SORBET SUNNIES FOR BEACH LOVERS

Aren't these sorbet sunnies by A.J Morgan a dream?? I just don't think I can resist these budget friendly ($24) numbers...

Aqua, $24 at Nordstom

Coral, $24 at Nordstrom

Do you like?

LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE

I've always loved this quote but for the longest time couldn't put my finger on the right art to pair it withh. I came up with this yesterday and quite pleased :)

Prints are sold in size 11" x 14" and will not include the SHORELY CHIC watermark. A nice gift for someone or yourself to remind you to let go and chill!

Sold here for $24 :)

Chase Allen - Iron Fish Art

Good Morning! It's a beautiful day in Connecticut - I'm so content writing to you all with the warm sun shining in the open windows and drinking my coffee (aside from the every 5-minute interruption of Jack waking up the neighborhood with his barking at someone or something in the back yard).

A couple weeks back I introduced you all to sponsor and coastal metal sculptor Chase Allen of Iron Fish Art in this post. I'm so happy to have Chase on the blog not only because I love his work but I really believe in his story and love to support his continuing success in the coastal home decor arena. Chase creates his art on the beautiful Daufuski Island in South Carolina in his open air studio inspired by the coastal landscape around him. 

His latest creations are these really neat night lights that you hang on your walls:

Aren't they fun? I'm also a big fan of his mermaids and crabs:

These mamas hang 3' x 7' 

I love when people hang art on the exterior of their homes - it really works in a beach area and when limited to one piece like on the home above. 

I'm also really into his fish sculptures:

don't they look pretty gathered in a "school" on this southern porch?

If you like what you see, make sure you check out Chase's website to see all of his offerings! 

KEEP CALM AND THINK OF THE BEACH

Happy Weekend! What are ya'll up to? I couldn't be happier, Brian and I are headed to spend the night in a lighthouse near Mystic, Connecticut and to Watch Hill, Rhode Island on Sunday. The light house is owned and operated by the family of one of Brian's colleagues and has been recently renovated to comfortably accomodate family and friends. I seriously can't wait to to see what sleeping in a lighthouse is like, I know the views will be spectacular!

I also wanted to let you in on a little weekend special being that is the first official weekend of summer! 20% off all Cabana Striped Keep Calm and Think of the Beach prints in my Esty shop with code KEEPCALM. 

You can purchase these prints here: 

Have a good weekend!! 

ETSY LOVE - BUOY 6

I partnered with an amazing shop I found on Etsy recently, Buoy 6, out of Maine, and wore her fabulous nautical bracelets bopping around to the various events I had in NYC in May. I can't tell you how many compliments I got and am so happy to see so many of my friends purchasing her bracelets as well :)

Reasonably priced under $20 and made with authentic marine rope and hardware, these chic bracelets make a great statement and are so fun for the summer! 

here's the pretty I wore {this pic was taken on my way to the Hearst Tower for Blogfest2012}

friend Jacin of Lovely Little Details snapped this of her new pretty

The name Buoy 6 comes from the #6 red buoy located just outside of Boothbay Harbor near Sprice Point in Maine, where owner Juli grew up.

you can shop here, and tell Juli I sent you! 

Chase Allen of The Iron Fish on Daufuskie Island

Morning Everyone! I hope you all had glorious Memorial Day weekends :) The sun was shining down on us here in coastal Connecticut and it was great to have our friends from Pittsburgh with us for the long holiday weekend. Before I get into my scheduled post, I just had to share this adorable picture of Brian with Finn, his godson at the beach on Saturday:

I mean...is that not the cutest?? {My goodness, I can't imagine the pictures that will be going up when we have children of our own one day! I promise to keep it in check, but it must be so hard for you mommy bloggers...}

Anywho, I'm really excited introduce you to sponsor Chase Allen of The Iron Fish. I love Chase's coastal inspired iron art, but also his story of chasing his dream to become the artist he always wanted to be and leaving his dreary corporate job and life behind.  Chase settled on Daufuskie Island, a treasured piece of land in between Savannah and Hilton Head, and his studio and home have become a local landmark for art enthusiasts and visitors of the island. 

I'm so inspired by his simple lifestyle and the fact that he made the successful decision to surround himself in work that he loves.

