Some time ago I wrote a blog about my favorite magazines and how they were stopping publication. I know that I am one of many who looked forward each month to get the mail and sit down with a Cottage Living, Country Home, Mary Englebreit Home, Country Living, and Victoria. (Yes, I know there is still a Country Living magazine and a Victoria, but they are NOT what they once were). Therefore I was tickled to death when Brent informed me that there was a new Country Home magazine on the stands. I found it at my local Safeway and have enjoyed every page. I'm thinking it will be a special interest publication coming out just a few times a year. It is spendy--$12.99-but it is printed on quality paper and a bonus is no advertising in its pages.

I have been drawn to the appeal of "country decorating" for many years. I am no longer sure of the definition of "country", but my interpretation is a wonderful mix of old and new--probably collected over a period of time, following no specific "design" rules and reflecting the personal style of the decorator. There are myriad categories for this type of decorating going from: cottage decorating, romantic country or Victorian, traditional American country, the lodge look, Southwest style, flea market style, formal country, modern country, French country, and English country.

In my opinion, if it is done right, it becomes part of the decorator's lifestyle--leading to trips to antique shows, antique malls, shops, flea markets, sales, browsing the internet and lastly, and the most fun of all--junking trips to destination shows.

I once asked former Country Living Executive editor, Nina Williams, what the goal was of the magazine. She said to me, "we do not exist to set trends, we REPORT trends from all over the country." At that time she said an emerging trend was "bringing the outside in". We are all familiar with that now as it has been depicted in pages of shelter magazines for many years.

I have seen forms of all the elements in the photos below at northwest antique sales, shows, or antique malls. I have bought quite a few of these things over the years at Stars, and many other places. I don't think any of us want to copy the ideas exactly, but it is inspirational to see them all put together in a pleasing way.

The internet is a huge source with its wonderful websites and blogs, and when I go into them, I am truly amazed at the talents and great photos and ideas of untrained decorators and designers. In that way, all of you in the cyber world are "setting the trends".

The thing is, I am old-fashioned enough to still want to go to the mailbox, and hold the magazine in my hands, and stretch out on the sofa while I devour the pages. So hurrah Country Home for coming back to us. I hope it lasts.

Signing off to go rearrange furniture,

Gayle@starsantique.com

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"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything--would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?

L.M. Montomgery--Anne of Green Gables

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I thrive on "scope for imagination". Getting a new idea or some sort of an inspiration is a a magic elixer for me. And (maybe you have discovered this too) it is all out there waiting to be found. I find it in books, photos, magazines, movies TV, nature, and always, always in other people's homes and gardens and the way they entertain. I will share photos with you of a lovely July lunch hosted by Carol Kelly on the patio above her beautiful garden. Carol's large garden is legendary among northwest gardeners and could fill a book with all her plantings, water features, garden art, amazing rock wall, pond--even a lake.

We were all lucky to have the sun out--the fog we've been having lately in the mornings had lifted, and it was pleasantly warm. The table was all set for eight, and a beautiful sight indeed. Carol's centerpiece was composed of small tin containers each holding a single hydrangea bloom. Simple but effective...

Every single one of these ladies at this lunch have given me inspiration and scope at one time or another. Collectively, they garden, write, cook and bake, paint, rug hook, build furniture, make flower arrangements, build fountains and, birdhouses, and birdbaths. Some have been shop owners. They have all been collectors of antiques. And they are just so much fun too. From left clockwise, Dulcy, me, Rosemary, (sorry empty seat is Julie's who was taking the photo), Kathy, Dianne, Norma, and our hostess, Carol.

I have been trying to work on making my little outdoor deck at home look better, so on this particular day, I was really noticing the outdoor patio and how welcoming and comfortable Carol has made it. I was quite taken with the wall pictured below. Now I just won't outright copy Carol, but I have gotten some ideas about hanging things on my wall. The lamp shown below is a recent purchase at Dianne Muyskens' garage sale. Carol went to Freddie's, bought an inexpensive lamp shade and painted it.

A surprise treat after touring the garden and dessert was being led downstairs to Carol's workshop. There laid out all over the counter were all the ingredients for each of us to make a "woodland arrangement" to take home. Plants, cones, mushrooms, flowers, moss, twigs, rocks, oasis, and a container were all supplied. The teachers were Carol and Dianne who had recently taken a class from Francoise Weeks. Not difficult at all once the materials were assembled. Oh the scope of it all.....

and I sign off thinking I'll share photos of what I've done when I decorate my little deck (humble though it is).......

