{Fourth Week of Advent 2014}

Our fourth and final week of Advent for 2014!

Wishing you all a meaningful time of the final days before CHRISTMAS!

Our hand carved wooden Cherub Angels from Italy are all lined up...

The singing angel to the left is a ceramic one from Italy, gift from a dear friend!

Also French Porcelain Lampe Berger Angelot Cherub Cameo is lined up.

Click above link, to my on line Boutique; only ONE  still available.

Little golden candles with spriral brass candle holders on a Mason Mandalay Chartreuse plate.

Wishing you all a very Happy 4th Advent!

{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...

{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats}

Just have to share this great find with you around the very popular Dutch Saint Nicholas or 'SINTERKLAAS' celebration.
On December 5th, for the adults and December 6th, for the little children the Dutch celebrate their gift giving.

How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats by Peter G. Rose. 
She did an excellent job!

How many of you did know about this historical fact?

Now you can read Peter G. Rose's excellent book: Delicious December: How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats: A Holiday Cookbook ←click it to have some page insight at Barnes & Noble.

Also available at Amazon.com where I got mine...

Treats for the Saint Nicholas season, as shown here in a 1995 Dutch Nouveau magazine.

You can read about and even find RECIPES for making your own Saint Nicholas or SINTERKLAAS treats! Many of which are already very popular here in the USA!
Shown above is Black Pete, Saint Nicholas' helper and there has been a tremendous outpour against the 'few' that wanted to do away with him.
Dutch court rules in favor of 'Black Pete' ←click link.
It is obvious that this AGE OLD tradition has to STAY!

To the left is shown a Dutch book about the festive finale, the way December is being celebrated in my birth country The Netherlands.

It was a special gift from dear Dutch friends and is an exclusive edition by De Bijenkorf.nl, 1981.

Writer Peter G. Rose did a fabulous job in listing all the Treats, just like being found in this Dutch version.

My Sewing Creation napkin with gold DMC thread done on my serger.

I've also quilted (by machine) placemats to go with them.

Shown is a scented French candle from Point A La Ligne and the Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse tea cup & saucer with cigarette holder in which I keep demitasse spoons.
If you still need to find out for the coming Christmas Season about: {Difference Between Coffee & Tea Cups} you can read my MOST popular all time post.
Next post will also be about 'Of Sint and Santa'...
Such an important historic tradition!

Related link:
{TIP New Purpose for Cigarette Holder} | previous post by me

{Merry Christmas 2014} | later post by me showing my sewing creation 

{First Advent Week 2014}

Already Advent Season for 2014... 

Can't believe it but it is TRUE. 

Wishing you all a Meaningful First Advent Week.

Just using a red Point A la Ligne candle from France with fresh Rosemary sprigs from the garden.

Rosemary emits such a lovely fragrance!

The beautiful pineapple doily was hand crocheted by my sister-in-law Elly VandenMunckhof, she is a loyal reader of this blog.

The red rose ribbon is French too.
And so is the Baccarat vase...

For such a Perfect French Baccarat Crystal Candle Holder with etched mark including the fragrant red candle, you can have a look on my online Boutique. Just click the above link.

Sorry all sold out...

Related link:

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

{Peacock Candles}

Finding some nice gifts for special people at times is challenging. For our friends from India we found some appropriate gifts since the Peacock has a very special meaning in their culture. Not only being it the national bird but also a symbol of grace, beauty, joy and love. Look what I found...

Fragrant candles... This photo is from September 4, taken outside on our balcony.

Loved those Peacocks.

The candle to the right is real wax but flameless and works on batteries.

The one to the left is a real fragrant candle inside this painted glass holder.

Backside of the painted glass holder. This was a treasure find at Last Call by +Neiman Marcus.

QVC had these Peacock candles and I just loved them!

Do you also look for special gifts year round?

{Merry Christmas to all my 193 Countries reading my humble blog! PEACE to ALL!}

During this very hectic time of the year I do want to extend a Merry Christmas to all 193 Countries reading my humble blog. May PEACE be with you ALL!

Beautiful pillow that I won in 2010 from +Rebecca Nelson from A Gathering Place.

