Basset hound mail box.
I’d estimate my walking route is around 2-3 miles, a distance our dog Klunkers easily treads and looks forward to each day. He makes his usual stops where he’ll sniff! sniff!, then answer his many “pee-mails”, giving me the opportunity to take a moment to look around and admire things I don’t usually notice. Leave it to an animal to remind us to stop and smell the roses.
So, on today’s neighborhood walkabout, I thought I’d take an extra beat and really pay attention to anything that might be interesting enough to catch my eye. Sure enough, with trusty iPhone in hand, I ended up snapping off the following photos. I love how these items display a “don’t take yourself too seriously” side to decorating that’s fun and welcoming. If you’d like to add some of this same feel to your curb appeal, go on the hunt at garage sales, antique fairs, or visit one of my favorite shops, At West End, a place that often features similar-type lawn ornaments with a more sophisticated-funky take.
Walk with us now, as Klunkers leads us on a neighborhood quirky decor stroll…no pulling!
Shell wall.
The top photo was one of my favorite funky finds…a basset hound mailbox (or, in this case mailbarks!). He’s always at the ready and on guard duty, waiting for the postal carrier to deliver his mail every day. The next photo was this side wall embedded with all kinds of sea shells. This particular house sits at the top of a hill that looks out from a distance to the Pacific Ocean. I gather the owners may have wanted to be closer to the water, so they brought a bit of the beach back to their place.
Bottle cap heart.
I had eyed this bottle cap beauty and instantly fell in love. Set upon a white wall, the flattened red soda pop and beer toppers, well…pop!
Mini lifeguard stand.
I took a double-take passing by this lilliputian lifeguard stand with tiny surfboards included. Klunkers also had to do a “sniff-check” to be sure no one was actually on duty. My giggles suggested we should probably be moving on, but I took note (and a photo) before leaving for a possible DIY project in the future.
To work. To the beach.
As many of you who live near the beach probably notice, “To the Beach” signs are posted a plenty, their novelty more likely appreciated by visitors and tourists. For some reason, though, this one stood out (in a good way), probably because it was placed in a semi-inconspicuous place. I also like the understated black and white paint and the quirky style of the printing and pointing fingers. Note: this sign reads: “To Work / To the Beach”.
Rooster mailbox.
As we came into the final leg of our walk, I was gregariously greeted by this rooster mailbox. I wasn’t sure if it was going to cockadoodle-doo, but, secretly I wished it could (at least once!). This house definitely has a pop of fun, and makes me smile every time I pass by. (Klunkers! It’s not real!…down!)
Photography by Skaie Knox, HomeJelly.com
