Cutting Angles -Wood Buoys Pottery Barn Style

Laurie of Projects by Laurie emailed me to let me know that thanks to this post Tying the Monkey Fist Knot with Rope, she made this most perfect little knot! Click image to check it out (also, see more "Inspired Readers" here). Then I looked around Laurie's blog...


... and found these Pottery Barn style wood buoys -another great Pottery Barn Knock Off! Unlike my free style buoys (see here), cutting angles for these is done with precision...


... and the wood buoys are decorated with numbers too. The tutorial, Laurie found it at Stephanie's blog Under The Table and Dreaming.


Stephanie began with a few scraps of 3x3 pressure treated posts. The two shown in her cutting angles Tutorial are 12 1/2 inches and 13 1/2 inches tall.


My husband was cutting angles for my buoys with a miter saw, here a circular saw is used, which you are probably more likely to own. So you (have your husband) cut all the guidelines out on each side. Once done, drill out a hole near the top, then sand your wood buoys and distress if desired.


And here they are. Stephanie's gorgeous Pottery Barn Style Wood Buoys! Oh, and the numbers, easy breezy peel and stick vinyls.

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Guest Post: A Passion for Vintage Purses

Hello to all of Maya's friends!

My name is Vicki and you can find me at Vicki-2Bagsfull. Like Maya, I am inspired by all things "coastal" - any coastal, any water, any where!


I have been invited to share with you my passion for collecting "coastal" themed vintage purses and beach totes..., and to have a guest spot here on Maya's beautiful blog is like - WOW! - such a thrill. Thank you dear Maya!


Vintage Enid Collins - oh my! I am sharing with you a few of my most favorite purses from my vintage collections. These creations by Enid Collins are quite collectible and rather difficult to find.


Her "Coastal" collections were all the rage in the 60's and 70's. Enid began creating purses in 1959 as a means to make ends meet for her struggling family. By the end of the 60's she was one of the most sought after purse designer's in the world.


My Enid vintage purses were actually purchased at antique stores and flea markets throughout the years - before the advent of Ebay. Now, of course you can find many choices of Enid Collins purses on the auction site. But be careful - there are impostors out there!


Educate yourself before you buy. Valuable information about Enid Collins purses can be found here. Also be aware that many of the vintage purses being sold on Ebay are often missing some of the brightly colored stones that Enid used to embellish her handbags. If you are willing to pay for a purse that has missing stones - you may be able to purchase repair stones (salvaged from damaged purses) from a supplier - also found on Ebay.


This basket purse is from my Longaberger basket collection. The Boardwalk Tote was a very popular choice in the 90's. I love the striped fabric liner and of course - that blue starfish tie on! This purse is now a highly sought after collector's item - so, you know what that means!


And last, but not least (and certainly not least expensive!) is this Mary Francis seahorse purse - also now a collectible. Mary Francis is known for her "over the top" embellished purses. They can be purchased in specialty boutiques and shops across the country - as well as online. They are quite expensive (sigh~~). Fortunately for me, this purse was a birthday gift from my sisters several years ago.


Have you wondered why all of those beautiful vintage purses were photographed on the beach - surrounded by exquisite yarns? The photographs were taken for my recent blog post relating to my new line of Designer Bird Nests. For the "Shorebird nest" - think the colors of sand, sky, ocean waters, and sea mist. Add seashells, pearls, specialty beads, and some other surprise embellishments. The photos on the beach were taken as a Prelude to the debut of these nests on my blog. I hope you will visit me to view the first in my Limited Edition series of designer inspired nests.

Dearest Maya, I have enjoyed being your guest blogger so very much! What a pleasure this has been to spend time with you and your dedicated readers. I will leave you with a quote from a favorite book - A Gift from the Sea "one should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea".

Vicki @ Vicki-2Bagsfull

Thank you so much Vicki -you have opened a whole new world to me!
I knew nothing about vintage purses nor Enid Collins, so I'm really thankful for this post!

Search Ebay for Vintage Purses and Enid Collins.

Browse everything in the subcategory Vintage.

More Guest Posts:
Shabby Fabric Starfish
Beach Inspired Home in Michigan

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Sea Jewelry & Necklace Giveaway by Isola Bella

Virgin Island resident Gina of Isola Bella (see sponsor ad) has just recently introduced her Beachcomber Collection, an elegant line of sea jewelry that includes urchins, corals and sea fans, available as ear rings and necklaces.


Gina casts her sea jewelry in sterling silver from actual pieces that she discovered on nearby beaches and islands, and you can see all the details of the found objects -what a treat for us sea lovers! And the good news...


... Isola Bella is having a Sea Jewelry Giveaway! One lucky winner will receive this gorgeous coral branch leather necklace. Click here to enter. The giveaway runs through Thursday, September 2nd.

Note:
Leather necklaces are made by a certified green company, and only environmentally friendly dyes are used and sustainable practices.

Good Luck & Happy Weekend!

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Before and After: A Nautical Furniture Piece

Kristine of The Painted Hive found this cupboard in the gutter, and you won't believe the transformation.


It's now a stunning nautical furniture piece, topped with a vintage map of the Mediterranean Sea...


... and knobs made with nautical decals.


For the tutorial on how to make these great nautical decal knobs, click here.


And the finished product -bravo! Thanks to Kristine..., if I ever find something like this in the gutter, I'll see the potential for a fantastic nautical furniture piece for sure!

