| One way to bring back memories of a summer at | | | | be used to make all sorts of design, murals |
| the beach is through beach themed decorating. | | | | or beach diorama. |
| It is also a way for kids to have activities | | | | |
| in crafts and maybe even make a special gift. | | | | The diorama is my favorite for kids. Use the |
| | | | shells, some fine sand, maybe some starfish |
| I like to start with the bathroom (for me the | | | | (there are inexpensive dried starfish |
| most obvious room to start with); there you | | | | available on the internet), and even some |
| can add pictures, either sketches or framed | | | | plastic fish. Use blue plastic film to |
| photographs to the walls. I think enlarging | | | | represent the ocean, cotton balls for clouds, |
| your own picture (especially if it includes | | | | maybe a toy boat too. The little drink |
| the family) looks best. | | | | umbrellas are great to use as beach |
| | | | umbrellas. You can glue broken shells |
| Towels with starfish, seahorses, seashells, | | | | together to form a reef too. This project |
| of fish look great. Again, as with the | | | | could also be used for the kids to make |
| picture, I think it can be more enjoyable for | | | | inexpensive Christmas gifts for family |
| the family if you start with plain towels and | | | | members that show a little more thought than |
| wash clothes, then sew on or embroider your | | | | the average gift. This a also good project |
| own beach or ocean themed designs. | | | | for kids to bring in to "shut ins" that used |
| | | | to enjoy going to the beach. |
| Soaps can also have a beach theme. Place your | | | | |
| soaps in a shell container, or even make | | | | Back to the Christmas idea, seashells can be |
| decorative soap by carving your own designs | | | | turned into great Christmas ornaments too! |
| in them (Ivory soap works great for this). | | | | |
| | | | The garden is where my wife likes to add a |
| A fishing net embedded with starfish (or even | | | | little more ocean themed flair. She enjoys |
| a puffer fish) hung near the tops of the | | | | the Pangansin shell wind chime with the |
| walls really brings home the beach theme for | | | | urchin spines that make musical notes. I |
| me. Then there are decorative shell baskets | | | | personally more like the flowing beauty of a |
| (which are easy to find on-line). These Shell | | | | stairway (spiral) shell wind chime. |
| Baskets can be placed on shelves or just the | | | | |
| toilet reservoir. A final touch to the walls | | | | In the garden next to a hammock or just lawn |
| would be a shell night light to add evening | | | | chairs is a good place to hang the shell wind |
| illumination to the bathroom. | | | | chimes. You can even construct a more |
| | | | life-like "out door diorama" using a small |
| One more suggestion if one is feeling | | | | pond with a fountain head, beach sand or |
| industrious is the flooring. You can find | | | | whatever similar is available, again some |
| linoleum tiles that have fish, shells, or | | | | starfish and seashells and you have your own |
| anything beach related and place these on the | | | | personal beach space. This can be a little |
| floor to finalize your bathroom. | | | | more difficult in colder climates, but the |
| | | | pond can be turned off in the winter, and/or |
| As for the kids; the Shell Baskets I | | | | covered with a tarp to prevent damage from |
| mentioned earlier are an inexpensive way to | | | | falling leaves or whatever else fall and |
| get the kids involved. These baskets usually | | | | winter bring. |
| come with many different seashells that can | | | | |