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