The Full Swing of Spring

A few days ago, my fingers fumbled with a key that I eventually pressed into the door knob of my neglected Brewster shop. Upon entering, an overwhelming vision hit me in the face! Picture this…a dwelling owned by someone, who for some reason, was not able to keep up with things and suddenly had to leave the place abandoned. So, I stepped through the door and experienced a stale, winter and Christmas holiday flashback. Not only that, due to the closing of the now deceased, “Karen’s Garden Cottage Antiques”, formerly located in Chatham, there had been one of Wayne’s famous “drive-by dumpings” of stocked inventory. All this was accented with such a film of cobwebs and dust, that anyone would be inspired to whisk their finger threw it, and ponder the collection of residue. So, where on earth, does one begin?

With some help from two very kind people, we waded through the confusing maze, cleaning, unpacking, sorting and repacking. For the time being, it’s necessary to close off the back bedroom display area and use it for storage. So, I was really having difficulty with my visions for display. Everyday, I would come home feeling frustrated. Happily, by the end of this past week, the interior of the shop started to “sing spring”!

The following pictures show the “rebirth” of my original, Karen’s Garden Cottage Antiques, located in Brewster. (Kind of like the very meaning of spring!) Thankfully, we have made a great deal of progress, during the past few days. The Brewster shop now has the new and improved sign, originally designed for Chatham. In addition, my wonderful Wayne created the most charming little picket fence, surrounding the base of the sign. Even though we haven’t gotten the flowers into place yet, it cheers me up just to look at it!

Today is another beautiful, sunny day on Cape Cod. And, to all of us living here year ‘round, an increased traffic flow is obvious. Yes! The “snow birds” are returning to their Cape Cod nests, bringing activity and hopefully, business amongst the spring blooms! It’s time for the shop to be “OPEN”! To all who ride by, my new flag will wave, “Hello! Come on in!” And, as my sign swings gently in the fresh sea breeze, I too, find myself in “The Full Swing of Spring!" Happy springtime wishes to you all!

Pieces of Dreams

Wayne hit on some great new pieces of wicker to display outside...He says, "Bring those customers in!"

Walking into the livingroom area.

The shop's nice and full with cheery spring colors.

Perky pinks and lovely florals dance upon delicate dishes.

About a week ago, this vignette was still wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Lot's of great new finds from treasure hunting this week. We found the Nippon dish one place, and the vase in another...They look so pretty together!

Around the corner, into the next room, the vignettes and colors change. This is called, "making the best out of what you have".

Something new for this season...A classic antique pine dresser and one drawer stand. They've been sanded, primed and painted this "beachy" aqua and then "shabbied off" to the white primer and wood. The glass knobs really do the trick! This project was a lot of fun to do because the "shabbying off" turned out so interesting. (It doesn't always work that way!)

Close up!

Vintage wicker vignette.

Hand painted rose chest.
The tecnique for painting this little chest is called, "dry brushing". It gives a nice weathered, yet clean look.

Hand painted rose wreath table...There are those stripes again!

Pink and white stripe little vanity. This was dark and boring when we got it...Now it has a new charm!

Here we go into the next room.

Hand painted English pine mixed with vintage wicker...Interesting mix, don't you think?

More views of this room.

I dry brushed these stripes onto the back portion of this

corner cabinet. I think the stripes really enhance anything that gets displayed in it.

Close up of a pink and yellow mix of treasures.

Continuing into the hallway...

Little hallway display. I'm looking forward to once again, going beyond the door to display a bedroom. But for now, this works and we can be open!

In conclusion, this is a close up of an oil painting of the cottage. A local artist (who has other works displayed in my shop) came over to the shop, set up under the arbor, and painted this lovely landscape scene!

...And, I Leave You With the Romance of Pink and Green

Well, for some reason I had to do my text this way. I still don't always get everything about uploading my pictures. I also don't do the thinking backwards thing very well. Maybe that's why I didn't have much success with water color. Anyway, thanks for spending all this time with me. Wayne was opened today, so I have been back here with you, sharing the memories of my Brewster shop and planning a new look for spring.

Above is a picture of the back room. It's done in Benjamin Moore's "Dried Parsley", which I am very pleased to say, compliments every color...It makes decorating and displaying a breeze.


