Our Wreath with Silver Christmas Balls and Angel

Out comes of course our favorite wreath with Silver Christmas Balls and Angel...

LOVE the Silver Angel especially!

Love this quote:

'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'

This is where I got the idea... from the hardcover book of Argenterie Giovanni Raspini, Florence/Italy.

Those wooden shutters remind me of my childhood as we used to have them like that!

Used to sell those silver Christmas Balls but they're all gone—only these silver gifts remain→click link: Spectrenoir. 

Oh and certainly candles belong to Christmas!

Different wreath as the natural moss one did not last...

But these are our solid oak indoor shutters. 

Only ONE final Angel Cherub is hanging around in Spectrenoir ←click link.

A very sweet French door knob lavender sachet...

Yes, made in France that is!

Our Autumn Garden Blooms & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 The 2022 Autumn has been very brief...

On October 9, our Hydrangea paniculata, Limelight still blooming like it would not end!

More in detail with perfect sunlight.

This was already blooming on September 8—the longest lasting blooms we've ever seen!

Check post below about 'Our Garden Blooms in Summer

On October 21, Pieter did bring in a giant red Hibiscus bloom.

Placed it in our Repoussé Silver Rose vase...

Showing here its proportion a little better...

On October 30 when we left for North Carolina and Tennessee it was very dark and drizzling so I could not capture our Sugar Maple.

Photo got taken on November 4, day after our return and as you see—most leaves are already down and not even turned completely golden yet.

Pieter's open hand gives you a good idea about the size of yet another red Hibiscus bloom on November 7.

Love this red Hibiscus with its very special center.

A detail of its fabulous center—too bad our hummingbirds are already gone to the Caribbean.

Not the best photo taken on November 13—that late into the season.

But what I wanted to show here is that these petunias, the Blanket® Double Chardonnay in our Fiberglass Window Boxes remained like miniature plants...

Very disappointing!

Blanket® Double Chardonnay Petunia Plant ←click link

GrowJoy claims that one plant grows to mature size of 10–inches tall x 24–inches wide or 

25 cm x 60 cm.

Our plants sure did NOT do that, they remained very miniature as you can see by my hand as comparison.

In post below you can see them also

On November 19, our Hydrangea paniculata Limelight had turned pinkish from some near frost nights...

There were more buds but they did not turn out the way the first two did!

On our patio the summer blooming azalea still performs well as a pot plant!

Another great performer on the patio as a pot plant is the Rosemary—they bloom year round!

On Sunday, November 20 I captured our regal Camellia Japonica Debutante.

You can clearly see the now raised wooden walkway that Pieter finished in June while I was in Europe solo...

Holding one regal Camellia Japonica Debutante in my hand...

Mariette's Back to Basics wishes you and your loved ones a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING

And all those that reside outside of the USA, THANKS for your VISITS over the years!

Black Friday is always on with FREE SHIPPING at Spectrenoir on line ←click link.

Related link:

{Our Fiberglass Window Boxes & Double Cascade Pink Petunias} | previous post by me

Our Garden Blooms in Summer | previous post by me

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} | previous post by me

{Let It Be A Happy New Year} | previous post by me

{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante} | previous post by me

Espresso with French Macarons | previous post by me

Our Camellia Japonica Debutante in Winter | previous post by me

Pieter Captured our Estate + Progress for me to View While in Limburg | previous post with Petunias

Shipping HEAVY BREAKABLES in USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope Max weight 70 lbs

YEP, that's right! 

When I closed a sale on eBay (in my Spectrenoir - Boutique see at top of my Home Page), a French Large Ceramic Antique Cross with Barbotine Roses which measured itself 16 x 10 x 4 inches or 40.6 x 25.4 x 10 cm.

Husband Pieter who is an EXPERT PACKER, had already double boxed this delicate piece.

The measurements of the outer box were: 18 x 13 x 14 inches and the weight was 4 lb or 45.7 x 33 x 35.6 cm and 1.8 kg.

I had NO choice but to select their USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope

Max weight 70 lbs or 31.7 kg

USPS supplied envelope 12.5" x 9.5"

Just to get out of this ridiculous 'no-choice' thing, I switched to UPS service.

That of course was normal, according to size and weight.

Got my QR code on my iPhone and drove the 42 miles to the nearest UPS Store.

It got delivered timely and in perfect condition, got a positive feedback; customer very pleased!

But WHO in his/her right mind can compose such a shipping selection?!

TIMES HAVE CHANGED...

The same applies to required Length and Width for a ROUND box...

Keep getting such messages, for adding item specifics.

BRILLIANT CONCEPT; DON'T YOU AGREE?

eBay's Excellent Global Shipping Program vs Postal Service

So glad for having migrated the remainder of my business items to eBay.
You can find me under Spectrenoir, just click this link.

eBay allows up to 12 photos per item and also their listings do rank a lot higher.

Many good reasons for having done so!

