{My Giovanni Raspini in Vogue Italy - Jeans & Bling Blings}

My Giovanni Raspini jewelry got mentioned in Vogue Italy - Jeans & bling blings. Indeed, a cute idea for using charms on jeans, as seen from the picture below. They do mention Giovanni Raspini silver jewelry, which I am selling. Look at: VOGUE Jeans & bling blings, the link to Vogue Italy and click for more pictures with bling blings. This silver jewelry from Giovanni Raspini Charms & Co you can find at my: Spectrenoir. Learn from Mariette, with some tips below these photos.

On June 3-6 Giovanni Raspini did participate in Las Vegas at the Trade Fair. 

They also got an all new website; check it out and I can get you any item from their collection, if not already in my boutique.

This is the invitation card that I got in the mail, signed by Master Giovanni Raspini himself.

If charms all over your jeans are a bit costly, here is another idea to  actually pin some on...

You could mix in some vintage charms and even add some color.

Safety pin can be used on a skirt as well.

Safety pin is totally sold out...

Happy bling blings...

{Our fragrant Nerium oleander 'Album Plenum'}

• Oleanders garner many romantic stories. Surely our fragrant Nerium oleander 'Album Plenum' looks romantic! Its sweet fragrance lifts one's spirit up. We had heavy rain yesterday so the double white flowers got somewhat bruised but nevertheless, they were pretty enough for being photographed for you to see. 
• Fragrance is like perfume. Let's have a look at this beauty!

• What do you think; romantic looking or not...?

• Legend has it that oleander in Greek mythology means romance and charm. Wholeheartedly I do agree with the Greek!
• The biblical Rose of Jericho is thought to refer to the oleander and there are Christian legends concerning its origin. 
• In Tuscany, Italy, the oleander is known as St. Joseph's Staff which was said to have burst into flower when the Angel announced that he was to marry the Virgin Mary.

• The flowers are double and a kind of hose-in-hose, just like double azaleas bloom. 
• These are but two stems with multiple flowers on, also buds with some flowers more open than others. 
• That makes it quite interesting. Never mind the bruise marks from the heavy rain; we needed it so badly! It also cooled down a bit after those showers. 
• Today it was only 95°F or 35°C...

• Here they are in a French Baccarat crystal perfume bottle with stopper. 
• Had to cut the second stem off at length and thus it became two twigs with blossoms. 
• I took this photo near the pond on our picnic bench. 
• Using a hand embroidered silk handkerchief that Pieter did bring me home from his trip to China. So why not join me at 'Learn from Mariette' in growing, arranging and displaying flowers?

• Our Nerium oleander 'Album Plenum' but one negative about this beauty; it is again poisonous! But who would ever try to eat it?



{Tradescantia or Spiderwort}

In our garden you will find these bright blue Tradescantia or Spiderwort plants. Tradescantia is a North American native. They even can become invasive and show up in areas where you did not intend to have them. Here are some photos that Pieter took a couple of weeks ago from its beautiful blossoms. Enjoy! Below is also a reminder for the three Giveaways by dear blogger friends.

We did collect some local rocks from our property and made a kind of rock garden with them. That's also where this Tradescantia lives. Photos are taken around 9:30 AM.

This photo is from last year and taken one month earlier. Color does vary, depending on the spot where they grow.

International Giveaway from Johanna @ Silber+Rosen ends June 20...

Don't forget the Giveaway from Rebecca @ A Gathering Place ends June 25

and Giveaway from Sandy @ My Shabby Streamside Studio ends June 30