My best ideas so far...

Here are two of my best ideas so far: a vignette of glass floats, and a collection of driftwood. The small floats we had, and we found the large float at an antique store here in KC. Then bought a basket for them at World Market, and I think they look great.

The second idea was to use the pickle jar for the driftwood that I had collected while in Washington this summer. I first tried making some sort of art piece out of the wood, but I wasn't really inspired so canned that idea. Then I had the idea to empty the pickle jar of its pinecones (which had been in there for as long as I remember, probably about 50 years) and fill it with the pieces of driftwood. I also reglued the lid, which had cracked, and I think it looks awesome. Put it next to the fireplace (where the pinecones had always been in my childhood). Very arty.

Also took some weathered pieces of wood from our backyard fence and installed them on either side of the fireplace. I like that look, but now need something to go across the top of the fireplace, between the wood sides. Still thinking about that...

The mantle is remains empty, and haven't yet figured out what to hang/lean on the vertical surface. Still thinking aobut that too :-)