Quick Shell Craft

I was trying to decide what to do with the hundreds of shells I have collected, and playing around with a few of them. I found some old bottles, bought some corks and glued the shells to the tops.

I can't decide if I like it or not. Libby doesn't. She especially doesn't like the one with wire and beach glass. I think it would be better if the bottles were a little more decrepit and if the wire had some patina. I may go back and try adding something around the top of the cork where you can kind of see the glue - maybe some sand or wax with some baby shells embedded.

I really like the blue-ish tint of the glass. Hmmmm.... Still working on it....

Any ideas? or just scrap it altogether??

Peace

I want to go back to the beach.

Seems like I've been going from one crazy situation to another. Sometimes it's all too much! This weekend I am just going to try to find a little piece of peace and try to exhale.

Hope everyone out there also has a refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating weekend.

Last One...

This is the last of my vacation pictures, and I think it's appropriate that I'm posting it a week later, just as the last little bit of that good vacation vibe is starting to wear off.

I have no idea what plant this is, but it's all over the place near the beach. Even when I was looking at it, I wasn't sure if it was a vine, a bush or a tree. But whatever it was, it wasn't going anywhere! These things were thick with shoots going off and wrapping around everything.

The leaves were like big round saucers, and they were gorgeous colors. The deep green leafy part, up against the yellow and hot pink veins. Very much the colors of Florida.

Pretty, pretty, pretty! Sometimes, you just need a little pretty. Have a lovely weekend!

Souvenirs

Shells, shells, shells...shells, shells, shells. I love 'em. I don't know what to do with them, but I have jars and jars of them around the house because I just can't help myself. Whenever I'm at a beach, I am on a mission. It's like a treasure hunt!

If I were alive when shells were currency, I would have been the richest old broad in the tribe - fo' sho'!

The top two pictures are some of the ones I found at the beach near Venice, FL which is famous for finding shark teeth. Didn't find any of those, but I admit I wasn't looking for 'em. Actually, there wasn't much on the beach, but about 3 feet into the water the ground got really crunchy, so I was finding these with my toes. WEIRDO!

But wow - what fun and some gorgeous stuff. And look - I found some small pieces of coral, too. How cool is that?! Most of the time I was about waist deep in the ocean. I'd find something and put it in my pocket (I had on shorts over my swimsuit). By the time I was ready to leave, I could barely haul myself out the water my pockets were so heavy and stuffed with my riches!

The next three are a sampling of the ones I found on Sanibel Island. OMG is all I can say about that place. WOW! I could have spent days out there hunting. I was definitely practicing the famous local move known as the Sanibel Stoop. Step and bend, step and bend, step and bend...

There were a lot more seekers on Sanibel. I was concerned that I may have to take out a few old ladies if we were going for the same jewels. I know - it's a sickness. I admit it - I am a shell-hoarder.

Interestingly, there was NO beach glass to be found. I think I have it even worse for that stuff than for shells. But no complaints here - I'm thrilled with all my pretties.

Ouch! This is the other souvenir I brought home. The result of being so wrapped up in my shelling that I forgot about the consequences of staring at the ground with the sun on your back all day. Luckily, I tan easily so most of it is already brown. Oh well, a small price to pay for the trophies I found!!

I wish shell crafts weren't so cheesy looking and really only appropriate for beach house decor. One day, I'm going to come up with something really cute and fun to do with all these, until then I'm just going to be happy knowing that I have them. :-)))

Heading Home

We had a lovely, relaxing time in Florida this past week, but I am glad to be going home. No matter how crazy "real life" might be, there is always something satisfying and comforting about going home. Vacation... ahhhhhh! Home.....ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Sanibel & Captiva

This has to be one of my new favorite places. Sanibel and Captiva Islands just off the coast of Ft. Meyers, Florida are GORGEOUS!

About a year ago I was watching a show on the Travel Channel about the best beaches for finding shells and these islands were listed as the best. That, of course, meant they went immediately to the top of my "Must Go There" list.

We spent all day Wednesday hanging out, combing the beach for shells - I found TONS (more on that later this week) - and then eating and watching the sunset at the Mucky Duck Pub. It was fab-u-lous! Both islands are relatively small with lots of bike lanes and tons of places to stay, but we just went down for the day. Next time....

The top two pictures I took from my beach chair on the Sanibel beach, and the bottom two I took on Captiva.

Heading home tomorrow - hopefully the trip home will be much quicker than the drive here. I'll be posting pictures of all my treasures from the last few days over the next week.