This past weekend we had planned on attending the Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival in Bradenton. When we got there it was flooded and cops were barring the entrance. So destiny took us to Anna Maria Island instead. I wanted to take you on a little tour of my absolute favorite gift shop. The Sand Dollar.
Outside, dozens upon dozens of seashells, sea glass and starfish sway enticingly.
Inside is a mish-mash of all things coastal. It is one of those stores you have to stroll through very slowly, as to not miss a beat. Prices are pretty affordable which is a huge plus. And it smells great.
With my new-found terrarium obsession you bet yer biscuits I bought one of these little wall mounted glass globes. I plan on putting a layer of sand, shells and airplants inside.
I don't know why I didn't grab this guy. Serious oversight.
I did pick up two Root votives in Paradise. It was the scent I burned on our wedding weekend in our hotel room. I can't wait to smell it again, eleven years later.
If you ever get a chance to come to Florida's Gulf coast, you should check out Anna Maria Island. No high-rises, all old Florida charm and beautiful beaches.
Do you have any October plans? We were going to take the girls to a Flashlight Pumpkin Hunt but I was too slow to register and it filled up. Boy is this mama on a roll!
No October plans here. I don't even know if we'll get to our local pumpkin place or not. Seems like something else always comes up on the weekends I'm off. Cool that you got to go someplace else you love even if it wasn't your original plan. =)
ReplyDelete~Deb
Oh no! I hope you can go. But if not I understand and feel ya. All our Halloween plans have caved even though it is still two weeks away. I am now pouring my hopes into a camping trip next month. Maybe.
DeleteWhat a beautiful gift shop! That must have been a sweet memory to smell the scent from your honeymoon! The hubby and I celebrated our 7th anniversary last year and I brought a pumpkin cheesecake candle to our hotel room. I forgot to pack anything to light it with, but he found some matches in the car; my hero! :) I love the coast; we live about 2 hours away from it but try go a few times a year. No specific fall plans, except that every year we take a scenic drive to enjoy the fall foliage which is very late this year due to a heat wave.
ReplyDeleteAwww how sweet of your guy! And now you will have that romantic scent memory. I hope your fall drive is beautiful! I wish I could come along ;-)
DeleteThis gift shop looks so nice! Thank you for sharing your photos of your travels with us!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could pipe in the scent of this store through my blog. It smells so good in there.
DeleteI wish I had something.....ANYTHING....like this within a reasonable driving distance.
ReplyDeleteOh no! That does stink. I just love little independent gift/decor shops. Do you like beachy/nautical things?
DeleteI adore beachy and nautical things. Honestly one of my prized possessions is a little trinket/souvenir bottle of sand and shells from Cape Cod that's almost 30 years old! Lots of independent gift shops here but many of them are mountains/hunting/primitive theme which is nice.....if you ever want to try huckleberry jam, I can buy it by the gross. But they're not so much my style as that lovely place you have nearby.
DeleteHow cool!! I have always wanted to go to Cape Cod. I love that you treasure your souvenir from there. I am like that too. Sentimental objects mean more to me than flashy gifts. That is why I end up making gifts so much but I quickly learned not everyone is of the same mind about that. Prim decor never grabbed me much. Lol @ huckleberry jam! Does it come topped with gingham fabric?
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