Let me introduce you to this lovely young lady...I present to you, Miss Marshmallow! This was one of my most favorite finds. We went to an estate sale and found her in the basement art studio. She belonged to a lady that specialized in hand painted china. Miss Marshmallow was an actual classmate of the artist. The photo was blown up to poster size, mounted on a custom cut board, and enhanced with a hand painted dress and marshmallows. She's just so much fun! I hope the new owner treasures her magic for making people smile!


This is a close-up of our contest winner!



As we continue on, we go down a short hallway into the bedroom.


My store display used to end with a decorated door at the end of the hallway. The bedroom was used for storage and as an additional area for me to fix things up. When I needed a quick bedroom for an impromptu guest, we quickly fixed up the room, complete with a brand new mattress and bedding. After our guests left, we opened it up as an additional room for display. It's funny. People always say they want to take a nap in there. One time I went in there and I saw an imprint on the bed! (I knew they were in there a long time!)

As time went by, things continued to change in the bedroom, just like the rest of the store. And, as time went by, others stayed in the room as a guest, when we needed to handle an over flow of visitors. My brother stayed in here once and said he didn't need a TV because he enjoyed reading my tags..."Lovely black painted table....Wonderful walnut bed...Charming reverse painted mirror", etc. He told me I should rename the shop, "The Lovely Shop", because most of my tags say, "Lovely"!


Close up of something "Lovely".




Ahh! Pink and Green...Makes my heart sing!

When I got back to being able to hand paint, I added this chair to the pink and green bedroom.

Close up of the back of the chair with the roses and plaid ribbon.

And we finish with a close up of the back of the chair.

So we end our tour with shades of pink, green and the romantic feeling these ribbons, roses and colors leave you with.

Thank you for joining me...We'll see you next time!

Pieces of Dreams

Introduction - A Journey to the Sea!

Originally from New Jersey, with an 11 year adventure in TN, it came time to make a change. After considering my two children and living situation, in 2005 I took the opportunity presented me, and was able to migrate north, to fulfill my all life long dream of living on Cape Cod. The kind friend who drove me and I, came over the bridge at 8:39 pm on March 31st (we really pushed it, since I didn’t want to become an “April Fool”, on top of everything else I had recently been through) in a jam-packed and tarped Ford F150, dragging a U-haul. Certain circumstances led me to do exactly the opposite of what my father had asked of me...not to look like the Beverly Hill Billies when coming over the bridge.

So, during the quiet, dreary, off-season on Cape Cod, I settled into a cottage owned by my father and his lovely lady, located in South Chatham. It is tiny, defines the word "quaint", and is located on a sandy lane, nestled within the sea pines. A lovely Cape Cod Sound beach is just a short stroll away. By August,and to my surprise, I had met my love. I'm now engaged, own the cottage and during the cold off season, live in the back of our antique shop, located on scenic 6A in Brewster. Late spring thru early fall, we live in our family farm house in Chatham.

My fiancé and I have many things in common, one being we both own businesses that tie into each other. His motto: "Items of interest, bought and sold", making his shop the treasure hunt extraordinaire. I'm located in a garden cottage just down the road, and present a decorative venue, filled with pretty vintage embellishments and hand painted furniture, set in, what I hope to be, inspiring vignettes. Together we traipse along the Cape to this place and that, gathering our treasures. It works out perfectly...I get the pretty stuff, especially if it is pink and/or has romantic flair. Even though it can be very hard work, (dirty, too) we love to do the hunting and get to enjoy our finds for a little while, as they sit upon display in our shops. Then, at a fair price, you get to keep them!

I fix up, paint and artistically enhance, many of the vintage pieces we find, and create decorative originals out of others. We work very hard together, i.e., we are always fixing things up, and look like it, as we are usually covered in sanding dust and paint. But, there does come a time for fun, by entertaining and enjoying family and friends, or relaxing with one of the interests listed in my profile, while spending treasured time with each other and our cat named, "Boo".

For more to be revealed, you will have to follow this blog, as I lead you upon a creative adventure of decorating, painting,trash to treasure creations, business tips, recipes, food and decorative presentation, etc. These passions of mine, become all woven together with my journey along the Cape Cod sea, splashed by sentimental snippets of the past. So I share with you, dear readers and fellow enthusiasts, pieces of my life and my ever so sacred, Pieces of Dreams!!