Friday, August 31, 2012

Photoshoot Fun

This morning our photo shoot team headed out to one of our favorite
piers next to our favorite docked boat, the Kula Kai.
The last of its kind, the Kula Kai is truly an aging beauty.
Its rustic and worn down elements make it a perfect spot to shoot for our
new clothing arrivals! Navy blue and striped patterns
will be hitting our website soon! Stay tuned for more looks...








Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Inspire Me Wednesdays

  Three things you can do,
           to live a  HAPPIER life.....
  

(taken from positivity blog)
Happiness must not always come from big things and events. It can come from smaller, daily habits too. So today I’d simply like to take a look at 3 quick tips and habits that help me to live a happier life. Pick one and see how it works for you.

1) Help someone.
Helping someone out is one of simplest but also one of the most powerful things one can do to live a happy life.
How can you help someone out? By giving them value in some form. Such forms could be:
  • Offering some practical help. With for example work, moving houses or cooking dinner.
  • Giving some good advice. People may not always want advice but if they ask then give your best advice based on your experience.
  • Being understanding instead of judgmental. Two questions that can help with that are: What parts of this person can I see in myself? How is he or she like me?
  • Hugs. The comfort of one hug or more can make the other person’s situation at least a bit better


2) Have a low bar for happiness.
This is something I have experimented with lately.
I tell myself this when I wake up in the morning: “Have a low bar for happiness today.”
As I tell myself this and try to keep it in mind during the day I appreciate things more. The food, my work, the weather, the small events of the day becoms not everyday stuff but something I feel happy to have. The small or what may be something one takes for granted becomes something I now often pause for a moment or two to take in and appreciate.


3) Be kind to yourself.
Comparing what you have and your results to what other people have and have accomplished can really kill your motivation and keep your self-esteem at a low level. There are always people ahead of you.

So focus on you. On your results. And how you can and have improved your results. This is important because it’s a great motivator to see how much you have improved and how far you have come.
 

Monday, August 27, 2012

Must Have Monday

A touch of Hawaii...

Sea shell bangles are huge trend seen locally around our islands and even sometimes on
the mainland as well. You'll even notice that many women wear three to four bangles at a time.
 These bangles have a selection of different island shells which are found locally on some of Hawaii's most beautiful beaches. Here at Cottage by the Sea, jewelry artist Jen S. uses only sterling silver and 14k filled metals bangles with a thicker wire gauge, creating quality made pieces that will last for years. She incorporates a medley of different shells including her popular, Waialua mix bangles which have a mixture of sea glass, puka shells, and cone shells. Stop in today to check out her entire collection of hand made beauties!




Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Inspire me Wednesdays

Today's inspiration stems from Kaui born island girl, Ashley Johnston.
Her work in graphic design and illustration is greatly inspired
by her love of Hawaii and all of its beauty.
 Check out her designs at Cottage by the Sea where you can snag
 her island canvas tote bags in OAHU, MAUI, and KAUAI for $32.
You can also snag her island print outs too!






Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Funday



Turn OLD into NEW again.
  Take those salvaged ladders and turn them
into little potting stations in your backyard!
You can re-paint the ladders or leave it as is
to give off a more rustic touch.

 BEFORE...
AFTER...

Sunday, August 12, 2012




Follow us on Instagram to get a glimpse
of our newest and cutest merchandise!
@cottagehawaii


        

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Inspire Me Wednesdays



                       CBS:  "How long have you been making jewelry and how did you get started?"
                       Betsy: "I've been making this line for about 6 years now but I learned silversmithing  
                       at a smallcraft school in Western North Carolina. The craft school first started in the 
                       1930's as a way to provide people with craft making skill so that they could sell out 
                       into the markets."

                      
                      CBS:   "What inspired you to create these unique vintage note pieces?"
                      Betsy: "When I was in college I did studio art and I did a lot of collage work so I used
                      a lot of the same materials, like the old papers and fabrics and so this jewelry 
                      line is sort of a fun continuation of that."

                      
                      CBS:   "You use recycled sterling silver and vintage words from mid century books.
                      My personal favorite is the 'my darling' necklace. Where did you get that note from?"
                      Betsy:  "That was from a World War II era love letter from a soldier to his sweetheart.
                      It's the sweetest thing ever."


                      CBS:  "Another interesting piece is your arrow earrings. What's so unique about them?"
                      Betsy: "The arrow design is actually a fabric piece from the 1890's. It's a Kalika fabric
                      that I had a lot of so each of these arrow pieces is the authentic tiny bit of an antique 
                      fabric."



Come on down to check out all of Betsy Carr's adorable vintage inspired pieces!
Her entire collection is 15% off and will continue to be on sale until August 11th!















Monday, August 6, 2012

Photo Shoot Fun

Dazzle in new vintage inspired dresses for those special occassions.
Here at Cottage by the sea, we've gathered the best selection of
 romantic, feminine, and charming dresses for all those weddings, 
bridal parties, and special events! 

Check out our INSTAGRAM: Cottagehawaii for more of today's 
photo shoot!