SUMMER MANTLE.....THINKIN ISLANDS & COASTAL AS USUAL

Well the rain has finally stopped here in New Jersey and the sun has been shining with temps in the 80's!   So I decided it was time for a summer island mantle.

The decor in our living room has a lot of island inspiration......palm trees, banana trees, animal masks & prints.  So when doing my mantle I try to keep within the color scheme if I cant go with theme.

Finally here there was no issue.....sand, shells and glass and I had myself and mantle!

Here is the fireplace wall in the living room

An apothecary jar from Home Goods filled with sand and Ocean scented candle, starfish, seashells and some coral crustation under the glass lid

A glass bowl filled to rim with variety of collected seashells, 2 large shells on display and a palm leaf inside old pottery piece.

Here is our Summer Mantle!

-MJ

UPDATE:  I SWITCHED IT UP A BIT.

Since my little one is walking, I took the glass dish with shells from coffee ottoman and moved it up onto the mantle.  I added a few more shells.

Took this big shell from out beachside bathroom downstairs and also switched out the palm leaf for a ocean breeze candle (you can see I use my candles)

apothecary jar top with pieces of interesting beach finds

I think this will do.......for now

Linkin up to this party because I love this couple, their blog and their project ideas.

The Lettered Cottage

HOME TOUR OF MYRTLE BEACH 2010 RENTAL

Lets 1st make our way to the bedrooms upstairs, where the kiddies slept, played and went crazy.

Dresser top in the larger bedroom...I put my 15 yr old & 3 yr old in here, no terrace or sliders (I can sleep better knowing that)

The beds to the same room....I thought the linens and colors of the room were really nice. This room had 2 queen beds....my girls were definately queens for this week, they have twins at home. lol

This is another bedroom which has 2 twin beds although it has sliders but they have a faux terrace. Again cute linens and color scheme to the rooms.

Dresser top in that bedroom...I think the lamp and fish are cute, I threw my daughters shell bracelet there for color. lol 

This is the 3rd bedroom upstairs, my 11 yr old son actually slept in here despite the flip flops adorned with flowers going over the bed.  He liked it because the curtains are blue and it has  its own bathroom/shower. 

This is the master suite upstairs as well....all the rooms are decorated with similar linens from Nautica.  It has a king size bed (we have a queen at home, so this is definately a vacation. lol) A flat screen tv (which hubby hasnt turned on yet) a private master bath with jacuzzi tub and separate shower.

These are the nightstands in the master, very simple.  Just the lamps and pictures were there....I found the ceramic shells and put them there.  I have a thing for 3's.....old merchandising habit I guess.

Now back downstairs to the main living area...

This is the left side of the LR, Big Daddy J was napping on the other sofa (lol we were swimming all morning with the kids) they were still in the pool and I got baby down for a nap so took advantage of quiet time.

This is the top of that precious little curio table.  I love that the top is a tray as well.  I want this in my next house.

I need to have this clock....I dont know where it is from but its a buttery yellow just like the dresser in here as well and their both yummy. 

Here is the yummy yellow dresser.  It only had the lamp on top and the "Thank you for not smoking mini sign. lol.  I added the plant on top and to the side.  I like that it picks up the palms in the picture above.

These boxes were just lying around and so was the crane.  I was trying to disguise the outlet and fill the corner.  I hate empty corners....my step-dad says that his and my mothers house is round because she fills every corner (its so true!) I guess thats where I get it from.

RENTAL REDESIGN

So here is more of my redo on the rental house.  Like I stated in a previous post, the renters before us removed alot of the decor and no one thought to put it back before we entered on Saturday (that of course required a complaint filed by me) For the amount of money we are paying for this week....this house should have been ready to go.

However.......I do love this little sitting area in the living room.   When we arrived there were ugly outdoor cushions on these chairs and nothing on the table.   So of course, me being the fanatic that I am.....I searched around the house and found some cute little treasures in the cabinets.  I love the chairs and the table...inside the table are seashells and starfish (they were already in there).

Now I'm happy to spend the week here.....I hope next week's renter like the redesign. lol

Baby it's cold outside.

Well since I'm still waiting on my ebay bird dishes I thought I would share some of the rooms in my home with you.   Its unusually cool today for a June day in NJ so lets go to the beach.  I'll share with you my guest bathroom downstairs by the man cave/family room level.   Keep in mind that i just moved from my home of 8 years into this home as a rental with the hopes of buying next year.  So alot of things cant be altered as much as I might want to. lol   We live about 2 blocks from what they call here in Jersey (the waterfront) so I decided to go with a coastal/beachy vibe in the bathroom.  Hope you like, im sure it'll change here and there.  You dont know me yet but I get bored very easy and change things around almost weekly..haha