{Fragrant Pillar Candle from Last Call by Neiman Marcus}

Are you also shopping at Outlets? Our favorite is Last Call by Neiman Marcus at Premium Outlets or even on line (first hyperlink). So also this Pillar Candle did come from Last Call by Neiman Marcus and it is heavenly fragrant. That way, one of life's luxuries comes available to those living on a budget. Last Call's After - Christmas Sale is SUPER! Just check on line often for knowing what's coming, click the hyperlink above. It really does pay off for having email notifications of their special one day SUPER Sales. They are also on Facebook: Neiman Marcus Last Call.

Love the golden green huge pillar candle. This one is a full 6" or 15 cm in diameter and will last for more than 60 hours... Smells heavenly!

Just added some of our abundant holly berries.

Last year we had none and now plenty!

The Christmas table topper is made from hardanger fabric, bought in Germany...

Fresh cranberries added...

These Antioxidant Super Fruits will be turned into Cranberry Conserve later!

Have you used any fresh cranberries this year? Either for cooking or for decorating...?

{Wishing you a Happy 3rd Advent 2012!}

Where does the time go? The end of the year even vanishes faster than the rest of it... Do you experience the same? Anyhow, wishing you all a Happy 3rd Advent! Stay warm, cozy and safe with your loved ones. May the Angels protect you all.

Cozy with the fireplace (imitation logs with gas...) and the candles lit.

With the huge candle from our 25th wedding anniversary...

Complete with "Gewürzsträusschen" or nosegay made out of spices and tiny cones.

Typical for the Austrian and northern Italian region of Tyrol.

I tied my gilded magnolia leaves and nandina (heavenly bamboo) berries with some raffia...

Wishing you a Happy 3rd Advent!

Related links:

{First Week of Advent 2012} my previous post

{Second Week of Advent 2012} my previous post

{Second Week of Advent 2012}

2nd Sunday of Advent went by too fast; so many things to do. Today was also for a big part phone call day with loved ones, after coming home from Church. We still have fond memories from last year when our daughter Liz was staying with us during 2nd Advent Week. That is always special to be with family. We have never had that for any Advent or Christmas in all 29 years...

Our oval Mandalay Chartreuse plate by Masons with two scented candles.

The green rose on the left is a French Point A La Ligne.

The green star emits a wonderful balsam of fir needles...

Just guessing that a lot of you didn't see my post from last year.

You can read here about: {2nd Advent & Great Family Time}

Today was as lovely as last year and tomorrow it will be 24°C. But than it is getting cooler.

This was in the afternoon...

Wishing you all a lovely Second Week of Advent for 2012!

Related link:

{Point A La Ligne the Rolls Royce of Candles} my previous post

Christie's Mandalay by Masons

{First Week of Advent 2012}

We already have started in our First Week of Advent for 2012... On Sunday morning the 1st candle got lit at Church and this brings us into the Advent mood; leading towards Christmas.

Traditionally the mood of Advent is expressed in the liturgical color of violet but I used red...

In its earliest form, beginning in France, Advent was a period of preparation for the Feast of the Epiphany. 

Fresh rosemary twigs emit a lovely fragrance...

Candle is French from Point A La Ligne.

Red rose ribbon is also French.

Vase is French, by Baccarat

Pineapple doily is hand crocheted by my sister-in-law Elly.

Wishing you all a meaningful First Week of Advent for 2012.

Related link:

{Point A La Ligne the Rolls Royce of Candles} my previous post

{4th Advent}

The final Sunday of Advent is there and soon we have Christmas! Another short and speedy year... Are you having the same experience too? Especially if one is not feeling totally fit, it kind of slips through your fingers. There is no halting to time, we are forced to move forward with the masses. But again I'd like to show some Advent photos to you.

Inside our veranda, in front of the shaded windows. Shadows from the live oak cast onto the linen shades due to the sunshine we had on Saturday. The green cotton Zweigart Aida tablecloth now with a Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse plate for the brass spiral candle holders.

In the back is a group of angels looking on, all from South Tyrol, Italy.

The one on the left is a ceramic one and was a gift from Italian friend Maria from Ristorante da Maria and the others are all wooden angels from Italy.

Our healthy Sago Palm makes it look more exotic, like our years living in Indonesia where we spent Christmas in the tropics.

Seen is also the Lampe Berger with Cherub from our private collection.

All the angels - cherubs

Wishing you all a Happy 4th Advent!

