Coasting into warmer weather! *FREE Printables!*

Unlike most parts of the country, it has been relatively cold here in PA until the past week or so. Thursday the 9th was Opening Night for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, the Phillies' triple A affiliate.  We love going to Iron Pigs games, and opening night has become somewhat of a tradition for us, even though it's ALWAYS cold.  This year it was 40 degrees, drizzly and windy.  Needless to say, we did not last very long.  Even in our winter coats and hats, the cold temperatures defeated us again.  What can I say-- we weren't made for cold weather.

Freezing Fans!

Sunday morning we headed down to the gem & mineral show that was put on by our local chapter of the Lions club.  We admired sparkly geodes and gorgeous polished gemstones, but my favorite was the table that had all kinds of shells for sale. Would you look at those Junonias and that Lion's Paw?!

Lion's Paws and Olives and Junonias, oh my!

I have never purchased shells for our collection before. Our collection has always consisted of whatever we have found naturally, most of them on Sanibel.  But. that. Lion's. Paw.  The color was even more stunning in person and -wait for it- both halves were there!  It just HAD to come home with me.

The new addition fits in perfectly with my Sanibel books.

Sunday was also officially the first day it was warm enough to sit out on our balcony for a while and boy was it nice! After the winter we had (cold & snowy) nothing feels better than the warmth of a bright spring day.  Our kitties love to go outside, so we put on their leashes and collars and out they went. They both immediately plopped down on their sides and began rolling around in the sunshine. I can't blame them; I kind of wanted to do the same thing.  

Our goofy boy Vadar in the foreground, and Sanibel in the back.

We're finally getting into warming weather, and I know much of the country is already experiencing beautiful warm (some even hot) days.  With warmer temperatures comes outdoor parties and drinks on the patio.  My husband and I ALWAYS use Tervis tumblers because they don't sweat like other glasses do.  But if you use traditional glasses, you are familiar with that nasty little ring they leave on coffee tables, end tables etc.  Spare yourself the grief of Windexing every afternoon and bring some beachy flair into your home with these DIY coastal coasters! 

They're inexpensive to make--about $5, compared to about $20 for a nice set in stores.  Plus, you can mix and match patterns to create your own one-of-a-kind set!

You Will Need:

• 4 cork-bottomed tile coasters. I got mine at Dollar Tree for $1 a piece.  It doesn't really matter what pattern they are since they will be covered up, but I chose a light tan to prevent bleed-through of the color.
• Mod Podge or other decoupage. Dollar Tree happened to have a small bottle of Mod Podge so I picked some up there, but a simple online search will bring up recipes to make your own.
• A sponge brush (not pictured)
• Printer, paper, etc

Step One
Select your design(s) from the options below.  These are sized to the Dollar Tree coasters I bought-- 3.5" by 3.5".  You may have to resize them depending on where you get your "starter" coasters.  Below are three themes that I designed, but feel free to mix and match them; I did! Just click below and you will be able to download them.  

Step Two
Carefully cut out your 4 designs. Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on the back of your design, and place it on the coaster. You don't want this layer to be too thick or it will cause wrinkles or tearing. Once you have it in position, let it dry a bit.

Try to keep the layer thin and even.

Step Three
Brush a coat of Mod Podge on the top of your coaster.  Make sure to seal down the edges of the paper and brush around the edges of the coaster.  You may get some air bubbles-- do your best to smooth them out without tearing the paper.  Let the first layer dry a bit before putting on any additional layers.  

Make sure the edges of the paper are completely and evenly sealed.  If there are any gaps, it is possible that the moisture from your glass will drip down and get between the paper layer and the coaster layer and will eventually ruin your pretty new coaster.  I put about 3 individual layers of Mod Podge on mine.  Let your new coasters dry overnight before using.

Step Four
Enjoy! I had so much fun making this mix-and-match set that I may go back and make full sets later on.  The tile coasters are super-durable and the designs make them personal and fun.  

Have fun making your new Coastal Coasters! I can't wait to see the sets you come up with! If you try this project, post a pic to Instagram and tag me, @FancifulFlamingo. (www.instagram.com/fancifulflamingo)  Happy crafting!


**Disclaimer: The material contained in this project may not be used for commercial use or financial gain. If you intend to use this artwork for commercial use or financial gain, please contact me to obtain a Commercial Use license. **

Don't wait for the good stuff

Hey y’all!

After a brief hiatus, I have returned.  The last few months have been a whirlwind.  I can hardly believe it’s April already!

Warning: This portion of my post is kinda sad, but I promise it gets better.

Last year, my father-in-law went to his doctor’s office for a checkup and for a lung cancer screening—he had been a smoker for years and figured the odds were that he was destined for lung cancer.  While he received a clean bill of health in other areas, the doctors discovered a spot on his back that would end up being stage 4 melanoma.   Over the next months, he and his doctors tried everything to control it, from surgeries to extensive treatments.  My husband and I flew back to Iowa several times to visit him and help him in any way we could, as did the rest of his family.  And then, at 59 years old, the father of 5 and grandfather of 13 passed away in the wee hours of the morning on March 29, 2015.  Our hearts were, and will continue to be, broken.  He was loved by just about everyone who met him, and was taken too soon by a thoughtless disease. 

May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention month, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t think about it other months of the year.  Protection from the sun has become a very big deal in our household.  From choosing the right sunblock, to wearing a hat, to donning UV protective clothing—my husband and I will never again subject ourselves to the harmful rays of the sun unnecessarily.  The skin is your body’s biggest organ, so take care of it like you would any other part of your body.  I will be posting more about skin protection options and sunblock in the future, but for now, let’s lighten the mood.

The focus of this blog is to promote the idea of a coastal mindset regardless of your geography.  Its secondary mission was also meant to be an account of my journey of chasing my dream of living on the beach.  In recent months, chasing that dream has been the least of my concerns, thus the hiatus.  My father-in-law really got a kick out of my husband and I constantly going on and on about how much we loved Sanibel.  We talked so much and so highly of the island that he took us down for a vacation in January because he wanted to see the island that had stolen our hearts.  We spent a week there with family and friends who had never visited the island, and they all finally understood why we never stop talking about it.

 One of the things my father-in-law really wanted for my husband and I was for us to live life how we see fit, not how others think it should be lived.  He was proud of us for wanting to choose the beach path less traveled, and supported our dream of someday soon moving to Florida. 

It’s time to get back on that path.  We’ve started downsizing our belongings, trying to focus on keeping only what we really need. (And of course, a few things that we just really want.  We’re not animals, you know!)  We’ve looked at housing options and have made a financial plan.  Our dream is on its way to becoming a reality and I can’t wait to share every step with you guys. 

Life is too short to wait for the good stuff.  The truth is, none of us is guaranteed to grow old.  We never know what’s around the corner, so I’d prefer my corners to be draped with bougainvillea.

So join me on my journey of following my heart, won’t you?