May your 4th Advent Week lead towards a REAL CHRISTMAS

Yes, the year is getting thinner and we all are preparing for Christmas 2022.

May this 4th Advent week lead us towards a REAL CHRISTMAS

Far away from the commercial holiday it has become...

 The green cotton Zweigart Aida tablecloth now with a Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse plate for the brass spiral candle holders.

May the Enchantment fill our hearts.

~

If we do not live, speak and think in the language of enchantment, including naming angels and recognizing spirits... then the soul will go out of our lives and communities, and we will wonder why nothing seems to hold together and nothing seems to have value anymore. ~Thomas Moore

 

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.

Now two sterling silver candle holders with fluted bobèches have joined the Royal Selangor pewter ones that we bought in Singapore.

Royal Selangor is established in 1885 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The silver crocheted doily has been hand made by a former Turkish neighbor in The Netherlands.

Incredible work, I would not be able to copy that!

The silver tray was handmade for us in Kotagede, near Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

Two Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse ←(click it) candle holders and two silver plated tall ones with tapers and bobèches.

Each of them also holds a Hugger Candle Snugger.

Candles are Dutch Gouda. Yes, Gouda is a city that produces fine cheeses and candles!

German Marzipan Stollen over 500 years of Christmas Tradition

For years while living in the US we have been enjoying the authentic German Marzipan Stollen, an over 500 year old Christmas tradition. We bought our Oebel Marzipan Stollen this year at World Market in Atlanta. My surprise was big for also finding German Marzipan Stollen at our new, local T.J. MAXX store. We did buy them there often, while on the road as consultants in Connecticut. But it sure makes us feel more at HOME with local supply now. Do you know this delicious German Tradition also? If not, you ought to buy one now, even 'after Christmas sales' can give you this great experience.

Enjoy this Marzipan Stollen with tea or coffee and I guarantee, you will be hooked!

So plan to add this to your Christmas to do list.

It sure brings one in the mood—together with candles and bobèches in silver candleholders...

Not much else needed but some Christmas music!

Served on a Rosenthal Sanssouci Roses Ivory plate.

The silver crocheted doily has been hand made by a former Turkish neighbor in The Netherlands.

Incredible work, I would not be able to copy that!

The silver tray was handmade for us in Kotagede, near Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

{Second Week of Advent 2014}

Time is slipping through our fingers during December... or is it just us?!

Wishing all readers from whatever country, a very warm and meaningful 2nd Advent Week!

Fragrant star candle and French Point A La Ligne candle.

Ribbon fabric is French and has roses on it...

China is Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse

Angel clinging onto a candle with bobèche in a Royal Selangor candle holder.

Related link: Christie's Mandalay by Masons

Anyone having problems with Word Verification showing up; change your Settings for Comments to: Embedded instead of Popup Window...

{USEFUL Candle Snuggers & Bobèches}

Again it is the time of the year for using candles, lots of candles. With that comes the need for Candle Snuggers & Bobèches. So let me show you once more about these two USEFUL items. For those of you who have not yet heard of Candle Snuggers, they are available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics and I ship world wide! 

Now available on line at Biedermann and Sons ←(click it)

They do work great for stabilizing your candles inside any vintage or new candle holder. The Bobèches are not expensive at all and will reward you for catching the melted wax before it will get to your fineries. At Biedermann and Sons  ←(click it) you find plenty of them.

Candle Snuggers for inside; Bobèches around candle and a Hugging Angel...

The silver crocheted doily has been hand made by a former Turkish neighbor in The Netherlands.

Incredible work, I would not be able to copy that!

Do you love candles as much as I do?

Sweet hugging angel...

For more detail on the candle holders, see link below this post.

Different Bobèches used here, fluted one and with a gilded edge.

These are the Candle Snuggers...

Sorry All Sold out... but see above link for others!

Related links:
{Hugger Candle Snuggers} previous post by me
{Use Bobèches with YOUR Candles!} previous post by me

{Our Rose Suite Living Room}

On October 12, I did show you Our Rose Suite Bedroom and now I like to show you our Rose Suite Living Room. 

So please come in and make yourself at home... It is rainy outside so let's be cozy indoors. For those that missed the previous posts about Our Rose Suite, you find them listed below this post.

Welcome to our Rose Suite Living Room!

'Versailles Rouge' Rug, 5'6" x 8' from Horchow.com in 80% wool and 20% silk.

Chairs are in imitation suede, from Canada.

Same Spanish Volcano beige tile floor with pearl grout, as throughout the entire Rose Suite.

Coffee table is in solid oak, in a cherry stain.

This is the bay window area, under our kitchen.

Antique French oak beveled glass mirror. 

That is the bedroom door...

Antique beveled glass French oak mirror from European Estate Sellers, Utah.

French Country Style Maison de Florette pendulum clock.

Our hand painted vintage French Country Style 'Literature' chest for magazines.

In the corner you see a French tiger oak dresser with beveled mirror that came from Vancouver, Canada.

