G’day, I have been pottering with flowers and shells this morning, the sun is out and life is good…
….do you love seashell decorating…love going all coastal and nautical and beachy and displaying your seashells?..so do I!
I just love collecting seashells, I think they are the quintessential beach souvenir…nature provided us with her own holiday talisman and oh so much better than bringing home a sombrero!
We spend a lot of time beachcombing, I don’t think there are many things in life better than walking along the seashore, wind in your hair looking for things to put in your pocket…
…but sometimes, what to do with them?
I love them displayed in water and of course along with that I just love them dotted around with a glut of bright and pretty fresh flowers…
so this idea combines the two…a place to put your seashells stuffed in your pocket, after a trip to the beach and lovely flowers
here’s what I started with
To get a coastal -y nautical display going on is really simple, easy on the budget and works with pretty much any decor…for the BC Look add fresh flowers for a bit of colour…
You will need an array of shells and things found on the beach…we found the cork, some sea glass and other pretties for our growing collection…
Sometimes I add natural things, especially if it’s Autumn and the leaves are turning, I didn’t end up using those this time, but I know that for many of you who read this blog the leaves are turning and there are pumpkins around…just so easy for your fall coastal decorating to add in the odd pumpkin and cones among your shells…
To decorate your home with displays and make it work the key is different sizes and shapes…and the answer to a stunning vignette is to keep the main focal point fairly large and imposing…even if you have a small home…one collection of small things in a large vessel equals impact…
Though I am respectful of the traditional coastal/nautical decorating styles, obviously seeing as I have decorated this old cottage that way, I’m not so keen on the in your face ‘beach’ theme whereupon every sailboat, pebble, oar, lighthouse, ‘beach this way’ sign is thrown together hopefully for the beachy look..an amalgam of a few of those together with your own style though I think works beautifully
I like to add my BC twist to it…putting seashells and beach finds with vintage things and flowers…things that I have found treasure hunting around these beachside suburbs…things that say me and mean me
To be frank, I don’t really think you can beat a seashell in your decorating, whatever.
“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach;
Hiya Sarah I agree, you can’t go wrong when you bring the outside in when decorating. As the weather warms up around here I’ve been feeling the urge to throw a few more shells around the house to beach it up a bit…trying to smash it together with a country-cottage-prarie-style thing and surprisingly it’s working quite well And yes, I absolutely cringe at the whole OTT nautical thing too! Hope you have a great week.
Cas x
I know what you mean about “Beach this way” look, lol.
Still looking for some beach glass! I try to collect quite distinctive shells, rocks etc. I like to hold them and remember the good vibes and fun times when I found them.
My Nanna Mahoney always decorated with shells, driftwood, flowers, even little bits of green moss. She made her home so beautiful with ‘found’ things and things she had grown. Your post reminded me of visiting her home, such a lovely, loved place. Thankyou for the lovely memory.
Sarah, I love nothing better than to poke around on the beach, collecting shells, wandering around the rock pools…poking sea creatures…bum in the air…have been doing that since I was a kid, and hope to be doing it with my grandchildren (one day) when I’m 85!! Robx
“Though I am respectful of the traditional coastal/nautical decorating styles, obviously seeing as I have decorated this old cottage that way, I’m not so keen on the in your face ‘beach’ theme whereupon every sailboat, pebble, oar, lighthouse, ‘beach this way’ sign is thrown together hopefully for the beachy look..an amalgam of a few of those together with your own style though I think works beautifully”
I could not have said it better myself Sarah . I love what you do with the shells in the vase of flowers. I do it all the time so you can imagine my surprise when I saw your little dew drops in a gorgeous jar with a single shell in it! I had a good laugh, it seems I’m not so crazy after all (is what I said to my husband). I really love this arrangement Sarah, your best one yet (though I still love the one with the tiny shells in the big jar type vessels and cute little red flowers they were really cute).
The whole nautical/ beach/sea theme suits us well considering our explorer ancestors lol…. You are so right about the beach signs… Unless you actually live with the beach at your doorstep they really don’t lead anywhere lol… and unless you are a fisher man there should really be no fishing nets (unless they are being used as hammocks or in very small doses to hold glass balls or the body of a glass lamp etc.ohh the fish too, unless they are actual beautiful scultures and works of art… Yeesh I could go on about this all night but I will stop now…Watching the number 1 ladys detective agency episode I missed… Have a good night Saraha nd thanks for the eye candy
I love sea glass too – but I have heard that there is less of it nowadays because there are so many plastic bottles!!
I still have some lovely little pieces too – it is very hard when I am at our little rocky beach across the road because we are in a reserve…. sometimes little bit of sea glass does make its way into my pocket….