Here's the how to in a nutshell:

First, of course, it's painting, distressing and sealing the piece. Then the real fun begins..., applying the map and nautical decals (for the map Kristine used a gift wrap paper that she found at a local paper specialty store). The same technique applies for both, the map and decals. You print them on normal paper, and once cut to size, give them a few light coats of clear matte spray, then glue them into place, finishing with a few coats of protective satin sealer using a paint brush - that's it!

For all the details go to Before and After Cabinet Makeover & Customised Handles.

Browse everything in Before and After and all Decoupage craft projects.

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Love of the Sea

This is what Debbie of Love of the Sea wrote: "I first learned about authentic Glass Floats from this terrific blog that I read regularly, called Completely Coastal. There was a story about Kamichia, who has an Etsy Shop called Glass Float Junkie. And, once I started researching the history of glass floats, I was hooked. Anyway, I just received my second shipment and am in love with my glass floats from Kamichia."

Thanks so much Debbie for posting this!

Then, I discovered a few other beachy decorations on Debbie's Love of the Sea blog.


A lovely Vintage Clam Bowl that definitely fits right into my list of Super Bowls! Debbie uses it to show off her shells that she collected on vacation in Punta Mita, Mexico.


Perhaps you recall, I featured some Glass Display Coffee Tables as well as Curio Tables earlier this year, and Debbie bought one that's made with two vintage windows from the 1950's -so creative!


And she's got a stunning Antique Printer Tray too! See Stunning Shadow Display Boxes for more.

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Handcrafted Home Decor with Driftwood

Speaking of Driftwood the other day (with a first installment of Drill Baby Drill), I would like to introduce to you Kirsten of Drivtommer Hus (= driftwood house).


Kirsten lives in Germany by the sea and is passionate about driftwood. You can tell by her workshop! And I found some pretty awesome handcrafted home decor items on her blog..., which is written in German (my native language), but as the saying goes: "A picture is worth a thousand words"!


A driftwood wrap for a votive candle holder or vase...


... stack the pieces up and make a tall driftwood candle holder...


... or as simple as this, no drilling required (I think).


A lovely driftwood wreath with a candle in the center.


Driftwood as pencil holder -fun!


A note board with pins, embellished with driftwood.


an easy to make driftwood rack. Also see What you can Do with a Long Piece of Driftwood.


Click image to check out full image of Kirsten's driftwood shelf, hanging from rope.


Even a toilet paper holder can be found on the beach!


Other handcrafted home decor items are purely decorative...


... and one more beautiful piece. I know for sure that I will Drill Driftwood again! And to browse everything driftwood on Kirsten's blog, click Treibholz.

Related Posts:
An Artisan's Driftwood Home
Driftwood Art and Crafts

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Hand Painted Pillows by Crabby Chris

Crabby Chris is a crustacean loving artist from the Pacific Northwest who describes herself as alarmingly cheerful -and the same is true for her one of a kind hand painted pillows!


One of a kind in a literal sense. Chris' fabulous hand painted pillows are originals! Designed, painted, sewn, stuff, and signed by her..., shipped to your home from Camano Island in Washington State.


Rich colors, achieved with nontoxic textile paints that are heat set for permanence, done on commercial indoor-outdoor acrylic fabric that holds up to sun, wind, and rain.


And all hand painted pillows can be machine washed too -just remove the fluffy insert.


Lastly, Chris' cheerful line also includes artistic renditions of sea creatures like sand dollars, shells, starfish and some pesky seagulls. Click on images to learn more or see all designs here.

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Rate This Room: Custom Upholstered Chairs

Is decorating with a theme tricky? Maybe. What looks great to one person, might be over the top for another. So I thought, why not find out and bring a "Rate This Room" feature to Completely Coastal. I'll post this randomly, whenever I eye a space that sparks the question: Great. But over the top? So play along and cast your vote! First up...


... custom upholstered chairs with Seashell Fabric, designed by Kathleen Hay (take a tour at The Lennoxx).

I think it looks great, but as much as I love the bold pattern, I ponder whether I'd be drawn into the ocean's abyss by the giant sea creatures! So, I don't see myself in this room.

poll by twiigs.com

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The Ghost and Mrs. Muir at Gull Cottage

I can truly say that The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) is the most charming and delightful ghost movie I've ever seen.


The setting, Gull Cottage, a quaint old home by the sea that was constructed by 20th century fox in Palos Verdes, CA, then dismantled right after production ended (see Steve's comment on Movie Real Estate).


The perfect home for Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney), a recently widowed young mother, to start a new life.


But soon Lucy finds her Beach Cottage is haunted. But unlike previous tenants, Lucy is not scared and demands that the ghost reveal himself.


The ghost appears. It's Captain Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison), builder and previous owner of Gull Cottage, whose portrait hangs in the living room. A relationship starts to blossom.


Then, to help Lucy's financial difficulties, Captain Daniel decides she will write a best-seller, his memoirs. Along the way, their friendship turns into love. But will the love affair between The Ghost and Mrs. Muir have a happy ending? I'm only going to say this: It's a feel good movie!


And there really is a Gull Cottage. It resides in Montecito, CA, and it was the home featured in the opening credits of the 60s Sitcom based on the movie.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a timeless love story with a twist, and I'm sure I'll revisit Gull Cottage!

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