My First Nautical Christmas Tree

Hey Yall! Did you catch of glimpse of my newest tree on the last post?  I guess you could say this year I've decided to test the waters a bit with a new "to us" Christmas tree.

I've had a very small tree I've put on the screened porch for a few years now but this year I decided to put the slightly larger tree that I use upstairs on the porch.  I also decided it was high time I started a nautical theme.  I always see such cute nautical ornaments while on vacation and never get any because I've never thought they would look right on my trees.  

Well, all that has changed now that I've finally given myself permission to add a new tree to my collection.  And what better place to put a nautical tree then on my screen porch.

I decided to try this one out here to see how well it would tuck right in beside the hammock.  This is sort of a test to see if I want to get a larger tree.  I think it's passed the test with flying colors.  I love it!

Of course a nautical tree just had to be blue right?  This is the first time I've done a tree with mostly blues.  It's really been kind of fun!

I bought a few new things but used a few things I already had as well.  These blue branches I used for the topper and throughout the tree came from Michael's.   I got them at 60% off.  I bet I'll find more of these after Christmas too.

The mermaid ornaments I already had.  I will have to get more of those now for sure!  Do you recognize the white anchor.  It's the napkin rings I made 2 years ago.  LOL!   The ships wheel, fish, and other small wood nautical ornaments all came from the wooden crafts section at Michael's. They were all already painted too and all I had to do was hot glue the ribbons on to hang them with.  Woohoo!

These balls where from Michaels and I knew I had to get them because they looked like fish scales to me.  The little wooden boats I already had as well.

 I decided to tuck my Sailing Santa right underneath.  I think he will make a nice tree topper on a bigger tree, don't you?  Hmmm??? Oh well, maybe next year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great day friends!

Sailing in the Outback Regatta 2012

Yesterday was such a fun day!  In fact this whole past week has been so relaxing and fun as I have been on vacation.  We finally made the trip to Tybee Island as I have been hoping to do for some time.  We toured the island one day, toured Savannah one day and enjoyed the beach as much as possible.  We only spent 3 nights which was not nearly enough but wanted to get home so we could  attend a yearly regatta at home with friends.

After motoring over to the host clubhouse for this event and for racing registration details

 we set sail with friends aboard their boat.

Here are a few of our club members that we went sailing with.

The two men in the middle of the photo here are our captains.  They co-own this boat together with their wives.  It's always a fun time to go out with them too.

This is my husband sitting here keeping an eye out before the race begins.

Several other boats already out and getting ready for the race.

Speaking of being ready!  There were only 8 of us on the boat and here is a picture of all the coolers we had on board.  My husband and I also had an additional rolling one filled with food.  We  were all amazed at how of all the coolers we brought no two were alike.  Too funny!

Before a race begins all boats have to jockey around each other waiting for the signal to start.  

We jokingly called this boat the cheater boat because it had two sails.

Sometimes you cannot help but get very close to other boats while you are sailing around in such a small area waiting to get started.  You can be penalized or disqualified for crossing the line too soon.

Here's a few of our other club members waiting to start.

Finally the horn is blown and the countdown to start begins.

And we are on our way to a very promising afternoon of sailing.

The weather looked great and we sailed wonderfully for quite sometimes towards our mark which was quite far down the lake.  After an hours worth of beautiful sailing the winds died off and we were sitting around for quite some time.

Here we are sitting in very still waters.  Our friends who were in a different class came by and took this photo of us after they had already crossed the mark at the finish line.  That's me there in the middle of the boat beside my husband who is standing up in the white shirt with the sunglasses.

They were teasing us because they were able to finish before the winds died out and because here we were sitting so close to the finish but unable to move much at all without any wind.  

After sitting here for about another hour or so the race committee decided to call the race as happens in poor weather.  Just look how flat the water is.  Ughh!  As it turned out we actually got 2nd place in our class because we were so close and The Dragon Fly came home with a trophy to boot!  Hoo! Hoo!