One of the coolest things I found on the beach were some little terracotta tealight holders (just before it became a reserve a couple of years ago) – whole but weathered – they were wonderful. There were about half a dozen whole ones. I like to imagine they came from an asian festival of lights ceremony – not quite sure how they made their way to NZ though….
I am definitely more drawn to your version of decorating in this way Sarah and likewise we love to beachcomb and always come home with our pockets laden with finds…though not too much in the way of shells so we need to explore more beaches here in the West.
this is why i love coming back here Sarah- it’s not the magazine total look- it’s your look- it speaks to us in a way no contrived magazine can…
your house is *who* you are….and your attitude embraces all the elements of your readers…the ones that come for the individuality- not the mass look of one *kind* of decor….
so thanks, as usual…for the continued inspiration…
I had nver thought to use shells in a vase with flowers. I’ve used pebbles, glass bits.leaves..but not shells. Der, It seems very obvious to me now. I have used shells to hold tea light candles. I’ve even found small rocks that are heart shaped.
I knew someone who had a large fishing net covering one wall in her family room. Attached were family photos etc with an occasional plastic lobster and star fish etc thrown in. It was an …..ummmm interesting idea.
Have a good one
jojo3b
I left my shells and sand up and added some fall leaves to the mantel. Mixed some in a bucket of driftwood also. It helps bring a little Fall into the home even though it’s still so warm here. I put some pictures up the other day. Stop by and have a peek if you get a minute.
Love your shell/ flower pics they look beautiful together. I have lots of pebbles and stones in this cottage, hubby is a stone collector and they look lovely dotted around. (They do get dusty however and one or two have dissapeard up the hoover nozzle but don’t tell him will you!!)
love it, i’ve gotten into collectin seaglass, only found small pieces on coogee and have heard there’s some in the manly area…. i also love driftwood but can’t keep any here since customs probably wont allow it home with me when i someday move back to the US
G'day! I'm Sarah, I live in a tatty old cottage, near the sea in Australia with a battered old deck & a big old fig tree out the back...stripped wooden floors, old sash windows & a jumble of vintage furniture. [Read More …]
Beach Cottage ladies, we have some vintage linen and some wood/twig washed up on the beach today here in Beach Cottage Land….don’t say I don’t keep you entertained now will you . Come on in. So, yep I have posted about colanders on this blog, about things sourced from the side of the road, about [...]
G'day ladies, let's have a Too Easy Beach Cottage recipe yeah? The original place for Too Easy Recipes on the web ;-)
So, after my last salad went down a storm in my inbox, that's here if you missed it, I had to do this one seeing as I make it most weeks.
There is a problem with this salad and kiddos though...it looks, well, it looks, kinda yucky...but once they try it, they'll ask if and when they are next having it....at least that's what happens in this ratty old cottage...but I must interject here that my kiddos are 'good eaters'? ...they didn't get a choice in that ;-)
Now, stop, don't start running and hitting that next on your blog reading list, pulses are your best friend in the Too Easy Dump & Go kitchen for the busy mum, or busy anyone for that matter...that reminds me I must blog the garlic canneloni Go To for when you forgot to do dinner, feel like a bath but have three ravenous young Beach Cottage Kiddos on your hands...another day.
I am almost embarrassed to tell you how easy this is, we have it so much that I always have a couple, make that six, cans of lentils around and a jar of goat's cheese in the fridge...the great thing about this is that it's all too easy to get ready in just a few minutes, but it looks, tastes and seems like you did oh so very much more than that.
You can obviously too change it up a bit depending on what you have to hand in your kitchen, and I must say that is how I settled on this version...because one day when I made it I didn't have enough Parsley in the garden and so I chucked in some basil too, and liked the Summer feel it added.
I think of this as being a rather posh salad, not sure why, because it couldn't really be further from the truth...the great thing is that it works so well for an average run of the mill day, (when I did this for this blog post, it was a hot Sydney Sunday and I did it just simply to go with Rosemary & Garlic stuffed pork, you can see that pork here),
...but just as easily it works on a regular old Wednesday night when you have lost all enthusiasm for rustling up yet another meal, or indeed on Saturday night, when your friends are on their way over for dinner and you my friend, are in your new vintage inspired clawfoot bathtub (that's me in a few weeks time, k?) without any clothes on, a tipple and no idea what to cook for dinner...