Here's a neat little video of Chase at work in his studio:

Chase's work is 100% authentic, made in the US of A, which is seemingly becoming more and more of a rarity :(, and hand-crafted with the utmost care and craftsman's quality. His pieces come in all shapes and sizes, and are definitely worth taking a look for decoration on the inside of outside of your coastal inspired home. 

 you can visit Chase here: 

TheIronFish.com

Melissa Barbieri

In the charming seaside town of Southport, Connecticut hangs the most magical collection of ocean-inspired paintings by artist, Melissa Barbieri.  As a long time fan of Melissa's, I was thrilled to meet with her last week at Southport Galleries to see her latest collection of nautical charts and seascapes. We had such a lovely morning at the gallery and it was so interesting to learn about the processes and inspiration behind her work. I was completely blown away by every single piece and wanted to take them all off the walls right then and there and into the homes of my clients' beach houses. 

I've never seen art under the "nautical/beach/ocean/sea" category so appealing, as aged-looking and classic as Melissa's, and that to me makes her the best in her class. 

I've always loved nautical charts, but these?! Melissa paints these charts in fresco secco, which dates back to the Renaissance. Working in this medium gives the paintings a beautiful tactile quality where you can see the organic components in the fresco mirroring flecks of mica and skeletal debris of marine organisms. Melissa: "I like that it gives an softly aged look which is very much in tune with my style of painting and the way I want these charts to look. I  work from composites of maps and charts both contemporary and vintage and add my own detailing to create a painting that's original."

Recently, Melissa created a 6' long custom piece for a family of sailors of the New England coast so the could chart their journeys. She included their home in Stonington on the map which really gives it a personal touch. 

I fell in love with these metallic creatures which are fresco seccos with silver leaf - how different from anything I've ever seen before. 

The painting below titled Uncharted Waters, an oil on linen, is an absolute stunner: 

The sheer size of it will blow you away and the detail is incredible. 

just gorgeous.

Melissa: "I love to do a really big piece like this that I can just get lost in. I used layers and layers of glazes to give it depth and that patina so no one could be sure what time period it was painted in. My inspiration  came from wandering the back alley canals of Venice and the Mediterranean Coast where I remembered seeing worn mosaics and frescoes from centuries ago with sea themes."

me with Melissa

Side Story: {Upon arriving at the gallery, I had a nice surprise greeting from a favorite Art History professor of mine, Phillip Eliasoph, who is very influential at the gallery. We had such a nice time catching up and it was so great to see him again. He had a major impact on my experience at Fairfield University and it was taking his class in my sophomore year, Renaissance Art, that made me become an AH major.}

Melissa lives in Essex, Connecticut and has her studio in Greenwich which is open Tuesday-Friday and Saturday mornings by appointment.  Her show at the Southport Galleries will run through Tuesday, May 29th.

"I love to work in different mediums with changing themes, but I'll never give up painting all things related to the sea. For me it has a never-ending range of possibilities for subjects and inspiration , from saltwater to sea weed to handsome sailors. What could be better?"

The Seashell Collection Giveaway!

Congratulations to Henderson Home for winning the beautiful seashell door hanger!! 

I'd like to introduce you all to Shorely Chic's newest sponsor, The Seashell Collection. I’ve been a fan of The Seashell Collection since I started Shorely Chic back in 2009, and am over the moon that we are collaborating on spreading beachy love for the home :) When I first decided to open my Etsy shop, I spent hours looking at all the different sea-inspired shops online and The Seashell Collection definitely stood out. It’s not so common to find someone who knows how to do the beach look with such elegance and class, but as you are about to see, Janet, a trained interior decorator from the California coastline certainly does.

{coral on lucite - how pretty on a shelf or stack of books}

{holiday decor}

{tissue box covers}

{custom letter designs}

{where all the magic happens, right on Sunset Blvd!}

{wedding placecards}

Janet has generously donated one of her starfish door hangers to one of you lucky ladies (and gents)

To enter:

1) You must be a follower of Shorely Chic to enter

2) Become a fan of The Seashell Collection on facebook

3) Become a follower The Seashell Collection on twitter

 *Please make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry so I know how many times to count you!*

Winner will be chosen this Friday at 5:00 PM EST – Good Luck!!