Bessie Pauline, 1887-1990

Allow me to present Bessie Pauline (Quien) Pasternacki.



Today, I acquired Bessie's beautiful photograph. What great fortune--for I found it along with another wonderful photograph of her sister Ragnhild in a local antiques shop. Isn't that something? Do you have any ideas, clues, about the date of this photo (taking clues from her fur and splendid hat and veil? Do you think it could be 1915 or so?

Bessie is the daughter of Thomas and Maren Quien (pronounced Ka-veen). The Quiens bought (our) the old 1893 Queen Anne Victorian December 1917.

Bessie married Leon Pasternacki of Stevens Point, WI in 1923. Leon was the youngest mayor of Stevens Point. He was a very charismatic person according to family members. The photo below is Leon taken in 1914 when he was mayor of Stevens Point, WI.



On their honeymoon they visited Youngstown, Ohio. They liked it so much they moved there in 1925, and lived there for 42 years. Leon retired from his dental practive in 1960, and on his 75th birthday in 1967 they moved back to Scandinavia WI.

Leon died in 1972, and Bessie lived on to be 102 years old, passing in 1990. They had no children.

According to Bessie's great nephew, Bessie was at a retirement place in Waupaca after her brother Peter Quien died in 1979. Family members visited her there and listened to stories of the old times with her beloved Leon.

1920s Portable Phonograph - Model 509

I'm looking for more information about PAL portable phonographs. Do you have any information to share?



I found this one for $55 at The Tin Lantern Anqitue Shop in Cuba City IL. PAL, made by Plaza Manufacturing, New York. Here is a detail photo---ahhhhhh, I didn't realize it is so dusty until after I photographed it this morning. I'll get out the soft brush, vacuum, and Q-tips and go over it.



The onyx lamp caught my eye at the checkout counter, and the shop owner made me a good deal on the things I purchased. Now, this is the type of shop I'd drive 3 hours to re-visit. (Smiling).

The summer heat broke this morning and a welcomed cool breeze entered the red dining room from the screened front porch door. I decided to set the table with an antique grape&cable punch bowl by Harry Northwood (West Virginia 1880-1919), and a pair of smooth amber glass candle sticks Mom gave me.

4 place settings of iridescent marigold glass dinnerware topped with cut glass berry bowls and silver birds take on a warm glow.




Kathy and I spent the hot/humid weekend turning over price tags in the shops of Galena IL. We reviewed a hundred shops on Galena's Main St. and saw many colorful tourist things, but very little "unique vintage & antiques pieces" we liked.



So, we headed for home and stopped at The Tin Lantern Antique Shop in Cuba City, IL. Kathy spotted the marigold glass dinnerware for $20. Another shop a few doors away I found a Harpers Monthly Magazine, November 1879, and a large hardcover book--full of Victorian interior photos.

In Praise of Green Things

I adore green. A collection of green salad plates are my favorite pieces to serve chunks of cheese and sprigs of red grapes. Shown here with some silver birds I purchased at Golden Country Collectables in Weyauwega, WI.


Above and below: a porcelain hairpin container I painted.


Below is a vase I purchased at Unique Interiors in Greenville, WI. If you haven't been there to browse, you've really missed out. Outstanding collectables, very reasonably priced.



Above, a hummingbird teapot from Beth Schmidt's shop in Auroraville, WI. Beth can come decorate my house anytime--she's simply a fabulous decorator, with a keen eye for beautiful things.


Hancock Fabrics let me bring this sculptural green pottery vase home for a song.


Today, we shopped at Golden Country . . I bought the silver birds, and this green glass bird. I think it is a tea light container, but I'll use it as a soap dish in the bathroom.


I walked by this crackle finish platter more than once at Golden Country; today--it came home with me to hold some garden vegetables, and a few extra apples left over from making pie yesterday.


I have a feeling the clematis print may inspire an oil painting.


Below: Cash Family hand-painted cream & sugar. I use the set everyday and it sits right here in the middle of the large crocheted runner on the kitchen table.



I spotted the bunny tea pot at Beth's Shop in Auroraville, and at the same moment my friend Kathy found the hummingbird tea pot. I ooooo, and ahhhhhh over them both.

Re-Purposing Vintage Chairs for the Studio

This is my first upholstery project. I want to show you the "after" photo first.

When I saw this chair at a garage sale, I immediately thought of some fabric I had stashed away at home. There were 2 identical chairs--I got them both for $5.00 each.

I still have to tack down the fabric on the back of the chairs, but I'm almost done! I'm going to put these two chairs in the east dormer of the art studio.

Below are deconstruction photos of those two chairs. I gotta tell you, they were really stinky-dirty. I asked Jon to help me deconstruct. I coughed and coughed during the process and finally went in the house to get a proper face mask to finish the job.

I decided to photograph the deconstruction process, so I could remember how to put it back together again.

I replaced all the old foam with new soy based foam. I wanted to start out with my own DNA if you know what I mean.







Below: I found these 5 vintage chairs at an antiques/vintage store called "Reflections" in Nelsonville WI. Aren't they cool?







Originally the antiques/vintage shop acquired 16 chairs, I got the last 5. The other 11 went to an art gallery for seating. I paid $25 for each chair, but I love the look and actually they are quite comfortable and sturdy.

The only upgrade was to wash them, and put new black rubber boots on each leg (to protect the floor). They'll make some nice student seating in the art studio.

But wait--I'm not finished. Below are 4 more stinky chairs I found at a garage sale, 4/for $15.00. I deconstructed them, pulled out a zillion staples.

Made a pattern from the old stinky upholstery(yuck)and sewed the two-piece construction for both seat and backrest. I put new soy based foam in those chairs also. The NEW fabric is a very cleanable, poly-suede in charcoal.













Final thought: I calculated the cost of the 11 chairs, new fabric, and environment friendly foam--was $220. So, the chairs cost me about $20 each. I could have purchased 11 new folding chairs at Sam's Club . . . for the same price, and no labor.

I told DH Jon, "well, at least the chairs aren't at the landfill." He grinned and said, "so--what did you do with the old foam and dirty covers? I just smiled and left the room!