After the sail we all went back home and showered and returned to the host club for dinner from Outback steak house and the rewards cermony and dancing.  It was quite a bit of fun as always but unfortunately I did not take any more photos during the evening.  

  

So that's part of how I spent my vacay.  

I may be back again to share a little of my trip with you soon as well.

Hope your having a great weekend too!

Thanks so much for stopping by be sure and let me know if you do!

Sailing and Dreaming with Mermaids

Are you as fascinated by Mermaids as I am?  If so, your going to enjoy your visit today into a world full of legends and mystery.  Mermaids are well known in the sailing world as being either a blessing or an omen depending upon the story. With that in mind, I've decided to create this post today in honor of my NEW LOOK  here at The Decorative Dreamer.  In case you didn't notice I made a new header for my blog and it now contains my old blog name (Sailing Simply) as well as my new blog name (The Decorative Dreamer).    I've also successfully merged all of my old blog posts over with my new blog.  This is a merge that makes my heart sing!

caseashells.com

I have mentioned before how much I have regretted changing over to a new blog.  In retrospect, I should have just changed the name only without creating a new URL then it would have been fairly easy to change back.  However, I had it in my mind at the time that I needed a new name and URL so I did. I can be kinda impetuous like that at times.  LOL!  What I wasn't prepared for was the expectations and limitations that would come with my new blog name as The Decorative Dreamer. In short, with my old blog name, Sailing Simply, I felt like I was more free to be who I truly am without any prior expectations.  I am a decorating blogger who also enjoys writing randomly about things I am interested in, amused by, sometimes even annoyed by and anything else that catches my fancy.  Mermaids have always captured my fancy, how about yours?

I love this scene above here that I found online.

Isn't it just dreamy?

  I used to own a mermaid statue that I absolutely adored.  It was large enough to fit in the middle of my bird bath.  Unfortunately, she met her untimely demise when we cut down a tree that crashed right on top of her. The Mr. really didn't want to tell me about that one! 

The statue I owned looked much like this one but was greenish in color though it certainly was not bronze.  It was a bargain find at TJ Maxx one year.   I have not yet been able to locate another in my price range that I really like.  I saw several at the beach this year but they were priced $50.00 and over which I just will not do.

Speaking of statues...check out this beauty along the Malta coast. Isn't she gorgeous?

...and this one is just amazing!  It almost seems like a real Mermaid that has become fossilized.

While creating this post I was contemplating a few post names and kept thinking of calling this post, 

"Reconnecting to my Inner Mermaid".  So I decided to google that and look what I found.

https://sites.google.com/site/mermaidshifting/home

This is a site that actually connects you to your inner mermaid through meditation I think.

It's a bit out there for me but shared with you anyway.  Just in case you want to go there.  LOL!

Now if I really wanted to reconnect with my inner Mermaid I need not go any further then my own commumnity.  You see, we actually have mermaids here on Lake Murray now among all the other legends that we have on our lake.  

Seriously!  There is even an article about them in my latest copy of our local magazine.  The real story is about a truly talented local photographer that has done some absolutely beautiful work photographing women on the lake as mermaids.  You can be one too!  

http://lakemurraymermaids.com/SeeTheMermaids.htm

I would so love to do this!  I haven't checked into it to see how much it is but I'm sure it's not cheap. Wouldn't this be so fun to do with a group of friends?  I think so!  Anyone interested?

Now if meditating or trans-meditating or whatever that is and the stunning photography shoots are just a little bit much for you. You can always pick up a few novels that might reconnect you to your inner mermaid.

I have read this one and can tell you it was fantastic!  It's by a SC author out of Charleston.  She has so many other wonderful books too!  It is not so much about a Mermaid as it about the true spirit of freedom of self.  This is a fantastic dive into the depths of love, legends, and saints.  A great summer read!

This book I have NOT read...yet!  It appears to be a romance novel that also encompasses the lore of mermaids and lovers.  Hmm??? I may have to try and find this one.  The reviews seems pretty good for this type of genre.  

