Setting Sail With a Nautical Theme - Summer On A Tray

We gave up our sail boat decades ago, but I've never given up my love of sailing and all things nautical.

I'm joining Katherine @ Katherine's Corner and 13 other 

stylists today to share ideas for Summer on a Tray.  

If you popped over from Rachel's @ The Antique Journey, welcome!

I'm resetting my sails with a nautical theme as we move into mid-summer.

I typically leave my patriotic decor out 

from Memorial Day to Labor Day,

but with Katherine's invitation, I decided to transition 

my dining room buffet from a tray of Uncle Sam folk art figures to a large tiered tray filled with nautical inspired treasures.

My summer tray is a tad sentimental featuring a few 

special pieces I've collected through the years.

Other than the cute seagull and the rope knot balls recently 

found at Target Dollar Spot, everything on the tray is

something that was collected over time

I grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast. Corpus Christi, the Sparkling City By the Sea, held intrigue and joy for a young child ~ building sand castles on the beach, seeking sea shells and sand dollars washed ashore, sand between my toes, and my hair blown about by the sea breeze.  

In Native American lore, the seagull represents a carefreeattitude, versatility, and freedom, much like the carefree attitude walking on the beach offers my sensibility.  My family often spent Sunday afternoons on the T Heads along the shoreline in downtown Corpus Christi, fascinated with boats sailing in the bay and moored in the slips.  Sea gulls swirled over head, and dived down to snatch our offerings of Butter Krust sandwich bread.  

As a child I much preferred walking the beach, the soft sand squishing through my toes, the surf rushing in with a rhythm all its own, at times covering my feet with a chill and perhaps a splash.  I delighted in finding shells, sand dollars, beach glass, and drift wood.  I can close my eyes and smell the salt air of those childhood memories.

As an adult, trips to beaches on far away lands as well as our own American coastlines presented opportunities to bring home souvenirs a bit more sophisticated than the shells gathered from the sand.

My antique ivory and bone needle cases were found in various European antique markets, and my prized silver fish needle case was found in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey.

  The scrimshaw pieces on my tray are reproductions produced on manmade materials, but the fanciful folk art of scrimshaw 

carved into organic whale bone has long intrigued me.

I've often delighted in visits to the important scrimshaw collection displayed at The Whaling Museum on Nantucket.

Shell art boxes such as mine shown here,

are often found in souvenir shops in beach towns.

I purchased this one in Galveston, Texas many years ago.

I'm not a fan of sardines, though both my dad 

and my husband enjoyed eating sardines.

The yellow tin from a fun shop in Paris actually contains 

clever fish shaped picks one can use to eat sardines.  

The porcelain sardine box in its silver tray 

is a French antique, and I confess I use it to serve 

salmon spread, rather than a tin of oily, salty sardines.

I also included a favorite teapot on the bottom tray.

The pure white shell and coral design is lovely any time, 

but especially appropriate for a nautical theme.  

The mark simply reads ~ Coral Collection.

Trader Joe's lobster jellies are a favorite 

with a friend who stops in frequently.

The two little boxes were each found while

shopping on Nantucket many years ago.

The set of mini silver forks have been in use 

here as appetite servers for many years and are marked

PRIMA - NS-ALP  SWEDEN

The NS indicates it is plated silver, and the ALP means 

it is Alpaca silver, the same as nickel silver.

As I mentioned above, the cute little stuffed 

seagull was picked up at Target.

I knew immediately he would be part of my Summer On a Tray.

This little sugar jar, sans lid, is 

Wedgwood Georgetown Collection Flying Clouds.  

I snatched it up at a thrift store for a few dollars, 

knowing it would serve as a petite vase or planter.

I filled one of my Nantucket baskets with Crown Linen Design linen cocktail napkins that feature beautiful anchor embroidery.  

If you don't know this brand, you should.

Victoria sells both tabletop and apparel linens and a truly amazing

line of Italian pewter and handmade ceramics for the table.

Arte Italica Crown Linen Designs

Thank you for stopping by.  

I hope you are inspired to gather up a few things 

around your home to create your own 

Summer On a Tray.  

It will serve as a fun summer themed centerpiece 

while having a few things handy and ready to use.

Below is a list of participating bloggers, 

and if you are following the links, 

Nicolle @ Our Tiny Nest is your next stop.

Links to Each Tray BelowKatherines CornerLife and LindaMantel and TableMasterpieces Of My LifeCome To Dinner At 8My Thrift Store AddictionEveryday EditsDebbie-DabbleThe Painted ApronMy Slice of MexicoLife As A Leo WifeThe Antique JourneyHyacinths For The Soul  (You Are Here)Our Tiny Nest

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Please drop me a comment below and tell me what you would include on a Summer Tray.

Joining

Love Your Creativity @ Life and Linda  Sundays on Silverado @ House on Silverado 

You're the Star @ Electric Red Barn  Inspire Me Monday @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia   

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life Tuesday Turnaround @ My Wee Abode

All About Home @ Common Ground  Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop @ Electric Red Barn
Share Your Style @ French Ethereal  Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner Charming Homes and Gardens @ Shiplap and Shells  Embracing Home and Family @ The Everyday Farmhouse   Farmhouse Friday @ The Painted Hinge