The above shown Global Shipping Program from eBay is one of the BEST reasons!
Click on the pink link to find out more...

In August I had a German customer that purchased off my website.

This 925/1000 Giovanni Raspini Silver Key Ring in its signature blue box.

The shipping via regular Postal Service was $ 40.95
SHOCKING for 1.60 oz...
Not in a parcel but in a Tyvek envelope.

Tracking was a horror...
From us it went to Orlando, then to Miami!
Back up to West Palm Beach, Florida
To Louisville, Kentucky
To Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
AND BACK TO Louisville again!!!
And AGAIN to Philadelphia...
From there it crossed the Ocean, to Cologne, on to Frankfurt and finally to its destination!

This Antique German REPOUSSE Silver Angels Napkin or Card Holder did travel far better!

For only US $ 17.51 it went with FedEx to Japan!

Needless to say that the weight of this parcel was about 4 x that of the silver key ring!
Yet very economically!
Of course, it is because of the Global Power of eBay as they find the BEST option available.

Glad for having found this option and also excellent tracking, easy from your account with one click.

Wishing you a happy Autumn or Spring if you are at the Southern Hemisphere!

Thanks for your visit.

Table Setting With Picture Frame Vases and Place Cards

Still regret for not having kept more than 6 of those Delft White Picture Frame Vases... They sold like hot cakes! BUT, I sure love to use them with my Table Setting, together with our silver Place Cards.

It was once again Pieter's turn for hosting a 3–course dinner at our home for his Monday Night Club.

We happened to have still some of our white azaleas and together with a sprig of Rosemary, they worked perfect.

Also my French Christofle silver knife rests were put to use.

I've almost sold out on my Spectrenoir... (click the hyperlink).

My extra long French Le Jacquard damask tablecloth with napkins work fine with the additional small oak table added on in the back.

Chargers are French Pillivuyt Sancerre, also available at Replacements.

Our dining room set is solid French oak and also the floor is solid oak planks.

But instead of the Delft White Picture Frame Vase I used a little perfume bottle with silver embellishment, a dear gift from our boss in Italy.

The soup spoons, as well as the dessert spoon are Alvin Bridal Rose (Sterling, 1903) and by now you all know that I love ROSES. Clicking the link you find more pieces by Replacements Ltd.

Our solid silver napkin rings we had made in Indonesia while we lived and worked there.

This Picture Frame Vase is holding 2 Ice Wing Narcissus.

Hope you enjoyed my Table Setting and thanks for your visit.

Related links:
{Large Delft White Picture Frame Vase} | previous post by me
{Delft White Picture Frame Vase} | previous post by me
{Cooking Dinner for Twelve at Our Home} | previous post by me
{Tuesday May 4, dinner with friends} | previous post by me
{Table Setting for Friends} | previous post by me
{Mother-in-law's 1930s Société Céramique Blue Boerenhoeve Transferware} | previous post by me

{1950s Handmade Silk Roses Framed in Gilded Wood under Bubble Convex Glass}

Such a unique and very romantic, gilded wooden frame with dark pink roses that are handmade out of silk. 

They look so realistic atop the burgundy velvet. 

The bubble convex glass makes it into a very rare and special wall hanging. 

Quite large with 12.5 x 16.5 x 2"

Please visit my on line boutique for more information on this vintage French Country Style piece. Spectrenoir ← click on link.

Just an enlarged corner of this beautiful piece which I got at a Dutch Estate Sale.

Due to the bubble convex (domed) glass it is extremely hard to capture on camera without any glare. 

 The photo below shows the flash that I used, but less glare...

This one shows more the true color of the silk roses and the burgundy velvet on which they are mounted.

The photo below, taken from the side, gives a lighter color of the velvet but that is just because of the

nap. 

Photo below pretty much shows the true colors of the silk roses.

Don't you love something timeless romantic?

{Antique Gold Plated FIX 18K French Art Nouveau Rose Pendant}

From Paris came this lovely Antique Gold Plated FIX 18K French Art Nouveau Pendant.

I have added a 15" or 38 cm AMCO 14K Gold Filled chain to wear it with.

This is a very lovely antique French Rose Pendant by FIX in 18K
Here you clearly can read the word FIX on the bail and also AMCO 14K GF on the lock of the chain.

Available at Spectrenoir

The marking FIX or ORIA in antique jewelry is of very good rolled gold.

Sorry, sold out...

Above you can see an example of the many FIX medals and pendants that are being sold in France.
Here is the link to the French site where it is called Medaille Plaqué.

On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean precious Art Nouveau pieces from FIX can still be found as here above from Ruby Lane.

Too bad this Christie's auction of a French gold plated griffin brooch by Fix is without image...
You can click here for link.
It is always quite interesting to do the research on antique pieces like this!
Do you maybe own such an heirloom piece from FIX?

Related link:

Worthpoint Antique Gold Plated FIX 18K Art Nouveau | explaining about the double layer of gold, the outside being solid 18K