{Goddaughter Myriam, whose 2nd child Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia}

Perfect weekend to let you in on some more of our family. Pieter has a Goddaughter, Myriam Vedder, daughter of his middle brother Toon. He married Edith, the sister of Pieter's first wife Thea.

During the years before Lizzy got adopted, see {Our Daughter Liz}, it was Myriam, who spent lots of time with Pieter, and Thea; like their own daughter. Naturally, he became very fond of her. After Lizzy, came to live with them, Myriam, was still included in trips and vacations.

On the left is Myriam, and next to her is her cousin (actually her second cousin by blood) Lizzy, and two more friends that went on vacation together with Pieter and Thea (who is seen in the back). Myriam's parents were the Godparents of Lizzy, so they got embraced with love, from both sides.

Here they are in Switzerland on a vacation in 1972; Myriam, Lizzy and Thea.

Of course time went by and Myriam, got married and started her own life. That took her with her husband to Saudi Arabia, with Royal Dutch Shell, right after their first daughter Sanne, was born in The Kingdom of The Netherlands. Their second daughter Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

When the Gulf War started they of course had to leave. During one of their visits to The Netherlands we happened to be there as well, so the above picture shows a happy Pieter with his two great-nieces as a pink bundle of joy! Sanne, on the left and Lotte, on the right. Sanne, with her curls had an almost angelic face! They both looked precious and still do!

Their work took them also to New Zealand, where they lived and worked. Meanwhile with three children, as Auke, had come along as well.

Auke, is Sanne, and Lotte's, baby brother and he's a handsome young man meanwhile.

Above is Sanne, at her Gandpa's garden under the wrought iron arbor that he'd welded for his roses... This photo is taken four years before Toon passed away. Myriam has transplanted this arbor, a labor of love by her Dad.

This is Lotte, surrounded by sunflowers!

This picture shows all of us, with our lawyer friend Johnny Warren (l) and his wife Hannah, who visited their daughter Michelle, in Brussels, Belgium at that time and did tour with us. We got to visit Toine's De Gaerde, that is very close to Belgium in the province of Brabant, The Netherlands. Pieter, is the 3rd from the left, Toine from De Gaerde, Myriam, and me. They actually do serve coffee, tea and other refreshments and it is a great place to shop for lots of unique gifts, aside from the plants and professional garden design by Toine.
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Three years ago Myriam, did surprise Pieter, for his birthday with a special visit, together with Toine. We started off with the Dutch Queen's birthday reception at Naylor Hall in Atlanta with the Dutch Honorary Consul.

Obviously very happy times and Myriam, did even bring for both of us an orange feather boa!

Here we are at Ristorante da Maria for the special birthday party with most of our friends; about 16.

But happy times do end...

Pieter took this photo from Sunday Brunch after the birthday dinner evening, at the Page House Bed & Breakfast. This is a home in the style of Gone with the Wind.

Toine and Myriam already having their last breakfast, special with popover pancakes and fresh fruits. Served in bowls from English Rose by Royal Doulton. Strawberry drainer is from Pillivuyt as well as the Sancerre underplates.

Serving Italian Prosecco in Baccarat crystal fluted champagne, with spicy Thai cashews from Trader Joe's.

One last supper with our Thai friend and her American husband. Since Myriam, and Toine, also love spicy food, I did make the special Thai Tom Yam Koeng soup. For the table setting I used the placemats with rose pattern from Le Jacquard Française with matching napkins. Had just the perfect roses to go with that; Royal Bonica. I used the Alvin Bridal Rose round silver soup spoons and for the Chicken Satay with Rice and Asparagus I used the Gero Zilmeta Menuet 528. Chargers are French Pillivuyt Sancerre and the soup bowls and dinner plates are the Rose pattern from Gien, again both available from Replacements Ltd.

Pieter with Goddaughter Myriam...

Crystal is Baccarat Piccadilly  from France.

Cheers!

Mariette on Google+

{Introducing YOU to Romantic Rose handbags from RosenRomanze Germany}

On August 13, I did read Elvira Hallmann's blog ROSENGÄRTCHEN and fell in LOVE with this extraordinary handbag, called: ROMANTIC ROSE.

The fact that Elvira lives in Hamburg, Germany did not stop me from asking her to sell it to me.

My plan for having it send to my friend Ellie, who could carry it over to the USA on her flight, September 2nd was just perfect! And Elvira was gracious enough to sell it to me. She also told me she would sell more on request!

I was in heaven...

Look at all the details... Beautiful embroidery and matching lace. 

Her RosenRomanze initials, very elegantly embroidered backwards.

Adorned with a rose button, this linen inside-pocket can be closed.

The handbag is even reversible! How clever. See more in her RosenRomanze shop. If ladies from the US or Canada are interested in any of her bags, or like the above, please let me know as I can assist you.

This multi-talented lady also makes the prettiest Baptismal gowns I've ever seen!
They will make great Heirloom pieces.
Just have a peak at one of those Heirloom pieces here at Rosengärtchen .

Even for those that want to tie the knot she can create the most romantic Ring Pillow...
All her blogs do have Google Translater installed so language is not supposed to be a barrier.
I am so excited about sharing this with you, as such talent is so rare to come by, at this time and age!
  Elvira, is even creating her own wardrobe and soon also for her teenage daughter Madeleine. Her name is as pretty as the heirlooms and special evening bags her Mom makes. Follow her blog; Rosengärtchen to see more coming soon!

