Saltwater Sounds Wrap-Up

Welcome to Saltwater Sounds, a collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration. This is where I share all that’s been going on in the world of Shiplap and Shells, what’s to come and the inspiration I have found from other bloggers around the web.

This and That…

Hello December! Can you believe we are in the last month of 2021?

The countdown is on for those celebrating Christmas. 20 Days Left!

I’m actually feeling really good about the holidays this year. The house is decorated. The greenhouse is almost finished. I have some tweaking here and there, but it feels good to be done.

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Our New Boat- Wildflower

I’ve been really quiet about this but now that it’s official, I can tell you that we have bought a new boat and sold our old one.

Her name is Wildflower. Do you want to know why? Because of this song…

You belong among the wildflowers. You belong on a boat out at sea. Sail away, kill off the hours. You belong somewhere you feel free.
Tom Petty

We picked her up on Saturday from Shilshole Marina in Seattle and were back at our home marina 5 hours later.

We made the decision to buy a trawler boat because we are planning on taking longer, more frequent trips around the Puget Sound. It has more room, is significantly more fuel-efficient and with stabilizers, it will be less rough in bad weather.

And it’s part of our retirement plan.

Eventually, we plan to go on trips where we will be ocean boating. We are so spoiled here in Washington State because the Puget Sound is so much more protected than the ocean.

I can’t wait to start decorating the boat and will take you along. We hope to be taking it to Gig Harbor for the lighted boat parade in a week.

A New Shop In Uptown Gig Harbor

Don’t you just love it when you’re on your way somewhere specific and you walk by a new store that you didn’t even know was there?

Well, that’s exactly what happened last week. I found Paper Luxe which is in the space where The Garden Room used to be in Gig Harbor’s Uptown.

For you locals out there, have you been here yet?

There’s a mix of Christmas decor, fall sale decor, cards, paper products such as stationery and cards, and a baby shop in the back.

And a house plant area.

I ended up taking home some wrapping paper, ribbon, a few decorative trees ($8.99) and the cutest garland made up of dried flower heads ($12.99).

I loved this garland so much that I went back and bought the rest of the garland.

My New Nordic Island Pine Tree

Look at this cute little tree I found at Home Depot for $24.98.

These trees are new to me so I was surprised to see that they are more of a house plant and should be kept in a space that is above 45°F.

What’s Happening at Shiplap and Shells…

We had the best week with the Bloggers’ Best Holiday Home Tour. Each day 6 bloggers shared their beautiful homes all decked out for the holidays. Talk about inspiration!

Vintage-Inspired Cozy Cottage Style Christmas Home Tour

It’s that magical time of year when everything in our home comes alive. The Christmas trees are trimmed and the twinkle lights are shining. Come see my living room and kitchen holiday tour.

Do you remember last year’s cozy cottage Christmas tour? CLICK HERE for a reminder.

My 10 Favorite and Fabulous Themed Christmas Trees of the Season

Unfortunately, my 1600 square foot house can not fit a large tree in it. So I opt for many smaller trees. But with the small trees, they can’t handle a lot of weight and don’t have enough space for a lot of decorations. So I’m limited as to how creative I can be.

But I thought it would be fun just to be inspired by some of the amazing Christmas tree creations I’ve found. CLICK HERE to see my favorites.

An Oldie But a Goodie

I created this tablescape last season and I loved the whimsical dishes. CLICK HERE to see the post. I’m hoping to share this year’s Christmas tablescape, using my red and white transferware very soon.

Let’s Talk Candle Bundles – Antique Candle Co.

Do you still have friends and family on your gift shopping list? Candles are perfect for hosting gifts, stocking stuffers, or any other holiday gifts.

And I’ve got a great way to save some money.

It’s all about the bundles.

You can save up to $85 when you purchase a candle bundle from Antique Candle Co.

When you buy a candle bundle, you save money. Check it out!

If you buy a bundle of 8-16 oz. candles you will save up to $65
You can build YOUR OWN bundle choosing your own fragrances or choose a bundle that is already put together for you.
You’ll save up to $85 on your custom bundle of 2-12 candles
A bundle of 12 candles will go from $28.00 to $20.92 = $7.02 savings per candle and $85.00 overall
A bundle of 8 candles will go from $28.00 to $19.88 = $8.12 savings per candle and $65.00 overall
A bundle of 6 candles will go from $28.00 to $22.17 = $5.83 savings per candle and $35.00 overall
A bundle of 4 candles will go from $28.00 to $24.25 = $3.75 savings per candle and $15.00 overall
A bundle of 3 candles will go from $28.00 to $24.67 = $3.33 savings per candle and $10.00 overall
A bundle of 2 candles will go from $28.00 to $25.50 = $2.50 savings per candle and $5.00 overall

CLICK HERE to shop for candles.

Coming Up on the Blog:

14 ways to use vintage finds for Christmas decor

Simple and inexpensive Christmas decor ideas

Time to start planning for next year’s garden

My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web…

Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home takes you on a tour of her vintage traditional Christmas dining room. There are so many beautiful details. You won’t want to miss it.

Are you looking for a great Christmas cookie recipe? Courtney at French Country Cottage shares her pecan fudge cookie recipe which looks absolutely delicious!

As I mentioned earlier, my sweet friend Kelly at The Tattered Pew coordinated the entire Bloogers’ Best Holiday Home Tour. And let me tell you it’s a lot of work. Make sure you go check out her Christmas tour.