Related articles

{3rd Advent} previous post by me
{2nd Advent & Great Family Time} previous post by me
Christie's Mandalay by Masons

{3rd Advent}

• It is already the 3rd Sunday of Advent and we're speeding fast towards Christmas. 
• During the 2nd Advent week, we were still together with daughter Liz... 
• Thank you so much for the warm comments you left on yesterday's post about 'Our Daughter Liz'.
• She's safely home now and we better focus on the remainder of the year. 
• We never seem to be ready for it, but anyway let's share some 3rd Advent photos with you. 
• Creating a warm and cozy atmosphere works wonders for the colder season.

• Used our cotton Zweigart Aida tablecloth with the German Arzberg porcelain votive candle holders in white with real gold.
• My sister Diny was so kind for getting these for me in The Netherlands, when I found them in a Dutch magazine.
• Having our own magnolias, does also provide leaves that I sprayed with gold paint.
• Added Nandina berries with a few Ilex berries as well.

• Cotton Zweigart Aida tablecloth with Christmas bells around the border is from Bad Münstereifel, Germany.
• Wine table we did bring back home from our last trip to The Netherlands. It used to be mine and I'd given it to my brother. 
• They renovated their living room so it came back to my parents place. We can use it here.
• Nosegay from spices, seeds and hazelnuts, made in South Tyrol, Italy.
• Need help from Austrian, Italian readers for the NAME of this handmade bouquet.
• Thanks Johanna from Silber-und-Rosen-Shop for the name: In the Salzburger Land "Gewürzsträusschen".

• Our magnolia leaves tied with raffia. 
• The big candle is still from our 25th wedding anniversary, it was a gift from dear friends.

• This fireplace is from The Netherlands, Doensen Sfeerhaarden & bouwbedrijf  in Venlo.

• Green, red, white and gold with the black fire place makes for a warm and romantic setting.
• Nice way for a 3rd Advent.

• Hoping to get some help from my Italian and Austrian readers in regard to this special nosegay. 
• What is it called? Johanna from Silber+Rosen did already answer that above...

• Do you have a traditional Advent wreath or what are you using?

• Raffia and Nandina berries work fine with the gold sprayed Magnolia leaves.

• What is this called in Austria and Italy?

• There are almost no holly berries on our Ilex trees this year.

~~0~~

Wishing all of you a very warm and meaningful 3rd Advent Sunday and a great week ahead!

Stay warm and healthy...

{2nd Advent & Great Family Time}

After a hectic week, I finally got almost rid of my cough. Our daughter Liz is staying with us and that made the 2nd Advent very special for all three of us. Sunday we had a lovely dinner together at home and Monday night we did dine at Ristorante da Maria. That was another delicous 5-course meal together with our extended family. The weather on Monday was incredible; 24°C or 75°F. Monday afternoon while Pieter went biking with daughter Liz, I finally could add the French rose ribbon around our Rosemary topiary and make some Advent photos.

Point a la Ligne Christmas rose candle (see page 12) to the left and star candle to the right on a Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse platter.

The green star candle emits a wonderful balsam of fir needles...

The French candles: {Point à la Ligne the Royce Rolls of Candles} 

December 5 was a SUNNY day in many ways...

At 4:58 PM still 22°C or 72°F.

Related link:

{Point A La Ligne the Rolls Royce of Candles} | previous post by me

{Silk Brocade for our PRINCE OF PEACE}

What is this season all about?

The Third Sunday of Advent is coming and all this leads up to CHRISTMAS the birth of our PRINCE OF PEACE.

Like to share with you a display of a beautiful nativity scene.

My dear friend Ellie gave it to me, the year we had our 25th wedding anniversary.

She for years volunteered at a Dutch 'Wereld Winkel' or Fair Trade shop.

Mouth blown glass with strokes of silver to mark hands, wings and halos. 

Baby Jesus in his manger... with an oxen to the left.

This is art work from the Andes.

Mary with her silver lined halo and the angel with silver lined wings and halo, besides their hands and some brush strokes of silver on the garment. Air bubbles are still visible...

I've placed it on a silk brocade tablecloth that Pieter did bring home from China when he went with the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program. See more info at: {Silk Embroidered Birds from China Trip}.

That is a treasure of course and even more so, since Pieter got to see how they do make such silk brocade.

Silk Brocade; fit for our PRINCE OF PEACE