Gayle@starsantique.com

photos courtesy of Dianne Muyskens

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I'm taking a "blog break" for a few days....... But I would like to share with you some fabulous photos taken in Dianne Muyskens garden. Here is how to get there....

Go into my list and click on the link Ticking and Toile (bottom name on the list). Go to the archives of this most wonderful blog and click on June. There you will see photos taken and a story on "dream garden".

signing off......

Gayle@starsantique.com

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"My work is loving the world.

Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird--

equal seekers of sweetness.

Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.

Here the clam deep in the speckled sand."

--mary oliver

************************************************************** Last week I went to a Nature Journaling Workshop held at the Sitka Art Center on the Oregon coast. I went with my sister Carol Ann, Carol Carson, and her sister Jan Crockett. The class is taught by Jude Seigel, and we have all taken lessons from her.

Taking classes from Jude is not only an art lesson, but the four of us consider it the most relaxing form of therapy. It has also taught us to look at things more closely and slowly--a good exercise in the fast-paced lives that so many of us seem to have.

Jude starts each class with a reading--a poem, an excerpt, sometimes a short essay. I enjoy the readings as much as the painting. The verse above was read the first day of our Sitka Workshop from a poem called Thirst by Mary Oliver. I chose the first sentence of the poem to be on the cover of my journal.

There were 15 in the class, and it didn't take long to get to know each other. The weather cooperated wonderfully, and we were able to do sketching outdoors--we drew sprigs of plants, leaves, moss, sticks, tree trunks, weeds--Carol C. even picked up a fat slug and put it in a clear plastic cup to use as a live model. (If you really examine a slug closely, you can sort of see a little face, and it is a part of nature, after all.) The idea is to find beauty and charm right in front of our very eyes.

The first two days, we painted our drawings in the studio after lunch. The last hour of class is always "sharing" and each student's work is put on display. With Jude, this is a positive experience, definitely not a competition, and after students get used to the idea, they find it is helpful and actually fascinating to see all the different interpretations of art.

The last day, we all hiked 10 minutes down to the Salmon River to sketch and paint Cascade Head. We carried our paint supplies, stools, water bottles, and I took my camera. I snapped the photos below in between sketches. The first photo is Carol Ann busily painting away--no easy feat while holding paints, journal and water..

The next photo is Jan who was in front of me. (Notice how teeny these stools are)

The next photo was taken from my vantage point of Cascade Head. I really did feel like I was "loving the world" at that moment.

I will share with you the painting I did that day--keep in mind that this is a page in a journal, done for personal pleasure--definitely not an expert watercolor. But that is part of the fun of it....knowing that I can keep learning.

Another bonus is meeting new people and every single person in our class had an interesting story. And because the world is so small, I discovered that Heather Brunelle in the class lives on SE Rural St--a block from Stars, and she has furnished her house with goodies from Stars.

and I sign off with another excerpt from the poem by Mary Oliver and read to us by Jude.....

"Let me keep my mind on what matters,

which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished..."

Gayle@starsantique.com

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".....silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

--langston hughes

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I googled "spring rains" today for inspiration. There are about a jillion quotes extolling the virtues of rain. And we all know we need it. But I think even the most hardened of Oregonians want to say "enough now"!! I know I do.

I have gotten accustomed to gardening with a light drizzle sprinkling on me. And every now and then, the sunshine will break through as if to say, "I'm still here". The bonus is that we haven't needed to water and the gardens are getting lush.

Yesterday was the first offical day of summer, and we were blessed with partial sun. It felt wonderful...I could hear the tractors going by on the farm road where I live. Lawnmowers were humming, and I could look across the way and see my son and daughter-in-law planting in their garden.

In honor of the promise of good weather, I am sharing photos of my garden taken this spring. The photo of the pathway below was taken before Memorial Day. I'm not a big iris fan, but I saw a picture of an iris path in Monet's garden at Giverny and took it from there. Trust me this is the mini version, but maybe someday.....

I dragged my camera out last month during a bit of a sun break and got the two photos below. The roses climb on a fence designed and built for me by Danny and Wayne of Lonesomeville . Their garden has been my inspiration, and I was fortunate to have their expertise with mine. Check out their website to see their wonderful gardens (click on "About us" to see gardens, but you will also see that they produce the amazing Lonesomeville Pottery.).

The peonies in the photo below were lovely while they lasted, and they lasted later than usual. (Another good thing about the cooler weather?)

