I don't have to tell you how special the beach is to our family. To remember those special times at that special place, we have some reminders on the walls (and shelves).
Our downstairs water closet (because it truly is that tiny) was my big remodeling project that I started last year. A light green "beach cottage" look is what I was after, and everyone seems to believe that we have achieved that.
I finally finished up some shadowboxes last week to display part of our beach collection. Now, before you get all excited thinking that we actually found all of these, let me calm you down and say, no. There's quite a collection of stuff in there, but we can't honestly claim that we picked up all of it ourselves off a beach.
The large sand dollars, the starfish and some larger shells are part of my mom's old collection of beach stuff that she had lying around her bathroom. (She is renovating hers, too; theme, if any, TBA.) We acquired a few beach pieces that way, which was fine to both of us.
There are polished rocks from my childhood days of owning a rock polishing drum. The machine only polished one set of rocks before the motor fried itself. (But, I still have the rocks!)
Then, there are countless shells from beaches in North Carolina, Florida, and the Eastern Shore peninsula, where we have visited as a family. There may even be a shell from Vancouver, where my hubby and I honeymooned. D#1 may have thrown in a shell or two from her ventures with her dad to Virginia's Tidewater region. Rather than get scientific or historic, we just went for artistic!
In the girls' bathroom, we have a small shadowbox with more shells and D#1's crablike creation from Kindergarten. And, a real sand dollar that you can touch!
Shadowboxes give such great punch because they allow you to go 3-D. Pictures of shells on the wall are nice, but when you can actually SEE a shell or TOUCH a sand dollar, doesn't that help put you ON the beach, at least in your mind?
I really think we bring these kinds of 3-D displays into our homes because we are so enamored with the creation outside our homes. Which would you rather enjoy: a picture of a bouquet of flowers on your wall or a vase full of fresh flowers on your counter? Granted, there are many beautiful floral paintings, but when given the choice of the "real thing," doesn't that excite your senses a little more?
In Isaiah, God speaks to His people, Israel, and to all of us, about things to come. And He doesn't say that there will be more words written down for us to display. He says the new things will spring forth. This is His prophetic Word in which He tells us that His Son is coming. His Son, who was the Word made flesh....3-D! And this Word would spring forth, as if from a shadowbox...reaching out to us with something new, exciting, memorable, tangible, REAL.
He would not leave us in the shadows of darkness, but He would show us His creation, His purpose, His plan for us all along by springing forth with great light, that we might see and know and believe and love.
The large sand dollars, the starfish and some larger shells are part of my mom's old collection of beach stuff that she had lying around her bathroom. (She is renovating hers, too; theme, if any, TBA.) We acquired a few beach pieces that way, which was fine to both of us.
There are polished rocks from my childhood days of owning a rock polishing drum. The machine only polished one set of rocks before the motor fried itself. (But, I still have the rocks!)
Then, there are countless shells from beaches in North Carolina, Florida, and the Eastern Shore peninsula, where we have visited as a family. There may even be a shell from Vancouver, where my hubby and I honeymooned. D#1 may have thrown in a shell or two from her ventures with her dad to Virginia's Tidewater region. Rather than get scientific or historic, we just went for artistic!
In the girls' bathroom, we have a small shadowbox with more shells and D#1's crablike creation from Kindergarten. And, a real sand dollar that you can touch!
Shadowboxes give such great punch because they allow you to go 3-D. Pictures of shells on the wall are nice, but when you can actually SEE a shell or TOUCH a sand dollar, doesn't that help put you ON the beach, at least in your mind?
* * *
I really think we bring these kinds of 3-D displays into our homes because we are so enamored with the creation outside our homes. Which would you rather enjoy: a picture of a bouquet of flowers on your wall or a vase full of fresh flowers on your counter? Granted, there are many beautiful floral paintings, but when given the choice of the "real thing," doesn't that excite your senses a little more?
In Isaiah, God speaks to His people, Israel, and to all of us, about things to come. And He doesn't say that there will be more words written down for us to display. He says the new things will spring forth. This is His prophetic Word in which He tells us that His Son is coming. His Son, who was the Word made flesh....3-D! And this Word would spring forth, as if from a shadowbox...reaching out to us with something new, exciting, memorable, tangible, REAL.
He would not leave us in the shadows of darkness, but He would show us His creation, His purpose, His plan for us all along by springing forth with great light, that we might see and know and believe and love.
"I am the LORD, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
Nor My praise to graven images.
"Behold, the former things have come to pass.
Now I declare new things;
Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."
--Isaiah 42: 8&9
Comments
I'm glad your blogging again! I missed ya!
I love your bathroom especially the shadow boxes and the art you can touch!
Your bathroom turned out beautiful and you definitely captured the seagreen cottage beach look.
(Why do they make the word verification letters so difficult to read? It's the image that prevents the spam, not the legibility. Maybe this should be a Random Question.... naaawww) - I got it wrong, 2nd try.
Thanks for your comment on my blog. You are so right in that it is so easy to lose our way as a writer/blogger searching for the praise of man (and woman!).
Ah, the beach! I really enjoyed looking at your pictures. My friend and I had a beach day yesterday. Even though it was cloudy and cool, sitting in the sand by the ocean, chatting with a wonderful friend made it a perfect day!
In response to your question about wonders in God's creation, the ocean is definitely one of my favorites--and it looks like its one of yours too!
Blessings,
Kelli
I remember my brother had one of those rock polishing machines. All I remember about it is that it was loud, he used it twice at the most and I was very jealous because he wouldn't let me use it.