Shell Styling Tips From the Beach House

I had lunch with an old friend recently and she showed me her mother's stunning shell collection.  Her mother passed away before we met in our first year of high school, so the shells that her mother picked up all those years ago are very dear to her.  My friend asked my thoughts on how to display the shells.  So here's to you Jules....better late that never I say!!!!!

The first way I thought about displaying the collection, was in a fabulous biscuit jar, I picked up from Leah @ The Inside Story It's vintage looking and the embossed glass give an interesting effect to the shells.  If you don't have one of these, any glass jar will do, lid or no lid.  Your shells will still look fabulous.

Then I thought about the other vessels I had, which looked beachy and would be great to hold shells.  These wooden vintage pieces are often available at charity stores or garage sales.

There's a pineapple

And then a wooden fish which reminds me a little of a printer's tray.  It's been sitting in a draw for six months since the School Fair last Spring .  It cost a couple of bucks and would be great for any beachy collection.

 Then there's the old faithful cloche, for that high brow scientific look.......   This look would last 5 minutes on my deck, with The Beach House Brats often banished to this part of the Beach House, particularly on wet days.  But you dear reader, may be in that enviable position, that I often dream of, where your darlings no longer swing from the chandeliers trashing everything in their path.  If so, spare a thought for me, a very house proud mama who is constantly thwarted by the attempts of her kiddos, to keep anything intact for more than 5 minutes.

But if I should be so lucky, I would lay it out on some coastal greens for a tropical vibe.

Lanterns are an ab fab way to show off your shell collection.  Stick to the $2 stores for these, as they get rather exxy in the Beachy retail outlets.  You can certainly do this look for under $20 if you shop around.

Stack up small glass jars with shells and stick a tea light on top for a hot Summer night on the deck.  Mr Beach House looks 10 years younger in this kind of light and I must say it doesn't hurt my complexion one little bit either.  It's all about illusion, these days gals.

So my beachy friends, when styling with shells, think outside the square.  Let me know what you do with these gorgeous little pieces of art, provided by nature.

To all those lovely friends who said they had missed me in my absence, thank you and remember if I go MIA again, I'll still be here, posting away and wondering who is out there!!!!!  Thanks so much for stopping by I do so appreciate you.

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