Beach Glass Bliss

 

     Are those seashells? In February? Yes...not only are they seashells, this is an odd tablescape as it isn't perfect and it even has paper napkins! My daughter wanted some ideas for decorating tables using beach glass colors, on a budget. So, actually this is a tutorial of ideas for her that I decided to share. I didn't buy anything, I just used things from around the house and they certainly aren't perfect choices. However, it gave her an image of what could be done.

 

 

     Imagine that you are seeing white gerbera daisies, orchids or some other "Florida flower" instead of white Illinois winter carnations from Walmart. I didn't have any seafoam or turquoise napkins and in my small town, I couldn't find any...so, turquoise paper napkins it is.

 

     I brought a large round table up from our basement. The only white, round tablecloth I had large enough had the embroidered flowers on it. I would actually use a plain white cloth if I were having guests. White plates and salad plates and my mother's sterling flatware give an idea of what can be done. The dinner plates are a little too casual for this table, but all of my other white ones had decorative edges.

 

     I wanted to add a pop of color to tie in with the centerpiece. I couldn't get the paper napkins to fold in any decorative style. I topped each with a shell, which could be an added take home gift for your guests. If using a cloth napkin, I think a decorative fold with a shell tucked in would be pretty.

 

     For an actual take home gift, a simple white box tied with ribbon and rafia with a shell (or sand dollar) could be filled with candy, nuts or a small jar of local preserves.

 

     The centerpiece was what I really wanted to show my daughter. Using a round mirror for a base, I started with a piece of coral (this one is actually faux coral) to add a little height. I scattered beach glass and then tucked in various sizes and shapes of shells. Two small round vases and one tall one with beach rocks could hold one large bloom (saving lots of $$ at the florist). I did add a few glittered starfish (I did them myself with Martha Stewart glitter) to pick up the light from the candles.

 

     I thought I would like the added tall vase for varied height, but once I saw the pictures...I think I would probably add another smaller vase instead. For a round table, I like to be able to see the people on the other side.

 

 

 

     So, there you have it. As I said, it isn't exactly the way I would do it if I were having guests, but it gave her a good idea of what she could do with just a few items...many of which are so easily available and affordable in Florida. I also think that you could put some actual beach sand on the mirror and scatter the beach glass through it. It would be a way to still add color to the table and yet use less beach glass which can be slightly expensive. I just wonder if the sand would blow all over the table if someone sneezed or there was a draft in the room? What a mess that might be!

 

     I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Please stop by and see the beautiful tables this week.

 

 

 

A Little Florida Sunshine

     We are in the midst of our first winter deep freeze. The wind chill has finally gotten  up to 2 degrees this morning. I thought I'd share just a few warm photos from Christmas week in Florida to remind us all that winter doesn't last all that long!

     When we took my dad to the airport a few days before Christmas, we decided to head over for a day at Daytona Beach. My daughter had the day off, we were up early and it was in the high 70's. We spent a few hours sitting (napping) on the beach. It was a bit cloudy and the water was way too cold to get into, but there is nothing quite like the sound of the surf to make you relax.

     The drive to Daytona from Orlando is only about an hour. I spent every summer of my childhood at Daytona Beach. Truthfully, I think it has gone downhill over the years, but the beach is still very clean and I love that you can drive on it and park your car right on the beach.

     We had a bit of a shock as we were leaving the beach. We drove very close to a completely naked man stretched out on his stomach right near the driving lane on the beach. He obviously wanted to be seen. Let's just say, it wasn't pretty. Now, if it had been one of the lifeguards...I might have taken pictures...but, it was a 40-something, slightly overweight, pale guy...icky, icky, icky. Daytona Beach isn't a nude beach, so my guess is the guy has issues.

We had lunch at a cute little waterfront restaurant.

It wasn't anything special, but the view was lovely.

     The next day we went to Winter Park. It is a beautiful little town with wonderful shops and restaurants. We have often talked about the possibility we would move there when my husband retires. We found that an inner courtyard in the business district had been redone and it was beautiful. I am a bit surprised that people don't accidentally walk into the fish pond...but, I did love the look.

     My daughter has been telling us that she thinks we would prefer Winter Garden as our Florida home. We decided to make the short drive from Orlando to check it out. I wish I had taken more pictures.

     We loved Winter Garden. It is much more relaxed than Winter Park. People were shopping in shorts and flip flops instead of high heels. I think my daughter is right, we truly felt as if this might be a possible home for us in the not too distant future. The Historic Downtown has cute shops and small restaurants. The people were so friendly and when we asked about living there, they were very welcoming.

We loved the Farmer's Market, there were

some very interesting local products.

     While the downtown area is very quaint and old-fashioned looking, there is also a new area just as we drove into town that has every store you would find in a very nice mall, several restaurants, spas and gyms. What I loved was that both downtown and the new area had regular parking! I hate driving and I certainly don't want to have to go into a parking garage or parallel park just to run into a store. These things become very important when you are looking for a "retirement" hometown. We still have plenty of time to explore the Orlando area. We just know we want to be close enough to have our daughter come for dinner or baby-sit if she needs us to and yet be outside of the horrible traffic and tourists in the Orlando/Disney area. We are certainly having fun looking!