I have a complicated and ever-changing relationship with goat's cheese...it never fails me in its performance and it never fails to impress me (you can find out a bit more on what I like in food here if you like) and I kinda collect it...because it's very easy to collect and has a fairly long fridge-life, I love trying out different ones and there's not many things I love more than goat's cheese on sourdough...but I think the best thing about it is not thinking about it exclusively in the toast/salad department...I've stuffed it in chicken and all sorts of things as a last minute and it's been fab.
But let's get down to the nitty gritty of this super salad that makes you look like an angel who has been on her knees all day scrubbing the front step when really you are in the digital world and spent most of ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, howdy, howdy howdy today for a Beach Cottage Too Easy recipe.
If you like cake, cream, sugar and chocolate, make this.
This is, rather than a recipe, a putting it together...as you know I am no dessert maker, but, I do make quite a few sweet things, because, somehow I have ended up with kiddos, who in their roles as offspring, believe that part of the deal, is that not only do I feed them a home-cooked meal with a few homegrown ingredients in there, yes, they also believe that dessert and not the kind that comes out of a packet is included too in this All-Inclusive Deal they call Parenthood.
So, this, for sure, is no culinary masterpiece, but if you are looking for something that is so very easy, dump-able, uses everyday ingredients and at the same time makes you look like you spent hours pulling things together plus tastes good....well, then this is for you.
Best though, you don't make this for yourself, if you have spent the most part of your week sitting on your derriere reading blogs...this my friend ain't low in the calories department...if, however, you are treating yourself to a delight in a mason jar, this is so for you.
I first had a version of this when at dinner back in Old Blighty with a girl, I once, in another life, caught the train up from our village to London with...she was a funny thing really...I am not quite sure how we got on...she was kinda prissy and a bit bothered by too much...I would run to the train flustered, having got up late, and she would have a spreadsheet on the train times, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, a few years later when we both had bambinos, I bumped into her again and we met up for playdates and dinner sometimes....this particular night, after a lovely meal she served up little bowls of creamy, cakey fruity stuff topped off with chocolate flake...it was delicious!
She didn't serve hers in little jars like this, hers were in a champagne glass and not quite so layered as these ones, plus she used tinned fruit not fresh or frozen.
Years later when said offspring kept requesting dessert, one day I wangled together somehow these from what was around in the fridge and they've been with us ever since.
Most likely, if you ever come here for dinner, and shock horror, you dont' bring the dessert with you, this, if you are lucky, will be what you will get.
Throw it all together, sprinkle a lil bit of chocolate on the top and the blog reading past-time you so rudely left in order to make this, is my friend, your oyster.
Beach Cottage Too Easy Layered Raspberry, Cream & Sponge Dessert
1 small maderia or butter cake or a pack of cupcakes (or of course make your own)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp fruit
1 x chocolate Flake or chocolate bar for grating
1. beat the cream cheese until it is soft
2. whip the cream until soft peaks form
3. combine & add the sugar through
4. cut your cake into portions
& layer into the bottom of your jar
5. add a tablespoon of fruit
6. layer on top the cream combo
7. repeat
8. grate chocolate or Flake on top
*Beach Cottage Recipe Notes : this is just a guide really, you can use any cream that you have on hand...I have made this with clotted cream (don't even go there unless you want to seriously get these babies on your thighs), with double cream and I have even, in desperate times squirted in that, ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, well I thought it was time for some blogging tips here today, alongside a few nice flowers and shells ;-)
I was recently part of a blogger discussion group over at Kidspot and a couple of hours later had a few questions from girls who couldn't make it to the live chat, one was on my Facebook page and one via email, the Facebook one I will deal with in another Real Girl Blogging Tips post...the email one asked me what essentials do I think every blog needs?
Well I have been around here for a while now doing the blogging thing, so I should know this, yeah and I mused this on my walk by the sea this morning I thought well what do you only need?
...I think it is really very easy when blogging, whether or not you are blogging up there in the lofty heights of the Super Bloggers or you are just dipping your toe in the water, to get side-tracked by 101 million different things that are 'essential' to your blog and if you are someone like me who actually gets a thrill from reading blogging tips then you are in an even worse place because you will find yourself literally buzzing with these essential things to add/do/implement on your blog.
However, walking along, gulping down that brisk sea air today (no sunshine & clouds) I thought you actually don't need any of that professional blogging stuff to be successful...but there are a few things that are pretty much crucial ...and once I started to think about it I got it down to about 5 - these are the only things that you need to concentrate on...once you have read through take a look at some of the big girl's blogs...you'll see that actually they don't have bundles of stuff on their blogs...but they do have all of these...
So here are my top things that your blog must have
1. About Page
There are all sorts of About Pages out there, and if you search on it there are many different tips and ideas for what to have on yours
Whatever blogging platform you use, adding an About Me Page is easy, quick and simple and will do everything to grow your blog.
