{Silk and Wool Birds as Gift from Pond's India}

Before, I did show you our birds as artwork from India, that we purchased.

Today I want to show you some special birds, made by hand in wool and silk.

 Distinctive chain stitch embroidery, done in Kashmir, the northern part of India. We both received the bigger wool chain stitch embroidery for our work period from Pond's India. It has a canvas back and it shows lots of birds in it. Most of you know the Pashmina shawls from Kashmir, they have been quite a fashion statement. Luckily for those poor people, for having an outlet for their artistic work.

Above it is on top of our solid French oak blanket chest in the guest bedroom.
It used to be just an open planter box but my talented brother Harry made a solid oak lid for it. We carried it back on the plane with us... 
Those were the good days without stupid restrictions on maximum baggage weight!

My husband Pieter has seen the women in Kashmir actually make this kind of embroidery during his trip to Kashmir earlier.
He was sent in 1981 by the Dutch government as a committee member, of the special Mission of H.R.H. Prince Claus, see link below post.
 Women did this work but their teacher was a man. Somewhere we must have slides from it, but for now I cannot add them... one day when I find them I will do that! Look below; link has been added!

For another work period as consultants, both of us did receive an identical chain stitch embroidery done in silk. That fit beautifully  above the two solid French oak twin beds in our guest bedroom. 

Detail of the silk chain stitch embroidery, worked on a cotton Aida cloth. 

The silk embroidery has a very nice hand; meticulously done.

We proudly came home on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines with these treasures.

They make for a lasting memory, of working with pleasure over a decade for a great company!

Related link:

{The Mission of H.R.H. Prince Claus - Husband Pieter's Trip to India} | previous post by me

{Part X Husband Pieter's Trip to India - Srinagar, J & K Silk & Wool Rugs - Pashminas} | previous post by me showing the embroidery being done

{JOIE DE VIVRE}

JOIE DE VIVRE - JOY OF LIVING...

Words written down in my poetry album; by a dear friend of mine.

Back home in The Netherlands, as well as in Germany it is called a Poesie Album.

 As a little girl I received one as soon as I could write and when that first one became full, another one followed. Even in my adult years I've added a very fancy one that I bought in Québec City, Canada, one that is made from hand-made paper... Very romantic. 

It would be interesting for you to see the utterly romantic version, almost ANGELIC looking Poesie Album; made by Elvira from Rosengärtchen.

Just visit her blog, she has a translator and you also can go to her shop, to the right on her blog. She is so talented and I'm privileged for having purchased so far, four of her handmade items. Where in the world can one find this kind of high quality romantic needle-work?! Quite a breath of fresh air, compared with the mass produced items that we're flooded with these days...

But I also want to share the poem written for me by dear friend Bette. We lived at the same apartments in Shillington, Pennsylvania at that time... Just before moving to Italy.

Again we have contact, thanks to INTERNET!

Thanks again Bette! You don't know what those words meant to me... 

Indeed, I'm very lucky for having a 'joie de vivre' that most search a lifetime for.

Maybe it's because I believe in Angels; like my dear sister whose name I bear and whose life I try to live. In my previous blog of November 23, I did mention that.

Elvira from Rosengärtchen also has this 'joie de vivre' as she's quite a spunky lady, living in Hamburg, Germany. 

You should see the gorgeous Christening gowns she makes! 

Also her own garments she makes in a skillful way.

Once in a while we come across such special people that touch our hearts big time!

♥

{TO LOVE AND BE LOVED}

JUST A WEEKEND FILLER

PERFECT FOR ENDING THE THANKSGIVING DAY SPIRIT...

TO LOVE AND BE LOVED IS TO FEEL THE SUN FROM BOTH SIDES

David Viscott

♥

Hope all of you did travel well, for those that went to visit with family and friends.

Stay warm and have a safe and happy weekend!

{SUPERFOOD For Your HEART ♥ CRANBERRIES}

Nine days ago, I did email several Cranberry recipes to Nora from SeelenSachen (SoulThings) an Austrian blogger friend. She just had purchased fresh cranberries and asked anyone for a recipe. Below will follow my favorite recipe; one that I could not email to Nora.

