"All of us are watchers - of television, of time clocks, of traffic on the freeway - but few are observers. Everyone is looking, not many are seeing."

-- Peter M. Leschak

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I just spent three days at a Watercolor/Nature Journaling workshop at the Sitka Art Center on the Oregon coast. The class is taught by Jude Siegal, who is a well-known Oregon artist and teacher. Her book "A Pacific Northwest Nature Journal" will be a guide for me in further pursuits.

My sisters, Carol Ann and Kathy, took the class with me and 12 other aspiring students. We were taught many things in this short time, but over-all I became so aware of the importance of really NOTICING what is before me.

On the second day Jude gave us each a cherry and said "Do not eat this." She asked us each to think of a characteristic of the cherry and then went around the class to ask each of us what we saw. The first person said color, second person said it looked like a small apple (just what I was thinking I would say when it got to me) on and on--the sheen, the dimple, the reflection...When it got to me I could only say, "the stem is green". Jude said "what color green?" I said "pond-scum green" (easy--it is my favorite color). My point is that there were 15 different observations of the cherry.

Jude (in photo above and sister Carol Ann in background) is a retired teacher and an accomplished painter and writer. She encouraged all of us to concentrate on our own work and found positive points in everyone's work. In journaling we are to please ourselves. She walked us through drawing exercises and we went out to sketch small sprigs of nature--leaves, salal berries, foxglove, ferns, cones--all bits of the surrounding forest.

We drew and she taught us about thumbnail sketches, doing "studies", how to notice the layers in a landscape, about the importance of perspective--much to absorb. She taught us about leaf printing, applying rice paper, glazing, pressing leaves or blossoms in contact paper, and tracing. (Yes, it is OK to trace once in a while). The painting is a different story and will require much practice and work to master the color mixing and various techniques.

We had an hour each day to work outside and draw and paint. I chose a spot overlooking a tree, the meadow, and a bird bath.

I really did try to concentrate, but it is much more difficult than I thought it would be. At any rate, I am going to share my "first effort" below...

After the three days, my sisters and I were noticing EVERYTHING around us with our newly developed and heightened senses of awareness. We were EXHAUSTED from looking with our new eyes.

I hope this stays with me throughout other areas in my life-=-antiquing, home decorating, even wardrobe planning. I still have a long way to go with the painting and sketching but I really am going to work at it!!

I am going to write this quote in my journal:

"A heightened sense of observation of nature is one of the chief delights that have come to me through trying to paint."

--Winston Churchill (yes he painted watercolors)

the new sharp-sighted me....

Gayle@starsantique.com

... signing off

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I am trying to revert back to my "crafting" days....the photo above is a shrine I bought at one of the Stars Sidewalk sales actual years ago. It was rough and unpainted when I purchased it, but I was so excited at that time about painting it and hanging it on a tree.

But somehow it just sat in a pile of stuff in an outbuilding, and I mostly forgot about it. There are times when life just takes over and circumstances make us busier than we should be. At any rate, I just couldn't seem to get to my project with the shrine.

My vacation to San Miguel de Allende last April made me think about the little shrine again. This colonial Mexican city is filled with shrines of all sizes and in all places--people's windows, parks, fountains, and of course churches. I was charmed by the bright colors in the village and by the milagros (the tiny tin charms which represent "small miracles" used by the catholics in prayer) I bought a bunch thinking I would use them somewhere (after all none of us can have too many small miracles).

Finally this spring I dragged out the dusty neglected shrine and cleaned it off and gave it a coat of bright green paint. I painted checks in purple across the back and nailed a Mexican gecko to the peaked roof. I got it hung, and I like putting flowers in a jug in the niche. I never have been a master craftswoman, but I am pleased with what I did.

Maybe this winter I will checkerboard the roof and even some stencil-type designs. I am not Catholic, but I think the little tin charms can't hurt (I do have a troublesome knee) so I nailed them on. You can see them --there are legs, hands, hearts, suns and what- have-you. If nothing else it is garden art!!! I am most pleased about being centered enough to actually complete a project.

Next, I want to glue copper pennies all over a bowling ball. I saw this a while back in the Oregonian. It is for outside and the pennies will get that coppery-greenish color eventually. I have the pennies saved up and an old bowling ball in my garage. We'll see........

signing off....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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Inspiration for me.....

The past two weeks I have been garden touring and lunching and my head is awhirl with thoughts and ideas...

Last week I was invited to a brunch hosted by Diane Muyskens, who is both a passionate cook and gardener. The above photo was taken of the table setting before we sat down to our wonderful meal. We all loved the bird cage idea (and I was proud of myself for buying a bird cage at a good price a month ago at the Stars and Splendid store). Maybe someday I will use a bird cage filled with flowers for a centerpiece, and if I do I will be sure to give Diane credit for the idea.

