Seafaring Style

 Problem:            
You have a large unused bookcase or built-in that you have no idea how to decorate.

Solution:

Like a colorful tie with a suit, your personal treasures can lend personality to your bookcases when mixed with books.

My husband had a lot of treasures he collected over the years but most of them were gently wrapped and stored away in boxes.  They went with us from house to house (still packed and in the dark) until we finally landed in our beach house a few months ago.

Upon opening the boxes just recently, our memory was also in the dark about what exactly was in each one. We had only written Andrews/FRAGILE for the description. As we opened each box, fond memories of treasures collected years earlier flooded our anticipation to open the next than the next.  After about the third box we came upon the treasured Old Saki bottles.



These were found on a sunken Japanese World War II ship in the Pacific Ocean in the lagoon of Kwajalein which is in the Marshall Islands. Andrew had gone there to visit a college friend (about 26 years ago) and found them while diving.

We then opened the box of his collection of nautical books, my Dad’s handmade Anchor bookends (a gift to Andrew years earlier) along with more nautical antiques and family heirlooms. All these precious memories were for his new “Man Cave”. This was his personal space.  A place where only men dare to go (just kidding it just sounded funny) a room just for him and me on occasion.  

As we unboxed the rest of the goodies, Andrew recalled when and where he had acquired them, in what exotic location they were found and how deep the waters were to dive and get them. 

                  They had finally reached shore.

                                                   Home, where memories are displayed~