Seagreen Gallery Inspiration

I've just returned from a week-long vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where Nature is clearly the star of the show.

As expected, I was inspired and rejuvenated by sunshine, ocean waves, glimpses of sea life from fish to crabs to dolphins, summer thunderstorms, and sandy beaches and dunes.

But I found an unexpected source of creative inspiration at a shop called Seagreen Gallery in Nag's Head, just down the street from our rented beach house on South Virginia Dare Trail.

The parking lot featured a weathered row boat filled with old wine bottles and lounging cacti, while an ocean wave fashioned from license plate parts swept over the side wall of the store's exterior.

And they even had a--dare I say it?--old-fashioned red telephone booth.  I certainly don't see those around much anymore!

The handcrafted items sold inside provided me with plenty of creative eye candy:

Bracelets made from acai berries:

(Some of these came home with me!)

Wall hangings from old license plate parts:

Collages of hand-drawn lighthouses on text page backgrounds:

Paintings on pieces of thin wood:

The store's decor kept my eyes busy, even in the bathroom, which featured a bathtub water feature made with a mosaic bird house, crowned by a printer's tray filled with ocean finds:

I absolutely loved their monochromatic bottle displays in blues, greens, and purples:

The back door led into an eclectic wonderland of buoys, bottles, and driftwood.

There was even a pond and a vegetable garden in the somewhat small, contained space:

Any small-space argument against whimsical outdoor living is out the window after a visit to Seagreen Gallery!

And check out this guy hanging out near the cash register:

Turns out, he makes his home at Seagreen Gallery, and he's so comfy there, I almost didn't see him as I was headed out the door!

I enjoyed this shop so much that I made a return trip in order to make sure I didn't miss anything, and to get some photos to share with you here on the blog.  I love a good creative excursion in the midst of a family vacation!