Set Adrift: Driftwood Projects For The Nest

There’s something nostalgic about driftwood. It’s already lived a whole other life before it was uprooted from the ground and set adrift to sea. The sand, wind, water and waves have a way of uniquely weathering the patina of fallen wood like no manmade finish can do. Driftwood Rack

The DIY Driftwood Rack from Sunset is simple, beautiful and free. It’s the same idea as this coat rack.

Driftwood Headboard

This rustic handcrafted headboard lined up next to the linen bedding, created by artisan Trisha Rose, sets a calming bedroom mood. Doesn’t it?

Driftwood Table

This one-of-kind table made from a piece of driftwood we found along the shores of the Hudson River (see, you thought I was only partial to the ocean), sports a slab top of black walnut from a downed tree found on our property. Here’s a tutorial for making driftwood tables. We left out the polyurethane and used Gorilla Glue, which is non-toxic after it dries.

Driftwood Wall Art

My Uncle Danny was a master of reuse. His renditions of eco-art could be found all over the nooks and crannies of his seaside home that my cousin, Amy and her family now live in. He created this piece in the 1960’s, and it is still displayed on an outside wall of the home.

Note: Before you head out beachcombing for driftwood, check your local state beach authority for regulations about collecting scavenged wood.

Credits: All Driftwood Furniture, Sunset, Cabin On The Water

More beach-inspired projects: Beachcombing With a Purpose: 2 DIY Shell Projects DIY Decorating With Nautical Knots What The Sea Left Behind Sun Senses: Beach Inspired Home Decor

Trim The Waste: Zero-Waste Design

Here’s a quick Q&A: 1. Do you eat organic food?

2. Do you bring cloth bags with you when you go shopping?

3. Do you recycle?

4. Do you compost?

5. Do you buy clothes that are made from leftover scraps of fabric?

If you checked the first four in the affirmative, and puzzled over why you are even answering number 5, you’re not alone. The question never even entered my eco-radar either. What's it all about?

“Zero-waste design strives to create clothing patterns that leave not so much as a scrap of fabric on the cutting room floor. This is not some wacky avant-garde exercise; it’s a way to eliminate millions of tons of garbage a year. Apparel industry professionals say that about 15 to 20 percent of the fabric used to produce clothing winds up in the nation’s landfills because it’s cheaper to dump the scraps than to recycle them.”

Want to find out if zero-waste fashion is coming to a store near you? CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Beachcombing With a Purpose: 2 DIY Shell Projects

DIY Shell Curtain

Want to give beachcombing a purpose? Colorfully-toned shells come in so many unique shapes and sizes. Set out to find the perfect shells to complete these shell projects. The image above is a sweet and simple shell project from Sweet Paul. Create this Shell Curtain with shells, ed a hammer, physician nails and twine.

DIY Shell Chandelier

This Shell Chandelier tops my list of creative reuse of junk. Underneath this stylish number wrapped carefully in twine and adorned with shells, is a tacky old lighting fixture that was headed for the landfill. Reused, recycled and reconsidered, the Shell Chandelier created by Lindsey Cheney of the Pleated Poppy via Completely Coastal is a thrifty and creative reuse project.

For more beach-inspired projects check out: DIY Decorating With Nautical Knots What The Sea Left Behind Sun Senses: Beach Inspired Home Décor DIY Stone Knobs

Credits: Sweet Paul and Lindsey Cheney

What The Sea Left Behind

“In every outthrust headland, sale in every curving beach, mind in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.” ~ Rachel Carson After boarding the ferry home from Martha’s Vineyard, my head was swimming with beachy DIY ideas. I’m somewhat obsessed with collecting things the sea left behind – sea glass, beach stones and shells. The weathering forces of the salty ocean, with its abrasive pounding and then sun-faded drying, transforms shells, discarded glass and stones into alluring objects.

For years, I kept the rewards of my beachcombing in jars and bowls around the house. Now is the time to dip into those beach treasures and harvest some beauties for DIY projects.

Come back for more econesting posts with projects from what the sea left behind. Let’s start with beach stones…

Beach Stone Closure

Do you need a closure for an outdoor shower or garden gate? This clasp is secure enough to keep peeping Toms out, and easy enough for a child to open. You’ll need an array of beach stones, a drill, hemp twine and this Care2 tutorial to make this simple clasp.

Credit: Remodelista.