Subscribe to Pleasure in Simple Things via RSS ReaderFollow Pleasure in Simple Things on InstagramFollow @InSimpleThings on TwitterLike Pleasure In Simple Things on FacebookFollow Pleasure In Simple Things on PinterestEmail Jackie

Tag: sand & sea


its always half full

13
August

diy beach sign

Talk about pleasure in simple things…I can‘t believe how excited I got recently about a piece of garbage that ended up in my yard! 

When pieces of a neighbor’s rickety fence started falling into my backyard, I got a little irritated…until…one day, I went out to cut the lawn and found the most beautiful piece of old fence out in the grass.  It was one of the pickets from the old fence and it looked like a wonderful old weathered piece of driftwood.

photo of the shore

Such a simple thing…but repurposing that piece of fence gave me so much pleasure :)

I put that lovely piece of fence into my freezer for a few days…I always figure if there are any bugs or insect eggs inside the wood, they would not be able to survive the freezer!  Hope that is a correct assumption! 

beach sign from a fence picket

When I was sufficiently satisfied the piece of fence was bug free, I wrote “beach” on it with a white Sharpie oil based paint pen.  I had planned on sanding it after that to make the writing look worn.  But, as it turned out, the pen soaked into the wood in spots and created something of a worn look all on its own.

I love my beach sign!

I think I was meant to learn a lesson from that old piece of fence.

John Wooden quote

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

1 comment » | diy, sand & sea

5 great ways to use sea glass

31
July

“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach.  One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few.”
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Okay, after spending countless hours searching for sea glass, you are pleased with your collection this season.  Are you tempted to add it to that one big jar you have in some nondescript location?  Don’t do it!  There are better ways to put these beautiful treasures on display.  Here are five great and easy ways to use your favorite pieces of sea glass…no drill, glue, or special talent required.  (Be sure to click on the photo collages below to see the sea glass treasures full screen.)

IN YOUR GARDEN  Sea glass looks great as a decorative touch in your garden.  It gives a fresh look to a birdbath or garden container.  It is also a neat way to finish off a potted plant by covering the top of the soil.  Maybe the thank you gift for the weekend you spent at your friend’s beach house is a plant finished off with the treasures you collected while visiting. 

ON A SHELF  A great way to display favorite pieces in your home is on a shelf, bookcase, or coffee table.  Just use a couple favorite pieces to highlight them as special, or group them by color for some great impact.  They look wonderful used in combination with other natural items like driftwood or a bird’s nest.  A unique piece can look great under a small dome on your mantle.

AS A VASE FILLER  Using sea glass to fill a vase is always a great way to bring the beach into your home.  Pieces can be used in a vase with fresh flowers or to anchor a candle in a jar.  Putting pieces in a mason jar and adding an old nostalgic black and white beach photo is a great addition to a summer mantle.  If you have a large collection, filling a glass lamp is another option.  I like to use a filled vase to serve skewered summer appetizers or desserts.

MAKE AN EASY AIR FRESHENER  Gather some pieces of sea glass into a small dish or teacup to use as an air freshener.  Just add your choice of fragance oil.  I found some really great oils at a local herb store, but most craft stores also carry it.  You can pick a floral scent or something reminiscent of the sea and surf.  Yard sales or Goodwill stores are great sources for pretty dishes that are sure to sell for under a dollar.  Or, use that odd teacup you haven’t been able to throw away.

TO CREATE WRAPPING PAPER  Take a photo of some pieces of your collection.  Get a color print of it on your home printer or at the local copy center to use as wrapping paper.  An easy way to add the beauty of the sea to a gift.  Use raffia or pretty sea-colored ribbon and tie on a shell to complete the look.  Use your new giftwrap for any occasion.  It is a great departure from the giftwrap typically used for the holidays..using it brings recollections of  warm memories of the sand and sea no matter how cold it may be outside :)

Thanks for visiting, Jackie

This project is being submitted to Celebrating Everyday LIfe recycled & repurposed diy project linky party

5 comments » | diy

in search of a ‘beachy’ wine

6
July

friday field trip

This week’s Friday field trip is to a liquor store…not very characteristic of me, since I am not a big drinker and I am not usually the one in the family to make the trip to the liquor store… but, I am on a mission…I am looking for a ‘beachy’ bottle of wine!  I am one of those people that has to love the packaging as much (or more) than the product I am purchasing.

At this time of year, there should be plenty of beautiful  summer labels to choose from…my only criteria is that it can’t be a red and it can’t be expensive.  (Although I am pretty sure for the right awesomely beautiful label/bottle, the criteria may just fly out the window.)

Instead of showing you photos of a liquor store or some of the contenders, I will cut right to the chase and show you photos of the winning bottle!  It is a wine called SeaGlass.  Love it!  This bottle happens to be a sauvignon blanc.

 

Now, this selection is merely by aesthetics.  I won’t know if the the taste measures up until the tasting,  over the weekend.  The label indicates it is a perfect choice for light summer fare, so it sounds perfect!   I will give you a full critique of the tasting on my facebook page, if you want to check it out at the end of the weekend.  https://www.facebook.com/insimplethings

 

Great, isn’t it?  Growing up, I always called the glass I collected along the shore, ‘beach glass,’ but it seems most people use the term ‘sea glass.’  Either way, it is beautiful.  The website for the manufacturer, SeaGlass Wines, is just as beautiful…if you want to check out their other varieties of wine, or just admire their website: www.seaglasswines.com

With temperatures in Connecticut in the 90’s, I think I will put my bottle of SeaGlass right in the fridge to cool down until the testing!

Does anyone have a ‘beachy’ bottle photo they would like to share on facebook or twitter?  I would love to see them!

 

6 comments » | food & festivities

Back to top