Vacation is over for us leaving sand in the floorboard of the car, tan marks on our skin, and a smile in our hearts. However, I have a few tangible reminders around me of our time away and they are sweet blessings!
Like thousands of other beach combers, I came home with a little stash of beach treasures. I usually only get one or two shells and tuck it into the car for a sweet remembrance of our time away. However, this time, I had a bit of a plan in mind of how I’d use some extra shells. So, as we walked along the seashore, I looked for certain shapes and sizes for my projects.
Before I left for the beach, I had drawn this beach theme on my chalkboard. Of course the quote I wrote on there isn’t true, but we do love the beach and I thought it communicated that! I decided I needed to add some shells and also some other touches to complete the “Beachy look” of my mantle.
I found the sign with the starfish on it and the blue conch shell at a cute little gift shop on Edisto Island.
I scattered some of my larger shells on the mantle, below the chalkboard.
I filled a glass jar about 1/3 of the way with sand and added some of the shells I collected, and then I set the jar on top of a small stack of books. The second book in the stack is my very old copy of “The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore.” I’ve had that book since my elementary school days! I think it’s called an antique now!
The last use for my shells was for a Christmas ornament. I saw lots of ornaments like this for sale in high end shops, and decided I could make it for pennies! I filled a glass ornament (I had purchased some glass ones last year) with a little sand, then added tiny shells that would fit into the opening of the ornament. After securing the top of the ornament back on, I used a Sharpie and wrote, “Myrtle Beach 2015” on it. It will be a great reminder at Christmastime of the wonderful vacation we had this year!
I’m thankful that though my vacation to the beach is over, I have pretty reminders of our time away around me in the house. It makes me smile while I get back into my normal groove once again!
Thanks for coming to take a peek!
With love from my country porch,
RefreshHer 
Love your ornament! I remember looking for that when we did our after-Christmas shopping!
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Thanks, Whitney! I love it better than one I would’ve purchased. These are MY shells and i remember where I got them and the fun of the collecting them. All that makes it more than just an ornament!
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So pretty Denise and like you, I have a Christmas ornament made from shells from Tybee Island!
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Thank you, Arlene. Aren’t those filled with memories the best kind of ornaments?!
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I have a vase filled about halfway with sand from Folly Beach that I add my shells to each time I come back with some. I have the clear glass ornaments to make some out of, too, but I haven’t made them yet.
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Adding to a vase each time is a good idea!
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