Mrs. Mac's Kitchen Key Largo Coastal Bohemian dining pick.

Stop into Mrs. Mac's Kitchen while traveling the Keys. This is a must for your Keys road trip.
The entire facility is an artist gallery.  It was quite obviously designed by an artist with free reigns to create.
From the one of a kind jelly fish chandelier that greets you at the entryway, shadow box tables with treasures from the rich local history and the license plate lamps above each booth you will marvel at your surroundings.
Mac's claim to fame doesn't end with artsy decor. The food is equally artistic.  Try the fresh as can be coconut encrusted Hogfish sandwich . Well done Mac's.

Casa Maya St. Augustine -Coastal Bohemian dining pick

Wanting pancakes with a little edginess we had been advised by visitors information to try Casa Maya's Sweet Potato Pancakes.  Inside an old world building with Spanish tiled floors and quaint little sitting areas, including charming little hidden spots outside , we found a lovely spot in St. Augustine to have a relaxing breakfast.
Of course , you'll need one of their Bloody Mary's to start and it is absolutely ass kicking too.
There is an array of breakfast foods with a Mexican flair. We were wanting to stay for lunch and dinner too with an assortment of fresh fish items including oysters, cerviche, clams and calamari. We hope you stop in to Casa Maya for something great and enjoy their fun staff.

Driftwood Love - Holiday cheer Postcard Inn Islamorada

Postcard Inn lslamorada

Just like a gypsy this Coastal Bohemian has been roaming the Florida Keys.  We stopped off at the Postcard Inn in Islamorada. Beach, boats, charters, tarpon, fishing,  bars , restaurants, pools, jet skis, fun and sun . Totally recommend.

Seashell Floral Picks/ Drink Stirrers

With all the seashells around the beach house and desperately needing a drink stirrer for my Mojito I decided to hot glue a few shells onto wooden shish kebab skewers. My Mojito was tasting much better after that and the stirrers made for a pretty display.

Just a few days later I was arranging a little floral piece and decided to grab the stirrers and tuck them inside my design.  I love the simplicity of the Spanish Moss and with the addition of the little picks, it pops.

How cute would it be to serve fruit kebabs on these little beauties?

Tie a little red ribbon and a jingle bell for a coastal christmas stirrer/skewer/ floral pick. 

Dollar Tree sells packages of these wooden skewers all the time.

Enjoy the day.


Michele Michael 

coastalbohemian@gmail.com

Beach Vintage Beach Antique

Don't forget that beach style dates back to , well , when beaches were created or maybe, actually, discovered by man.




You know there was a loin cloth wearin', sandy footed , hairy assed ,caveman that just loved the surf and the sun. He was out there with his tiny loin cloth making a beach fire and bringing back seashells to his boring cave for his cave woman to pretty the place up.

Get my point? My point is ,don't forget to search vintage and antique shops for coastal, beach decor. It adds a certain charm mixed in with all the other decor.


Here's a clam I found at an antique shop on Long Island.  I also have several antique oars that I've picked up while out and about antiquing that adorn entry ways and can be seen tucked around the beach home.

These finds become , almost one of a kind , since you're not likely to see them in many homes due to the scarcity of the products after so many years.




When you are on Long Island check out Remember Yesteryears, a 15,000 sf antique and vintage shop that has 95+ vendors selling an array of merchandise. Ask to say Hello to the owner Mindy. Tell her Michele Michael sent you.



With love and gratitude,

Michele

5 Fisherman Reads- Holiday Gift Idea

Maybe because I think it's fun to get a new book as a gift I think it's fun to give a good  book as a gift.

Don't be afraid to search thrift stores and antique shops for less available titles. You can try Etsy, Ebay and Amazon as well. Pick them up throughout the year for gift giving to your fisherman.

Here are a few unique finds for the fisherman in your life.

Be sure and wrap the book or books up with a big bow  and add a decorative lure to complete the theme.

Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World  Mark Kurlansky

How To Make Your Own Fishing Lures: The Complete Illustrated Guide by Vlad Evanoff 

North Carolina's Ocean Fishing Piers: From Kitty Hawk to Sunset Beach by Al Baird

The Southern Surfcaster: Saltwater Strategies for the Carolina Beaches & Beyond  by S. CameronWright

Introduction to Bait Fishing by Ray Ovington found at The Gray Fedora on Etsy

 Vintage books  always have great old drawings you scan and use for decor around your  home too.

