It's All In The Bag

Happy Wednesday dolls! I am prepping this week for a much needed trip home to the beach. I'm constantly finding my thoughts drifting off during the day to sand, surf, lots of sun, and fruity cocktails. As I dragged my beach gear out from storage this past weekend, I realized one thing was missing...a straw tote. It's the perfect summer accessory and big enough to hold all my beach essentials. Plus, it has such an amazing summer chic factor that can carry the bag into night.  So, realizing my wardrobe gap, I jotted off the store and found the perfect straw tote. The only thing is that it was missing that personal factor that I am always after. So, I grabbed a brush, a bottle of outdoor acrylic paint in my favorite shade of blue, and some stencils and got to work. Opting for an anchor to portray the nautical feel I was after, I printed off an image from the internet, cut it out, and taped it in the desired location.

After realizing that pencil does not work well on straw, I grabbed my brush and hoped for the best. I had to outline in paint which left no room for mistakes. And, trust me, my shaky left hand was nervous about making a mistake and ruining what could possibly be my new favorite bag. After the anchor was complete, all that was left were the "S" and "E" for my initials. That part was easy compared the anchor. After all the painting was done, I let it dry for a few hour and it was good to go. 

Not only is this bag great for long summer days, I love the idea of customizing them as welcome bags for guests at destination beach weddings. Fill with sunscreen, bottles of water, a beach towel, and maps of all the local hot spots to create the ultimate experience!