Few people have a chance to make their passion their profession. Diane Baldessari (A) is a fortunate exception.

For most of her life, one of Baldessari's great passions has been antiques. She developed the "seeds of desire for the hunt" on trips to Goodwill or thrift stores with her grandmother, Odette Chanadet, when she was just a little girl. Her grandmother also prized the treasures of yesterday, like family mementos and old photos, and shared her appreciation of history of antiques and decorative arts with her granddaughter.

What started out as an interest in all things old turned into a hobby during Baldessari's student years at Carnegie Mellon and continued as she pursued an acting career in the United States and Europe. Nearly 10 years ago, she quit acting and worked for a few antique dealers in New York City. In 2000, Baldessari launched her own store on the Web, Chanadet.com (pronounced shan-a-day), which takes its name from Baldessari's grandmother. The store is what Baldessari calls "a small world of decorative antiques and home furnishings," offering vintage artwork, collectible books and textiles for sale.

In addition to antiques, a division of Chanadet.com, called Chanadet Originals, features new items for customers and their homes made from vintage materials or with a vintage design in mind.

Baldessari's small Internet operation is garnering attention across the country. Most recently, her Chanadet Originals Patchwork Scarf (shown) was featured in the "Country Classics" section of the December 2003 issue of Country Living magazine. The Web site www.manhattenusersguide.com covered Chanadet.com in October 2003. As a native of Pittsburgh, she was also featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's House and Homes section in September 2002.

In addition to offering items for sale on the Web site, Baldessari also rents items to stylists, designers and photographers for film, TV and print projects in the New York City area.