Paperwhites are always blooming in our garden around Christmas.
Candle is from Point A La Ligne 

Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

Joyeux Noel

Frohe Weihnachten

Buon Natale

Very special Our Mouth Blown Glass Nativity set on our silk brocade table cloth...

Our Nativity scene with Angels from Italy

Related link:

For the Pope, Jesus was born 7 BC | Interesting historical facts

Pour le Pape, Jésus est né 7 ans avant J.C | for the above in original French language
{Silk Brocade for our PRINCE OF PEACE} previous post by me

{Silk Embroidered Birds from China Trip} previous post by me

{MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010} previous post by me about A Gathering Place's pillow from above

Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my vase above...

{Our Nativity & Angels from Italy}| previous post by me

{Wishing YOU a Happy 4th Advent 2013!}

However short, we can light candle #4 for a couple of days before we reach our Christmas day...

Wishing YOU a Happy 4th Advent 2013!

Wishing you all a meaningful time leading up to Christmas 2013!

Christie's Mandalay by Masons | 

{Wishing YOU all a Happy 3rd ADVENT Week!}

The time is passing ever faster it seems like... It is gray and dreary looking outside with some rain. But inside we can create a cozy setting with the use of some votive candles and with natural things from our own garden. Wishing you all a Happy 3rd ADVENT Week! Stay cozy and warm.

On eBay I once got a hold of this Baccarat Crystal Vesuve / Vesuvius Caviar Server (2 pcs) because the inset was missing... But it works perfect for floating candles with fresh flowers.

Here I used fresh cranberries for inside.

To the left you see our Rösle Universal Fire Lighter which works great to light candles or whatsoever.

Also a WMF silver candle snuffer...

To the right you can see some yellow Ilex berries from our Ilex decidua 'Finch's Golden'

The berry yield this year is poor, also on the red Ilex, shown to the left with barely any berries...

The Pyracantha Firethorn berries we had plenty and also the red Nandina or Heavenly Bamboo berries.

The table runner in Portuguese Guimarães white work, we bought in Coimbra in 1994 while on tour through Spain Portugal for 19 days.

Used on top of this red Hardangar tablecloth it looks perfect.

Closeup where you see those Heavenly Bamboo berries to the left and the Pyracantha Firethorn berries to the right. 

You also get to see the great quality of fresh cranberries we got from Costco Wholesale.

I've made Cranberry Conserve out of them. Below you find the link to my post with recipe.

Making photos during the dark days of the year is hard in itself but trying to capture those flames of burning votives is even harder...

Don't you love the hand embroidered detail of that Portuguese Guimarães white work?

Wishing YOU all a Happy 3rd ADVENT Week!

Related links:
{2nd Advent & Great Family Time} | previous post by me
{3rd Advent} | previous post by me
{Silk Brocade for our PRINCE OF PEACE} | previous post by me
{SUPERFOOD For Your HEART ♥ CRANBERRIES} | previous post with cranberry conserve recipe

{First Advent Week}

Already Advent Season for 2013, and also the beginning of December... 

Can't believe it but it is TRUE. 

Wishing you all a Meaningful First Advent Week.

Just using a red Point A la Ligne candle from France with fresh Rosemary sprigs from the garden.

Rosemary emits such a lovely fragrance!

The beautiful pineapple doily was hand crocheted by my sister-in-law Elly VandenMunckhof, she is a loyal reader of this blog.

The red rose ribbon is French too.
And so is the Baccarat vase...

Related link:

{First Week of Advent 2012} | Last year's post by me

{CIRCLE Vase with Candles for Easter}

• As promised previously in my February 24 post: JUST enough Daffodils to fill our CIRCLE Vase, here is another display. The Speedy bunnies you already saw on March 22...

• On top of the glass plate I now placed candles...

• The yellow pillar candles are Müller Kerzen from Germany that I received from my German friend Marlene.
• Those pillars are called Flower Garden and burn for 32 hours.
• You can click on the above hyperlink for their info.

• Tablecloth is from Le Jacquard Français and the cups and saucers are Royal Albert Friendship series in the daffodil pattern.
• Salt & Pepper shakers belong with the egg platter that I showed two days ago.
• Spoons are ceramic from Avon with daffodil.
• Round candles are Bolsius from The Netherlands. 
• Are you a candle favorite as well?