The next photo was taken on a particularly rainy day. Trying to buck up my spirits, I took my camera out and snapped the lady's mantle. My friend, Barbara Sandgren, pointed out to me a long time ago how the drops look like diamonds on the leaves. I have always loved that thought (another good thing about rain?), and I share another excerpt with you:

"Innumerable as the stars of night,

dewdrops which the sun

Impearls on every leaf and flower.

--john milton

When I found the next quotation, I had to read it through a couple of times before I got it.

"Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."

--susan ertz

When it sunk in, I had to think.."get over yourself, Gayle"....there ARE some good things about rain.

signing off wishing you all a happy first week of summer....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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The last two blogs I have written have been in honor of the 20th Anniversary of the opening of the first STARS Antique Mall. And Darwin, Brent and I are marking the occasion with a celebration Sale!!!! We have learned over these years that what our customer loves the most is plain and simple---value for their dollars!! Our dealers strive to provide goods at reasonable prices at all times, but during a sale, they sometimes go all out and give a "Really Good Discount"--just for the hours during the sale.

After all, I'm like everyone else---I get excited when I see a sale sign on goodies that I am attracted to. You can be sure, as a collector of textiles, old linens and laces that I found a treasure amongst the display below during a sale a while back.

Years ago I purchased a child's cup (soft paste no less) with the motto "For a Good Girl". When I buy something that makes my heart beat and it is on sale, I say to myself,"It's because I've been a Good Girl". Sometimes I go a long stretch before I see something that really makes my heart go faster....you can draw your own conclusions on that.

I am always drawn to the vintage costume jewelry--the glittery effect fascinates me to no end. I never take it seriously but it is fun to wear with blue jeans, on a wool blazer,pinned on a baseball hat, or a faux fur vest. Our creative dealers also display re-purposed jewelry which can be charming and witty.

Pictured below--a dressmaker's form displaying Paula Vandehey's (dealer #77 Stars and Splendid) re-purposed jewelry.

If I am in need of a piece of furniture, I never, ever go to a new furniture store. Much more interesting to be patient and find just the right item that is handmade or one-of- a kind--something that is beautiful to me and still useful. I found a great small chest in old yellowed paint with rows of tiny drawers from Greg and Doris (dealer #11-Stars and Splendid)--perfect for all my small arts and crafts supplies--but attractive enough to sit on a scrub top table in my family room.

Photo below was taken in #11 a while back....

Naturally I will be right there with everyone at the anniversary sale. It's not easy, but I have been trying to be a "good girl". We'll see...

Signing off....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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PART TWO: HOW STARS GOT STARTED

In the three years that four of us--Darwin, Brent, Marie and I-- produced the "Magic" shows, we learned a great deal. We found we knew how to promote, run the shows in a business-like way, the value of organization, the importance of establishing trust and keeping our word, and developing a prospect list and a customer mailing list. We did all the work ourselves, and like all people who love what they do, the hard work for us was a necessary part of seeing our visions come true.

We had carved out an office in the back of Darwin's ETC Antique Shop on Sellwood row and would meet weekly after work to plan our next shows. In 1990, Tom Brown, whose family owned quite a string of property along SE Milwaukie Avenue approached us with an idea. He had a vacant building on the corner of Milwaukie and Rural that had housed the Coronet Five and Dime Store. He thought it would be ideal for an antique mall and that the four of us could start one.

There were one or two antique malls in Portland at that time, and actually we had all had spaces in a mall in Aurora so we had an idea of how they worked. But this was a risk--first of all, we all had other jobs and secondly, this was signing a lease and remodeling an empty space. We liked the prospect of a more permanent business, but we had to think hard about the realities.

Thinking back, our enthusiasm and belief in ourselves and the huge pool of prospective antique dealers in the area gave us the impetus to take the leap into the great unknown. Tom Brown helped us find the man power we needed to bring the building up to snuff. Our budget was limited and we did much of work ourselves--painting walls and even the floors.

Coming up with a good name was a challenge. We had several ideas for names--the most practical was the Sellwood-Moreland Antique Mall. Brent worked up the graphics for several names and we called in dealers to give us input. My favorite was "STARS Antique Mall" (remember in our show advertising how we called our dealers "our Stars"). Anyway, Stars won out, and we played it to the hilt using stars in our decor, advertising, signs, etc.

We hired two employees, Linda Sievers, who worked for us for many years, and Sue Martinson (who is still with us as many of you know), and the four of us would take turns filling shifts. Portland was so ready for a mall like Stars--one that was clean, and well lit, filled with all kinds of merchandise--some serious and some funky and fun. It wasn't long before we had rented all the spaces and business kept increasing.

