MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Sunday, May 13, 2012

{3 New Suncast Outdoor Trash Containers}

Who thought that Trash Containers could not look stylish?... When ours were going bad and needed to be replaced I went on line in search for some stylish looking varieties, instead of the ugly dark ones. At Wayfair I did find them, in a nice taupe color and in a 33 gallon size. Look for the item link below this post. They were half price of some competitors and with free shipping. Are you thinking the same way about Outdoor Trash Containers, let me know how you solve that problem. At least let me show you what we ended up with here below.

Our Spunky girl thinks they are raised feline couches...

Photo is taken on March 31 when the Fiberglass Window Boxes were not yet re-filled.

Pieter had emptied them in order to clean them up entirely.

Below you see them with the verbenas still inside, a week earlier.

When these 3 Suncast Outdoor Trash Containers got delivered, one tab was missing but we received a replacement in no time. Wayfair's customer service is excellent!

New tab already put on and neatly they are lined up. Our driveway is on a slope, in case you are wondering if the fiberglass window box is not hanging straight. It does, but the driveway goes downhill.

If you lock these latches by pushing them inside, those containers are locked.

No raccoon will be able to open them.

BUT which critter would want to come near, with our Spunky girl on top of them?

Friday, May 11, 2012

{Unique Accordion LOVE Story}

On April 29, it was my husband Pieter's birthday and this time he got an ACCORDION. Let me share with you this TRUE and Unique Accordion LOVE Story... First I like to show you his birthday gift. Does any of you have a relative that also plays or played the accordion? Tell me about it in your comment.

When Pieter was a little boy, he did visit his Dad's eldest brother, Hendrikus Johannes Vedder, who was a widower and lived in Duiven, in the province of Gelderland in The Netherlands. That uncle Drikus had an accordion, a Hohner, Vienna Style. Pieter loved to play on it and when his uncle gifted him the beloved Vienna Style Accordion, he was in heaven. A dream come true, although this was an old diatonic accordion from the 1920s probably, as Hohner build the Vienna Style Accordions from the 1910s till 1930s.

During WWII, Pieter began DREAMING about a real Piano Accordion with 48 bass, instead of this old diatonic 21 button one with only 8 bass (two rows of 2 on right side). There was no money, but he never gave up dreaming about his German Soberano Accordion. As the war lasted longer, all sorts of products were becoming scarcer. Coffee for instance almost had the value of gold. Pieter's family had skipper friends, the Van Megen family from Doornenburg, who transported coal and iron ore with their boat on the Rhine into Germany. Pieter's older brother Toon was befriended with Piet Van Megen. Knowing also that they smuggled, by hiding stuff under the remains of coal or ore. In Germany, products such as coffee got even scarcer than in The Netherlands. Mentioning an accordion, the Van Megens knew how to find one in Germany, if we could exchange it for coffee. Pieter's Mother had some stock of coffee, as she always knew how to find some via her former work connections.

Very much like this vintage Soberano piano accordion with 48 bass that is on Pinterest just click for additional photo.

Pieter said: 'If I remember correctly they brought me one for 5 pounds of coffee; a red flamed Soberano 48 bass. It was my favourite instrument with a nice soft tune.'

ACCORDION ←just click through

Of course that one was left behind in The Netherlands when we immigrated in 1983, it was old and not perfect anymore. BUT, he got his third one for his recent birthday and all the fond memories from years back are being relived. I was so impressed that he could play it right away after so many years!

Pieter J.C. Vedder playing his new accordion 1st time with a 40 year lapse! ←click for 14 seconds of video!

In our veranda, happy on his birthday!

The last time I've heard Pieter play his accordion was when we had the Grand Opening of the Practical Training College for Mushroom Growing. My husband Pieter set that up in 1969 in Horst, The Netherlands. That was a special and festive day and I loved his playing!

So we're back on track and I can TANGO to his tunes...

Pieter is wearing a silk bowtie that I made, see link below post.

As is written in gold on the side: 'Del Sol'... It truly does bring sunshine.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

{My Silk Quilted Vest Creation and YOUR Opinion Requested...}

Need your help and input here... This silk quilted fabric I once found at Britex Fabrics in San Francisco at the time when we frequently went to the west coast for consulting work. From a Burda pattern I did create this vest with one-piece single welted pockets. I am wearing this vest on my Escada pants with an Escada silk blouse. That's exactly the question I want to ask you... How do you like the blouse better; with bow or with a rose? Look below for the different looks and tell me what your opinion is!

On April 15, in front of our Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold Oak.
I am holding our Sacha girl...
This shows you the bow and my hair pulled back in a pony tail.

Sacha also is studying that bow... So what do you think?

Sacha is very vocal and here she loudly voiced her opinion...
I am waiting for yours!

I used a Burda pattern and did a lot of top-stitching with Japanese silk thread, from Britex Notions.
Colors match very well and it is also completely lined in silk.