The brunch was delicious of course and was served on beautiful china garnished with a pink rose dusted with powdered sugar. I am going to give you the recipes for the French Toast and Bacon we were served....

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Make-Ahead French Toast with Strawberry Sauce

1 (16 ounce) challah bread, cubed*

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into pieces

6 large eggs

4 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1 (10-ounce) jar strawberry preserves

1. Arrange half of challah bread in a lightly greased 13 X 9 pan. sprinkle with cheese pieces, and top with remaining bread.

2. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients, pour over bread mixture, pressing bread cubes to absorb egg mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours.

3. Bake, covered, at 350o for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes.

4. Heat sliced strawberries and strawberry preserves to a saucepan over low heat, and serve over toast.

*Substitute French bread for challah.

To Lighten: Substitue 1 (8-ounce package Neufchatel cheese for cream chees, 1 1/2 cups egg substitue for eggs, and 4 cups fat-free half-and-half for regular half-and-half. ****************************************************************

Pecan Sugared Bacon

MAKES 6 servings; Prep: 15 Min.

BAKE: 25 Min. at 400o for 22-26 mins. STAND: 5 Min.

2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped pecans

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

12 thick-cut bacon slices

1. Preheat oven to 400o. Process pecans in food processor 20 seconds or until finely chopped. Stir together pecans, brown sugar, and papper.

2. Dip bacon in the mixture of finely chopped pecans, pepper and brown sugar. 3. Place half of bacon in a single layer on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum pan.

(Note: Diane says they can be done up ahead and reheated and that they are good cold as well. She also adds more brown sugar and pecans than called for.) (***********************************

The meal was served with fruit and a lovely beverage called Rockin' Raspberry Lemonade in the sugar encrusted goblets pictured.

There were eight of us lucky enough to share, enjoy, and fully appreciate this repast, and you can be sure the conversation was lively.

Dessert was blueberry pound cake (the blueberries supplied by the Muysken's garden) served with coffee. We were all lulled into a state of total thrall between the delectable food and the spirited conversation.

After brunch we toured the expansive garden and marvelled at the beauty of the space, the usefulness of the vegetable garden and fruit and berry plantings, and the charming outbuildings which serve as workshops and storage for the Muyskens.

The photo above is just one glimpse of the garden.

Again for me another example of the creativity of northwest's talented people. A hearty thank you to Diane for having us all!!

signing off ....

Gayle@starsantique.com

photos courtesy of Diane Muyskens (Thank you Diane!!)

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So Much can happen in the space of 19 years.....

It is June 2009---and the 19th anniversary of the opening of our first Stars store. We always celebrate with a Sidewalk Sale and this year is no exception. The outside will be filled with goodies and good buys starting on Saturday June 13 and 14. I have purchased some of my very favorite things for home and garden over the years at our various Satrs sales.

I have come full circle as far as my home decor goes--I started with primitive painted antique furniture, and then somewhere in those years became besotted with floral barkclothes, pastels, 30's tableclothes and accessories and a lighter look over-all. In my last project which I did a year ago, I came full circle and changed my living room back to an updated American Country look. (For all you romantic people, I still have the florals in other rooms, but that is a whole other blog!)

I bought the early cupboard with an arch many years ago--I had to sell three pieces of pine furniture to afford it. The blue wallpaper box was purchased from the late Marion Hilton and her daughter, Teresa, at Palmer/Wirfs antique show. The portrait of the little girl on the right was purchased from the late Judy Knowles. The other accessories came from Stars over the years.

The quilt hanging on the left is a summer-weight pineapple pattern and I love it here this time of year. For Christmas, I will hang an early white "bride's quilt" and use masses of forced paper whites about. As you can tell, I am partial to the blue painted furniture for this room.

The worn white trestle table was found (where else) at Stars a few years back and has been used in several of my rooms. I like it where it is right now.

All the things I have found are bound up with memories of the people. the shops, the antique and flea markets and always, always Stars of course....

I had to share this photo below of my kitty, Sox, and me in my garden planted...yes 19 years ago...

signing off.........

Gayle@starsantiques.com

photos courtesy of my friend Christine Crocker of Deerfield Farms

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Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

The photo above is a testament to patience with my garden. I think it was at least 15 years ago that I planted the pair of Golden Chain trees on either side of the back drive. They were not as tall as I am then, and my intent was to have them grow tall and then form an arch.

