beach vacation Archives - Our Tiny Nest

21 In DIY

DIY Beach Memory Box

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If you are going to the beach this summer then you will want to see how to make this DIY Beach Memory Box as a keepsake of your trip.

One of our family’s special places is Narragansett, Rhode Island. We look forward to going whenever we can. It holds a special place in our hearts (I’m linking a post I wrote previously with some of our favorite things to do there). This DIY beach memory box is a great way to remember your beach vacation. Bring back some sand and seashells from your favorite place, and scroll down to see how to make this special keepsake.

This post is brought to you by The Cozy Creative Collaborative

A group of ladies who love all things home, DIY, and food. We team up every month to share a new themed project and this month we are sharing all things coastal. Be sure to scroll to the end to see everyone’s coastal ideas!

If you are coming from my friend Jen at Cottage on Bunker Hill, welcome and I hope you will stick around here awhile!!! When I think of a true coastal girl, Jen comes to mind. How amazing did her lobster cobb salad look? Yummm!!!

How to make a DIY Beach Memory Box

You will need:

shadowbox
sand
seashells and sea glass
photo
sand dollar
permanent marker
hot glue gun

1.) Start by taking apart the shadow box. If desired, cover the backing with cardstock or paper. I chose to cover my black backing with white paper.

2.) Secure your photo to the backing.

3.) Using a gold permanent marker, I wrote each of our names on a sanddollar. If you are using a larger shadowbox and have the space, you could do one for each person.

4.) I secured the sanddollar to the backing using hot glue so that it didn’t roll around.

5.) Fill the bottom of the shadow box with some sand and secure the backing on. I also hot glued around the edges to seal the backing so that no sand could leak out.

6.) Using hot glue, glue the seaglass and seashells around the border of the shadow box and allow to dry.

That’s it! So easy! This is perfect so display on your shelves, coffee table or desk so that you can go back to the beach anytime you need a getaway!

I’m linking some things below if you want to re-create your own shadow box.

For more coastal and beach inspiration, you can also see how I put together this coastal tray decor.

Pin for later

Next head on over to my friend Heidi where she is sharing how to make the prettiest seashell candles.

Coastal Inspiration from The Cozy Creative Collaborative

Coastal inspired frame with seashells and seaglass.

DIY Beach Keepsake | Nicolle of Our Tiny Nest Blog

Homemade candles with soy wax and scallop shells.

How to Make Homemade Candles in Scallop Seashells | Heidi of Eleanor Rose Home

DIY seashell wall art for summer coastal decor.

DIY Seashell Wall Decor | Charity of Mornings on Macedonia

A coastal themed tablescape with shell accents.

How to Set a Casual Coastal Table | Kelly of The Tattered Pew

New England Cobb salad with lobster, hard boiled eggs, and croutons.

New England Lobster Cobb Salad | Jennifer of Cottage on Bunkerhill

July 25, 2023 By Nicolle

1 In travel

Our Family Vacation in Rhode Island

We just came back from our family vacation to Rhode Island. This was our second time going and this time we went with a toddler and 6 week old in tow. Are we crazy? Maybe, but we had a great time. Today I’m sharing all about our family vacation in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is a quaint little state in New England best known for it’s beaches (it’s called the Ocean State for a reason) and historic charm. It’s filled with beautiful coastal views and has lots of fun activities for families.

Where we stay

We rent a house in Bonnet Shores, which is a quiet residential neighborhood in Narragansett. Bonnet Shores has it’s own private beach for the neighborhood community and is my favorite beach in all of Rhode Island. Although there isn’t any parking which is one of the reasons why the beach is so quiet. But most homes in the neighborhood are a short walk or bike ride to the beach. I love all of the gorgeous homes in the neighborhood with the cedar shake siding and lined with bushes of hydrangeas. It’s our dream to own a home there one day.

Find me at the beach

We hit up the beach in Narragansett almost every day. The Narragansett town beach is a public beach so it is a little busier but there are more amenities for the kids. Dude had a blast playing in the sand and riding the waves.

I was a little anxious about taking an infant to the beach but Mav was a champ. He even dipped his toes in a few times (gotta start ’em early).

Travel Tip: In the summer, the Narragansett town beach has movies on the beach every Wednesday night. We headed on down with a few pizzas (and bottles of wine) in tow and watched a few of the volleyball games beforehand.

The freshest seafood

If you head down to Point Judith you can charter a fishing boat and head out for a fishing excursion.

Here’s dude with his first fish he caught.

There’s also a variety of shops to get freshly caught seafood. We always do a big seafood night to kick off our week.

Day Trip to Block Island

We took the ferry over to Block Island for the day. The island has tons of cute shops and restaurants. You can also rent mopeds or bikes and ride around the island.

Memories to Cherish Forever

Make sure to bring back some beach sand and seashells to make this super cute memory box to remember your trip. I’m sharing the DIY here.

This year, my sisters and I surprised my parents with a family photo session. Thanks to Cait Costa Photography, we were able to get some amazing photos we will truly cherish forever.

If you are planning on heading to the beach with your little ones here are some of my favorite essentials:

Beach wagon – to help carry all of your necessities.

Beach cabana – this was a lifesaver to keep the babe out of the sun and perfect for naps on the beach.

Inflatable baby pool – This was such a great idea especially when going to the beach with toddlers. It was perfect for when the kids didn’t want to go in the ocean but wanted to cool off.

I shared my favorite Amazon bathing suits in my Friday Favorites blog post here

August 23, 2019 By Nicolle