as charming, don't you think? there's lots to see on the website and SOME AWESOME steals  here's the web address https://www.jossandmain.com

Joss & Main has been a place I have shopping online now for several months. I have found tons of beach type items as well as lots of other goodies. They gather items all together with names like Industrial Inspirations ,Divine Decor 


Have Fun!!! Susan

Another DIY project

For this DIY project  wanted a a beachy round table for our cottage, so I started searching for something round that would work between the 2 couches. Everything I loved was $400.00 or more....

Finally I happened on this cute table from Overstock, bonus I had a coupon so it cost just 109.00 ! Score!

I didn't mention to my husband that I wanted to paint & distress it. When it arrived I explained what I had in mind, he didn't say anything but quickly went to work.

 Since it came un-assembled  he used liquid sand to remove shine, then painted it with latex satin finish color I had chosen. He wasn't particularly careful as I planned on distressing it when he was done. He assembled it and I took over.
 Once it had dried , I used med grind sand paper block and went to work sanding, allowing the original finish show through in spots.

I just love how it came out!  For a 109.00 purchase price for end table using paint we already had we have a table that looks really high end for a fourth of the cost!
Here it is finished and up at the beach~  

I am currently working on another project , unfortunately I didn't think ahead and removed all the old material and didn't think to save it to use as pattern.  
It sat in the in the garage for 2 yrs until we decided to redo our bedroom. Once again it came out to the light of day and finally started getting it's make over.
 Since I am almost at the finishing stage I will show you where it is at this point.
 A couple of things to look for when redoing at chair carefully remove old material to use as pattern.
I would also suggest choosing a chair that has a decorative element that allows you staple or tack each side, it would be a lot easier than this chair. I ended up machine stitching the top and hand sewing the rest of the top half of the chair because it narrows..sigh ...  forgot about that part.

The lower half this chair I was able to use my hubbies staple gun yay!  At this point I am adding the cording in same material 
chair,  it is not perfect but  it works for me.....
below is an example of easier back rest to do.

Summer House

Just a quick image from my back porch.....Misty morning picture at the beach.....         Peace & Tranquility   The Summer House
                     all rights to this picture belong to me

Endless Summer Vacation! Yippee!!

Nothing better than summer at the beach.......  nothing! Warm days, sand between your toes, salty sea air and gorgeous, glorious sun! Temps have been mid 70's , soft breezes it's time to break out my favorite things to do! yep SCOOTERS!! So much freaking fun!!!
 The red is my hubbies and the vintage looking blue is mine!

with 26 miles of fresh water canals , 2 lakes, the bay and the ocean  to check out I could ride all day long!  

With 3 birthdays and the 4th of July within a few days of each other we had celebrations galore! Most memorable was Christian's our grandson who is now a teenager ! 

we enjoyed a DAY OF CHRISTIAN starting with chili cheese omelets in the morning. Lunch at the RED GENIE PIZZA yummy best pizza ever...love the crispy crunchy boneless wings too!

Then off to the beach to set off fireworks!  The fun continues!

Must show you my new kitchen curtains that I made!

Newest  Knock off !

Joss & Main had these same curtains for $65.00 for the 2 panels which I ordered then kept getting emails from them that they were back ordered 2 months later still no curtains . 

I do not handle waiting well. I searched and searched for these curtains to no avail.  Finally a search for Sea friends fabric brought me to https://www.fabric.com  

For $8.49 a yard I was able to make these same curtain!  Saving over $50.00 !!! woo hoo!

another picture of them! and my husband handy work my newly tiled back splash and marble tile counters.... I so love them!

 Pic of my sand castle and sand pail collection above the cabinets and tiny trike ..

Fireplace , work in progress, trying to figure out something different on the mantle  just not sure what to do with it. Seems like everything sort of disappears up there... I'll figure it out eventually ..

Few pictures from Westport Trip

                             Another view of Terry's knock off  
                    Pottery Barn  shelf and boat he refurbished ,
            sand castle , star fish and antique porcelain mermaid.