So I did not make it to Santa Barbara as I would have hoped. Those darn budget cuts in every area of my life made it tough but ce n'est as la fin du monde! Anyway, so I was forced to stay home which led me to some simple home decorations. Since I could not get to the beach I added more beach decor to my home. It was very cheap. I bought 2 blue plates for 50cents at a yard sale across the street and set 2 pillar candles on them. Then I filled a glass bowl ($1 from yard sale) with white shells that I had been saving and voilá! This is by no means an earth shattering decorations tip but adding this decor made me feel closer to the beach and added a little beach cheer to my dining room table.
PS Tuvalu is a cute shop in Laguna Beach for beach decor. I like to check it out for inspiration.