Over the years they grew taller and my son, Tommy, rigged up a contraption with a rope and some sort of a pulley to train them to form an arch. Each year they would grow just a little bit closer, and this is the year that their branches finally touched. Of course, now I have to wait for the arch to fill in and become more defined. This is a good lesson for me in my garden and in life. Most good things are achieved with effort and waiting for the right time.

If we have all been tired of the long wet weather, we are now rewarded (at least at these last few days) with a burst of beauty as we welcome summer in.

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I have been on a bit of a hiatus from work at Stars and taking care of many things needing to be done. I have also gone to some antique sales on Saturdays (see previous blog about Barn Sale). I forgot to take my camera to Julie Stapleton's sale on May 16 in Estacada (doggone it). Julie has been having sales for many years, and they are always wonderful. She and her husband Ovie work very hard on their immaculate grounds, and it is a true delight for the eyes

Last Saturday I went to the Queen of Tarte sale (which is conveniently not too far from where I live). Cindy is the Queen and she is joined by others including Fannie, Annie and Abigail , the Withies , and the Barn House boys. The bucolic photo below was taken right outside the entrance to the Queen of Tarte Barn--just a teaser for what is inside.

I can find a treasure every day at Stars (and believe me I have!), but it is fun and inspiring to get out and support the other antique dealers and artisans. After all, they come and purchase at Stars and support us.

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I am seeing that with this economy, people are still out attending these antique sales and purchasing too!! Our last Mother's Day Sale at Stars was a triumph for our dealers. The success for all these people mentioned is accomplished with much hard work and artistic passion. I am happy to be an observer and customer!!!!

signing off....

Gayle@starsantiques.com

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Goin' junkin' with Darwin on a sunny Saturday

We left Saturday morning out into the world of sunshine with Darwin's GPS telling us where to go. Our destination was the Barn House Sale up near Battleground, Washington. I had heard about the Barn House Sale from several friends and had looked forward to a day when I could get away to attend. Joe and Jermonne are the producers of the sale (which really is in a barn). I also knew they would have guest artisans/antique dealers, Cindy Dockins of Queen of Tarte, Diane and Donna of Annie, Fanny and Abigail, and Julie Verberg of The Withies (all these ladies had been Stars dealers at one time or another).

The drive through the rural countryside is a bonus--beautiful meadows, rolling hills, farms, barns, all decorated by spring. Carmen (our GPS lady) led us right to the spot. We were going to meet up with our friend (and Darwin's former antique partner at his ETC shop), Carol Kelly, who incidentally lives about a mile away from the Barn House sale. We saw Carol's shiny red pickup parked and knew we were at the right place.

There was quite a crowd already (that's Darwin at the sale entrance in the photo) and even a line-up for people to check out and pay for their goodies. I had to just hustle in and start looking. Right at the door was Julie Verberg cuddling a small hen--how picturesque can you get!!!!! And naturally the sale was as wonderful as we had heard about--great stuff, good prices, well and most creatively displayed. If I weren't so full up (I have a "collecting" habit after all). I could have taken it all home with me.

Carol Kelly bought tea-leaf pottery for her collection, I bought a wonderful framed collage of broken bird eggs, nest, etc., and Darwin bought a tattered early quilt that really will look like contemporary art when he hangs it on the wall. He calls these things a "lack of fear" object (it means that even though it is worn to pieces he is not "afraid" to buy it).

I was quite taken with their hand-washing station--after all we all must wash our hands often now with the pandemic and all. I concluded that it could have been in a Ralph Lauren advertisement. Very unpretentious and not cutesy a bit.

Carol had invited us to lunch at her lovely country home situated on a man-made lake, and we headed there after our junking. Carol's garden is the stuff of dreams--a woodsy acre or two and she has carved out myriad vistas of various areas, ponds, garden art, a hillside rock garden,a flowering meadow garden and much more. I took the photo below in the bright sun and it doesn't begin to do justice, but I thought with the glare it almost looked like an old hand-colored photo.

Carol's garden art is amazing and her newest purchase is the spread-winged owl done by a young metal artist she discovered at a Hardy Plant Society sale. We ate our delicious lunch in the many-windowed kitchen overlooking the owl among the trees.

We drove home and finally turned "Carmen" off so we could visit about our day, and both agreed that we had had a really, really good time....

I sign off thinking how humbling it is to be among such talented folks....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again.

--Jean Luc Picard ****************************************************************

Okay, this quote is a bit sentimental, but it does apply to my journeys when I drive to my place in Neskowin on the Oregon coast. The trip there and back is part of the experience of a beach weekend for me. When we first bought our place nearly 20 years ago, I had so many projects--decorating, painting and arranging--that I would always go a day or so ahead of my family.

