[sugar_slider id=”23″]

These Victorian shell ships were thoughtfully made many years ago. The sails and bodies were cut and shaped from polished shells, the holes drilled, the miniature uprights cut and finally all woven together with wires or heavy thread to build the sailboats. Surely these were made by men who once sailed the seas on real ships.

These sweet images of sail boats are now anchored on top of an old desk of mine at the beach house along with some wooden fishing boat models, several horn sailing schooners and some delightful sea birds.

[sugar_slider id=”22″]

I love to spend the longest day of the year at the beach. Looking out to the sea with no earthly interference to the light, the day is lengthened and the light stays longer.

We watched the sunset amidst the dramatic clouds, feeling fortunate that it was not overcast and hidden like it can be this time of year. We savored the last fiery lines of light as the sun gave up the fight for light and the darkness began to rule the night.

[sugar_slider id=”20″]

I have a collection of treasures I’ve found on the beach stored in my kitchen drawers. I like to take out some of the sea treasures and play, creating pleasing arrangements and using them for summer decorations around the house. They are so much fun to use in tablescapes at my beach house. I make additions and rearrange them to keep the compositions fresh and fun. They also work great framed on the wall.

Here I have wrapped seaweed around coralline algae and muscle and scallop shells. I added another variety of funky pink seaweed and I fixed everything in place with gold sealing wax. The possibilities are endless! You can also use superglue for a permanent hold.

To mount these 3-dimensional collages on the wall, superglue your finished product to matt board and frame. It’s are a great project for the whole family to do together.

[sugar_slider id=”19″]

While I was dusting my tables at the beach house last weekend – always a labor of love – I marveled at the exquisite sea forms in this arrangement of sea souvenirs and photographed it. Most of the shells on this table are abalone shells. I purchased these here and there. It was only last year that I found one myself while I was beach combing in New Zealand. Abalone is common in New Zealand; it is popular as a food and the polished shells are used frequently in their traditional jewelry designs.

Two of the three large abalone shells are antique ink wells from the late 19^th century. I am always on the lookout for antique shell objects. There are many varieties of  vintage shell finds like shell sewing accouterments, shell ships and the classic shell cameo, to name a few.

I enjoyed adding some other beach finds, like the odd shaped flat rocks, Japanese floats and several odd shells. In addition, miniature antique books create some interest and make a great little background for found-object arrangements.

[sugar_slider id=”17″]

I found these four green shell plates at the Antique Mall in Lincoln City, Oregon! They make the perfect unifying backdrop for four diverse sea- themed objects.

I used antique green marbles to crown both of the sea urchins; just for fun!

On the third plate I have a large tiger cowrie shell. It has the entire Our Father carved on the surface and is from the late 19^th century.

The fourth plate holds a collection of shells encased in a glass sea urchin. It was originally sold as a souvenir from a little beach town in New York state.

The larger purple sea urchin came from The Shell Game, a shell shop in Cloverdale, Oregon. I also found the sea urchin that I used to design the Sea Urchin Tea Light. The sea urchin lamp is cast so thin that every detail is illuminated when the candle is lit. Light up your summer evenings with this soft patterned glow