My Glass Fishing Float and Bookcase for Summer
It's cool when you have a mom who knows and understands your style (mental note: try to be this cool when Maura is grown). Back in May, as this year was my first Mother's Day, my mom got a me a gift. A vintage glass fishing float from Wisteria!!
Since the turn of the century, these hollow glass floats, woven into the rope line of large fishing nets, were the worldwide choice of commercial fishermen from Norway to Japan to America. Often these round glass renegades escaped their worn-out nets. With the advent of plastic and the decline in commercial fishing, these lost, blue/green clear glass floats are now rare and highly sought after by collectors around the world. They were made by fusing glass together, so each ball has seams. Since age and origin is difficult to determine, no two will be exactly alike.
I love it! The color is so pretty, and the cloudy, bubbly texture is really interesting. I wonder where this guy has been?! I wanted to add a bit more of a nautical vibe to our place and this is another step towards that without being too cliche or kitschy. Thanks, Mom!!
I though that the perfect place for my new/old fishing float (at least for now) would be on top of the bookcase in our foyer that I restyle for the seasons. It needed something large and anchoring behind it, so I stole this white frame and fun sun/floral print from my my family room ledge shelves for winter (ironic, huh?!). I was going to swap out the print for something different in cool tones, but once I had it up there I realized I loved the contrast of the warm yellow and orange with the sea foam, it really made the glass float stand out.
Once that was done, I just did what I always do to finish the look, shop the house for other items in this similar color palette and rearrange/test until I'm satisfied.
My Hardy Boys books from when I was a kid (that I've been saving for my kids to read) were the perfect blue/teal to balance out the glass fishing float. Yay! These have been in our basement in a Tupperware and I've been waiting to put them somewhere:)
Coincidentally, the orangey-red behind Frank and Joe's portraits goes great with the sun/floral print. Sweet!
I swapped out one of the photos in the frames for this new one of Maura's hand (from her portrait session at 10 weeks - gosh I love that baby girl!).
On the bottom shelf I added a white tray from Target (helps to balance out the large white frame up top), a teal book, and orange book and Paul's baby shoes. All fairly sturdy items should Maura decide to play here.
So, this doesn't totally scream summer, but I'm diggin' it. The color combo is fun and bright, its got a hint of nautical, and the books remind me of summer reading and afternoon trips to the library with a stop at 7-Eleven for a Slurpee on the way home:)
Did any of you guys read The Hardy Boys too? Or were you all just Nancy Drew fans?!
Since the turn of the century, these hollow glass floats, woven into the rope line of large fishing nets, were the worldwide choice of commercial fishermen from Norway to Japan to America. Often these round glass renegades escaped their worn-out nets. With the advent of plastic and the decline in commercial fishing, these lost, blue/green clear glass floats are now rare and highly sought after by collectors around the world. They were made by fusing glass together, so each ball has seams. Since age and origin is difficult to determine, no two will be exactly alike.
I love it! The color is so pretty, and the cloudy, bubbly texture is really interesting. I wonder where this guy has been?! I wanted to add a bit more of a nautical vibe to our place and this is another step towards that without being too cliche or kitschy. Thanks, Mom!!
I though that the perfect place for my new/old fishing float (at least for now) would be on top of the bookcase in our foyer that I restyle for the seasons. It needed something large and anchoring behind it, so I stole this white frame and fun sun/floral print from my my family room ledge shelves for winter (ironic, huh?!). I was going to swap out the print for something different in cool tones, but once I had it up there I realized I loved the contrast of the warm yellow and orange with the sea foam, it really made the glass float stand out.
Once that was done, I just did what I always do to finish the look, shop the house for other items in this similar color palette and rearrange/test until I'm satisfied.
My Hardy Boys books from when I was a kid (that I've been saving for my kids to read) were the perfect blue/teal to balance out the glass fishing float. Yay! These have been in our basement in a Tupperware and I've been waiting to put them somewhere:)
Coincidentally, the orangey-red behind Frank and Joe's portraits goes great with the sun/floral print. Sweet!
I swapped out one of the photos in the frames for this new one of Maura's hand (from her portrait session at 10 weeks - gosh I love that baby girl!).
On the bottom shelf I added a white tray from Target (helps to balance out the large white frame up top), a teal book, and orange book and Paul's baby shoes. All fairly sturdy items should Maura decide to play here.
So, this doesn't totally scream summer, but I'm diggin' it. The color combo is fun and bright, its got a hint of nautical, and the books remind me of summer reading and afternoon trips to the library with a stop at 7-Eleven for a Slurpee on the way home:)
Did any of you guys read The Hardy Boys too? Or were you all just Nancy Drew fans?!
That fishing float is really cool. It reminds me a little bit of the glass globe that I've been eyeing up for our garden. I was a big Nancy Drew fan but my brother had the Hardy Boys collection so your books brought back fond memories.
ReplyDeleteLucky...!!! What a fabulous gift and it looks terrific styled on your bookshelf.
ReplyDeleteNancy Drew for me, Hardy Boys for my brother, though I may have read a few!
Cathy
You styled your shelving just beautifully, Sarah. The color of that float is amazing. And those Hardy Boys books! I can't believe they are in such great condition. I was a Nancy Drew fan growing up. At some point during my childhood, my brother drew glasses and mustaches and the like on Nancy's face on each cover. Hmmm, I wonder where those went...
ReplyDeleteI'm dying of jealousy over your fishing float! What a perfect color. Great shelf arrangements, too!
ReplyDeleteHow cool...I just told a client the other day to get some of the smaller ones for a bowl on her coffee table....I love how they add that pop of color. WOW...Mom did alright in the gift department :)
ReplyDelete