I've NOT read this book yet either.  I definitely will have to find this one.  It reviews that it was inspired by The Little Mermaid and is a modern fairy tale about growing up and discovering ones self.    This seems to be a bit of a recurring theme among Mermaids doesn't it?

I personally think I could really connect well to my inner mermaid just fine here at any of these vacation homes on Tybee Island, Ga rented from;

http://mermaidcottages.com/

Check out the link above to see some of the most fabulous beach cottages ever!

For you movie buffs, here is a wonderfully old movie named Miranda from 1948 about a physician who finds a Mermaid and takes her to town.  I love old movies and this one is a hoot!

Now wait!  Wait! Wait!  There's more! As if all of this wasn't enough, I also found another website that is chock full of legends from all around the world about mermaids.  This site would be a great place to visit when you have the time to browse a few of the links that are provided.

http://www.beautiful-mermaid-art.com/legend-of-the-mermaid.html

In case you are starting to wonder, no I have not decided to take a dive on the murky side (hehe) with all these legends and fascinating folklore.  While the rest of the world (or so it seems lot's of people I know) may be stepping near the edge with all those shades of grey they are reading, I've decided not to go there. I've decided there are so many legends out there, such as Mermaids, that are so much more interesting!

Now if we could just find a beautiful Mermaid fountain for the pool that didn't cost thousands of dollars.  Life would be grand!

  As you can see, I am still dreaming here at The Decorative Dreamer but I am now Sailing Simply again too.  I guess all those Mermaid stories and legends have taught me a thing or too about revealing my true self.  So from here on out my blog will be titled;

 Sailing Simply as The Decorative Dreamer.  

The last step here in my merge of the two blogs would be to change both URL's to only one and I do not know how to do that without loosing followers from both blogs.  IF anyone knows how I would love to hear from you.  Otherwise this is the direction I am going until technology catches up with me.  

Thanks for the visit today and I hope you enjoyed it.  I would love to hear from you if you did.

Comments are always welcomed!

Happy Summer!

Summer Living Room

There is no other time of year that I love more then summer!  I am a summer gal through and through.  I have been know to go outside and sit for short intervals on the porch even when it is 100 degrees or more outside. That's how much I love summer!  

I also adore decorating and changing up things around the house for summer.  I just returned from a long awaited week of vacation at the beach during which I was able to do a little thrifty shopping with my sister in laws.  Since I was chomping at the bit to change up a few things inside, I was thrilled to find out I had today off and was able to get started.  So, if you'd like to take a little tour of my den during one of "my" best times of the year....then come on in!  You are so welcomed!

Our den is quite large and long!  It's taken me years to accept that this is the best furniture layout for this space without breaking it up too much.  

The reason it's taken me years to accept this is that I love to rearrange furniture.  Try as I might and believe me I have, there is no other layout that I like better then what we have shown here.

Here is one of those thrifty finds that I picked up down at the beach last week.

Even the Mr. seems to like this boat.

I decided it would look great front on center on the mantle sitting on top of a few of the Mr's. old sailing books.

My old bamboo mirror always looks great this time of year.

I finally made some headway with the coffee table vignette again.

I liked this set up so much last year that I decided to just put it back the same way again this year.  So much for being unique, huh?

Honestly though, you really cannot beat a tray full of shells...

...and a large hurricane candle with sand and shells can you?

Personally, I would prefer to have a real fern here but I am sure it would not survive.  Most of my inside plants have been suffering greatly since I went back to work.  My ferns outside in the back yard are looking beautiful though.  That's where I've been spending most of my free time lately.  I've always thought of ferns as summer plants.  I love them!

My new lantern is all set and ready for the holidays now too!

How do you like my festive little Longaberger basket?  I've never owned one of those before.  My dept. manager at work gave this to me a few weeks ago.  Isn't it so cute?  I think so!

Thanks for taking the time to stop in for my most favorite time of the year.

I hope you enjoyed your visit.  What about you?  What is your favorite season?

I am joining; 

Tabletop Tuesday

Be sure and click the link above for more!

Have a wonderful week!