{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...?

{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

{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

{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}

{Detail Floating Jasmines and Roses}

As promised in my two previous posts, here some more detail about my Floating Candles, Jasmines and Roses Center Pieces. First of all, only those that live in a subtropic or tropical climate will have access to these exotics, minus the roses of course. My selection of Table Setting was this time in white and Cream Color on Cream Color Wedgwood, Gardenia Bowl. Also the flowers are all white. That creates a very special atmosphere, pure romance and more like a thousand and one night fairy tale setting. Our idea of home décor and thus also table setting, has been greatly influenced by our world wide travels and work as consultants. We did bring home different cultures that emit more romance with their unique world wide blend. As stated before, it might give you some different ideas as well. Let me know what your thoughts are about this, love to hear feedback from my readers! Below this post you will find other links about Jasmine and Gardenia flowers which we do grow on our property. We both love those highly fragrant blossoms! Do you...?

Seen here are clockwise from the left: Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine; Moondance AARS fragrant rose; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka' bud; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Previous post: {Floating Candles with Jasmines and Roses}

Clockwise from the left: dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine.

Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Moondance AARS Rose; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine' and Aimee Yoshioka Gardenia bud.

Gardenia 'Aimee Yoshioka' bud; Jasminum Nitidum  'Royal Jasmine'; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Moondance AARS Rose; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Radicans Gardenia; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine.

Dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Moondance AARS Rose; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine (top); Moondance AARS Rose; 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides bud.

Confederate Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides bud; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Confederate Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides bud; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Confederate Jasmine (top and center); dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine' (leaning onto Rose Floating Candle).

Moondance AARS Rose; Moondance AARS Rose bud; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine; 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Rose Floating Candle...

Confederate Jasmine; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine; 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Rose Floating Candle...

Confederate Jasmine; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine.

Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine.

Gardenia Jasminoides; Moondance AARS Rose...

Let's hope you did enjoy this fragrant 'Garden Tour' with me.

It smells and looks like Paradise. 

Too bad that the blooming season for the gardenias is only limited. 

The Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine remains blooming though, as well as the Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'. As usual, I have forgotten one Jasmine family-member; our Murraya Paniculata 'Orange Jasmine'... that is near our greenhouse. I'd gathered most though, a flower basket full of heavenly bliss! Thanks for your time but I sure loved to show them to you.

Related links:

{Going Green for our Bedroom + Confederate Jasmine in bloom} | previous post by me

{Our Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'} | previous post by me

{White Indian Jasmine the Queen of Flowers} | previous post by me

{Murraya Paniculata 'Orange Jasmine'} | previous post by me

{Our Jasminum Sambac 'Maid of Orleans' - "Arabian Tea Jasmine"} | previous post by me

{Tuesday May 4, dinner with friends} | previous post by me

{Our Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans'} | previous post by me

{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias} | previous post by me

{Our Gardenia duruma - White Gem} | previous post by me

{May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} | previous post by me

{Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka'} | previous post by me

{Gardenias in November!} | previous post by me

{Our Gardenias} | previous post by me

{Visiting Ria from IT'S ME} | previous post by me

{6 Antique Christofle Knife Rests Griffes Antiques - Antique Claws} | previous post by me