• Home
  • Start Here
    • About Dukes and Duchesses
    • Collaborate/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s Eve/Day
    • Valentine’s Day
    • leap year
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • April Fool’s Day
    • Easter
    • May Day
    • cinco de mayo
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween/Harvest
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Crafts
    • general crafts
    • Cricut projects
    • printables
    • painting
    • sewing
    • knitting
  • DIY
  • Repurposed
  • Parties
    • Birthday
    • Entertaining
  • Recipes
  • Home Decor
    • Decor
    • home improvement
    • plants and garden
    • housekeeping
    • organization
  • travel
    • general travel
    • Dallas

Dukes and Duchesses

Dallas Fort Worth Creative Lifestyle Blogger

creative projects travel · Written by Randi Dukes

DIY Driftwood Garland

281 shares
  • Tweet123
  • Share

This driftwood garland was created as part of a sponsored post for Visit Panama City Beach, CVB.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Do you have a happy place?  A place that just makes you feel calm from the inside out?  The beach is definitely mine!  I had the chance to go to Panama City Beach, Florida earlier this month and it was truly a slice of heaven.  I’ve never been to the beach this late in the year but it was perfect … and I can’t wait to go back.  I made this DIY driftwood garland as a souvenir of an amazing weekend but before I share the tutorial, let me tell you about all the fabulous places I visited on this Decor by the Shore press trip in Panama City Beach!  You’ll want to add these to your itinerary when you visit!

DIY driftwood garland

Right from the start, Panama City Beach exceeded my expectations.  It’s a city that has miles of miles of white sandy beaches, fabulous restaurants, and delightful shops.

I stayed at Sunrise Beach Resort, a condominium resort right on the beach.  With a corner condo, I had stunning views of every sunrise and sunset, and everything in between.  The sound of the waves crashing on the shore is my favorite sound in the world!

I met my group for dinner the first night at Schooner’s, a fun and delicious restaurant with an oceanfront view and mouth-watering sauteed crab claws.  We arrived after the sun went down but apparently they have a ceremonial blasting of a cannon at sunset every night, something the kids would love.

sunrise in panama city beach

I slept to the sound of crashing waves and in the morning we stopped for a delicious breakfast at Andy’s Flour Power and enjoyed perfect coffee, delicious food {we may have had a slice of red velvet cake for breakfast}, and delighful anecdotes from the owner, a transplant from New York.  It was the perfect way to start the day.

andy's flour power panama city beach florida

And then it was time for shopping!  We shopped along the Coastal Decor Emporium Trail, hitting a variety of shops with vintage treasures, repurposed projects, coastal style decor, and gorgeous furnishings.  Every stop was unique and I was thankful I brought my big suitcase so I could take a few treasures home.

We stopped first at The Shadow Box and it was my dream shop.  I’ve actually come home and brainstormed ways I could start my own similar store here in Dallas!  It was gorgeously staged and chock full of vintage treasures.  I could have spent hours there and kind of wanted to be besties with Terrah, the owner {wink}.  I’m not kidding when I tell you I’ve thought about this store non-stop since I got back.

vintage treasures at the shadow box

Pieces on the Beach was our next stop, a coastal chic and antique market with over 28 vendors and a huge variety of goods!  I’m always drawn to vintage decor and these colorful marquee letters were right up my alley.  I loved poking through the different areas and seeing all the styles.  While the coastal theme definitely abounds in Panama City Beach, there were also so many other styles represented as well.  This shop had a fabulous selection of driftwood and an old screen door that I would have loved to bring home if I hadn’t been flying.

vintage marquee letters at pieces on the beach

Our final stop on the first day was Beach Bums Decor, a fun and whimsical shop with painted furniture, shabby chic and coastal style decor, and repurposed items.  This kitchen clock, made with vintage kitchen tools, was a favorite.  Wouldn’t it be fun to make your own version?

repurposed clock at beach bums decor shop

After a fun morning of shopping, we hopped on a covered pontoon boat for a trip to Shell Island.

pontoon boat ride with shell island snorkeling

Dolphins swam alongside us and even surprised us with a leap that rivaled anything I’ve seen at Sea World!  It was a delight!

dolphins at panama city beach florida

We wandered along the shore of Shell Island, shelling and collecting the pieces of driftwood I used in my garland.  It was the most relaxing afternoon and confirmed to me that I absolutely adore everything about the beach.  I may have to give up city life one day and find myself a little beach house.

shell island

That night we dined at Firefly, a local seafood restaurant that’s served the Obama family.  I had the most amazing she crab soup as a starter!

The next morning we started another fun day with a stop at Thomas’ Donut & Snack Shop, a family owned beachfront donut shop that’s been in business since 1971.  Nothing gets you ready for a day of shopping like fresh donuts!

thomas donut and snack shop

Our second day of shopping started at Dinah’s Coastal Decor, another great shop full of coastal decor and unique gifts.  There were some gorgeous pieces of art at Dinah’s, all one of a kind and so unique.  I was inspired and loved the serene blues and greens in this shop.

We also shopped at Coastal Cottage Emporium and I found some treasures in a back room: old medicine bottles and jars that I had to bring home.  The entire store was filled with an eclectic mix of furniture and home decor, new and old, and I loved perusing through the vignettes.

