{3 French LINEN Embroidered HEARTS Amitié - Bonheur - Tendresse}

AMITIÉ - BONHEUR - TRENDRESSE or FRIENDSHIP - HAPPINESS - TENDERNESS

3 Perfect all linen French Country Style hearts in a large size with two-sided embroidered names, as written above in French.

These special Home Décor items are available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique Mariette's Back to Basics: Three Large French Country Style Linen Hearts.
They measure 17.5 x 19 cm or 7 x 7.5 inch without the loop!
Perfect Gift for Valentine's Day!

To give these three virtues freely, is a gift in itself!

Even more so in the form of these meaningful heart pillows...

These hearts are to be hung from their linen twine.

Amitié - Friendship

Bonheur - Happiness

Tendresse - Tenderness

google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder

{Anna Burda Crocheted Table Topper}

From the Anna Burda's June 1988 magazine this hand crocheted table topper must have been made by my friend Marianne's  Mom, in Germany. Whatever its background, I received it as a gift and I'm very pleased with this linen and crocheted treasure. Have a look...

In our veranda on the oak coffee table with some blooming hyacinths on January 18...

No doubt that Marianne's Mom did crochet it after this Anna Burda pattern from June 1988!

Just lovely...

Pure linen is being crocheted around in a very perfect way with an impeccable steady hand it seems.

Guess Marianne's Mom will be smiling down from heaven when she sees it still is being loved!

Mariette on Google+

{My Hand Knitted Linen Top}

For summer, nothing feels better on our skin than LINEN. I have hand knitted this khaki colored linen top and LOVE wearing it. So it did come into the suitcase with us to Florida. These photos are from September 19, and are taken inside the gardens of the Hyatt House Miami Airport. One of our favorite Hyatt hotels that feels like home with its suite concept and fully equiped kitchen. 

Wearing my hand knitted linen top here with my Escada khaki shorts and Escada Sport sandals.

As accessories I wore my tiger eye necklace and bracelet (not visible in photo).

We had three days of rain in Miami, so everything looked rather damp.

The accent on the back... which I did alter.

I went for a boat neck design instead.

More in detail...

This was on the day before we departed to central Florida, on our way home...

Do you love to wear linen in summer?

Related articles:

{My Hand Knitted Vest} | previous post by me

{My Hand Knitted Leg Warmers Then and Now} | previous post by me

{My Hand Knitted & Hand Embroidered Sweater} | previous post by me, wearing brooch

{Guilloché Enamel Brooches, Thimble and Rose Box} | previous post by me showing brooch
{Mohair blend Peacock-stitch Sweater Knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{AJOUR KNIT JACKET FOR MY NIECE MAARTJE} | previous post by me

{Cotton Ajour Sweater with Lace Effect, knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{30 Years  Ago In My Rose Sweater} | previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{Horst my Birth Place, Used to be an Old Linen Weavers Town}

• Most of you probably do know, how linen is produced; from Flax into Linen. 
• Flax is the world's oldest fiber plant with a lovely flower that varies from white to intense blue. Below this post you find several Flax and Linen informative links. Also you can find out more about the top linen fiber producing countries in the world today.
• Well, Horst my Birth Place was such an important Flax producing town and we used to have lots of home weavers and also several Flax Fens. One was only half a mile away from my Parents' home; called 't Rotven (Rotting Fen).

• On October 17, of 2005 we did make this photo of a work of art  called: ' Linen yarn drying '. The bronze work refers to the many home weaving mills that Horst once knew. The yarn was placed into water to get the tannins out. Then the yarn got dried on sticks. Hans Stoffels and Mia Daenen created this bronze piece of art work.

• With our friends Johnny and Hannah from Dublin, Georgia, we did travel in The Netherlands and we made this photo.
• Too bad that the art work has been moved away from this spot. No longer is there water around it... a pity as it did signify exactly what it was all about.
• In 1950, the last of the hundreds of home weavers quit his job. But in the 1700s it was a thriving home industry.

• Love for Linen
• Below this post you find a link that reads: Top Ten Wedding Gifts, where Quality Sheets ranks 3rd and Fine Table Linens ranks 6th. So there still is a LOVE FOR LINEN! 

This is from the Dutch magazine, NOUVEAU AUGUST 2010

• New developments and those trusted wrinkles make the age old linen the ultimate material for making it cool and elegant through summer.