 Pick a few new titles and combine them with some vintage finds for a great surprise holiday gift.

Please feel free to add to the comments, some suggested titles and links for the holiday buyers.

Coastal Bohemian Coastal Dining Pick Savannah

Boca Raton bound and driving we decided to stop over in Savannah, Georgia.
Our eyes were bulging out of our heads reading the menu, waiting for Vic 's to open.
Vic ' s on the Riverfront ,  served up a tasty lunch with a "riverfront "view.
From biscuits with whipped honey butter on to  a fried green tomato BLT on sour dough with goat cheese ...really...heavenly. Service was excellent.  Great wine list. Totally recommend.

Driftwood Anchor

Pinterest provided the inspiration for this driftwood anchor.






I found the background wood thrown in the trash around the street from my house.It was an old top to a table that had broken. I knew it would provide the perfect backdrop for something I was up to.

Of course ,I happened to have the right pieces of driftwood hanging around my house to pull off this project.


I used a nail gun to attach the the wood and the rope. It was real quick and easy and done in 5-10 min.


Very Coastal Very BohemianWith love and gratitude,

Michele

Remember the anchor's in your life. They help keep you safe in rough waters, they keep you grounded. Or maybe you need to remember you are the anchor in someone's life and that's an all important role.The boat is nothing without it's anchor.


Michele Michael 

Thanksgiving coastal decor

Keeping it coastal , I was able to make a  beautiful display for the Thanksgiving weekend using my in laws oyster shell and coral vase.

A little walk in the woods provided all  the filler I needed for a fall scape.

The berries are actually a pure pumpkin orange and really lit up the room with lacy leaves and little tucks of color. In South Carolina, Rosemary is still in bloom and it helped create a beautiful perfume along with the pine.

Driftwood Embellished Night Stand Beach Shabby

Driftwood again. And why not? 

Found this lonely, old girl cast to the side of the road while doing errands one day.

Painted her white with some chalk paint to freshen her up and get my brain chugging away at some inspiration.

Next, I dry brushed her with some grey and then some copper. 

Dry brush is simply a paint brush dipped into paint and then almost all that paint is removed from the brush. Remove almost all of the paint using newspaper or cloth or paper towels. Just run the brush back and forth until there is very little to no paint left on the brush.  Then gently brush the furniture and it will pick up the grain of the piece.

She sat around for a while until I took some driftwood and started to nail it around her. I used my pneumatic nailer. Suddenly, she was  like a little princess, or Cinderella coming into her own. Hahaha...I crack myself up. I'm ridiculously attached to my projects and my driftwood.

Digging around in my hardware draw I found her a little bling and attached this vintage crystal knob.

She was really becoming beach shabby. 

I finished her off with a vintage pink lamp and lace. 

Creating beach shabby  is a challenge but I think this is Very Coastal, Very Bohemian,Very Beachy, and  Very Shabby.

Hope you bring some more driftwood into your home. Please feel free to share your driftwood creations. I'd love to see them and share them.

Michele Michael 

Coastal Bohemian 

coastalbohemian@gmail.com

Old Dresser Drawer Becomes a Frame for a Driftwood Fish . Free, Beautiful, Upcycled, and Recycled

I was tossing an old bamboo /wicker style dresser away after we were hit by Hurricane Sandy when at the last minute one of the draw faces fell off. As I looked at it, I saw a frame and a very pretty background.
I decided to keep one. I wish I had saved them all!

Playing around on Pinterest, I saw a great use for my driftwood and in no time I had this complete.

I used pieces that were less than an inch in thickness.

I painted the frame an off white  and sanded it to make it distressed, filled in the draw handle holes with wood filler,(I keep the Elmer's wood filler around), laid out my driftwood design and used Elmer's Carpenter's Wood glue to adhere my driftwood.

Elmer's Wood Filler

Just add some painting wire and hooks to the back and you are set.

Very Coastal. Very Bohemian.