A Seaside Mantel

 

  Cool blues and greens for the family room mantel this hot summer.

Turquoise candles by Pottery Barn. White candlesticks by Ikea.

In the bubble glass jar are old Christmas ornaments with the coloring removed. I soaked them in bleach for several days and then shook and rinsed them to get most of the color out. I scrubbed the stubborn spots with Q-tips. To color them the soft, seaside colors, I used Vitrea glass stain sloshed around inside to make the deeper tones, and Mod Podge mixed with food coloring brushed on the outside to make the frosted ones. 

 

Large conch shell from the Caribbean. 

 Daylight shines through the bubbles.

I made the shell mirror with shells I collected on the beach in Florida about five years ago. I bought the blank mirror base at a shell shop in Bonita Springs and I hot glued each shell in place.