• Soft, smooth, chic and flowing: linen is wonderful material that feels great on our skin...

Napkins for the King...

• Do you love linen as much as I do?
• Nowadays there is so much linen being used in interior design, such as linen jute or burlap as we know it. Even on my Zen Cart powered on line boutique Mariette's Back to Basics, I offer lots of French made jute linen gifts. 
• It makes me very happy to see a comeback of this noble fiber with the longest history on this earth of any fibers.

• Linen makes an impressive comeback. Isabella Rossellini was one of the first that discovered linen as a graceful taste maker in the 80s. 'Now you are an eco-fashionista when wearing it, but I simply found it comfortable' she said.
• What is damask? Linen is the material, damask is the pattern weave that is only visible when the light falls upon it.
• Smoothly starched or slubby? 
• Linen fiber is twelve times stronger than cotton and absorbs very strongly; It can soak up 20-25% of its own weight in moisture before feeling moist itself.
• Because it is a lose weave, the moisture dries up again fast, thus feeling cool to the touch in warm weather and warm when it gets cooler.
• Linen does not pill, has just like silk a natural shine and can be worn by almost anyone: pure linen does possess anti-allergic qualities. 
• For the cultivation of flax there is a significantly less need for pesticides and fertilizers than for other crops. The fibers can be recycled and are biodegradable in nature. (Making it Eco friendly!)
• Italian linen does have a more silky finish than for instance Irish linen, which is more 'slubby: that means that it is more irregular, with little imperfections that makes the fabric more alive. The most slubby linen currently comes from Poland and Russia.
• Nowadays linen often is being blended in with rayon or cotton: Armani and Calvin Klein love to use these blends, because they wrinkle less.

Royal table linen

One of the prettiest and most famous linen pieces is the wedding gift that Queen Wilhelmina from The Netherlands in 1947 gave to then princess Elizabeth of England. It was a complete table set of three linen damask tablecloths with 96 napkins, designed by referral of the Queen by Miss Kitty van der Mijl Dekker. The set is still being used.

In search of lovely linen... Sanny de Zoete is specialized in custom woven damask tablecloth of 100% linen after designs of Dutch artists. She does sell linens, gives mangle and laundry tips, does programs and wrote books. She has a FB Page: Sanny de Zoete Damast. World's Prettiest Antique and Designer Linen Damask.

Hoping you enjoyed reading about this favorite fiber!

Related link:
Top Ten Wedding Gifts | Quality Sheets ranks 3rd and Fine Table Linens ranks 6th
{Clothing around 1850 - Museum de Kantfabriek} | previous post by me
{Michelle Obama & Print Unlimited from Horst} | previous post by me
{Museum Lace Factory - Antique Lace Toer or Poffer} | previous post by me
Flax and Linen | interesting link with lots of info and uses for linen
Flax (Linen) | Very informative
HISTORY OF LINEN | also quite informative
Top Flax Growing Countries Of The World | Linen Fiber Production
Museum de Kantfabriek Horst aan de Maas | video on Youtube

Mariette on Google+

{Angels & Cross Stitch for Christmas}

On November 9, I did already write about Our Living Room ANGELS - CHERUBS that have taken up permanent residence, not only for the Christmas season. All our ANGELS - CHERUBS are the REAL thing, made out of special wood and hand carved in South Tyrol, Italy. So here they are shown once more to you as they sure belong to the Christmas season.

The golden wreath we added for the Christmas season...

Quite an angelic population on our mantle...

From Bad/Münstereifel, Germany I did bring this pure linen cross stitched Christmas bow back home.

The edging of the linen band is done in gold and the hand embroidered cross stitching also used gold for the stars as well as for some contrast stitching.

Hard to capture on photo.

I've just finished a scan from this bow & stars cross stitch pattern, for those of you that are interested in it.

Look for it below and feel free to print it out.

My German friend Marlene did bring me a second one when she and her husband Egon did visit us after their tour through Mexico.

They are hung each year in the living room from the doorknobs of the oak wall unit.

This is the scan and I put it as a larger size. The width of the linen band is 7 cm or 2.8"

The entire cross stitch pattern is 11 cm long or 4.3" so you can determine the thread count accordingly.

Might be like Zweigart Raw Linen Cork or like this linen band in raw linen.