On Sunday, September 5th I did use this lovely Romantic Rose handbag when I took friend Ellie (who carried it to the US for me) and husband Mathieu to the Page House Bed & Breakfast for brunch. That was two days after Pieter's quadruple bypass...

Here I make the photo of the {Fleur de Lys Filet Crochet Designed by Mariette's Back to Basics} and made for the side entrance.

This is today... Pieter LOVES it as much as I do.

Just pondering about the many things that happened this month...
Romantic Rose being one of the highlights!

google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder

{Fleur de Lys Filet Crochet designed by Mariette's Back to Basics}

Finally I get to show you some of my Filet Lace Crocheted curtains that I've designed.

This is a very special Fleur de Lys in loving memory of a dear friend Donna Rae Canady.
Handmade filet lace by Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder

The very curtain is hanging at the side entrance door of the antebellum home of Donna Rae's son.

Kelly with his charming wife Janice is running this romantic place, called: Page House Bed and Breakfast. 

On Sunday, September 5th my dear friend of 45 years (!) Ellie with husband Mathieu joined me for Brunch here. 

They arrived the very day that my love Pieter had his heart attack. But we had something to be grateful for that Sunday, as Pieter came out of his open heart surgery fine. So after Mass we went here together for an elegant brunch. 

 Here, Ellie & Mathieu stand in front of the main entrance at Page House Bed and Breakfast.

This photo I took from the side entrance, where my Fleur de Lys curtain is hanging.

This is taken from the inside where you can see the beautiful Tiffany style stained glass windows with the Fleur de Lys. 

That's why I designed them this way.

Photo taken by my husband Pieter; who had a dinner meeting at The Page House on August 30. 

How much has happened since then... 

This is again taken on Monday evening, by Pieter.

You might want to read this blog by Katie from Le Beau Paon Victorian, about Historic homes as she describes so well the architrave and such!

Photos above are both taken on Sunday morning at brunch time.  Bottom photo with flash; very hard to capture, whether day or night...

Hand Crocheted lace curtain I made with French DMC Cébélia Crochet Thread, mercerized crochet cotton.

Related link:

Creating Heirloom Pieces | Learn from Mariette

Mariette on Google+

{INTRODUCING GUNNAR LLOYD; DAPHNA & RAYMOND'S LOVE-CHILD}

What a surprise to receive today an email with the message that Gunnar Lloyd is born in The Netherlands, with accompanying movie of him (click above pink link). It is such a perfect baby on this futuristic movie and no wonder as he's already born on April 7! Never have seen anything like this, quite a space-age movie; what an art work done by his Daddy Raymond who is after all a software architect. Gunnar of course is a Swedish name, we know that they went to Sweden for a vacation and they must have fallen in love with that country and even more with themselves... then or at a later moment. At least a very special name for such a deep and true love.

Now the rest of the story... a very special one to share with my readers. On June 5 of 2006 we got a phone call from our friend/Judge Helen Harper. She said to me: "Guess what I did this afternoon?" I had no idea... So she told me that she'd married a Dutch couple who were staying at the romantic Page House B & B in town after having been to Savannah. Helen said, oh I realized too late that you were Dutch too. That's alright I said, now they felt at least more at ease without any countrymen around.

Of course I did call, to congratulate them in Dutch and invited them over for next day, to have dessert with us. They were quite surprised for finding two Dutch born Americans here in town! For their wedding day dinner they did go to the best Lady Chef in the region, to Ristorante da Maria. Quite fittingly for the occasion!  Spending the night after dinner at Dublin Farm, Come Home to the Country, so they would not have to do any more traveling to find a romantic place to sleep.

I did bake a very special dessert for them: Phyllo dough shells with Strawberry-Rose-Whipped-Cream... and pastry hearts on the side. Got my Royal Albert Princess Anne china out and quite fittingly; the Bridal Rose by Alvin silverware, all from Replacements Ltd.

Made special flower arrangements from fresh, highly fragrant gardenias in a Cream Color on Cream Color by Wedgwood footed compote white Lathyrus odoratus (fragrant sweet pea) and white gladiolus flowers. 

Alvin Bridal Rose silver spoons

Romantic home baked hearts from Wonton Wraps with Strawberry & Rose Petal whipped cream

 We were ready now to welcome the newly weds  Daphna and Raymond into our home!

We did enjoy it as much as they did. It was very special and for me it was just labor of love to make the dessert with edible, red rose petals from our own garden, with strawberries and whipped cream. So romantic with only a few drops of rose water added. 

Like on the movie where Daphna and Raymond welcome Gunnar Lloyd into the world, so did we welcome Daphna van Zoeren and Raymond Roelands into our home and one can see that things started out very rosy but more important is it did last. 

We wish you lots more years in good health and happiness together as a young family.

If you ever find the time to visit Dublin again, to see Judge Helen who married you and to see the Page House again and our home; more than WELCOME!

P.S. One interesting point that Raymond made that afternoon when we moved out into the gazebo for a bite and a glass of wine. "My Mom has the very same Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet flatware as you have!"

He must have felt right at home...

Mariette on Google+