I like a long-ish About Page, I am inherently nosy and I like to know a bit more about the person but at the least you should have on it your name and where you are located. I also think a photo is good too...over the last year or so I think this has become more important in blogging - if you are hesitant about that as I was, you can try using sunglasses or a behind shot until you get comfortable.
There is nothing worse than stumbling upon a new blog and going to find out more to only be faced with a piddly little one liner About Me Page...well there is something worse, not having one at all!
2. Contact Page
The chances are someone, somewhere will want to contact you and you will be surprised what lands in your inbox once you put yourself out there on the world wide web with a blog.
Many bloggers also use this page to include details for PR's/brands that may want to contact them and some bloggers put their stats on there too.
A short, to the point and simple Contact Page works really well...whenever I have wanted to contact another blogger I am often very busy and have limited time so I don't want to hang around sifting through information looking for an email address, so concise and clear ...
G'day lovely Beach Cottage lovelies.
So, yeah, so on a roll people, so on a roll.
I feel kinda home accessory wired right now.
I am always telling people, if anyone ever listens, that blogging is all about passion, not that sort of passion, but about passion that makes one tick.
Things like this make me tick tick boom.
I love finding things that suit my budget and let me treat my home but look amazing too.
So without further adieu I introduce you, ladies of the beach, to the blue vintage glasses that I have been stroking for about a week or two now...
These glasses are from a little boutique I sometimes happen upon, this boutique sells also pet accessories, carpet cleaner, bras and compost...it's quite unique though.
And, thanks to my friend Marnie (she blogs over here, go take a look at her praying position, interesting), who just so happens to be one day having me over for a lil' Greek dinner, has let me in on the fact that we call Kmart....The KMart...with an accent ....as in 'I love The KMart'...just like her MIL does. Oh yeah. Love that.
So I have had my eye on reproduction vintage glass blue wine glasses and being trying to find real true vintage blue glasses for like ever.
Oh yes I have spied them in Frenchy boutiques, I have lusted after them in stores that I shouldn't even enter and I have put them back pretty quickly in those shops with the hand-written price tags. C'mon, you know the ones.
And, though all of the above have tempted me, muchly, really, even with my wardrobe stashing skills I just thought that, actually, I'd rather be saving that casherooni for our next trip overseas..
Hello The KMart.
Tick Tick Boom
Vintage style blue wine glasses.
Do not come to my old place and think you might pick up one of these and smile with pleasure at their handblown quality, their weight, and be secretly jealous that my wine glasses cost more than your car...friend, that would not happen...these do not feel like that...indeed these in a funny way reminded me of my baby girl, she was a tiny little thing, with stick legs, the tinsssssssiest ankles and wrists you ever did see, she slept sideways in her cot wedged in between rolled up blankets and would only settle attached to Mr Beach Cottage or I or a (dirty) pj top of mine scrunched up under her nose...the first few times I picked her up to cuddle, being used to Honeymoon Baby who weighed in at 9lbs at birth and has never really stopped growing, I nearly threw her little bird-cum-rat down covered body over my shoulder.
These glasses are like that...be careful or you might lose your wine down the front of your shirt.
But oh baby, we are not talking picking up here, we are not talking quality, we are not talking house accessory snobbery.
Beach Cottage ladies, we are talking aesthetics.
And this is what I need in my cottage.
Blue vintage style glass, paired with coastal / nautical / beach stuff on my deck.
It's The KMart.
Tune in tomorrow, tomorrow, I have more budget foofing for your home, or maybe it will be the dress that wraps me up in supermarket-chic and makes me feel like me again.
Good Day to you my friends, wanna come hang out on my deck, talk house accessories, The KMart and drink some wine from blue glasses?
Sarah
Hiya Sarah
I agree, you can’t go wrong when you bring the outside in when decorating. As the weather warms up around here I’ve been feeling the urge to throw a few more shells around the house to beach it up a bit…trying to smash it together with a country-cottage-prarie-style thing and surprisingly it’s working quite well 
And yes, I absolutely cringe at the whole OTT nautical thing too! Hope you have a great week.
Cas x
thanks Cas….the weather is lovely for us right now! enjoy
I know what you mean about “Beach this way” look, lol.
Still looking for some beach glass! I try to collect quite distinctive shells, rocks etc. I like to hold them and remember the good vibes and fun times when I found them.
alison
don’t know if you’re in the sydney area but i’ve found seaglass on coogee beach and i’ve heard there’s some in the manly area
My Nanna Mahoney always decorated with shells, driftwood, flowers, even little bits of green moss. She made her home so beautiful with ‘found’ things and things she had grown. Your post reminded me of visiting her home, such a lovely, loved place. Thankyou for the lovely memory.
