Mermaid Cottages Blog is Moving!

     That's right! We here at Mermaid Cottages have been hard at work on our new and improved website, and we have included both our blogs! We cherish each and every one of you, our readers, and hope you will continue to follow our Mermaid Adventures on our new website, complete with our Mermaid Cottages and Beach Bum Biscuits blogs!  The link to both blogs are right on our home page, so you are just a click away from all our Mermaid Cottages fun!

     We will, of course, be posting links to our blogs on our Mermaid Cottages Facebook Page as well, so there are plenty of ways to find us. Thank you for reading, and we hope you join us at our new blog home!

Mermaids in Our Midst: Breeze Inn to Happy

Breeze Inn Cottage on Tybee Island, GA

We never get tired of hearing from our guests about their stays! At Mermaid Cottages, we strive to make every single stay the best ever, so when we hear about one such stay, we can’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy! This is from a guest who had a stay atMary Kay Andrews’ very own Breeze Inn Cottage just last month:

“Ever since I saw Mary Kay’s home in Better Homes & Gardens, I knew that I had to plan a family getaway to Tybee Island. We chose the middle of April – and ended up having beautiful, warm weather.
This house has all of the amenities that you would expect in a high-end vacation home, along with a unique blend of kitschy vintage finds and well-loved antique furniture. Mary Kay’s vintage style was the main reason that I chose this home, so I appreciated the thoughtful details, like the glass doorknobs, seaside artwork and enormous farmhouse sink.
We had six people on our trip: myself and my husband, our two kids (six and eight) and my in-laws. We loved being able to walk to the beach in a just a few minutes, and drive to Savannah in about 20 minutes. We relaxed on the screened porch each evening, and slept comfortably in the breezy window-filled bedrooms upstairs. The bookshelves filled with movies and books were a great touch (especially all of the fabulous decorating books).
I did have to call Mermaid Cottages once, and they were very responsive and helpful. I have nothing but good things to say about this home and the service at Mermaid Cottages. Thanks for such a relaxing and enjoyable stay!” ~from Colleen from Avondale, PA 

Love vintage? You'll love Breeze Inn Cottage!

Thank you so much for sharing your stay with us Colleen! Nothing makes us happier than happy guests! Don’t be a stranger…we hope to see you again on Tybee real soon!

Live Like a Local: Tybee's Community Garden

Here on Tybee, we are always on the lookout for ways to conserve, preserve, and promote environmental awareness. One such project that includes all of those things is the Tybee Community Garden!

This season is off and running! The garden is meant to be a place where the entire community can experience the benefits of growing, gardening, and taking care of our local environment.The first work day this year was March 13th, but you can still get in on the fun! The garden produces year-round and is completely self sustaining. Participants of the project collect rain water and condensation from around the island to water...no city resources are used! There's even a composting area that uses nature to provide nutrients for all the growing plants.

Plots are available on a first come first served basis, and it is $50 for a 4x8 foot growing space. For information on available plots, and anything else you might need, contact Karen Kelly at 912-786-9719 or email karenontybee@aol.com.

Currently, the garden is for individual consumption and swapping, but hopefully we will see it blossom into a local market with fresh produce for sale! New members are welcome, as long as there are vacant plots available, so make sure to call for information! The garden can always use more supplies, like hoses, rain barrels, and such, so there are plenty of ways to lend a hand!

Last year was so much fun! Just look at some of the plots we had, and the harvest we enjoyed!

Just one of the beautiful plots last year! Check out the Tybee Community Garden Facebook page for more!

There's nothing quite like getting your hands dirty, working the soil, and harvesting your bounty! Visit Tybee's Community Garden next time you're on the island. Its located between the YMCA and the Old School. Stop by, or better yet, reserve a plot and help keep Tybee green! We'd love to see you there!

Mermaid Sighting: Real Life Mermaids!

This has to be the coolest thing ever! Our friend Rob from Erie, Pennsylvania shared this with us and of course, we had to share it with you!! Real life Mermaids...how exciting!!!

Have you seen a mermaid? We'd love to hear about it! Please send your sightings to diane@mermaidcottages.com and let us share it with our readers right here. We can't wait to hear from you!