 It seems that in Austria fresh cranberries are becoming popular as well.
According to the USDA , cranberries rank 6th in total antioxidant capacity out of over 100 common foods, making them an Antioxidant Superfood.

At +Costco Wholesale I did buy mine and they were really great quality. 

  Just like to share my favorite recipe with you:

  Cranberry Conserve
 MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 30 MIN., CHILL: 3 HRS 
4 cups cranberries = 500g

1 cup orange juice = 250 ml

1 orange

1 cup dried cranberries = 120 g 

2½ cups sugar = 400 g (I used 40 g of Splenda)

½ cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

   Rinse cranberries.

COMBINE cranberries and 1 cup orange juice in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until cranberry skins pop.

 GRATE rind of orange; peel, seed, and dice orange. Stir together cranberries, orange, grated rind, dried cranberries, sugar (Splenda) and pecans (walnuts).

COOK over low heat, stirring often, 20 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and cool. Chill at least 3 hours.

When I made mine, I doubled the recipe which I adapted from the original recipe in 'Southern Living' Cranberry Conserve December 2003.

{Post # 148 and my blog is 1 year old today!}

Today marks a very special day as on November 23 of last year I did launch my very first blog-post about Romancing the Home.

At that time I was very sick, in excruciating pain and could not even get to my PC... Only a second blog-post I launched on December 13, showing: {Fragrant Paperwhite Narcissus flowers in early December}. Together with a reply to Johanna Gehrlein  from Silber-und-Rosen-Shop about her question.

By the end of the year I was walking on crutches...

On January 9 of this year I was in the hospital being almost totally paralyzed with very high fever that they couldn't knock down at first. 

It was on January 11, that I cried in my hospital bed; on the birthday of my still born sister 'Mariet' who would have been almost 13 months older than I am. 

I told her that I was NOT yet ready to see her in heaven...

After four days in the hospital they put me on Prednisone and the pain went away.

Again I could MOVE! What a joy.
Being diagnosed with a very rare auto immune disease, I was now on the mend!
♥

For my sister Mariet, trying to live for her as well, I've added 'TE' behind my name.
♥♥

That's the story behind my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics. 

Anyway, most people here in the US had difficulties pronouncing Mariet, so this works well.

So there came my next blog on March 21, about dear Friend Johanna Gehrlein's: {Splendid book about Silver Rose Flatware}. That is about my passion: Silver Rose Flatware.

Only since April 4, I know my statistics as I was way behind with everything and slowly did catch up on my daily life's routine.

Not bad for only seven-and-a-half month of data:
6,544 Visits
34,859 Pageviews

6,544 Visits came from 74 countries/territories

It just so happened that recently, country # 73 is Georgia! Living in Georgia/USA this is special.
The First Lady of Georgia is Dutch born Sandra Roelofs.
So this is a double-Dutch connection...

Related links:

{My Angel Sister & Mariette's Back to Basics Explained} | previous post by me

{Silk Embroidered Birds from China Trip}

These exotic looking silk embroidered birds are hanging in our veranda.
Husband Pieter did bring them back from his trip to China.

 The above is actually a scan from the one below.
As it is behind glass it is hard to capture the beauty of the silk and silk embroidery on camera!

Silk charmeuse is the back ground on which these lovely spring blossoms with birds have been worked.

The framing as usual, has been done by Irok Gallery.

Pieter did go for Campbell Soup to China with People to People Citizen Ambassador Program.

That organization was founded in 1956 by Dwight D. Eisenhower.

{Wrapped Filet Mignon with Mustard ♥ Healthy ♥}

This week is for the U.S.A a special holiday on Thursday; THANKSGIVING

So why not post another recipe, not with a turkey for Thanksgiving but something ♥ healthy to share.

Wrapped Filet Mignon with Mustard from my favorite French Le Journal des FEMMES: Papillote de filet mignon à la moutarde.

