{Miracle in Chile - the country where we both got married!}

This was such a GREAT MOMENT for having watched the life rescue of number 33; the GREAT LEADER of the Chilean miners.

By now, all the rescuers have also been hoisted back to surface...
President Sebastián Piñera, together with his wife Cécilia Morel, has shown the world to be a very warm and compassionate leader!
There were more viewers worldwide, than for the Olympics and they all got a great sense about family values by watching this unfold. A nation came together in prayer and in support!

For both of us, Chile is a very special country as we received our Matrimonial Blessings there.
In the south of Chile near Osorno.

With a Mapuche Indian couple as our witnesses...
 Padre Juan, a Capuchin Priest, blessed our rings and Pieter puts mine on here above.

And now you may kiss the bride...

Next day we did go from Mission of Cuinco near Osorno, to Puerto Montt. Padre Juan is pointing out the typical regional crafts of those Mapuche Indians.

From Puerto Montt (lower left corner) we drove to Puerto Varas and then we drove along Lago Llanquihue and Lago Todos Los Santos for some spectacular views of all the volcanoes. Just click on this image to enlarge.

For the viewer, behind us you can look into Argentina.
The great glaciated Mount Tronador peaks out to the left of Pieter...

Lake Todos los Santos, which is together with neighboring Lake Llanquihue - the second largest lake in Chile - the best known. Again Mount Tronador is visible.

The soil is old lava...

Here you see the Mount Osorno which is known world wide as a symbol of the local landscape, and is noted for its similar appearance to Mount Fuji.

Bye - bye Mount Osorno, bye Lago Llanquihue and Lago Todos los Santos, bye Chile...

{IKEA WHITE GODMORGON CABINET FOR ROMANTIC ROSE BOXES}

On July 20, we were enjoying our two free nights from Grand Hyatt in Atlanta.
Since there also is an IKEA, we did decide to have a look.
WHAT a surprise to find the long searched for HIGH GLOSS WHITE wall cabinets, like our vanities from Italy.
Finally now I'd found a cabinet for all my ROMANTIC ROSE BOXES!!!
Home for all the unique French Country Style gifts!

This is my latest boutique addition at: Spectrenoir of fine wooden rose boxes, done by artist friend Françoise Kiéné Aced from France. You will see more of her earlier work in my previous blogs about Romantic Rose Boxes .

Back to IKEA; this is the GODMORGON high gloss white wall cabinet that I found.

 Husband Pieter already peeled off its protective blue foil and hung it on the wall.

The entire Romantic Rose Box collection fits perfectly inside!

It was so hard to capture the glossy cabinet on photo...

Voilà they look so pretty on the glass shelves! 

The photos without flash I like most; they're more romantic...
French Basics at its best!

{My Old-Time Spun Glass Halloween Ornaments}

For almost two decades I am in possession of five special old-time spun glass halloween ornaments. They are from D. Blümchen & Company ←(click it) in New Jersey. Created using lacquered Dresden (Germany) die-cuts with a black cat of 4.5" diameter and a spider in cobweb measuring 3". The ornament showing in the hyperlink is only 2.5" in diameter and at a price of $ 32.00.

This is my very modest but unique Halloween decoration...

See D. Blümchen's other ornaments in: Halloween Shop ←click it.

Before hanging my treasured cobwebs inside  the bay window of our kitchen, I did clean away the 'natural' cobwebs on the outside by washing my windows outside and inside.

How do you like our double cascade pink petunias from Walmart?

After all the summer heat they're still blooming inside our white fiberglass window boxes, which also do come in hunter green and satin black. Look at Flower Framers of Cincinnati ←(click it) and check under Product Details .

Clean window with its Corian window sill from the inside. Will show the hand crocheted rose curtain another time in detail...

 

Here are my two different treasures!

You can click on any photo to enlarge them. 

It was still 81°F or 27°C when I took these pictures at 5:00 PM!