Sanibel Shellin' Sistah's!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Sanibel Island Lover - Moira.

Moira and I started talking to each other through the Sanibel Island Message Board a couple of years ago.  She'd make a trip down to the island and I'd ask her about it.  Then I'd make a trip and she's ask me about it.  We'd share tips about where to find shells, where we were eating meals, where we were staying, favorite beaches.  Both of us share such a love for this same small island off the coast of Florida.  Last year we realized that we live less than an hour away from each other.  Since then, we've been plotting and planning to meet for lunch.

Because of Saibel, we share a common thread that winds around many of the same people we've met while on the island, or through blogging.  Both of us have met Pam, from iloveshelling.  If you want to know anything about what's happening on the island, go to her blog.  She knows everyone and everything!

Moira and I both frequent blogs called  The Essential Beachcomber and Shellbelles Tiki Hut.  Both are top notch blogs and you should give them each a look.  I had the pleasure of hunting for sharks teeth with Karen from The Essential Beachcomber and we had a blast!

Moira and I also both took day trips with Captain Brian this past summer as well.  If you're on Sanibel, do not miss an opportunity to take a cruise with this man of the sea.  Not only is he an accomplished photographer, but he knows the good shelling spots, charms the dolphin so we can snap photos, points out local flora and fauna and he slices up a mean watermelon as well.

So after many months of unexpected delays, Moira and I were finally able to arrange a meeting for yesterday.  We sat for 2 hours and talked non-stop.  Meeting Moira in person was like seeing an old friend.

We had such a good time talking about Sanibel and shelling and all the bloggers we have in common.  We both wore our Sanibel Island shirts that we purchased from the iloveshelling gift shop.  Pam, we did that especially for you!!  Darn, we should have phooned......

It was such fun getting to meet another fellow Sanibel Shelling Sistah - They're a very special breed!

Happy Birthday Shellbelle!!

Please join me in throwing out a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to blogger extraordinaire Rhonda over at Shellbelle's Tiki Hut!  The Mountain Mermaid is hosting a huge virtual birthday party for Shellbelle and you are invited!  Shellbelle has a wonderful blog full of fun posts about growing up on the beach in California, shelling on the coast of Florida, creating cool stuff for her Etsy shop and lots of fun stuff in between.

She cares about our oceans, likes to bike and camp, hula to Don Ho and rock out to The Beach Boys.  She is most comfortable with sand between her toes and I think she has a secret crush on Brad Pitt.  She holds the song of the sea in her heart.

Grab a ukulele and a tiki torch and head on down to the beach for a party.  The Mai Tai's will be flowing like lava from a volcano and the dancing won't stop til the wee hours.  Stop by and check out her blog and wish her a happy birthday. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHONDA!!

Thank you Ms. Bake-It and Shellbelle!

A couple of weeks ago I entered a give-away over at Ms. Bake-It's blog.  Don't go to her blog unless you want to leave hungry!  She makes the most delicious looking dishes and her photos of what she makes will cause you to drool all over your keyboard!  Visit her blog here:
http://msbake-it.blogspot.com/

Anyway, guess what??  I WON!!  Insert photos of me doing cartwheels here if I had of photo of me doing cartwheels.

My prize was a $ 40.00 gift card to Shellbelle's Etsy shop.  You have to visit Shellbelle's blog because she has such interesting things to say and show us, like World Oceans Day when she hosted an online beach party.  She had my full attention at the words OCEAN and BEACH - 2 of my favorite words.  Visit her blog here:
http://www.shellbellestikihut.com/

So I won my gift card and I skeedaddled over to Shellbelle's ETSY shop at: 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/shellbellestikihut?ref=pr_shop_more

I immediately picked out a Driftshell heart.  And here it is.  It just arrived and I have to tell you, the photo's don't do it justice.  IT IS GORGEOUS!  I love it.

It is so finely crafted and sturdy.

And while I was browsing her store, I also purchsed this Driftshell photo frame.  Shellbelle makes these beauties with shells that she finds herself.  They are truly works of art!

Since I just got back from our annual "Girls Only" trip to Sanibel Island, I inserted a photo of us phooning on Cayo Costa Island.... You can read about "Phooning" here:  http://snugharborbay.blogspot.com/2011/03/do-you-phoon.html

Doesn't it look great?  Now I have to go buy a shelf for my front room so I can proudly display these 2 new beachy additions.

A heartfelt thanks to Ms. Bake-It and Shellbelle for my win.  You girls really made my day!

World Oceans Day

Did you know that today is World Oceans Day?  Do you think about our oceans and the impact we have on them?   Jump  Swim over to:
http://www.shellbellestikihut.com/2011/06/world-oceans-day-online-beach-party.html
and read what Shellbelle has to say about an underwater museum where sculptures have been designed to become artifical coral reefs.  It's about the neatest thing I've ever seen.

Go check it out!  And while you're at it, think about what our oceans mean to you.

Ms Bake-It is a Winner!

Ms. Bake-It is a winner with her fun and informative blog site:
 http://msbake-it.blogspot.com/
She takes some really fabulous photos too!  But I am the real winner today because I WON her recent Give-Away Contest. 

I was away on my annual "Girls Only" Florida trip and when I got home I signed on to check my email.  The very first message I opened was from Ms. Bake-It telling me that I had won a $40.00 store credit to put toward the purchase of any item(s) of my choice in Rhonda's shop Creations by Shellbelle .  The only problem with this fabulous win is that I am going to have to narrow my pick down to ONE thing - IMPOSSIBLE!  I already have my eye on one of her Driftshell Hearts.  Shellbelle has so many beautiful, one of a kind, hand created products that it is going to be difficult to choose.  I am going to have fun choosing my gift!  Once I get it, I will be sure to post a picture.  In the meantime, jump over to Shellebelles shop and take a gander at her creations. 

You should also be sure to check out Shellbelle's blog at http://www.shellbellestikihut.com/.  She always has something interesting to say and if you like the beach, you will love her blog!

So a BIG thank you to Ms Bake-It for hosting this giveaway and for honoring me with this win!  What a great way to start the holiday weekend.  Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Ms Bake-It Give -a-way Promotion

Ms. Bake-It is sponsoring a give away.  Please click on this link to jump over to her blog and check it out.
http://msbake-it.blogspot.com/2011/05/celebrate-good-times-come-on.html

When you do, she will introduce you to 2 more bloggers with fun blog-sites and FANTASTIC ETSY shops.  That's a sweet 3 for 1 deal if you ask me.  What are you waiting for?  Go check them out!