Mermaid Tales: Sea Turtle Friendly Cottages

from the Tybee Sea Turtle Project Facebook Page

     It's sea turtle season on Tybee Island, and that means we are more conscious than ever about how our environment affects these amazing and beautiful creatures! It is so very important, especially for cottages right on the beach, to be aware of light pollution. Light pollution- from both indoor and outdoor sources -can have a negative impact on any nocturnal wildlife, especially our beloved sea turtles. Brightly lit areas discourage females from nesting as well as disorient new hatchlings, drawing them away from the ocean and toward dangers-a-plenty. If you are visiting Tybee during sea turtle season from May 1st thru Oct 31st, the most important thing to remember  is that it is Lights Out for Sea Turtles time!

     Mermaid Cottages cares immensely about this cause and we do everything we can to insure our beach front cottages- Doyle's on the Beach and Crabby Jo's -are super sea turtle friendly! We even support the Tybee Sea Turtle Project through sales of our very own Mermaid Morning Bliss Coffee! You know, these precious marine treasures face enough natural dangers as it is, so we need to do everything possible to get them their best chance at a long, healthy life!

     So, how in the world can you make a difference? Well, check out this wonderful list of simple steps from Defenders.org!

from Defenders.org

Having alternative, sea turtle friendly lighting is a great way to have lights where you need them and still be sea turtle friendly, but it's just a good habit to close shades after dark, remove all obstacles from the beach, and turn off lights in rooms that aren't in use. And hey, those good green habits no matter where you are!

We are very proud of our efforts, and the efforts of Tybee Island, to be sea turtle friendly! We hope you are too!

The Making of a Mermaid...Cottage

We'd like to welcome a guest blogger today! She just happens to be our favorite author too boot...please welcome Mary Kay Andrews!

Our beloved Breeze Inn

Before we bought our own Tybee Island beach house in 2008, I conducted my own unintentional research on beach rentals over the space of nearly many, many years. Growing up in St. Pete, Florida, my family rented beach cottages at places like Indian Rocks Beach and Madeira Beach, for many years. Those were basic little mom-and-pop tourist courts, where all seven of us would crowd into a two-bedroom cottage for two glorious weeks at the beach.  Then, beginning in the years when my husband and I were parents with young’uns, we returned to the Gulf beaches with our own children. Those cottages were modest—with butt-sprung old mattresses, formica dinettes, and a motley collection of sofas and chairs, worn linoleum floors and the ever-present scent of suntan oil and mildew.

Miss Molly enjoying her time on Tybee!

In later years, when we’d retreat to Grayton Beach, Florida, renting beach houses with friends for our children’s spring breaks, we found grander places—three story homes with elaborate kitchens, decks, ocean views, heated swimming pools—and grander prices too.
We lived in Raleigh, N.C. for a few years not long ago, and explored the Atlantic Coast beaches, renting tiny motel-room like efficiencies at Topsail Island and Sunset Beach.
All along the way, I was hatching a scheme to someday own my own beach cottage. Our search narrowed in recent years to Tybee Island. It was only a four-hour drive from our fulltime home in Atlanta, and we loved Tybee’s small-town funky, spunky charm.
But when I met Diane Kaufman, who owns Mermaid Cottage Vacation Rentals, my search went into hyperdrive. Diane invited me to stay in several of her cottages for those “runaway weeks” when I’d retreat to Tybee to work on a novel-in-progress. I think the first one I stayed in was either Flip-Flop, or The Shrimp.

Breeze Inn livingroom

Those cottages were an entirely new experience for me. They were small, yes, but oh, so cozy. And adorable. Did I mention they were adorable? Decorated in bright, beachy colors, they spelled instant vacation. They were comfortable too, with lots of comfortable seating, good lamps, free wireless internet, new mattresses—and miracle of miracle—lovely thick, fluffy towels and high thread-count sheets. Seriously—I have stayed in so many beach rentals with nasty, threadbare linens, not to mention pillows that looked like the dog slept on them! Not every Mermaid Cottage I stayed in had a big kitchen—I was stunned to learn that some people don’t actually like to cook on their vacations—but they were all workable. And listen to this—when I opened the cupboards, I found full sets of matching dishes, flatware, glasses and silverware. The pots and pans weren’t the goofy assortment of banged-up thrift-store rejects I found in other beach rentals. I once stayed in a rented beach house on Madeira Beach in St. Pete whose sole kitchen equipment was a lemon juicer, an egg beater and an enormous cast-iron frying pan.