I had only myself to please on these junkets and there were several different routes I could take. I loved to stop at my favorite shops, grocery stores, nurseries, outlet stores, restaurants, and antique malls on the way. I would buy foods, flowers, and supplies for the condo on the trip.

When I arrived, I would arrange flowers, plant things on the deck in pots and then set to "decorating". I faux painted--stripes in one bedroom, checkboarded the kitchen backsplash, sponged the bathrooms. I framed pictues, painted birdhouses, hung architectural fragments--on and on.

Now my condo is full up (unless I start changing the type of decor), but I still cling to the idea of the stops along my "journey". This past weekend was no exception.

I always start out by picking flowers in my garden at home if things are in bloom. Did I mention that my color scheme at my beach place is tone-on-tone browns, caramels, beiges, and creamy white? I only bring white or cream-colored flowers so the bleeding hearts (in the photo below) in my front garden were just for me to admire before I left.

I decided to take the route through Salem so I could go to State Street and take a peek in my favorite shops. I pass by the Wooden Shoe tulip fields on the way to I-5.

My first stop is at Ma Valise--a shop that is chock full of girlie things of every description--from clothing, hats, purses, jewlery to soaps, perfumes, tempting home accessories and delectable baby clothing. Pandora's box couldn't be more inviting--some of my favorite things have come from this shop in every price range.

The shop next door is equally fun. It is called the Arbor and carries garden ware, books, dishes, posters, home decor, and many, many small intriguing little gadgets that I am hard pressed to resist. I visit with Nan, one of the owners, and she tells me they have recently added Marimekko as one of their lines.

The rest of my trip is non-stop--just driving through the spring Oregon countryside. Did I mention that part of the "journey" is listening to my favorite books on CD? Right now I am into the #1 Ladies Detective Agency.

It is a 2-hour driving trip from my home to the coast, and always a joy to feel the sea air and smell the ocean. It matters not to me what the weather is doing there--I like it all-- rain, mist, storms, but of course, best of all is when the sun is shining. And my destination has been reached....

signing off.....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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San Miguel de Allende - Part 2 continued

photos courtesy of Dianne Muyskens and Carol and Jack Kelly

from left to right: Dianne, Patsy*, Carol, Rossie, Sue, and me

We were a congenial group of travelling ladies on this trip put together by Carol Kelly, a longtime friend of mine, She invited Dianne Muyskens, Sue Feeney, Rossie Whitehead, and myself to rent the Casa Carole together.

Our arrival was taken over with our delight and amazment of the house itself. (See previous March 13 blog). We ventured out into the city after a delicious dinner in a local restaurant. The shops stay open late, and we peered into a number of shops and all saw things we liked and wanted to come back later for-- ornate chandliers, ironwork, tin folk art objects (lots of "stars" in various forms by the way), tiled works, textiles, clothing, and these really cute shoes.

The next day Carol had arranged a guided tour of the city with Angelica, a beautiful young English speaking native of San Miguel. Angelica grew up helping her grandmother wash clothes in the local public cisterns, but she was a 2009 lady now owning her own tour company with her husband, wearing Nike sportwear, and using her I-phone most proficiently. She had our driver take us out to the outskirts of the city to see what she called the "foundation" of the area and the first church built there in the 1500's with the arrival of the Spaniards. The Spaniards came to the area looking for gold and silver, and over the many years converted the Mexican natives to their Catholic ways. We drove to the highest point of the city and parked under a lavendar Jacaranda tree to view the scene below and the beautiful churches. We saw old churches, beautiful old neighborhoods, and had many photo ops. Way too much to write about, but after the tour, we felt well informed

We ate in on Friday evening, a truly Mexican meal. We hired Terri, a Mexican cook, and she made us an authentic dinner. Our routine seemed to be coming home in the late afternoons, gathering outside in the walled patio, each of us taking up a chaise lounge, and leafing through the piles of interior decorating magazines left in the house. In the evenings, before dinner, we visited and shared stories over guacamole and wine as the stars and moon came out.

Photo below--Carol setting our table

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After two days, we decided we all had to settle our finances as each of us had paid for one thing or another and we wanted to start with a clean slate. After two hours of trying to figure this out, I really thought we could have been a reality show--trying to work with a conversion chart Jack Kelly had made for each of us. Some of us had paid in American dollars, some in pesos, and Rossie and Sue were Canadian. I'm still not sure we got it exactly right, but it was close.

On Sunday (on Carole Meyer's recommendation), we took a long taxi ride out into the country to have lunch at Patsy's Place (* Patsy [pictured in photo at top with the five of us). Patsy is an American and serves lunch on Sundays only. The price is $20. The minute we arrived at the vine covered veranda, we were offered drinks of our choice--from iced tea to margueritas, wine or whatever--all included in the price. The bountiful lunch is served buffet style in Patsy's up-to-date and well-equipped sky lit kitchen. Dessert was lemon pie and oh my....

