Quick Seashell Display Frame

Beachy things go hand and hand with summer. Seashells are a big part of that. The other day I found some cute little basket of seashells at Dollar Tree, but displaying them was a challenge. My playroom shelf is full enough. The living room mantle needs a summer overhaul, but the scale of these small shells wouldn't work there. So, I decided to frame them.

I've had this yard sale frame for a while. I admit that the picture attracted me, since I've been thinking about nautical stuff for the playroom. However, I decided it was a little too cheesy even for my taste. But, I liked the frame and for 50 cents it was a bargain!

So I took it apart and put the picture aside...

...cut some cute vintage map scrapbook paper with my cutter, and re-framed it, this time minus the glass...

...and then hot-glued the shells right onto the paper. It looks to me like one of those butterfly display cases, except for, well, the fact that it's shells. :)

It's also 3D. My 3 year old son thinks it is great fun, and keeps petting the shells.  He wants me to glue on some "more" but it is complete.  I plan to make it part of a gallery wall in the playroom. It will stay up at least through the summer. Stay tuned for a gallery wall post! It's coming together!

Linking to:

Back to the old curtains

If you didn't read my previous post about having a party and going all crazy last-minute to fix my family room/ basement, well, that pretty much sums it up.  I've always wanted to replace my ikea curtains with doublewidth panels and tried out the Peytons from Pottery Barn because there was no time for custom curtains.  When I put them up, they completely changed the look of the room.  I figured I could repaint another time and switched up my rug and accessories for a quick change:

BUT it was completely the wrong feeling.  I loooove that rug but not in my family room.  I wanted fresh & fun & happy (we hang with the kids here a lot) and the rug & curtains were taking the room into a more serious, richer place.  Not okay.  So, I tried out the PB peytons in french ivory and with the lining and double panels, they still felt to "decorated" for me so up went my old cotton Ikea curtains.  I added additional rings so they wouldn't sag as much and am totally fine with them now after my fiasco.  (Just need to hem them! ;)

{The two men in the photographs are my dad (top) and my husband's dad (bottom) waaaay back when.  We have very odd wood work going on in our old 70s house so for now I'm just forgetting about it.}

I also switched up the art & accessories, FINALLY pulling in the green I was craving.  My basement was bothering me because it was so unrelated to the rest of my house but now with the added green, I'm loving the flow.  I had this old dinosaur chart and added the Peter Dunham pillows and a Dash & Albert rug we had:

{ignore the messy blanket and toys & books- sorry no time for pretty!}

And here's a pic of the natural woven shades we put up:

I'm ordering another set for the large window by the sofa to replace the white roman shade there, which will add the texture that's missing for me over there.  And here's a quick pic from the party:

I'll share pics from the party in my next post.  It was a ton of fun and took place almost entirely oustide.  I'm pretty sure no one even noticed my curtains.  (Except for those who'd read my whacky post before coming!)  Ah vell.  I do have to say though, I live for this stuff. 

xoxo,

lauren

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