Oh, Hello! Would You Like to Come In?

Welcome! Welcome! For those of you who have followed along, you have seen the beginning transformation of "Karen's Garden Cottage Antiques", from the outside. You also might know that I am recovering from surgery and am taking this time to play "catch up", so that when I am on the go again, the updates will be timely. (Let's hope for an "all clear" on March 30th)...Then we can really get down to business!

I really miss my shop, but should be thankful that the timing is right for being "hold up" in the house. I've been able to snuggle in, catch up on things, finish crocheting intricate doilies and fillet crochet (which were projects I started and put down, due to becoming busy with work), avoid the damp cold, and enjoy the pretty snow without experiencing some of the hastles it undoubtedly brings. Wayne has treated me like a queen, as Boo Boo Kitty lays at or on my feet to make sure I don't go any where. (He's been cuddled and kissed so much, I feel like we are having an affair!)

So, here's a little blog by blog tour, starting with the front room and some of our beginning inventory. For me, the challenge is not only making creative use out of what we find, but displaying it in an effective and creative manner. It's a never ending process. In the beginning, when I would get a vignette just so and someone would buy something from it, I would get sad and happy at the same time....Oh, alright! I would get annoyed and even tried to talk someone out of something once, because I had just gotten it set up about 10 minutes before. Wayne would always say, "These aren't your things! Enjoy the hunt!"

Hope you enjoy our beginning! (Remember to click on the pictures to get a better view!)

All this came from one house call and two yard sales. We had just gotten the front room done, moved these things in, placed them around (you should have seen me doing that! "Should we put it here? Or, should we put it there?) I was so excited! I gathered twigs from a tree we have to start the window treatment, found this wonderful table (which I later sold for $600.00) and fell in love with the flow blue platter and vintage rose water color. Come to think of it, everything in this picture is gone...I miss the clock...Its chime reminded me of my home in TN.

Since I spent all my days working on the rooms and treasure hunting, I didn't have any time to hand paint my furniture. I was able to do this piece and it ended up in my Dad and Amy's bathroom! They let me keep it displayed in the shop for a while as an example of my work. I refer to the design as "Amy's Berries and Vines".

Close up of top. The body is "ragged on" (not off) to give it a nice textured background.

I wish I had the before picture of this piece because it was quite the challenge.

Since I painted the scrolls on these doors off the cabinet, I got such a pleasant surprise when I attached the doors, stood back, and saw what they looked like put together.

Well, we hunted, gathered and created. With the window treatment complete, created from several floral vines I had to take apart and put together so the colors would come out in the right order (pink, blue, and yellow), twigs from the outside curly tree, mini lights and three single crepe sheer panels ($6.99 per panel), we were ready for opening day.

The vintage wicker in this picture came from the porch of the famous Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham, MA. The painting above the fireplace was part of a trade Wayne made with one of his customers. He had it on the outside of his shop, leaning against the Antique truck he has in his parking lot. It's painted on board and silk. You never know what I am going to find out there when I come home!

In celebration of our opening, someone was nice enough to donate this vintage wedding dress to my shop. So, as we turn the corner, my next blog will continue with your tour!

I hope you all enjoyed coming in...I enjoy having you! So please, stay and visit for a while!

Pieces of Dreams