{Raw Silk Purchased in Hong Kong for Sewing THIS}

Traveling to International Conferences gives you a great opportunity for some special shopping. Such was the case when we went to Hong Kong and I got to purchase some lovely Raw Silk. Very soft, not that thin and it drapes perfect. So look what I created from my fabric...

A short cropped jacket with elbow length sleeves over a narrow skirt.
This is from a Burda pattern in a size 4 or European 34.

I used antique buttons as a garnish.

The entire suit is lined in black silk from Britex Fabrics in San Francisco. 

My top is a knit rayon by Escada.

I do wear a Chanel belt through the added on belt loops.

Wolford panty hose and Italian Bruno Magli patent leather shoes from the Outlet.

Yes, that wasp catcher behind me will get painted white one of these days...

There are two pockets sewn on in the back and the skirt has a center slit.

Yes, I did match the plaids in all seams...

This raw silk fabric is a bit slubby.

Detail of the antique button...

And my Rado coupole watch that we bought tax free at Singapore airport. 

Later I added the wrist band as it came with a black leather one.

Bracelet is white and yellow gold from Costco wholesale.

Lots of topstitching done on this suit; all with Japanese silk thread from Britex Notions.

Meet the photographer Pieter in his cotton plaid shirt with linen Zegna jeans from the Outlet.

Related link:
HONG KONG 1st International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products | when I purchased this silk fabric
{BRITEX FABRICS & NOTIONS} | previous post by me with links to Britex San Francisco

Britex Fabrics

Britex Notions

{Happy 2013 Pentecost Weekend!}

May this 2013 Pentecost Weekend be a very sunny and happy one for everyone. In Europe most people enjoy also a so-called Second Pentecost Day as an official holiday. Not so here in the USA. But whatever your region and lifestyle is; may it be a sunny and happy weekend. 

Just like to show you these photos that got taken last Sunday after Church, wearing another Escada outfit. This time a jacket with a beautiful rose corsage in silk and wool on a white Escada jeans. 

Shoes are Charles Jourdan in a taupe color, matching my taupe Chanel bag.

Silk top is by I. Magnin, San Francisco.

Sunny Sunday...

Alongside driveway in front of our Italian cypress.

In front of our garage door... 

Okay, let´s get inside for our coffee and chat with Mom & Dad in The Netherlands, on the iPhone... Our Sunday routine!

Tiggy-Tiger girl had to be cuddled first. She is our tiny feline...

This photo I had to make lighter due to the harsh sunlight through the curtain...

Tiggy-Tiger

Have a Happy Weekend worldwide!

{My Escada Outlet Score & Exotic Plants}

As you may know by now, my favorite fashion label is Escada as it fits me like no other. Since a size 4 most of the time ends up on sale at the Premium Outlets or at Last Call by Neiman Marcus, I'm very lucky to snatch them up at great bargains. On April 6, Catherine from the blog Corner of Cat's Mind did a post about  her being a size 4 now. 'The slimmer you are, the more clothes you can buy on sale'. See link to this below post.

That's me next to the Southern Magnolia... in a linen Escada top over cotton Escada jeans with Chanel sandals from Last Call by Neiman Marcus.

That Southern Magnolia makes for a great back drop to the yellow.

Showing you the exotic seeds from the Southern Magnolia...

This is me standing next to our exotic agave that came as a tiny starter from Valle de Bravo in Mexico when we were at the lake house with our boss/friend Agustin and family during one of our consulting trips. Photos are all from summer last year...

Here I am standing next to our exotic Anthurium Plowmanii Fruffles for which I got the name from dear blog friend Ger from Hoorn des Overvloeds.

This tropical plant was huge for transporting into our greenhouse!

A truly exotic gift from friends Heinz & Maria from Ristorante da Maria and Via col Vento Dublin.

This exotic Anthurium Plowmanii Fruffles is positioned near our bird feeding area under the tall dogwood tree. It is visible from our breakfast area.

Related link:
{HELP NEEDED Identifying this Plant!} | previous post by me about tropical plant
Kiss My Skinny...Ankles | blog post by Catherine of Corner of Cat's Mind about: The slimmer you are, the more clothes you can buy on sale

{My Lace Crocheted Gloves}

Proudly I show you my crocheted lace gloves; yes I made them myself. Not an easy lace pattern, from Magic Crochet, as the center was done around a thicker thread, but I managed. So please have a look here below as how they turned out. The last photos do show me wearing them, so you get a view of that as well. The lovely train case, in which I do store all my precious self made crocheted lace, is artfully done by no one less than our sweet artist Rebecca, from A Gathering Place. Below this post you find a link for checking it out.

Those flowers were all done individually, over a thicker thread of the same quality DMC thread.

They are very feminine accessories...

More in detail you can now see the individual flowers and also the other pieces of lace done in longer strips.

Have you done something like this?

Would love to hear from you.

My vintage train case from Rebecca's, A Gathering Place, does keep all my precious crocheted lace work. It is the perfect way to store it. Below the post you find a link about the train case.

