Silver and Shells

I found these great patina goblets and silver candlestick at a thrift store yesterday and decided to make them into little vessels using moss, shells, and feathers. I think they'd be great center pieces for a dinner.

Recharging My Soul

I was cleaning out my bookcase the other day, and came across Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I dusted it off and started re-reading it last night.  I forgot what a lovely, amazing book this is, filled with insightful advice on age, love, peace, solitude, and contentment penned from her time on vacation by the sea.  Written in 1955, it's still relevant today filled with wisdom and beauty.

 One of my favorite lines from the book....

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient.

 To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith.

 Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches.

 

 Patience and faith,

 

  One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach

 —waiting for a gift from the sea.”

Trash to Treasure

I finally got around to refinishing this cute, little french table/cabinet I found discarded on the side of the road. I think the impending move has me motivated to finish up some projects. What once was a piece of trash is now my fancy, "new," french cabinet ala Florida Beach Chic!

 

 

Before & After

Perfect for Storing Liquors

The Crisscross Pattern was Already Engrained in the Wood. Love It!

Voila!

Breadbox Re-Do

While strolling through the Swap Shop Flea Market the other week I found this tired wooden breadbox from the 1970's.  What caught my eye was the "bread" font- a pretty script...and I knew I could paint it and transform it. Best part=$2.00.  So here's the before and after.... looks worth more than $2 now!

Florida Beach Chic Living Room

I've been a busy girl...planning out how we're going to redecorate our new home.  I've settled on a soft palette of gray and cream combining soft linen and velvet textures with burlap and muslin.  I think it's going to be a nice mix of "elegant beach."  I absolutely adore the sofa...Martha Stewart for Macys....I usually don't buy new furniture, preferring to reupholster and repurpose, but this is exactly what I had in mind so I couldn't pass it up. (plus Macys is having a huge sale), it would cost me the same amount to find this style couch and have it reupholstered.

Resources:  Sofa/Macys; Rug, Chandelier, Wall Mirror/Home Decorators Catalog; Paint/Sherman Williams; Urn, moss balls/Save on Crafts.

From Trash To Beachy Treasure

I found this side table discarded on the side of the road in a parking lot. So into the car it went.  It wasn't in too bad of shape and I liked the curve of the legs.

Before!

After cleaning it up and adding some glue to the legs to make them more secure, I lightly sanded the entire table and applied a base coat of cream semi-gloss paint. I then lightly sanded it again and applied a gray wash after the cream paint had dried. I then sanded it one more time and went back over the piece with a dry brush of cream paint again.  I sanded it again and added a matte gold wash over the surface.

Once the entire piece was dry I took a piece of cheap lace (key word is cheap, you don't want to use your good lace for this project) and secured it to the top.  I found a lace curtain from Kmart on sale for $1.00.  Take time to arrange it on the surface of whatever you're going to stencil.  Make sure it's pulled tightly and secured to your surface.  I use blue painter's tape to secure my projects (it doesn't take the paint off).

Once everything's in place I spray painted the table with a matte spray paint in a pewter/beige color. Let it dry then pull off the lace and voila! a brand new lace top table.

finished table

detail of lace stencil on top of table