{LOOK My Vintage Train Case Arrived!}

Oh, I have to share this with all of you! On this post: {Chocolate and Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} I received my very first comment from Rebecca, who writes the fabulous blog 'A Gathering Place'. Next day I stumbled upon Rebecca's Vintage Train Case at Mari's A POCKET FULL OF ROSES blog: MY BEAUTIFUL ANNIVERSARY GIFT :) and fell in love... Rebecca did point me to her older blog post: ~ VINTAGE TRAINCASE - Transformed into a Work of Art~. It took her quite a while for finding such a vintage train case again and in June she started with the makeover of it. Due to the hot and humid weather in her area, the paint took a long time to dry. But finally on Thursday it arrived! Now have a look yourself and tell me if you would not fall in love with it too?

Related link:

{My Utterly RomanticTrain Case} | previous post by me about talented Rebecca

{Mistery Oma Rose Resolved!}

Remember my post from two days ago? Sad that ONLY on June 10 we had some 'Oma Roses'... My prized rose bushes that I have from my paternal grandmother. We never knew the name for this beautiful rose, but thanks to friend Bea from Modern Country Lady the mistery got resolved! Even though she was extremely busy all week with all the publicity she suddenly got, she did tip me. As a Pet Parent all of her fur babies have made it into the Country Living Readers' pets album! Her delicious jam recipes got published on The Instructables editor's pick. If you scroll down on her blog Modern Country Lady, you will get there. Clicking on the hyperlink of Modern Country Lady above, will get you to her feature in 'Homemade' a British Craft Magazine.

So what did Bea name this Oma Rose? Queen Elizabeth, a Floribunda rose that got introduced in 1954 by Lammerts, USA. In 1979 it became 'World's Favorite' Rose! When I looked it up in the many books about roses that I got, I found it right there of course. And it matches all criteria. I AM SO HAPPY!

A Pocket Guide to Roses is one of the books that features the Queen Elizabeth Floribunda rose. As well as All-America Roses.

A Pocket Guide to Roses shows The Queen Elizabeth Rose on Page 160.

All-America Roses shows The Queen Elizabeth rose on Page 69.

Our Queen Elizabeth Floribunda Rose...

Here are two lovely Dutch books about roses, that were mailed to me by my brother Harry and sister-in-law Elly in 2009.

I did grow up near Lottum where every 2 years there is a Rose Festival see De Rozenhof Lottum.

That said, you know a bit more about my love for roses...

The Rose Bible by Rayford Clayton Reddell that I have here is a hard cover and a beautiful book.

Photo quality on glossy paper is exceptional. There are several photos of the Queen Elizabeth rose inside.

Another prized book of course is Victoria At Home With Roses, as is my most favorite magazine Victoria.

On a rainy day such books are a super 'pick-me-up' with all their romantic ideas!

When the roses from the garden have wilted away; then the silver roses give you joy...

This excellent book Rosen-Bestecke by Johanna Gehrlein, with lots of high quality photos for identifying your romantic silver flatware is available as Rosen-Bestecke.

Now you know a lot more about me... but I think I inherited that love for roses!

{1862 Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon 'Filet Violon'}

This is probably the oldest piece that I do have at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics, 1862 French Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon 'Filet Violon' a very rare and perfect Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon from 1862 in the Filet Violon pattern. Also you can find the same antique Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon at the French Ministère de la Culture. Scroll down to number 26 for about the same piece with mention that it is from the 2nd half of the 19th century. These designs are still from Charles Christofle, hence the C C hallmark with his initials (see the closeup on this antique sifter spoon all the way down). Poor Charles died at the age of 58, only 5 years after Emperor Napoleon III appointed Charles Christofle official purveyor to the court. You can read about the Charles Christofle A Visionary. By the way, this 'Filet' pattern is still available from Christofle in a new style, that also looks like the old 'Violon' violin shape. See the Christofle Chinon. See link further down below...

The beautifully pierced French Christofle sugar sifter spoon, together with some of my private collection.

The center one is an antique French one that is gilded.

In the back you see a silver muffineer.

Here the 1862 Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon is turned upside down.

You also see my tennis tea cup & saucer set from Royal Albert Princess Anne which is available from Replacements Ltd.

Beautiful piercing!

The one upside down is similar at the handle, like the Christofle Sugar Sifter Spoon I got... Just saved this from an old Southern Accents magazine. How I MISS this classy magazine...

Meanwhile I am the lucky owner of the hardcover book: The Epicurean Collector: Exploring the World of Culinary Antiques by Patrick Dunne from Luculluss Antiques in New Orleans, who did write this book together with the Editors of Southern Accents. This photo is on page 42. Available at amazon.

Showing you the details and our blueberries from July 11, in a Royal Doulton English Rose bowl, also available at Replacements Ltd.

The present 'Chinon' cutlery by Christofle pattern looks similar too!

The Charles Christofle hallmark in this 1862 Sugar Sifter Spoon 'Filet Violon'

Sorry Sold out...