This Sand Story was contributed by Alanna N. — sandy hands since 2017.

I may be a life-long New Englander, but I’ve got a tropical soul I can barely control!

When the temperature starts to drop and the leaves begin to change, I must admit that I don’t exactly jump for joy over pumpkin spice and “boot season” (blasphemous to some folks, I know, I know!) Instead my “summer survival instinct” kicks into high gear with one objective in mind: how to maintain that island state of mind and stay beachy through the fall & winter.

Over the years the little tricks and trinkets I’ve adopted have turned my apartment, wardrobe, and entire lifestyle into my own island utopia / 365 days a year. “Weather permitted”? Pssh, don’t need it. Tropical prints, Sirius XM’s Radio Margaritaville, and well-stocked home tiki bar are my bare necessities (Pro tip: a pineapple boat drink is the ultimate reward after shoveling 5 feet of snow!)

tropical beach pineapple

 

Reminder to my fellow mermaids-off-duty that the end of summer doesn’t mean you can’t visit Mother Ocean. Bundling up and watching the waves on a Sunday morning is how I get that essential dose of vitamin sea in the chilly months. (Even better if a storm is on the way!)

As much as I daydream about turquoise seas and palm trees, I’m just as in love with my home base in the North Shore of Massachusetts. It’s remarkable how every beach is unique with its own shape, sights, and sand. Bonus: free parking / no crowds when it’s 34 degrees 😉

north shore ocean

north shore beach
(Plum Island, Newbury, Mass.)

Earlier this year I was introduced one stand-out treasure that has taken my lifestyle into the next stratosphere: Hello, Dune Jewelry! What could be more spectacular than wearing the very thing I worship!? When choosing my first piece I went into a little bit of a “happy place overload” – there were SO many sands I wanted to showcase. I ended up selecting the classic White Florida Scallop Shell as the center focus of the Seafan Necklace, a beyond brilliant design concept marrying the beach with an art deco flair. It was love at first sight and months later it’s still my go-to.

White Florida Scallop Shell

As my Dune collection grows, I’m thoroughly enjoying the ability to mix different power stones, sands, and shells. The positive energy that resonates from wearing a physical piece of a place you love transcends the visual beauty of ordinary jewelry. I’m in awe!

mix elements

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