Thanks for the Green Sauce Recipe Sarah – I tried it on the weekend and am in love……..B:)
Sarah, I love nothing better than to poke around on the beach, collecting shells, wandering around the rock pools…poking sea creatures…bum in the air…have been doing that since I was a kid, and hope to be doing it with my grandchildren (one day) when I’m 85!! Robx
“Though I am respectful of the traditional coastal/nautical decorating styles, obviously seeing as I have decorated this old cottage that way, I’m not so keen on the in your face ‘beach’ theme whereupon every sailboat, pebble, oar, lighthouse, ‘beach this way’ sign is thrown together hopefully for the beachy look..an amalgam of a few of those together with your own style though I think works beautifully”
I could not have said it better myself Sarah
. I love what you do with the shells in the vase of flowers. I do it all the time so you can imagine my surprise when I saw your little dew drops in a gorgeous jar with a single shell in it! I had a good laugh, it seems I’m not so crazy after all (is what I said to my husband). I really love this arrangement Sarah, your best one yet (though I still love the one with the tiny shells in the big jar type vessels and cute little red flowers they were really cute).
The whole nautical/ beach/sea theme suits us well considering our explorer ancestors lol…. You are so right about the beach signs… Unless you actually live with the beach at your doorstep they really don’t lead anywhere lol… and unless you are a fisher man there should really be no fishing nets (unless they are being used as hammocks or in very small doses to hold glass balls or the body of a glass lamp etc.ohh the fish too, unless they are actual beautiful scultures and works of art… Yeesh I could go on about this all night but I will stop now…Watching the number 1 ladys detective agency episode I missed… Have a good night Saraha nd thanks for the eye candy
I love sea glass too – but I have heard that there is less of it nowadays because there are so many plastic bottles!!
I still have some lovely little pieces too – it is very hard when I am at our little rocky beach across the road because we are in a reserve…. sometimes little bit of sea glass does make its way into my pocket….
One of the coolest things I found on the beach were some little terracotta tealight holders (just before it became a reserve a couple of years ago) – whole but weathered – they were wonderful. There were about half a dozen whole ones. I like to imagine they came from an asian festival of lights ceremony – not quite sure how they made their way to NZ though….
Just lovely. Full stop.
Kylie
So pretty!
Sigh….wished I lived close to the sea – but alas! I get my fix from you ; )
I just love to beachcomb, whenever an opportunity comes along!
Katherine X (in the country side!)
nothing says beach house more than a collection of shells
I agree with you. I love walking on the beach. I am a fan of your pictures!
I am definitely more drawn to your version of decorating in this way Sarah and likewise we love to beachcomb and always come home with our pockets laden with finds…though not too much in the way of shells so we need to explore more beaches here in the West.
Loving these images
x
Sarah – all of your vignettes and posts always make me smile. Have a beautiful day
this is why i love coming back here Sarah- it’s not the magazine total look- it’s your look- it speaks to us in a way no contrived magazine can…
your house is *who* you are….and your attitude embraces all the elements of your readers…the ones that come for the individuality- not the mass look of one *kind* of decor….
so thanks, as usual…for the continued inspiration…
Melissa x
Beautiful I love seeing the shells with the flowers. Makes me wish I was back living in Hawaii by the water.
very pretty post today! thank you!
Hey Sarah,
I had nver thought to use shells in a vase with flowers. I’ve used pebbles, glass bits.leaves..but not shells. Der, It seems very obvious to me now. I have used shells to hold tea light candles. I’ve even found small rocks that are heart shaped.
I knew someone who had a large fishing net covering one wall in her family room. Attached were family photos etc with an occasional plastic lobster and star fish etc thrown in. It was an …..ummmm interesting idea.
Have a good one
jojo3b
I left my shells and sand up and added some fall leaves to the mantel. Mixed some in a bucket of driftwood also. It helps bring a little Fall into the home even though it’s still so warm here. I put some pictures up the other day. Stop by and have a peek if you get a minute.
Love your shell/ flower pics they look beautiful together. I have lots of pebbles and stones in this cottage, hubby is a stone collector and they look lovely dotted around. (They do get dusty however and one or two have dissapeard up the hoover nozzle but don’t tell him will you!!)
love it, i’ve gotten into collectin seaglass, only found small pieces on coogee and have heard there’s some in the manly area…. i also love driftwood but can’t keep any here since customs probably wont allow it home with me when i someday move back to the US