Filling my passport with family, travel and bliss

Brrrr!

I don’t know about you, but it has been one COLD winter and start of 2015!

Okay, yes, I’m from Southern California, and usually cold means 60 degrees, but these past couple of weeks have been chillier than I can remember!

When I look out the window of my home office, I see grey skies and barren trees.

It’s at times like these when I start daydreaming about sand between my toes, waves crashing against coral-adorned beaches and coconut-filled palm trees swaying in the breeze.

But how does one find themselves among this tropical dream in the middle of winter?

A little inspiration is all it takes…

That’s why I love traveling!  You never know when or where inspiration will strike!

Enter the Tropical Dream Business Card Holder!

This DIY was inspired by my stay at the Bali Tree Cottage two years ago in Hawaii. The cottage was filled with eclectic treasures, one of them being their business card holder which was simply a coconut shell resting upon a bed of coral. I was in awe of how clever this idea was, and so I decided to replicate it upon my return.

Two years later, I finally got around to making my own Tropical Dream Business Card Holder, and it wasn’t as hard as I thought!  So without further ado, here’s what you need to begin:

Shellac, coconut shell, metallic acrylic paint, coral, sand paper, paint brush & dremel tool (not shown)

1. Split your coconut in half & remove the contents.

I actually found empty, dried out coconut shells in Hana, Maui, so I used them for this project.  For those of you who don’t have empty coconut shells, YouTube has a plethora of videos available on how to open and remove the contents of a coconut.

2. Use sand paper to smooth the outside and inside.

Since I wanted to paint and varnish the coconut, I made sure it was sanded down to a very smooth finish.  If you want the edges of the coconut to be smooth, I recommend using a dremel tool. My husband made this recommendation to me, and it turned out to be a great idea!

3. At this time, you have a few options.  You can either leave the coconut as is for a natural look, apply a coat of varnish for a smooth finish or paint the coconut. I decided to paint the shell using DecoArt’s Dazzling Metallic’s acrylic paint in Peacock Pearl, a gorgeous teal color found at Michael’s.  You might need to apply the paint 2-3 times for complete coverage.

4.  Add a coat of varnish to the inside (and/or outside) to give the metallic paint a nice sheen, and let it dry.

5.  Once dry, nestle the coconut shell on top of a piece of coral, adorn with tropical elements, add business cards and voila!  You now have a Tropical Dream Business Card Holder! 

8.  For those of you who want a shell with a more natural look complete with varnish, here is what the finished product looks like.

Of course, you don’t have to use it as a business card holder! There are several other ways to enjoy this DIY.  Use it to hold coins, paper clips, jewelry, knick knacks and more!

I hope this DIY helped transport you to a tropical dreamland during this chilly winter!

Speaking of tropical dreamlands, stay tuned for new island adventures and another mystery giveaway coming soon on Passport to Bliss!

Until then, here’s to a great 2015!