{Batik Birds from Indonesia on Silk and Cotton}

Of course, while living and working in Indonesia for over three years,
we did bring home some of its beautiful Batik.

From Bali we got a large batik on cotton, with birds.
This one hangs in our dining room.

From the Kraton Palace in Yogjakarta, Indonesia, we got this beautiful silk batik. 

They gave demonstrations inside the Palace, about batik painting and we did buy this.

Together with our best friends from Dublin we visited there during the weekend. 

This Palace is worthwhile to visit if you ever travel to Indonesia!

 With the glass, it is rather difficult to capture this beauty on silk.
It is hanging in our veranda, where windows are on two sides...

The matting of this one, and also the framing of the top batik, has been done as usual by Irok Gallery. They do museum quality framing!

For some batik making try this link for video.

{French Lavender Sachet with Vintage Rose Filet Lace}

Here comes a generously sized long Sachet, filled with French Lavender. 

It is done in an all cotton burgundy luxury fabric, that has been hand-rolled and fringed artistically.

The most precious decoration however is the Vintage Rose Filet Lace.

Lovingly done by hand, in the so called 'linen-stitch'.

This unique gift item is available at: Spectrenoir

It would also pair nicely with the {French Linen Heart for Door Knob Hanging} from my previous post that has similar Vintage Rose Lace...

Check back, as I will be listing special French sachets, door knob pillows, tissue and cosmetics bags, shopping totes and more.
All quality goods, made in France from designer fabrics such as:  
Chérubin; Lecien; Olivades; Soleiado and Liberty of London.

All these cotton and/or linen luxury items are labeled:
La Mère aux Anges and will be embellished by vintage buttons or laces.

{Romanian box with Royal Blazon: Nothing Without God}

This is a very unique, vintage box from Romania.

The blazon reads in old Romanian: 'NIMIC FARA DUMNEDEU'

Meaning: 'NOTHING WITHOUT GOD'

That was the blazon of the Royal house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in Romania before  WWII.

In Latin 'NIHIL SINE DEO' and translated into Romanian as 'NIMIC FARA DUMNEZEU'.

Pronounced in old Romanian as 'NIMIC FARA DUMNEDEU'.

Have a look here for more info and click on all the other hyperlinks from there.

This very unique box is again available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

Lined in burgundy velour this is a very special treasure.

Sorry Sold out...

In 1989 while living and working in Italy near Venice, I did watch often the Romanian channel on TV as I could understand that for about 60%, with my ability to speak fluent Italian at that time...

It was on Christmas day of 1989 that we witnessed the execution of the communist Romanian dictator  Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife Elena... This communist dictator ruled for almost 30 years. 

It was therefore a joy to help some wrestlers from Romania from the now free nation, when they were here in my town, for some Olympic training, in 1996. 

You all know that the 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta; my capital.

They all needed special gifts for their wives and girl friends and thus the local Chamber of Commerce called on me. 

They asked if I spoke any Romanian. 

No I said, but if they speak slowly and I speak slowly Italian we can converse. 

Indeed it worked and they got their list translated and stores mentioned for finding their loved ones' wishes...

A young lady from Romania did help me out with the translation of the old Romanian, which I was not sure of... Her name is Alexandra.

{Art Emotion from Giovanni Raspini, Italy}

This season is all about our loved ones and memories... 

Silver wins over time - nice Art Emotion by silver master Giovanni Raspini, Italy.

Art Emotion is invited into our homes to stay.

 You can find these heavenly scented sachets with angels in an earlier post: {Giovanni Raspini Sachet with Tassels and 925/000 Silver Angels S, from Italy}

 Also the scented sachets with corded rope and angels on my post: {Giovanni Raspini Sachet with 925/000 Silver Angels L, from Italy}

 Just the tassels with silver angels here on my post: {Giovanni Raspini Cord with Tassels and 925/000 Silver Angels S, from Italy}

 or corded rope with angels: {Giovanni Raspini Cord with 925/000 Silver Angels L, from Italy}

Sorry Sold out...

Available at: Spectrenoir 

Previous Boutique...