Our third stop was at Beach House Market and I had a hard time leaving this vintage cart behind.  It would have made such an amazing island in my kitchen!  This shop was airy and beautiful and also full of gorgeous decor, shells, and home decor.  It would be so fun to style a home in the area and trek through all of these stores to find just the right thing.

vintage cart at beach house market

Our final stop was at 13 Hub Lane, a gorgeous home decor store.  In addition to shopping through the beautiful displays in the store, we got to wander through the warehouse as well, a fun trek for someone who likes to hunt for that special item!  13 Hub Lane is a gorgeous store and was a great way to finish off our coastal decor tour.

succulent display at 13 hub lane

We stopped for lunch at Barefoot Hide a Way Grill, located right on Panama City Beach with a stunning view of the coast.  The gumbo was fabulous!

barefoot hide a way grill panama city beach florida

After a leisurely afternoon spent wandering on the beach and watching the manta rays swim past me in the water, we enjoyed one final dinner at The Grand Marlin, a wonderful restaurant overlooking Grand Lagoon.

It was a fabulous weekend and one I definitely wanted to remember …

sunset in panama city beach florida

… which brings us back to my DIY driftwood garland!  I gathered these pieces of driftwood while we were wandering on Shell Island, let them dry completely, then snapped them into shorter pieces for the garland.

driftwood collected in florida

I drilled holes in the middle of each piece, using a tiny drill bit …

how to make a driftwood garland

… then coiled the end of a piece of wire around a pen …

driftwood and wire garland

… and strung the pieces of driftwood onto the wire.

wire and driftwood garland

Once I had all the pieces in place, I attached a sand dollar {also found on Shell Island} and wrapped the end of the wire around itself.

sand dollar driftwood garland

And now I have a lovely driftwood garland that will hang in my home …

driftwood garland souvenir

… and remind me of my fabulous weekend in Panama City Beach and my happy place!

driftwood shell garland

Have you been to Panama City Beach?  What are your favorite spots?


13 Comments

About Randi Dukes

I’m Randi, a Dallas-based mom of five kids, ranging from third grade to college and including a set of twins. I love strong coffee, craft and DIY projects, my planner, and my big ol’ family. When I’m not creating something for my blog, I can be found in the car, running kids from one place to another. I’m the one knitting at the red light. Connect with me on google+ | twitter | facebook

« Chalkboard Advent Calendar
Souvenir Road Trip Box »

Comments

  1. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

    November 22, 2017 at 3:40 pm

    That is so beautiful! I’ve always loved drift wood. It’s so smooth and it really does lend itself to a rustic decor situation.

    Reply
  2. Colleen Lanin says

    November 22, 2017 at 3:47 pm

    I should have done this back when we lived in Canada. We had a ton of driftwood where we lived.

    Reply
  3. Connie says

    November 22, 2017 at 6:09 pm

    What a beautiful weekend. There’s no better sleep than falling asleep to crashing beach waves.

    Reply
  4. Amy Desrosiers says

    November 22, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    I miss the beach and think it is so mystical and relaxing. I would love to vacation on this spot and collect driftwood too.

    Reply
  5. reesa says

    November 22, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    oh i just love this! Living near the Jersey Shore, we are at the beach a lot and find drift wood. I always tell my husband I want to do *something* with it. This is a unique, beautiful idea!

    Reply
  6. Kathy says

    November 22, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    This is really neat! I love how different and unique it is. I need to make one of these!

    Reply
  7. Liz Mays says

    November 22, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    Your trip to Panama City Beach sounded so lovely! I love little getaways like that. Your use of that driftwood was amazing!

    Reply
  8. kristin says

    November 22, 2017 at 11:49 pm

    So cute what a wonderful little place. I love towns like this!

    Reply
  9. Sarah says

    November 23, 2017 at 1:57 am

    What a fun trip! I love all the cute treasure you found. I love doing beach trips with my family.

    Reply
  10. Melissa Chapman says

    November 23, 2017 at 8:14 am

    Looks like you had a real adventure! I love seeing all the glimpses of your trip preserved in your photos! Also I absolutely adore your DIY driftwood garland! It is so simple yet so beautiful

    Reply
  11. Stacie says

    November 23, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    I would love to visit all the different shops. I like to collect vintage ware.

    Reply
  12. Tara says

    November 23, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    I love Florida but haven’t made it to Panama City Beach yet. It looks like a fabulous place.

    Reply
  13. Susan Homeroad Stevenson says

    May 22, 2019 at 7:05 pm

    Very nice Randi! I made the same with a bell on the bottom 🙂 Love driftwood, I live right near the beach on Long Island.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Welcome to Dukes & Duchesses!

dukes and duchesses profile photo

I’m Randi, a mom of five living in Dallas. I love strong coffee, long lists, bright colors, thrift stores, repurposed junk, and power tools.

how to plant a sweet tea garden

Southern Sweet Tea Container Garden

colorful wood DIY garden marker

DIY Wood Veneer Plant Markers

creative outdoor garden ideas

8 Creative Ideas for Your Outdoor Garden

DIY herb garden markers

DIY Upcycled Knife Garden Markers

upcycled cutting board sign in beverage garden

DIY Beverage or Cocktail Garden

Dukes and Duchesses is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Any content on this website is created for inspirational purposes only. You assume your own risk for using any methods, tools, or supplies suggested here. Follow proper guidelines for every tool or supply used and obtain professional guidance as needed.

Copyright © 2025 · Randi Dukes · Wordpress Hosting by SERVOUSLY