Of course, romantic lace goes well with Roses & Gardenia in a French Baccarat crystal perfume bottle. 

Going to a wedding in my self made silk brocade sheath dress and self crocheted lace gloves.

Sewing and crocheting combined...

In our front porch...

Wearing my white Chanel purse and white Charles Jourdan pumps.

This was the example in Magic Crochet...

Related link: Post by me

LOOK My Vintage Train Case Arrived!

{Usually we celebrate Dutch Queen's Day in Atlanta}

On April 30 is official Dutch Queen's Day and it will be celebrated not only in The Netherlands, as an official holiday, but also International. Just like to share some Dutch Queen's Day celebrations in Atlanta, with our guests from abroad. In 2008 we even were with 3 ladies from my hometown of Horst, The Netherlands. One visiting dear friend of mine and the other lady resides near Atlanta. If we go to Atlanta, it is still a 2½ hour drive (one way) so we stay at a hotel.

To the left is my dear friend Mariëlle from The Netherlands. I do MISS her and look forward to her next visit with us. To the right is Ellen, she resides near Atlanta and me in the center; all from the same hometown Horst. Small world! 

Of course, in honor of the House of Orange, we all did wear some orange!

For me an outfit from Escada with my white Chanel bag.

In 2009, husband Pieter's niece and Goddaughter Myriam visited us for his Birthday. 

Very happy Queen's Day for both of us.

Me with short hair in 2009...

Happy together; Myriam and Toine.

Marc Cain pants with Escada top and Chanel bag.

Have you been to a Dutch Queen's Day celebration somewhere in the USA?

{Pearls of Wisdom}

Wow, what a feeling for having all the followers back on Blogger with the Google Friend Connect Gadget. Also the Recent Comments on the Sidebar show up again. Coming back from vacation it is never fun to find Blogger problems on top of all the other chores that are waiting for you. BUT, thanks to some Pearls of Wisdom from sweet blogger friend Rebecca from A Gathering Place (click IS YOUR FOLLOWER GADGET MISSING? - IF SO... DO THIS), I at least got the Google Friend Connect Gadget back on. THANKS sweet Rebecca; I owe you! 

Scan from my saved card: CHANEL Accessoires 1996  Photographie Karl Lagerfeld
Lovely PEARLS!

Another problem I already had before I went on vacation to Curaçao was that I no longer could add or delete any blogs I follow, on my Sidebar. So I did copy all the URLs and deleted the 'broken' gadget and replaced it with a new one. Hope it will be possible now to add new URLs, or delete...

Blogger has robbed all of us from quite some precious time at one point or another.

But today I'm looking again at my followers...

The weather is great, after coming home from the tropics this is a treat! At 7:00 PM still 23°C or 73°F. 

Curaçao had daily 29°C or 84°F and 25°C or 77°F at night...

March 8, I had country # 155; Bhutan from Countries Visited

This gadget has been working fine since July 10, 2011.

~~♥♥~~

Wishing you a great weekend!

{1890 Longest Pedestrian Bridge in the World + Men's Best Friend}

In Chatttanooga, Tennessee you can walk across the in 1890 erected longest pedestrian bridge in the world! Quite a sight of the Tennessee river, while walking it. One time we did even bring Mom & Dad here, on one of their visits to the USA. Also Anita our foster daughter was there with us.

Daughter Anita did take this picture of us as a happy couple.

Wearing my black leather Chanel belt, Escada shoes and jeans.

Nearby you also find this marvelous statue of Men's Best Friend!

I would love to know if there is any particular story about tthis dog. Please let me know. 

{My Favorite Boots}

For a consulting job in California, we did receive a TIP of $ 950.00 so I was going to splurge on something, while shopping in San Francisco; my favorite city. Numerous times we went there for our work and so I loved to shop at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco and I. Magnin (was there also at the fare-well-sale on October 23, 1993. LOVED their catalog as well. One of my all time favorite stores and it was sad to see them going out of business. But back to Neiman Marcus. After visiting the Chanel boutique, where they didn't have my size boots, I got them at Neiman's and had them shipped via UPS to Georgia, to save on the sales tax. What a royal feeling to possess these special boots! We both celebrated this acquisition at our favorite little restaurant on the 3rd floor of 116 Maiden Lane; AKIMBO. We've been there many times, also for some coffee with dessert while shopping at Union Square. But that too is no longer there. Nostalgia...

Still love these oh so soft and comfy boots. Actually I wore them yesterday when we went shopping in Atlanta. 

The weather was sunny and my boxy Escada rose sweater was enough for going outside. These pictures were taken a couple of days ago in our garden.

This Escada rose sweater is jacquard knit.

On the steps of our gazebo so husband Pieter could zoom in on the buttons of my boots.

Someone once joked about making those buttons into currency... But I hope they will stay on my boots for many more years!

So this is still a great memory of California in many ways.

Mariette on Google+