That Was Then, and This is Now...

Since discovering that I wanted to start a blog, I have spent the past few days relentlessly, fiddling around with the computer. If those of you who have really come to know me, had a crystal ball view of my compulsive struggling, you would do a double-take and think my surgery and resulting hormone changes, had left me completely mad. But guess what? In my own awkward, yet determined way, I have navigated around, learned so much, and have actually become very excited about it. A few days ago, I didn't even know how to do many of the techniques in this post...I'm actually showing off for you, and most likely you don't even know it, because I am doing it by using many of the things of you and your children use every day. But that's okay. Wayne's Antiques is open today, and I am back here in our living space, so very amused. Sort of like the cat with the tinsel, kind of thing.


So, let me tell you about these latest creations of mine. The featured top photo is something that I created out of something else, which is something I love to do.It's actually a picture of a new arrival in our family, imposed upon a picture of a piece of my hand painted, Pieces of Dreams furniture. With photo programs being so different, I won't get into too much detail of how it was actually done. But perhaps this could inspire you to do something similar. You could even take a close up photo of fabric, wall paper, a bouquet of flowers, what ever tickles your fancy. After saving your photo in your computer, you pull it up and crop it into a desired shape. Then you go to another stored photo, copy it, and paste it onto your cropped creation. After that you look into your program for the "Insert" tab, hit text, pick a font and a script color, type it into the box and place it appropriately onto your photo and background. And, there you have it.

You know, it's all part of a journey. Long ago and far away, I had been an administrative assistant, armed with a state of the art electric type writer and white out. Then I became a stay at home mom. My then husband was the computer genius in our family and credibly noted for his knowledge at work...The "Go to" guy. Anyway, one day I heard this alarming bit of news. It was about this terrible computer virus that was ripping its way through the New York/New Jersey area. Well, I ran to the phone and left him a voicemail. "There is a horrible computer virus going around. And, with the amount of time you are on that computer, you are going to get it and bring it home! You better spray your computer with Lysol! Please tell everyone about it, because you are all going to get sick!" There! I did my wifely duty and beyond. I have now saved the lives of my husband and everyone in his office. Later, my husband called everyone into his office, called me on the phone and said, "Okay, I want everyone to listen to this!" Much to my surprise, as my message was being played, there was an overwhelming roar of laughter, rather than cries of gratitude. Needless to say, I was better known at his office for my dinner parties and baked goods, rather than my computer expertise. But, "That was Then, and This is Now!" Pieces of Dreams

This is the piece I chose for its design.

The corner design of this piece is what I thought would work best.

I used the auto-crop option in Microsoft

Picture It, placed the shape over the

design, and like magic, there it was!

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!!