I finally took the plunge. (Nautical puns to be employed copiously. Prepare yourselves, mates.) My mother came over and we gave my condo the seashore style I’ve been craving for months. (My mother: the genius decorator of all time, and I’m so lucky to have her.)

I’m not finished yet — there are pillows to make (Kapri? Can I enlist you?), prints to frame and a scuba tank to pick up in California — but here’s a sneak peek. (Oh, how we love a bell jar.)

It’s my ode to reading on the beach. And it’s about six inches tall. Closer:

Where I got it:

Starfish: the seashell store, Seal Beach, Calif. Flag: made it with Ikea fabric, Fabri-tac glue, pinking shears, and a barbecue skewer. Black and white shells: Shauna brought them to me from a beach in Australia where all the shells matched my house. Book: Antique French Prayer Book from Pages, Cave Creek, a lovely store that I’m writing about this week. Magnifying Glass: Dave Eggers’ pirate store, 826 Valencia,  in San Francisco.  Dome: Pottery Barn. Sand: Sugar in the Raw.

I’ll show you just a bit more:

Also, this is on its way to me, $15 (comes in yellow, green, red, and blue, too).

And here are a few more lovelies I’ve spied with my seaglass:

Housewares from Alice Supply Co, in the $20-$40 range.

Rope Mirror, $125

Rope tray, $265

Seagrass cube, $72, which I actually might order.

And something to take to the actual beach from Tory Burch, $195. It’s actually so much cuter in the yellow.