The wonderful Diane Kaufman, Head Mermaid!

Knowing we would be putting our future cottage in Mermaid’s rental program, we sought Diane’s advice during the hunt for the perfect beach house. This one? Diane would discreetly shake her head. The block was too noisy. That one? Eye roll. Only one bathroom, no shower.  How about this one? Too far from the beach. That one? No parking.
Finally, she gave the thumbs up to the stinky, rat-infested rundown wreck that became The Breeze Inn, and gave us advice throughout the year-long renovation process.

One of the bedrooms at Breeze Inn!

Bedrooms didn’t have to be huge, she told us, but they did have to be welcoming. Forget walk-in closets at the beach, use that room to add a bathroom—you can never have enough showers or toilets on vacation. Kitchens needed to be efficient—and fully stocked. Some kind of porch was mandatory—screened-in would be best. All building materials had to be sturdy and low-maintenance, but high quality. We put in all new plumbing and electrical, and paid careful attention to the capacity of the new heat and air unit. Who wants to be hot at the beach?

Having fun at Southern Cross!

While we were renovating, and even now, three years later, we did our market research—by staying in other Mermaid Cottages. I’ve lost count  now, but I think I’ve probably slept in at least a dozen different Mermaids, including Nora’s, Heron Hideaway, Castaway (our closest neighbor since they are right next door) The Enlisted Men’s Mess, Mermaid’s Tale, Blue Heron, Fiddler on the Creek, Fish Camp and Back River Bungalow. For St. Patrick’s Day this past year, while our son, Boomerang Boy, and his post-college crowd stayed at our own house, we bunked quite comfortably at Back River Bungalow, which easily handled the dozen kids who showed up for the Friday night shrimp dinner we served. On our most recent Easter trip to Tybee, when we didn’t act fast enough to reserve The Breeze Inn,  we checked in down the street at Southern Cross, which fit our three generations—including granddaughter Molly, quite nicely. Everybody raved about the generous wrap-around porches and the delightful outdoor spa.
Every time we’ve slept with a new Mermaid, we’ve found great ideas worth stealing. One cottage’s extensive DVD collection inspired me to start my own movie library at The Breeze Inn. (True confession; I rarely pay more than $5 for a movie, buying them at yard sales and bargain bins at discount stores.) At another, I copied the idea of hanging a simple cotton curtain as a closet door, for another, we stole a detail for our outdoor shower. The daybed we tucked into our downstairs stair hall was inspired by daybeds we spied in other cottages.

Breeze Inn Cottage!

At the start of our third full summer of summer rentals, we’re still thrilled to be able to share our beloved Breeze Inn with our guests. When people ask how we can stand to let “strangers” rent our beautiful beach house, we just tell them we don’t rent to strangers, we rent to guests who appreciate and respect our home as much as we do. Yup. We’re still proud to be amongst the Mermaids.

Live Like a Local: The 25th Annual Beach Bum Parade!

     We are so excited! This Friday, May 20th, is the 25th annual Beach Bum Parade here on Tybee! Never heard of it? Well, it's only known as the World's Largest Water Fight! That's right, this Friday you can come to Tybee and get wet! The Beach Bum Parade begins at 6 pm.m, so get here early for a spot along the parade route.

     The parade began in 1987, but it's attendance has grown each year, and now it's a pretty big deal. Last year, it was estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 people joined in and got water logged! The entry fee for the participating floats will have to help with added security costs this year, but in addition, any revenues left over goes right back into the Tybee community to aid the needy and help with other community projects through charity organizations throughout the island. How wonderful is that?! So, if you needed a reason to get wet, there's not a better one! Make sure you visit the picture galleries at Savannah Now to see all the fun from years past!

