NUTTY ABOUT NATURE

“See Ya Later Alligator” … ALLIGATORS part 2

As you know by now, I love to incorporate the natural world into my home and for me, alligators are no exception. Certain animals and plants may be more appropriate for your locale but the alligator is perfect for mine. With that said, I am a big believer that if you love something and it makes you happy, even if it is a big no-no with the gods of etiquette, do it. YOLO If you have a passion for unicorns then by all means collect them and to heck with the court of public opinion. And so, alligator theme in middle America….why not?

My respect for alligators is immense although I do not wish to come face-to-face with one any time soon. I do, however, wish to bring their image into my décor. I love the texture and color of their skin and the tropical vibe they evoke. One of my favorite pieces of art is a photographic print by Florida’s famed large-format photographer and naturalist, Clyde Butcher. Clyde wades through the swamps, cameras in tow, to capture the beauty and majesty of nature. Along with images of local birds, craggy trees and all sorts of flora and fauna, Clyde has taken many photos of Florida alligators. My favorite, “Gator Love”, is hanging on the wall of my hubby’s office.

If you love his work as much as I, you may want to invest in his wonderful cocktail table book as well.

I have a few picture frames scattered around the house that are NOT made of alligator hide, but are embossed with an alligator texture. You can find similar ones online if this is appealing to you. Very classy!

Or…..if silver is your thing, these frames would be perfect for the alligator lover.

Not a fan of displaying family photos, then why not paper an entire room or an accent wall in this fabulous alligator wallpaper? How cool would this be in a powder room or a library?

On one of our many treks down to Key West, we stopped at Bass Pro Shop on Islamorada. There, much to my delight, I spotted brass alligator door pulls on the restroom doors. Apparently, a local artist cast them for the store and would be happy to make you a set.

One of Palm Cottage Goods’ most popular wooden wastebasket and tissue box sets just happens to be a painted stripe background with a decoupage alligator on the front and back and two little unsuspecting fishies on the sides. Yes, alligators do love those fishies.

A great and practical way to add a gator to your living room would be to drape a throw or quilt over the back of your sofa. When your housemate cranks that a/c down to 70, you will be thankful to wrap yourself up in a cozy blanket.

Unless you are afraid of causing chasing-gator nightmares, a bed wearing these adorably patterned sheets would be the cutest things in a child’s room.

And, while you’re at it, add an alligator area rug to tie the theme together.

Since you need a nightlight in every child’s room…..think how adorable a neon alligator light would look perched on your nightstand. I actually have this light which we keep atop our tiki bar for outdoor parties.

I don’t have these straws, but now that I found them, I think I may need to order a few dozen to pop in a jar on the tiki bar pictured above. Adorbs!

Remember the old Fish Gurgle Jugs? Well, did you know that they make Alligator Gurgle Jugs? I have wanted one of these for years, but somehow I forget to mention it when Christmas rolls around. If you are wondering what to get me for a present and are reading this post……then Alligator Gurgle Jug, please.

Next time, I’ll show you lots of fun wearable Alligator accessories to add to your wardrobe and some unique snail mail paraphernalia.

‘Till next time, BB