Eventually, we all quit our other jobs, and took another leap and bought the building across the street for a second mall. We called this one Stars and Splendid Antique Mall (our corporate name was Stars and Splendid Partners), and I can only say that the feeling we all had to see the sign painted on our new building was a major life event for the four of us.

Long story short, we went on to open a mall in Northwest Portland called Stars Northwest and another on Milwaukie Avenue which we called ...more Stars. By that time, we had managers and about 25 employees and were still doing shows.

Twelve years ago, we lost our beloved partner, Marie Hickey, to breast cancer. Longtime dealers, employees and customers still remember Marie with smiles on their faces at her colorful antics, and, of course, we will never forget her. Our first lesson in "Life goes on...it just isn't quite the same".

When their leases ran out, we dropped the Stars Northwest store and ..more Stars to concentrate on the two stores left. We still have customers who bemoan the closing of the other stores, but we found that careful management of the two stores across the street from each other is a better use of everyone's time.

Now it is approaching June 2010--twenty years later and time for an anniversary celebration. The Milwaukie Avenue neighborhood has grown to be a vibrant shopping and dining location. The memories of these years are also vibrant-- filled with excitement, humor, challenges to be met, oozing with the creativity of our dealers, the fun of seeing our web site come to life and always, always, the faces of all involved--dealers, employees, and customers.

I have many stories still in my head about events and happenings in the past twenty years. Sometimes I think it might make a great television mini-series with plenty of drama, comedy, and yes, even tragedy (one example...all of us continuing to work quietly and sadly the evening of September 11, 2001).

If I do this, I promise to change all the names of those mentioned (just kidding).

I have two quotes I have found (after all, I can't let you off without a quote or two)that I think apply here and to any of you out there who have a dream....

"Leap and the net will appear."---Zen

"Doing you best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment." ---Oprah Winfrey

And I sign off on this day with much gratitude and appreciation to all...

Gayle@starsantique.com


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IT WAS SUMMERTIME IN 1987 AND OREGON WAS IN A DEEP RECESSION....

For those of you too young to remember, recessions are not a new thing. Times were hard then--job loss, foreclosures, tight money,budget cutbacks.....

And like today, the antique collectors and creative people in Oregon just kept on going. There were exciting events put on in private homes, empty storefronts, barns, church halls, garages, and sales were fairly brisk out at Don Wirfs' Expo Antique Shows (if prices were marked down accordingly). If you were a part of this, you know who you are.

There was no internet then, no websites, no blogs, no Facebook, and heaven forbid--no cell phones. Communication was done by US mail, TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines.

But a whole bunch of us knew that Country Living magazine had been doing shoots in Oregon the previous summer. Scores of antique dealers, artisans, foodies, wineries, gardeners, had participated joyfully in showing off Oregon's bounty to this popular national shelter magazine. But when the August issue hit the newsstands in 1987, our breath was taken away by the cover....

Over thirty pages showing off the beauty, talents, gardens, fine foods and wines of Oregon. Never before had our state received such attention in a popular national publication.

Enter Darwin Otto, Brent Heeb, the late Marie Hickey and me. The four of us had been meeting for months talking about starting a "Really Big Antique and Lifestyle Show". We knew the hype from the magazine could be our launching pad."

We all had other full time jobs at the time, but somehow we did it. Leased the exhibition hall at Montgomery Park, came up with a floor plan, worked on publicity, paid for advertising but also sent out copies of the magazine to TV and radio stations and newspapers, printed out flyers, ordered banners, rented tables and linens, planned an appetizer buffet for a preview night (admission $10). We signed up dealers, artisans, clothing shops, gourmet food producers to participate.

Everyone was busy but wanted to be a part of it....

Finally in September 1987, the show magically came to life--and what was it called? What else....The Magic of Oregon......

Luckily, the lines at the entrance were long--our publicity had paid off. We had to charge an entrance fee to cover our expenses--tickets were $3. The enthusiasm was electric, we called our dealers our "Stars"and they pulled out all the stops, the displays were lovely, sales were brisk....

The success of this first show led to years of "show biz" for the four of us--Country by Design in at the Tacoma Dome, and the Magic of Christmas in Portland, Salem and Tacoma. The four of us worked well together and and liked our work on the shows a whole lot better than our other full time jobs.

We LOVED doing the window display ourselves (see photo below for one example)....

And then in 1990, opportunity came knocking.....

to be continued.....

and I sign off awash in fabulous memories....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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"Gifts reflect those who give them."

Chinese Proverb

A tale of four gifts.....