On Tuesday, Carol and Dianne chose to attend a class offered by Sazon',a cooking school (which also has a wonderful retail shop). They were taken by Chef Paco to the open market, getting pointers for selecting the best of the crop...then back to the kitchen to learn how to use the ingredients in making local dishes. Carol and Dianne are both passionate and accomplished cooks so doing this was heaven for them.

below--the marketplace

Sue, Rossie and I declined the cooking school and chose to take a tour to the church at Atotonilco with a guide. This religious fortress built in 1740, was inspired by the vision of Father Alfars and is today the treasure of this small town and the Mexican homeland. The baroque church is famous for the murals which cover its walls and cathedral ceilings painted by Martinez and other Creole artists. Words cannot even begin to capture the scope and artistry of the sections and chapels and rooms all embellished by the paintings. From there our guide drove us to ceramic and woodworking factories where we were able to buy pottery, tin and woodworkings done by local artists. To top off our afternoon, our guide drove us to a town square and an ice cream cart and a large selection of flavors--from tequila, to plain vanilla bean--they had guava, I had caramel. We decided we had made a good choice also....

I could tell you all so much more, but time and space permit... I came away from this week inspired by the beauty and attention to detail of the Casa Carole house. The third day I was there, I noticed that the bed curtain over my canopy bed had tiny milagros (or "miracles"-- the charms the Mexicans use as symbols in prayer) stitched to hang all along the hem--they depict hearts, suns, animals, arms, legs, hands--whatever one wants to cure.

The colors of the village, the profusion of blossoms, flowering vines, and jungle-like exotic vegetation, the warmth of the people, will stay in my mind for a long time....

And maybe the best of all, the companionship of interesting, dynamic ladies to share stories, coffee, good meals and laughter with.....

good for the soul......and by the way, we each bought three pairs of the cute shoes the town is known for (at really good prices)

signing off....Gayle@starsantique.com

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MAGICAL: a mysterious quality of enchantment...

What I did on my spring vacation....

a visit to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico

I joined four ladies on a trip to this city the first part of April, never dreaming that I would be charmed and enraptured by its historic and colorful beauty. San Miguel de Allende is located in the east part of Guanajuato in Mexico's mountainous region. History is right!!!! The town was founded in 1542 (before the pilgrims arrived in America). Much of the history has been preserved as the city was named by Unesco as a world heritage site.

I had known of this city's existence from my business partners Darwin and Brent who had gone some years ago and came back to tell all of us here at Stars what a fabulous destination it was. Last fall my friend Carol Kelly invited me to join a group of three other ladies to go to San Miguel for a week and rent a house and casita owned by Portlanders (and Stars shoppers) Carole and Bill Meyer. I did not hesitate and after I checked the house on the web site, CasaCarole,(be sure to go into the website's slide show to get the full effect)I was most excited. (more later about the house)

On April 1, the four of us Carol, myself, Dianne, Sue and Rossie flew into Leone to be picked up by a driver in an immaculate SUV. It is about a 2-hour drive to San Miguel de Allende from the airport.

The city sits like a jewel upon the landscape with the colonial church towers rising above. The streets are very narrow in the city, usually crowded with traffic. I am not an expert, but I felt it had a European look about it with the walled houses and street paved with cobblestones.

...Now picture us entering Casa Carole--five ladies who love interior decorating.....the house was furnished and accessorized to perfection in our eyes. We each had our own lovely bedroom and intricately tiled bath. Every room is filled with Mexican antiques, textiles, furniture, and extraorinary folk art, and many have paintings done by owner, Carol Meyer. I learned that Carole and her husband worked in collaboration with Portland designer Virginia Burney Bach, and this was the product of 14 years of their shopping and remodeling.

We settled in--each of us in our own bedroom with elaborately tiled bath-- explored the house in wonder, and after a bit went out into the streets. The intense colors on windows, doors and walls glowed with vibrancy and everywhere there were blooming vines and flowers.

The photo below is of a typical street on the city (but most of the time there are automobiles parked on the side).

The windows can be especially beautiful framed by iron work and flowers. Burros can be seen on the streets, but one must always ask their owner's permission to take their photo.

Now is where I need to confess that after four days of shooting photos, I lost my camera. My kind fellow travellers are going to send me some of their photos, and I will continue our story next week... hopefully with pictures of some of the wonders we encountered on our now memorable visit....

signing off with yet more to tell.....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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