This French Country Style tiger oak two piece dresser was shipped via Grey Hound by Sugar Barrel Antiques from Vancouver, Canada via Seatle, Chicago to Atlanta and on to Dublin.  For only $ 150.00 shipping. Incredible service and they did transport it first from Vancouver to Seatle... Highly recommendable company with great pieces of furniture. 

A retired Dutch lady who also volunteers at the Lace Museum in Horst, my birth town, did crochet this fine table runner in a number 20 DMC thread. 

The vase is Cranberry glass, or Gold Ruby (Rubino Oro) glass as it is called in Europe and it is made from molten glass with gold.

My first cousin Gon Van den Munckhof, did crochet this dachshund in memory of my dachshund Mauzie, even though she was a black and tan miniature.

Frame, received from colleague Luis Astier, a Basque from San Sebastian in Spain.

To the right is my younger sister Diny and me to the left...

Another gift from Luis Astier, given to us while working as consultants in Mexico.

Luis and I were elected best dressed man and woman during one of the Campbell Seminars, that Pieter gave in 1993 in Texas.

Luis and his wife Isabel used to live in Mexico but went back to Spain.

Antique French oak table with two chairs we bought in Macon, Georgia at Second Hand Rose Antiques Etc.

Overview from this corner...

Rose painting was a birthday gift from our extended family...

A Delft blue village from miniature homes given by KLM to their business class passengers and on their annual birthday of Royal Dutch Airlines another one gets added.

They neatly nest on this antique French tiger oak shelf.

Detail of our two-piece French tiger oak dresser with beveled mirror.

The hand crocheted filet lace is done by me...

Sweet angel, given by our German son and his wife.

It clings to a candle that is in a Royal Selangor pewter candle holder with French glass bobêche.

Royal Selangor is established in 1885 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We bought our candleholders in Singapore and gave some as a gift to friends and a vase to sister Diny.

Of course ROSES everywhere! 

Silver stationery holder, letter opener/ruler and page marker in repoussé silver roses.

Cup & Saucer was a gift from a dear elderly lady friend and role model.

Sure, memories from old friends and new friends. 

Again a beautiful hand crocheted filet lace table runner by the same Dutch lady.

They were precious gifts from hearts friend Ellie who came to stay with her husband at our Rose Suite.

You recognize the Train Case, painted by Rebecca from the blog: A Gathering Place? 

Detail...

Hope you liked the tour of our Rose Suite Living Room.

Next time I will show you the Rose Suite Kitchenette corner and some more details.

Related links from my previous posts:
{Our Rose Suite Bedroom}
{Welcome to Our Rose Suite - Entrance}
{The Construction of Our Rose Suite - Part II}
{The Construction of Our Rose Suite - Part I}
{Our Rose Suite with Angels + a REQUEST}

{Use Bobèches with YOUR Candles!}

We have been talking all along about the Advent season and with Christmas just five days away, I thought it interesting to share with you the use of bobèches with your candles. Using tapers for our festive Christmas dinner and candles all throughout the home for the winter season, it makes bobèches a very wise investment. They are not expensive at all and will reward you for catching the melted wax before it will get to your fineries. Sure, they are not only for Christmas—this is something that is needed year round. With New Year's Eve coming first, Valentine and on and on for parties and dinners served at the home. Especially in a downward economy, we tend to entertain more at home. Have a look at my bobèches below. They're all from glass and of course there are some rare antique crystal ones from e.g. Baccarat, France but let's keep it within budget! Don't forget to scroll all the way down for a special Birthday girl; one that I ADMIRE!

Naturally, I will be showing you more angels too... One is clinging onto the candle and there is a cute one sitting in front of the Royal Selangor pewter candle holders, which we bought in Singapore. A cute sheep stands by...

The silver metallic thread lace doily is hand crocheted by a former neighbor in The Netherlands, she is from Turkey. Such art work I do treasure a life time, as it also is labor of love.

The cute angel was given by our extended family as a Christmas gift.

These two bobèches do have a gold edge, found them on August 28, 1996 at Read & Barton in Vero Beach, FL.

The silver tray was handmade for us in Kotagede, Indonesia.

Now two sterling silver candle holders with fluted bobèches have joined the Royal Selangor pewter ones.

Inside the candle holder you see one of my Hugger Brand Candle Snuggers for holding any candle straight, safe and secure. You can find them in a previous post: {Hugger Candle Snuggers}.

The two Royal Selangor pewter candle holders.

 Royal Selangor is established in 1885 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Two Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse candle holders and two silver plated tall ones with tapers and bobèches.

Each of them also holds a Hugger Candle Snugger.

Candles are Dutch Gouda. Yes, Gouda is a city that produces fine cheeses and candles!

Soft look without flash...

Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse is a beautiful pattern with gold edging too.

Again soft look without flash...

Do you love candles as much as I do?

Please do visit dear friend Celia from Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista as today is her Birthday!