• That's what I LOVE about our IKEA chairs, their backs are low and never obstructing the view as they barely come above the table!

• Those candles are a perfect match with the daffodils!

• Too bad that those daffodils were blooming on February 25... 
• Way too early for Easter and we didn't get any others; this was the entire crop for 2013.
• At least I have the photos for showing.

• So what do you think about the different uses for this CIRCLE Vase with glass plate to display whatever on top?

Related links:
{Daffodils in CIRCLE Vase & Leonardo Figurine Bunny SPEEDY} | previous post by me
{JUST enough Daffodils to fill our CIRCLE Vase} | previous post by me

{Thanks Karen; I made Your Butternut Squash Soup!}

Reading blogs is rewarding in many ways and we learn each time from other talented ladies. One I admire is Karen from the blog Beatrice Euphemie. Just recently, on January 11, she posted a delicious and healthy Butternut Squash Soup recipe that she had made for her husband and herself. Karen is not only an excellent and captivating writer, but a great cook and handy with needle and thread as well. We all can learn from role models like her! So we did buy at Trader Joe's in Atlanta, Butternut Squash, already diced and also the low sodium chicken stock and I made the soup myself at home. Just have a look at how it turned out. Below my post you find Karen's recipe in the link to her blog post about it.

Served in our French Pillivuyt soup cups & saucers 

Ramekin for butter is also French Pillivuyt

Like Karen, I did not use heavy cream either... keeping it low cholesterol. 

I did not bake my own bread, this is Costco's whole grain Artisan bread, see link below post about: {How to get a FLATTER TUMMY}

Hand  crocheted placemats are made by me...

Butter knife and soup spoons are Bridal Rose by Alvin and will be available at Replacements Ltd., see link below post. I did find mine at eBay over the years...

Carved Flameless Wax Roses are with battery.

Had to take those photos outside as it is too dark inside the house for nice photos.

Besides, in our bay window we do have those small window inserts and it does cast a shadow in that shape... A big open window would work far better. But our windows do look romantic and Victorian.

But this soup is delicious I can tell you! Worthwhile trying and getting over to Karen's blog post below...

Are you a soup person for winter time?

Related links:
Butternut Squash Soup by Karen from Beatrice Euphemie
{My Lace Crocheted Placemats} Previous post by me with Lentil Soup recipe
Pillivuyt French oven proof table ware
{How to get a FLATTER TUMMY} Previous post by me with Costco whole grain Artisan bread
Bridal Rose by Alvin silver table ware at Replacements Ltd.

{MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012}

Wishing all of you, worldwide a MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012! May there be PEACE and HOPE for many. Above all LOVE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

With fresh paperwhites, they are such a fragrant bonus for this time of year!

Point à la Ligne candle. Vase is Mandalay by Masons.

Pillow was my winning Giveaway from Rebecca of: A Gathering Place.

Tablecloth is silk brocade, that Pieter did bring back from his trip for Campbell Soup to China, with People to People Citizen Ambassador Program.

Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

Joyeux Noel

Frohe Weihnachten

Buon Natale

Related links:

{Silk Brocade for our PRINCE OF PEACE} previous post by me

{Silk Embroidered Birds from China Trip} previous post by me

{MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010} previous post by me about A Gathering Place's pillow from above

Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my vase above...

{Wishing YOU a Happy 4th Advent 2012!}

All of us will be very busy in the few days before Christmas 2012. Therefore we like to wish You all a Happy 4th Advent Sunday. That is a very short 4th Advent, as we go straight into Christmas Eve! Enjoy this time with family and friends and wishing you safe travels for those that still are in transit to meet with their loved ones. We know how much traffic there was on the road on Friday when we went to Atlanta for stocking up. Stay warm and cozy!

May the Angels keep you and your loved ones safe...

Related links:

{4th Advent} previous post by me, 2011
{Wishing you a Happy 3rd Advent 2012!} previous post by me

{First Week of Advent 2012} my previous post

{Second Week of Advent 2012} my previous post
{2nd Advent & Great Family Time} last year, 2011 post by me
{Silk Brocade for our PRINCE OF PEACE} last year about 3rd Advent, post by me
Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my plate above...