     Now, we want to make sure this event is safe for everyone involved, so make sure to follow a few simple rules, and use some commonsense guidelines, if you are planning to join in the fun:

• use water guns instead of buckets and hoses...we are a "Water First" community after all!
• try to keep your water fight fun to your private yard until the official start of the parade
• water balloons, buckets, and pressure washers are not allowed. They can damage things and hurt others, and that isn't any fun at all!
• Play Nice, No Ice. Please do not use chilled water or ice cubes!
• use your manners and please restrict your water targets to parade participants and on-lookers
• obviously, the police are there for your protection. It is illegal to squirt of spray them...you won't like the results, and really, it's just plain disrespectful.
• Lastly, please use only water, no other liquids are allowed!

In other words...use your noggin and your manners! The Beach Bum Parade is good clean fun and it has always been the official kick off to Tybee's busy summer season. We can't wait for Friday and we hope to see you there!

Bring your water batter gear and don your bathing suits because it is always a wet, wild, wonderful time!

Mermaid Sighting: Mermaids Everywhere!

Everyone here at Mermaid Cottages has known for a long time...Mermaids are everywhere! You just have to know where to look. Well, this article on USA Today was brought to our attention recently and of course, it got us all excited!

Mermaids have always been big with us, but it seems the rest of the world is catching on...and fast! We told you in an early April post(found here) about the newest Pirates of the Caribbean installment and it's mermaids, but now there are many more places where mermaids are surfacing. The article from USA Today even lead us to discover MerCon...the official Mermaid convention and, according to them, the largest gathering of mermaids in history! the 2011 convention is Las Vegas will have mermaideverything...performers, jewelry, you name it! How exciting would that be to attend? You can even check them out on Facebook on the World Mermaid Awards page!

The USA Today article even mentions that Twilight Saga author, Stephenie Meyer, will be tackling the subject of mermaids. She isn't the only one by far! Some other books out there are Mermaid by Carolyn Turgen, Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando, andLost Voices, a book about a teenage girl's transformation into a mermaid, by Sara Porter. Through all the new mermaid reading in the article, we even discovered a new magazine, Mermaids & Mythology, coming out in 2011 dedicated to mermaids! There's just so much to be excited about as far as mermaids go, and we can't wait to see what's next! Check out this video we found all about real life mermaids!!


If you have a mermaid sighting, or even interesting mermaid news, please share! Send your sightings and info to us at diane@mermaidcottages.com and let us share with our readers. Keep your eyes peeled because it is obvious...mermaids are everywhere!

Mermaid Tales: Flip Flop Cottage

Welcome to 209 Jones Avenue on Tybee Island, home to the fabulous circa 1950 Flip Flop Cottage! This is the ideal beach cottage- bright, cheerful, and full of fun and funky decor. With three bedrooms, this home skeeps up to eight guests quite comfortably, so it's perfect for just about any group.


Flip Flop Cottage is also pet friendly, and we welcome multiple pets, so please plan to bring them along! We here at mermaid Cottages know better than just about anyone that pets are family members, too! If your group is in need of more space, have no fear! Our Mimosa Cottage and Maddie's on Jones Cottage are all right next door so multiple families can vacation together.
The beautiful beaches of Tybee are an easy four blocks away- just a five minute bike ride! Flip Flop Cottage is also just two blocks away from the fabulous food of The Sugar Shack and the Sundae Cafe in one direction, and the recreational fun of Memorial Park in the other. You're close to everything when staying at Flip Flop!
Don't dilly-dally...we are filling up fast for the summer! Book Flip Flop Cottage, or one of our other magical getaways today. See you soon!

Live Like a Local: The Lettered Cottage E-zine!

Have you seen it? Layla and Kevin over at The Lettered Cottage have been busy crafting the coolest thing! Their e-zine (digital magazine) is chock full of fabulous cottage goodness, and "low dough, high smile" decor ideas. Make sure you head over the The Lettered Cottage blog and check out the newest issue for yourself!

Mermaid Cottages is also super proud because we are a supporter of The Lettered Cottage E-zine! You can see our ad in this issue, and boy did Layla do a wonderful job! Several other Tybee businesses are supporters as well, including our very ownSeaside Sisters! This issue is bursting with fun things! It features a wonderful article on designer Jane Coslick that is full of delicious pictures of her most recent work, as well as a fun Art with Heart project you just have to see. 

