Landlocked but feeling beachy!

Even though I am "landlocked" I love the ocean and have very fond memories of all my beach side vacations.  I always brought home souvenirs of sea adventures.   When I was 21 my Grandma and I went to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and we each brought home a trash bag full of scavenged shell parts...we did buy a few intact shells at local shops but mostly we brought home imperfect shells.  And we loved them!  We made crafts out of them, we displayed them inside and out...and I still have some of them and I still show them off every chance I get.

I have lots of big ones outside, surrounding plants and accenting areas of my deck garden.

They just add that extra pizazz and remind me of good times.

I also have seashells in the house, this ball has shells glued on and the mosaic tray reminds me of beach glass.  I made it out of a simple wooden tray and some flat blue marbles.

I have a seashell for a door stop...

and a thrift store vase filled with seashells...

it adds a summery look to the top of this antique quilt cabinet.

I have a few fake seashells on the windowsill...

and another grouping of coral, a candle and a giant glass vase about half full of shells.  I wove the denim table runner that sits underneath this grouping.

I am fascinated by the coral...how it used to be a living creature.

Overall I  like to surround myself with beautiful natural accents...

makes me feel a little less "landlocked"!