~~*~~

If you love it as much as I did at first sight, okay - here is the pattern for you.

Just a small Christmas gift from me to my loyal readers!

Related links:

{6 Antique & Vintage Italian Angels, Cherubs Putti} previous post by me
{Our Living Room ANGELS - CHERUBS} previous post by me
{Our Living Room} previous post by me
{5 Angels - Putti from Italy & Germany} previous post by me
{Angels & Cross Stitch for Christmas}| previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{My French Linen Angels + INFO for Toile de Jouy Fabrics}

Love to share these darling Linen Angel pillows that hang from a twine on a door knob. They come from France and are hand embroidered. You can order them at L'Ârret Déco. If you are searching for the authentic French Toile de Jouy fabric, look at L'Arrêt Déco. This is the exact fabric that is used for most of my French Country Style Sachets, Totes and Bags on Mariette's Back to Basics Boutique.
Their website works fine, however they are not set up for deducting the VAT (Value Added Tax) which is not supposed to be charged for countries outside of the European Union! So be aware of that, you always can write them a note for having this amount adjusted for you. Which of the two do you like best?

This is the linen color cross stitch embroidery on pure white linen.
There is a linen twine for hanging and also a heart shaped mother of pearl button.

This one is unbleached pure linen with white embroidery.
Hanging from our bifold closet doors they look really pretty!
Which one is your favorite?

Mariette on Google+

{My French Bistro Baguette Bags}

Summer is perfect for having an al fresco lunch! So why not go for the French Bistro style? Ambiance at table... Some fresh flowers, a bottle of wine and French Baguette in a High End Linen/Cotton bag with Angels. French Country Style and Romance at its very best. Available at Spectrenoir. Great gift idea for bringing baguette and wine for your hostess in such stylish bag!

 Pure Joie de vivre...

Gero Zilmeta model 528 Menuet bread knife

High End Baguette Bag is made in France

Thinking Angel...

Dutch book: Sfeer aan Tafel by Margaret Caselton

Ambiance at Table

Second Baguette Bag with Angel and antique lace trim.

Bon appétit and santé to a happy summer!

Mariette on Google+

{Worldwide GIVEAWAY of French Country Style Lavender Sachet}

French Country style lavender sachet, made by a lady in the French Alps from upscale decorator fabric. A Toile de Jouy with Roses on top of a matching linen plaid with rare Jute linen bottom.

This is for the winner of my giveaway, from my own boutique Mariette's Back to Basics.

You can read previous blogs about my French Country Style Lavender Sachets under: Label Sachets.

Also by searching sachets, at the top right on my blog.

Now, let's look closer at this beautiful sachet that you can win... Rules will follow below.

1 chance: Become a follower and leave a comment telling me you did so. 

2nd chance: Mention this giveaway on your blog. Grab my button at the top of my blog to the right and post  it on your side-bar and tell me you did so.

3rd chance: Like my Facebook Page Mariette's Back to Basics (click on it) and tell me you did.

4th chance: Tweet about it and let me know.

On May 1st by mid-night Eastern USA Daylight Saving Time, this giveaway ends...

Good luck!

{7 French Country Style Lavender Sachets}

From TOURNON SUR RHONE, in the French Alps, I do know a lady, named Agnes Bayet.
Agnes makes the most precious and unique items in French Country Style under the label:

La Mère aux Anges.

All made from vintage and upscale French decorator fabrics.
They make perfect High End gifts and are available at: Spectrenoir

 French Country Style Lavender Sachet with hand embroidery of angel and heart.
Natural Linen Twine for drawstring and tie.
Available at: Mariette's Back to Basics 

Sorry Sold out...

French Country Style Lavender Sachet with hand embroidered angels and heart with vintage lace edging.

Authentic Les Indiennes fabric from Les Olivades - Fabrics from the Provence in France. Made by screen printing, using flat frames.

French Country Style Lavender Sachet from Olivades Provençales fabric with vintage lace.

Sorry Sold out...

French Country Style Lavender Sachet in a Toile de Jouy Justin in Bachette print with Angel.

French Country Style Lavender Sachet in a generous size with Linen Jute and hand embroidery. Also vintage lace at top and pulled thread embroidery. This is very authentic French.

Sorry Sold out...

Sorry Sold out...

French Country Style Lavender  Sachet with Linen Plaid and rare Jute Linen