There's even a recipe and, one of our favorite things...a before and after re-do! Kevin and Layla do such a wonderful job at everything they do, and their digital magazine is certainly no exception!

Make sure to book mark this issue of their magazine and The Lettered Cottage blog to keep up with everything they have going on. We just love the new issue and can't wait to see more! How about you?

Mermaid Sighting: More Fabulous Art!

     What do we love more than anything? OK, mermaids, that's true...but besides that? COLOR! Around here at Mermaid Cottages, we just love colorful art, and when we see work like this...we can't help but love it! These beautiful mermaids are the creations of artist Susanne Reisterer of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Susanne is a super talented lady and we just can't get enough of her fun, funky artwork! Here's what she had to say about her work:

"I love colorful, whimsical art! I tend to create highly patterned art. I try to keep my art light hearted and fun and I freely use dots because they remind me of laughter! I hope my art brings a smile to your face and delight to your day!"

     It definitely makes us smile, Susanne! Your art fits the quirky, fun loving spirit of Tybee for sure!
Not only is Susanne a fabulous artist...as a middle school art teacher, she shares her creative spirit and talents daily with her students. Such an inspirational lady! Susanne has so much more wonderful work to browse and enjoy over at her shop, Summer House Gallery on Etsy, so make sure you visit her there! Beautiful art galore!
     Have you seen a mermaid lately? If you have, we'd love to hear from you! Please send your sightings and stories to us at diane@mermaidcottages.com and let us share them with our readers. We can't wait to hear from you! We'd also like to remind you all that Mermaid Cottages loves our Educators and Military! If you decide to book a stay with us, make sure you let us know you are a current or retired Educator or Military to receive our special discount to show our appreciation for everything you do!

Mermaid Tales: Paws and Paddles Cottage

     We are so proud to introduce to you our newest cottage in the Mermaid family...Paws and Paddles Cottage! This beautiful cottage makes it home at 105 B Campbell avenue, and what a place to be! There's a wonderful partial view of Tybee's beautiful salt marshes, and a fabulous fenced backyard- a great plus to any pet friendly cottage of course.

     Every detail has been thought of in this cozy three bedroom cottage, from the fabulous art and decor right down to the electric fireplace in the back sun room for you to enjoy during those cooler nights. Paws and Paddles Cottage is ideal for any gathering of family or friends and is just perfect for that girls weekend you've been thinking about! Your cottage is a short ten to fifteen minute stroll from the island's gorgeous North Beach, where the beach combing is grand, and the Historic Tybee Island Lighthouse Station is waiting for you to explore. The home is surrounded by wonderful restaurants you simply must try (The North Beach Grill and Charly's just to name two!), but your cottage also has a fully equipped kitchen if meals at home are more your style.

Paws and Paddles Cottage is bright and cheerful...everything a true beach cottage should be! the only thing missing is you! Don't wait any longer, head over to our website and plan your visit now! Summer will be here before you know it, and your cottage is waiting...come see what it means to be on Tybee time.

Cottage Cheese: MY SHIP

"Mama, some time could we please stay more than just the one day at the beach?  I want to sleep there so I can hear the waves and then wake up and play all day in the water,"  I remember being so hopeful as I pleaded.  "Well, son.  One day our ship will come in and we'll stay at the beach as long as we want," my mother replied with so much assurance that I still believe it to this day.

Santa Claus.  The Easter Bunny.  The Tooth Fairy.  They all bit the dust in due time. For me, all my Mom had to say was, "One day our ship will come in...".  I was hooked.  Still am.  I wanted things.  I dreamed and I fantasized.  I believed.  She often told me, "You take away a person's dreams and you take away his will to live."  I estimate I'll be around another 200 years or so.  My list is long.

My mother loved the beach.  She talked about it.  She collected sea shells my whole life.  For a time she created her own seashell mosaic on the outside of our house under her kitchen window.  I guess that's where I got my love for the sea, but for my entire childhood I never remember a time that we stayed more than the one day at a time at the beach.  We'd get up early, pile in the car and make the 2 hour drive down to the coast.  Late afternoon, my father would announce, "Y'all get in the car.  It's time to go home."  More than once he had to wade into the surf and pull me out kicking and screaming.  I'd rather risk a whipping than to leave the beach and many times I got one for not coming in when he called.  I'd sit facing the rear window of the car, straining to see the water for as long as I could.  Each time we left to go home I'd start dreaming about when I might see the sea again.

