ALONG A STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 98…..part 6

I don’t know what it says about me that it is taking me so long to ‘show and tell’.  I am usually quite a succinct person and can tell you all you need to know in a few sentences…well, sometimes.  But, for some reason, that doesn’t seem to be what is happening in this instance.  Perhaps, I’m just enjoying sharing it so much that I want to relive every. little. detail.  So, when I get wordy, or tend to carry on about some insignificant, trivial piece of info that you have no interest in…kindly ignore, please…and just look at the pretty pictures!

On now to the den…Here I chose to ground the seating area with a dark brown sea grass rug and to build the decor off of a ‘sand’ colored couch.  We purchased a new sleeper sofa and then chose the most marvelous assortment of pillows to bring in pops of color.

From this…

To this…

Then, I used those colors in the art and in the 2 chairs.

The bench under the canvas is one of my favorite pieces in the house.  It is worn and distressed with the most lovely shades of blue and green.  It is as smooth as can be and has an unusual placing of the brackets under the seat.  Plus it is a perfect height for Levi to run his cars and trucks on or hide away his favorite flamingo!

One of the chairs is new, the green one,  it reclines and swivels and rocks.  Then the white rattan barrel chair is one we found at a consignment shop. It needed some touch up painting and reworking the cushions, but is wonderfully comfortable.  And, it rocks and swivels…much to the delight of a certain little boy. Below is one of my favorite pieces of art….I saw it once and went back months later and it was still there…much to my delight.  It says…”Happiness is BAREFOOT on the BEACH.”

Next to the rattan chair is an end table that was in the trailer that we bought next door(story coming soon).It matched almosted perfectly and didn’t even need paint!  Serendipitous!  This wonderful lamp is a garage sale find.  It was terra cotta colored.  I worked on it for several days at home, bought a new shade and brought it down with me.  Actually there are 2.  You’ll see the other one later on in our story.  The whole grouping is quite cohesive, don’t you think?

This aqua/green/turquoise table was found a few months ago when I went to a yard sale with Shirley in Moultrie.  We were walking around and I had found a little table that I was going to put beside one of the beds.  But, Shirl saw this table and said, “Tonja, come here!  Buy this table!  It’s perfect for a sofa table at the Sand Castle!”  “Are you sure?, ” I said, ” I don’t know if it is the right color or size.”  “Buy it!”, she said, “it’s perfect!  I know it is.”  I looked at Tina and she said, “I’d go with what Shirl says…she just knows these things.”  And, so, I bought it and hauled it around in my car for a month before I went back to the beach.  But, when I took it in..I must say…she was right!  I love it and the color is different from any other color there…but it blends with everything!  Love it!

Aren’t these ‘real sized’ girls the cutest things?  I had to have them!  The one in front is drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper.  Remind you of anyone? 🙂

Below is a papier mache box I bought at Michaels.  Then, I covered the top with the most beautiful shells!  I saw one like it when I was in Maui for $170.00~  I think I have about $20.00 in this one!

The little pail on the floor next to the etegere says Flip-Flops.  And, the wonderful throw and pillow on the green chair, are specials gifts to myself that I bought in Maui!  This green chair is where I do all my computer and FB and such when I am here.   It is shorter to the ground and my legs touch the floor!!!

So, on to the bathroom.  There was a fiberglass tub and shower surround.  We took that out and had a ceramic tile shower built.  The vanity was rebuilt, though we copied the original and added a new sink and granite top, and a new toilet was added.  The bathroom has a nice sized linen closet and also holds the new washer and dryer.  And surprisingly, it is very roomy.  Also, the shower now has lovely tinted glass doors.

So, from this…

To this…

So, here come the bed rooms….First, the one we call Alex’s room…BEFORE…

AFTER…

We haven’t gotten the hardware to hang the dresser mirror yet, but it is as wide as the dresser.

The second bedroom…AKA Levi’s room…

On top bunk…eventually the playground of Levi…

But, right now we put up a Pack-N-Play.  Below, a resist painting I did of Levi’s feet…cute in the room!

Books for the little man…some were his Dad’s when he was a wee one…

Doesn’t this painting have the most wonderful use of color?  Just looking at it makes me happy.

On to the Master Bedroom…..This room has a softer, more pastel feeling…by accident.  I had bought a quilt for this bed, but after we got the art and accessories in…it was too harsh.  So, we went to a Linen Outlet and found this soft yellow quilt and we added  khaki sheets, and bed skirt.  Wasn’t it the man on A-Team, waaaaay back in the 70’s who said, “I love it when a plan comes together.”?  (Yes. It was).  But, it was all so amazing how the pillows, bought to go with the other quilt, and the art we bought on the first day…just because we liked it, and the tag sign I bought on a previous trip, and the green lamp on the table from an outlet store and the bedside night stand bought at a used furniture store… all came together and made a room that is cozy and comforting and a joy to stay in.  The only problem here is the closet space.  Some previous owner took out the walk in closet and made it into a 1/2 bath.  It really is nice to have, but it leaves the room with only a very small closet.  Which is why we had to buy the little chest.  There is also a little table and lamp on the other side of the bed now too.

Again, this mirror needs to be hung.

The house has wonderful closet space for its size.  Alex’s bedroom has 1 large closet and Levi’s room has 2 large closets.  There are also 2 nice closets in the hallway and a pantry.  So no complaints in that area.

There is still work to do.  Window coverings, more rugs, outdoor shower, Landscaping and fencing.  But, it will come.

OK…That’s it.  That’s my little cottage near the sea…The Sand Castle.  And, though it is very small…it’s is quite large enough to hold all the joy and laughter and good times we intend to have there.  I want these walls to hold the remnants of children playing, and girl friends laughing, and Don and I speaking softly.  I want the air to hold the contented sighs of folks walking in and crashing on the sofa, of a tired friend sitting around the table sipping on a cool iced tea, of someone curling up on the sofa with a good book.  I want to smell the sweet coconut oil of sun tan lotion, the yummy aroma of hamburgers on the grill outside, and the wonderful scent of shrimp boiling.  I want to see friends and family sitting around the table waiting to share our time and love together.  I want this to be our second home…not just a beach house.  I want to instill in the children the majesty of our God who made the mighty ocean, the mysterious world beneath, the glorious sky above, and the crunchy sand we walk on…all for us!  Made for us to enjoy, because He loves us.  It is He who allowed us to have The Sand Castle and to Him we will always be grateful!