Creatively Displaying Seaside Mementos

If you are like me, summertime is a beloved season. Kiddies are out of school, things are a little less routine, room is made in the schedule for pool time and beach trips. We like going to the movies too (have you seen Pirates 4 yet? loved it). Family vacations, outdoor activities, BBQ's, and a host of other too fun activities are in full swing. Of course my summer is going a little different, I've still got a little way to recover from my recent surgery, but at least I am feeling more creative. So maybe you'll be inspired to create some keepsakes out of your vacation mementos. While shopping at the Goodwill not too long ago, I bought a whole bag of embroidery hoops, all sizes in wood and metal for a whopping 1.49. So you may have some of these on hand, or found some old ones too, and of course, they still sell the wooden ones new. I used two of the metal ones, which were my faves, and happen to fit a sand dollar and star fish I had. I have only been lucky enough to find a whole sand dollar on the beach once. Plenty of shells and stones, just never sand dollars. So if your luck is like mine, craft stores and even Walmart (or Wally-mart as Logan calls it) has a great selection. You'll need a little bit of fabric too, I had this fabric left over from my inspiration board project and thought it looked great with this project. I think osnaburg fabric would be pretty too.

When I got the two hoops finished I hung them on the wall by themselves and I just didn't like it. So then I started piddling around with frames, pictures, initials and the galvanized tray I found at Barnyard Days (via Figgy Pudding) last year. You might remember this tablescape, I used it as a centerpiece.

So to create the hoops, don't cut your fabric first, put on the hoop first:

It is easy to just cut the excess fabric away:

I used just a dot of hot glue to secure the starfish to the fabric. I wanted to sew the starfish on to really secure it.

It's a subtle detail, but one I like because it looks more intentional.....to use thread to secure the starfish to fabric.

I intentionally didn't do it perfect and even though the sand dollar is broken, I love the effect.

So to begin the Summer collection, I hung the tray vertically on the wall and hung four black floating frames (with pictures of the kids) on either side, the tray is too skinny to stand alone so the four frames really beef it up, in a good way. Because the tray is metal, I used common magnetic office clips to hold a couple of pictures. Doesn't Keegan look cute, sitting on the dock at Beaufort Inlet, I remember it like it was yesterday.

Anyway (focus Michelle...), I used little brads to secure everything to the wall through the mesh on the tray. Holes in the wall never bother me, that's why they invented Spackle. I enlarged the pictures so you can see the details. I leaned a couple more starfish and put a small shell ball in the "shelf" created by the edge of the tray. I like how the hoops look now instead of just floating away all alone on the wall. The M and J, I've had, I always look for initials in the dollar sections of places like Michael's and Target.
I really like how it turned out and I have room to fill in even more as we collect more trinkets.
I know not every one will have a galvanised tray to do this with, but be on the lookout for anything similar at fleas and thrifts. I hope you are inspired!
I feel fairly certain I've explained everything, but I've been listening to Jummy Buffett while writing and I might of gotten a little carried away. I'm going to go enjoy the weather, thanks for stopping by!