As an adult I've made many trips to the beach and spending the night near the sea is always just as magical as I imagined it would be.  In her last years, I even took my Mom to the beach a few times and we felt like our ship really had come in.  We'd talk on the phone, we'd conspire, we'd make plans and off we'd go.  I could see it in her eyes.  She thought the sea was magical, too.  That, and the fact that we thought we were pulling a fast one by slipping out of town without getting caught.

I guess that's why I now find so much comfort at the beach.  Sometimes, I just stand there on the shore watching the waves roll, tasting the sweet salt of the sea on my tongue and scanning the horizon.  I still believe that one day my ship will come in.  Except, now I long to see that ship come in to view with something more meaningful to me than anything money could buy.  I want to see my loved ones waiving from the rail as it comes closer to shore.  There'd be Mom and beside her my grandmother and grandfather.  Mom was Scarlett O'Hara, Lucille Ball and Mother Teresa all in one. My Mimi was a great character.  She was spoiled first by her brothers and then by my grandfather, hence the nickname, "Sweetie Pie".  My grandfather passed on before I was born, but people have always told me he was a great man, so I just want to know him.  And, I also have great news to share with them.

I want them to know that even though we were sad to see them go we have carried on as best we can and we think of them often.  As time has passed I still miss them, but now it's getting easier to remember the best of times we had.  I want them to know that all the love and care they lavished on us was not wasted.  The grandchildren are now grown and most have started families of their own.  Mom got to meet most of her great grandchildren, but some new ones are on the way!  Remarkably, I see a little bit of them in each of the children.  Somehow it all works out.  I guess that's how it's supposed to be.   

Mom, I'll be back on Tybee soon.  I'm staying in a beautiful house right on the beach.  I'll be looking, so y'all get up a load and sail by if you can.  I'll be looking for the ship to come in.

And, if you happen to see me standing there on the shore, looking out on the horizon you can come join me.  You don't even have to bring small talk.  Just help me look out upon the ocean.  One day my ship will come in.  It'll be carrying what I most want in the world.

It's about dreaming so that I might go on living the life my mother wanted me to have.

It's COTTAGE CHEESE!

Happy Mother's Day, Mother Dear.  Happy Mother's Day, Mimi.  Happy Mother's Day, Y'all!

Mermaids in Our Midst: Laurel Johns and Grey Dog Studio

Around here, one thing we love more than just about anything is amazing artwork! We love filling our cottages with the work of local and regional artists, and we are always on the lookout for fabulous creations. One of our favorite Georgia artists is Laurel Johns and her Grey Dog Studio!

Laurel makes hand crafted sea glass and stained glass artwork, as well as wonderfully unique functional pieces, like night lights, home decor, and utensils! She is super talented, making the fact that she was named the 2010 Artist of the Year at the 15th Annual Arts in the Park in Belfast, Maine no surprise! She, her work, and her home have also been featured in Water's Edge magazine (check out the article here)!

Laurel has spent most of her life on the Georgia coast and attended the University of Georgia in Athens. She initially intended to study biology, but instead, followed her "heart and grades" and switched her studies to the arts, where she formally trained in painting, sculpture, and jewelry making.

Laurel first began her work in stained glass in Athens, and though she still paints, she feels glass allows her to more freely express her love of color and light. She had no idea when she started working with glass that it would one day become her business. "I just started making things that I enjoyed looking at." Then, she says, it occurred to her that others might enjoy as well. And of course...we do! Each piece Laurel crafts is hand-constructed and no two are alike. We adore her coastal inspired style and unique work!

Laurel is also a fellow dog lover (check out our Beach Bum Biscuits post about her pups here) and works under the watchful eyes of her beloved Weimaraners, Tucker and Oliver. Laurel, her husband, Tucker and Oliver make their home on Hird Island here on the Georgia coast, and also spend their summers in Tenants Harbor, Maine. For more information about Laurel and her art, make sure to visit the Grey Dog Studio website! Brower her Collections tab and fall in love! You can also follow Grey Dog Studio on Facebook, and even purchase Laurel's work online at her Grey Dog Studio Esty shop! We have fallen in love with Laurel's art, and we are just sure you will, too!

