Jumping In With Both Feet!

Any of us familiar with the personality of Cape Cod, know of the perks, quirks and little surprises it has to offer throughout the year. An example? We have the long haul of dreary, gray days that never seem to warm up. And then, here comes the blazing heat and sun. So, depending upon how organized you are with your seasonal clothing, figuring out what to wear is the easy part. But what I can never get used to is standing before the beautiful bay or sound, the heat zeroing in upon your newly exposed skin, your mind picturing the joys of a refreshing swim and then, BLAMMO! One toe goes in and that water is so cold it makes you run back up to your towel and join the rest of your friends who are shaking their heads and saying, "I'm not going in!"

But, what were we thinking, anyway? It's a huge body of water...Warm water is going to take time! However,there are those of us who want to be in that water so badly, that we jump in with both feet and let summer begin!

So, that's what I am going to do here. I haven't been posting for a while, but I haven't been lolling around on the beach, either. Since my last post in June, I have been working in my shop and preparing the Chatham house for a large family reunion/birthday party and general summer living. I've finally taken some pictures and organized them. Now it is time to "Jump In With Both Feet" and get some of the activities for summer, 2010 posted!

Pieces of Dreams

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? First, we had to find the outdoor furniture at yard sales . Next scrape and clean....Then paint. I had gotten a lot of fabric at yet another yard sale. Everything was good quality, color coordinated and cheap!!! I made these chair pads (tutorial to follow in another post) from old chair pads that were clean, but in need of some help!

Here is a completed pad. Notice how the "finger pleat" ruffles go around the front. I like the look, but I also like what it does...Saves discomfort on the back of the legs! (Pretty Tricky!)

We are not all perfect! I need chair covers that can be removed so I can wash them. Thus, the handy-dandy pocket.

This set was an ugly, faded, rusted yellow. I saved the foam and base board. Then, with fabric, glue gun and staple gun in hand, I went to it. When we finish using them, I just pop these out and bring them into our storage area.

This was the rusty green set. The chairs came with a thinner pad, design type. I repainted the table and chairs, then covered these seats along with the rest. These pads also get popped out and brought in.

Cute and perfect for summer entertaining.

Yes, yet another table and chairs to scrape and paint ( yard sale treasures). These are my most favorite chairs of all. I made the cushions with the pockets for these too. (Note that I am still using the bolt of check/plaid fabric that cost me $10.00.) (Also note, I am obviously not at the beach!)

I changed my umbrella color to red, this year. I got 2 of them at the Christmas Tree Shops for $39.00 each.

So, we have 4 coordinating tables placed on the deck and around the yard. We can move them together and switch them around any way we want or need, in order to accommodate our guests and the food, (usually very large vats of food). For our party, I had to accommodate 27. And since it was a lobster dinner, it had to be "sit down". I borrowed some extra folding tables and put red and bone-white toile' cloths on them. But, the table setting is a post for another day...I am late for the shop!

I close my blog for the day with the above "sneak preview" of the place settings for the party and for summer entertaining. (What! Did you think that after all that scraping, painting and sewing, we weren't going to have something to eat? Not in this family!!!!!)

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!!