Silver Bells and Silver Shells

This years' coffee table display was created using silver plated shells (I have had them for years!) pretty mercury glass balls, a sea glass ornament gift and accompanied by my fave pink and glitter murex shell ornaments.

The shells and aqua sea glass were mostly collected on our California Beaches (my pockets are always stuffed with something I have found...), our look was complete with a string of pearls and a treasured snow globe.

....And maybe a Tom and Jerry's yummy holiday cocktail!

Tom and I had our Christmas dinner last week before we headed up north to spend the holidays with our family in the Pacific Northwest. Tom was the master chef of a fabulously wonderful prime rib dinner, with goat cheese twice baked potatoes and delish Ina Garten roasted carrots. (Thanks Serena for my new cook book!)

Then we toasted the season with hot Tom and Jerry toddies in my grandmother's vintage gold rimmed cups.  I have packed and repacked these little darling cups more times than I can remember, but this is the first time I have ever actually used them.

Made me so happy, and I think it would have made her very happy too.

Tom and Jerry's:
There are a ton of recipes out there to whip these up, but we took a short-cut on ours and then added the whipped cream and cinnamon sticks to make them extra special. We recommend Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum and Trader Vic's Tom and Jerry Mix - both were excellent and can be found easily.

Here's a few links to recipes if you'd like to make them without buying the mix:

All Recipes - Tom and Jerry Cocktails

Esquire Magazine - Tom and Jerry (has a fun little history lesson!)

Epicurious - Tom and Jerry

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!

Candlelight Ideas for Fall at the Coast

This is such a simple, easy trick to add a beautiful warm cozy feeling to your coastal home!

Doesn't have to be expensive, and you can probably put together any number of things that you already have in your home - just use more neutral or "autumn" types of colors; amber sea glass, white shells, vanilla votives - here's a few ideas to get started!

My friend Cami's creation! Found sea glass and pretty autumn scented pillars

Mason jars, grey beach sand and white votives.  Ocean Elegant!
via NauticalCottageBlog.com

Easy candle hurricanes complete with beach sand, simple tapers, caramel and white shells.
Elegance at the beach!

Grey beach stones mixed with found weathered seashells - so beachy!

via

And finally a peak at our fall centerpiece for this year!

I love this big flat bamboo bowl that I found several years ago, it's my treasure "collector" when we walk in
the door from the beach.  Shells, driftwood, sea glass, stones, even a few acorns that we picked up in Napa.   Then I added to our collection with pear-scented dark green candles, dried Autumn gourds and my saved

orange tumbled glass from last year. 

I am a big believer in making decorating at the beach easy - and always a reflection of who you are.  Creating an easy centerpiece with found "found" seaside objects is just one more way to accomplish that.

Coral Table Runner

Green Starfish Pillow from Kevin O'Brien Studio