Live Like a Local: 2nd Annual "37th" Tybee Seafood Festival!

We are SO excited! The 2nd Annual "37th" Tybee Seafood Festival starts today! Founded in April of 2010 and named in honor of the fictitious carnival in the movie, The Last Song, it is Tybee's annual seafood festival, complete with a carnival! The Seafood Review -the Main Event- will be held at the Pier Saturday, May 7th, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free, so make plans to be there! The festival fun is sponsored by Chatham County and the City of Tybee Island and features delicious local favorites prepared by the island's finest restaurants and caterers. There will also be wonderful live performances by local musicians, so don't miss a minute!

This family friendly event runs May 4th through May 8th with a Mega Midway Carnival, sponsored by the wonderful Tybee Arts Association. It is only $1 admission per person per day, so its affordable! You can also purchase $20 wristbands each day for unlimited rides! While you're downtown, don't forget to enjoy the nearby Tybee Island Marine Science Center, take time to relax on the beach, and browse Tybee's unique island shops and galleries. Make a weekend out of it all!



For more information about the festival, restaurants involved in the Seafood Review, or the carnival, please check out the Tybee Seafood Fest website and join the fun on the official Facebook page, too. It is going to be a fun filled weekend...we hope you join us!

Mermaid Sighting: Mermaid Art by Karen Howard

Have you seen the art of Karen Howard? Well, if you haven't, you are in for a treat! Karen lives in Northern California. In her worlds,"way out on the edge of this continent." Her work is wonderfully worn and seaside inspired, and we think its just fabulous! Her hand carved mixed media pieces run the gamot from birds all the way to angels...but our absolute favorites are the mermaids!

These hand carved beauties are available over at Karen's shop, make sure to browse all of her amazing work!

Just look at that! I love how each of them has their very own unique, quirky personality. Karen's whimsical art had us at hello! Make sure you check out all of her work overat her shop, Folk Art by Karen Howard. We guarauntee you will fall in love! She also has gallery pieces you will loveat the ART my ROCK shop as well!
Have you seen a mermaid? Well, keep your camera handy, because they are everywhere! We'd love to hear about your sightings. Please, email your pictures and stories to diane@mermaidcottages.com and your mermaid could be the next featured mermaid sighting! We can't wait to hear your you!

Mermaid Cottages Needs Your Creative Genius!

We love how many Mermaids and Mermen there are out there! And, even if you can’t live on Tybee Island with us, we keep trying to find ways to include you.  Y’all are just so darn creative and did such an amazing job with suggestions on new cottage names (Tucked Inn at Tybee, Made in the Shade)...that's why we need your help again. We need you to help us with our tag line!

A tag line is a sentence or series of words that help describe a business, company or product.  Nike’s “Just Do It” is one of the best examples!  We've had two tag lines in the past - Discovery the Magic of Slowing Down and Cozy Cottages and Historic Homes away from Home - but we are looking for a new one!  We need to find a way to help express what the Mermaid Cottages experiences all about.  Even if you’ve never been to Tybee or stayed at our cottages, you can visit our Blog, Twitter, and Facebook pages and see what we are all about!  Some examples might be Blissful Beach Cottages, Cozy Up with Us, or Pure and Intentional Relaxation. We need to keep the tag lines to within six to ten words, but you can be shorter as well.  Now, we want you to post your submissions to our Mermaid Cottages Facebook Page, so don't worry about commenting here. Post your tag line ideas right to our Facebook Wall... we'll be reading them all!

We'll be collecting the submissions through Wednesday, May 4th,  so get your thinking caps on! After Wednesday, we will read all the submissions, choose our top favorites, and give everyone the chance to vote on them through a Facebook Poll! The person submitting the winning tag line will receive a package of fun, fabulous Mermaid Cottages goodies! We can't wait to see what y'all come up with! Head over to our Mermaid Cottages Facebook Wall and submit your idea today.