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Energetic and talented Stars dealer, Mitzi Jones told me she had read my blog about heart-shaped rocks and that she had one she wanted to give me. When I last went to Stars and checked my desk, there it was. It was wrapped in a little box and when I opened it, I could hardly believe my eyes. There in the center of the rock was a perfect heart cut-out. What a wonderful trophy to add to my collection. I was touched that Mitzi would remember to pass it on to me, and also that she could part with it. Now whenever I look at it, I will think of Mitzi. Thank you!!!!

This got me to thinking about other gifts that people had given me...gifts with more thought behind them than money, but priceless to me.

In the photo below, you will see a portion of a Japanese glass float--one of two actually--given to me several years ago as a thank you gift from Michelle Reynolds, who is a friend and co-worker of my son Erik. She had found the floats on Laysan Island. Michelle, a biologist with her Phd., has lived on the isolated island for several years on a project researching and studying the Laysan Ducks. The island is inhabited by about 5 biologists and is located south of Midway. It takes about 3 hours to get there by boat. When I look at the floats, I think of this lovely woman and her passion for her work. If you Google her, you can read about her project.

The photo below is of an old, heavy green glass bottle given to to me a while back by my son Erik. Erik worked as a biologist on the big Island of Hawaii for nine years studying the endangered "honeycreeper" birds. He found the bottle in the Kulani woods, a forest reserve there. He gave it to me because he knew I liked old "found" things and that I used bottles for bud vases. He thinks the bottle was probably left there many years ago by hunters of the wild pigs that live in the forests. And of course, it is special to me because he gave it to me.

The last photo was taken yesterday. It a pure blue columbine plant. Last spring my friend Christe'Crocker (and one-time Stars dealer) came to visit me from her home in Madras. She came bearing mint plants from the crops her husband Bob grows, and a blue columbine plant from her garden. The plant thrived, and now this spring I have blooming plants and many tiny little seedlings. This is a gift that keeps on giving! I was delighted as I only had pink columbines. By the way, the mint is thriving and spreading too. When I think of Christe', I think about her love of her home and her evocative writings of farm life.

Now that I've started thinking about all this, I could probably write a book about the numerous thoughtful gifts I have received over the years. Maybe I will......I would be like one of those Oscar winners with never enough time to thank everyone.

signing off.......

in appreciation.....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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A most lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.......

(for many reasons).....

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The invitation read:

Help Feather the Nest

A Baby Shower Honoring

Kitling (Kit) Lum

Hosted by Linda Darcy and Pam Irvine

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Kit and Joel Carson are expecting their first baby any time now, and my longtime friend, Carol Carson and her husband, Joe, are the grandparents-to-be.

Linda and Pam invited over thirty of Carol's lady friends to honor Kit, (and I think Carol too) and to celebrate a new little one coming into the world.

The theme of the shower was:

NEST

and the sign was held by a cupid at the front door.

The hostesses were already busy with guests by the time I arrived, but I was directed to a table near the entry which held tree branches, blank tags, and a sign that read:

"Write down your advice to the new Mother and tie to the tree." I was quite charmed by this idea and tucked in into my imaginary file for future reference. Now that I am a grandmother I wrote:

"Hold the baby all the time."

Pam's home was filled with bouquets of spring flowers in nests, beside nests, and garlanded with nests. Someone--I can't remember who--said "This would also be a timely theme for an engagement party."

There was an area set up with beverages of choice from juices, wines, coffee or tea. Drinks in hand, the weather allowed us to wander out in the back garden and decks.

After much visiting, and some introductions, a buffet lunch was served--three types of salads, a rustic bread with butter, crudites', and fruit--all beautifully presented

After lunch, we were all able to sit outside and watch Kit open the huge stack of gifts. And is there anything better than looking at brand new little tiny baby things? Kit and Joel decided not to be told the sex of the baby, but I did notice some very frilly items (with gift receipt enclosed), and a tiny OSU Beavers onesie, and a small tracksuit with matching wee NIKEs.

Kit and Carol sat side by side, and it was a joy to all of us to see their faces glow. I thought, "What a lucky baby...".

Dessert was cupcakes topped with icing, toasted coconut shreds and little candy eggs.

Pam's daughter Meg was assigned to clean up, and I especially wanted to meet her because Pam had told me she was an avid collector and customer of Stars and liked the same things I liked. After a short visit with her, I could tell she was a kindred spirit and has the "bug" because she has four little ones she sometimes takes along!!!

A good time was had by all and when I hear about the new baby, I will add it to my story here.

signing off.....

Gayle@starsantique.com

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