{International Giveaway Christmas with Victoria 1997 Book}

It is time to start with another International Giveaway! This time it is a hardcover copy of the 1997 Christmas with Victoria. These are wonderful books full of inspiration for the upcoming Christmas season. Including lots of recipes etc. etc. All those that know Victoria Magazine, will treasure this book. It is my way of saying thank you to my loyal readers who follow me from 132 countries! THANK YOU SO MUCH - GRAZIE MILLE - MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS - VIELEN DANK - DANK JE WEL - MERCI BEAUCOUP - BANYAK TERIMA KASIH!!!

Chances to win:

1) Leave a comment and become a blog subscriber via Google Friends Connect (if not following yet)

2) Follow Mariette's Back to Basics on Twitter (if you do not already follow)

3) Like Mariette's Back to Basics on Facebook

    All three buttons for following are at the top of my blog to the right

For extra entries:

Tweet (leave an additional entry)

FB mention (leave an additional entry)

Blog mention and/or taking my button to your blog (leave 2 additional entries)

Giveaway will end on September 15 at midnight and the winner will be notified.

Good luck to all and here below is the button that you can copy and paste to take to your blog.

{Surprise Your Guests with Champagne on Tray with Romantic Rose Petals...}

For a romantic {Tuesday May 4, dinner with friends}, I presented our silver tray with Italian Prosecco, in French Baccarat champagne flutes, this way.

On page 41 of the beautiful book from Nouveau Tafelen in Stijl (at Table in Style) you will find this romantic tip for surprising your guests in summer time with a glass of champagne, or Prosecco. Arrange the flutes on a sparkling tray that has been covered by rose petals...

This gorgeous book about Decorations; Recipes; Etiquette and Reception is full of practical and romantic ideas.

Some of those ideas I have put into practice a few times and it gives always a nice surprising effect!

We used our solid silver tray that we had custom made in Kotagede, Indonesia.

For another special occasion, actually when Pieter's Goddaughter Myriam was here.

You can read about her {Goddaughter Myriam, whose 2nd child Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia}.

And what about a romantic toast with the love of your life?

Crystal fluted champagne glasses are French Baccarat Piccadilly and they are available at Replacements Ltd.

{Our Kitchen Improvements}

It is almost impossible to keep up with posting all that is going on in our garden and in the home... But today I proudly want to share some projects that my dear handyman Pieter accomplished just before summer. It made me so happy and it is a daily joy to work with it. Once the weather will cool down a bit (after Labor Day...) I will enjoy my kitchen even more. For now it often is salad time, or something that doesn't require much 'heat' in the kitchen! How about you?

Our kitchen is white... my favorite color. To the left are our Miele dishwasher; plate & cup warming drawer and oven. All Miele appliance is a lot more eco friendly!

The white hot-water faucet has been replaced and also the white kitchen sinks.

Here you see the new hot-water faucet in chrome.

The Atag kitchen sinks and Atag electric cooktop have been replaced after 20 years of use.

One of our 3 Kichler All in One Xenon Under Cabinet Lights as I've written here in a previous post.

They are very slim and have two settings.

New Italian Ilve stainless steel kitchen sinks installed, all by Pieter himself.

Ilve, from Padova, Italy near where we lived...

The two sinks together and the faucet, which does have a pull out hose and it swivels over both sinks.

Our Amana Energy Star easy reach pull out drawer bottom freezer.

That fridge is super for placing large platters in for special occasions.

Rösle grater hangs with the ladles on rack...

Will show more later...

Here is the newest Miele KM 5656 Electric Cooktop.

Pieter had to cut out the Corian counter in order to put this in.

The previous cooktop was 24" (60 cm) wide and this Ceran one is 30" (76 cm) with as bonus a new drawer underneath. This Miele Ceran Cooktop is so slim...

By the way, the mouse is a pink cat toy; not a real one!

There it is, our Miele KM 5656 Ceran Glass Electric Cooktop with 4 heating elements and 6 cooking zones (2 variable zones).

Oh, how happy I was with this additional drawer that Pieter installed!

This Miele is also a very sleek one. Click→ Miele Built–In Wall Cabinet Hood.

Great halogen lights and easy to clean removable, dishwasher safe metal filters.

Here you see the back element which is either round or large oval.

The same for this one that is in a variable round size.

The bonus for all my Rösle gadgets... a new drawer!

It is a blessing for having such a great husband with golden hands, who's always eager to please others.

Indeed a blissful relationship—ongoing!

Show more about our kitchen later.

Related link:

{More of Our Kitchen} previous post by me