Goin' Beachy

Just before we left on vacation, I created a beach theme in the living room.

 It all started when Steve found this old Tic Tac Toe board in the garage - I painted it years ago and it obviously has seen better days.

And, who would think that this old board would trigger changes in the living room.

A quick paint job changed the Tic Tac Toe board from Americana to nautical.

We have tons of "found" sand dollars from our beach, but a bicycle ride to the harbor was necessary to buy tiny starfish.

With the Tic Tac Toe Board sitting on the cedar chest/coffee table, the entire room seemed to need a beach motif.

First up was to decorate the mantel with favorite seaside treasures to accompany a painting Steve did last year of Hanalei Bay, Kauai.

The seaglass is particularly special because every piece is a find from our beach and we treasure the few blue pieces we have collected.

Across the room, a special display of shells from the Maldives adorns a chest next to Steve's chair - we should probably swap out the cityscape for a beach themed painting, but I love the colors in the buildings in downtown Los Angeles.

I moved a metal stand from my craft room to the living room

and added shell touches to each tier.

I had planned to write this post while we were on vacation, but my son's computer died the day we arrived on Kauai and he needed mine because unfortunately he had to work a little each day.

Instead, I took photos of the scenery,

and flowers in every color of the rainbow.

 I also looked for shells on the beach

which I promptly put on display in the dining room.

It's good to be home from vacation, "playing house" and keeping the beach theme going.

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In addition to trying to catch up with 10 days of reading your blog posts and responding to comments, I will be partying at:

Our Home Away From Home - Tuesdays @ Our Home

Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday

Dwellings - the Heart of Your Home - Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday

Girly Getaway Airstream

In May, when I visited Lisa's house for the first time, I immediately noticed this great truck door in the garden

and then Steve nudged me to look in the driveway.

Some of you might have known right away what Lisa had in her driveway.

I was not familiar with Magnolia Pearl and the Airstream that Lisa recently purchased.

The purchase did not include the Rolls so Lisa will be pulling Magnolia Pearl with her fun vintage truck.

Lisa has only owned the Airstream for a few months.

 I don't know if she plans to change the interior much - I myself wouldn't change a thing.

I am not usually a lacy, frilly lover, but this trailer kills it with every detail - from
the vintage columns used to support fabric covered shelves,

and hand painted cupboards to

the queen sized bed decked out in comfy vintage quilts.

Special touches are what make the interior of this Airstream special - antique ceiling tins

and tapestries on the ceiling,

wood floors and metal counter tops,

and an amazing galvanized metal bathtub.

Just look at that lovely hand painted fridge next to the shelves.

I quickly snapped photos of "Magnolia Pearl" on a hot summer day with poor lighting.

Via

Bohemian Valhalla's post that you can read here has beautiful photos of the Airstream.

Via

You can read about the sale of the Magnolia Pearl Airstream here.

Via

Romantic Home featured the amazing Airstream here.

Well, those 540 photos I shot at Lisa's house ended up in posts about her front yard, the interior of her home, her secret garden, her little garden cottage,

and finally her "Girly Getaway" Airstream.

But, when I get back from our family vacation,

it's back to normal at Art and Sand.

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Join me at

Between Naps on the Porch - Metamorphosis Monday

Boogieboard Cottage - Masterpiece Monday

Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday

Dwellings - The Heart of the Home - Amaze Me Monday

Little Cottage in the Garden

I live in a cottage.

I love cottages.

One of my Pinterest boards is titled, "Better joy in a cottage than sorrow in a palace".

And, I love browsing through my copy of , Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways.

So, the day I first set eyes on my friend Lisa's little garden cottage, I went nuts - serious cottage envy.

This is a photo of the cottage in the process of being installed.

 photos via Little Mansions

After purchasing her cottage from Little Mansions, the company shipped everything to her home and then Schaun Carpenter, the designer, arrived to build the cottage himself.

Lisa chose a style with lots of windows.

and you can see that the windows open outward.

The skinny little windows on each side of the French doors don't open, but from inside the cottage they provide a lovely view of the patio.

Lisa originally purchased the cottage as a home for her harp -

what a gorgeous view she would have had while she played her harp.

 Instead, she chose to turn the cottage into an office saying, "if you have to pay bills, you should have a beautiful place to do so."

Lisa's fun style shows through in the cottage with a painting done on one of the windows,

 an essential romantic chandelier,

and a welcoming front entry

with a really fun scrappy banner.

 I would love to have a sweet garden cottage like Lisa's.

But alas, I have no space in my garden so I just have to enjoy Lisa's cottage.

Lisa's home provided me with a wealth of photos for blog posts.

I showed you the front yard and porch here.

The interior of the house was shown here.

Earlier this week you got a view of the gardens here.

So I imagine you think the tour of Lisa's home is over.

There will be one more post, in a week or two - we will be on vacation for 10 days and I don't know if I will have any blogging time.

 But, I still have to show you Lisa's Airstream trailer.

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Join me at

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup

Rooted in Thyme - Simple & Sweet Fridays