{Hats & Me}

• As a young girl I always had to stand on my toes, nose against the window, when walking past the Millinery Shop 'Bonneterie Van de Beuken in the Steenstraat of Horst my birth place. 
• My favorite Great Aunt Nelly or 'Oud Tante Nelly', the wife of my Paternal Great-Uncle Handrie, brother of my Grandmother and her sister Mia, did make such lovely hats. 
• I always have admired the special bows, roses, pearls and ribbons they used as embellishment for those elegant hats. Mom used to buy her hats at their shop!
• The very same Great Aunt Nelly, has instilled in me, my love for fine china and silver ware. 
• Whenever I did sew for her a dress or suit, I did visit with her after High Mass on Sunday for fitting. 
• She always did serve me coffee with pastry in her fine china. 
• One never knows how such early encounters at a young and tender age do impact our lifestyle... For sure, Tante Nelly will be smiling down from heaven...

• On August 25, 1984 I had found this matching hat, with veil... to go with my Royal Stuart Scottish Tartan plaid. 
• Husband Pieter went to England for the British Mushroom Days, by himself and he found at the Scotch House in London a wool shawl, matching gloves and this fabric in a Scottish Royal Stuart Tartan plaid. 
• So I did sew this pencil skirt out of the fabric. Later I have hemmed up the skirt and I still have it.

The shoes and skirt I still have...

Too bad that the Scotch House has been shut up by the end of 2001.

Just read: The Telegraph - Scotch House to shut up shop.

Pieter used to buy several things there; already for his little daughter Lizzy a Scottish Tartan skirt when she was a toddler.

Are you covering your head with a hat? 

If only for the sun in summer; that still counts!

Related link:
{My Jessica McClintock Hat & Christian Dior Suit} | previous post by me
Life is better with a hat | previous post by blogger friend Bea from Modern Country Lady
My Life in Hats | previous post by blogger friend Marie-Thérèse from The French Touch
{Do YOU all know Our Nations Oldest City - St. Augustine, Florida?} | previous post by me
Mad Women and Their Hats | previous post by blogger friend Marie-Thérèse from The French Touch

{Sisters Dressed Like Twins}

Most of us that do have sisters probably have been dressed by our parents like twins. At least, my sister Diny, 19 months younger than I am, and I have been dressed like that by our Mom. Even in later life we did manage to get back to that 'TWIN' feeling...

This was in February 1999, when we just had arrived from Atlanta, Georgia/USA to the Netherlands. This is at my parents' home. Diny just received my gift of a Laurèl (by Escada) jeans suit with top. The price tags are still  on the table, next to my elbow... That was fun! For me a size 34, American 4 and for Diny a size 38 or 8.

 I still have mine and it fits.

This outfit I had bought also at the Escada Outlet and mailed it to my sister Diny in The Netherlands in December of 1996. This photos shows us getting together as TWINS once more on April 3, 1997.

Fun again. Even though I could not get the same rib cord top for her, it is still the very same collection.

The skirt came unlined but I guess Diny is showing here some kind of slip...

The men wanted to see who is the tallest of the two...

Guess there was no difference in height!

It sure was fun  to pull this off once more! 

Have you dressed like TWINS in your later years?

Related link:
Tweeling? | Twins? post by Willy from De Tante van Tjorven

{Our Dutch Atlas Zaanse Wall Clock in Oak}

• Maybe you already did see our Dutch Zaanse Wall Clock in my previous post about Our Dining Room. Link you find below this post. 
• It was a clock that I bought just before my wedding in 1972. 
• I recall that due to the gas being on coupons (gasoline distrubution due to limited availability because of an oil crisis), one jewelry store refused to deliver and hang it for us. 
• But this is what we ended up with, the oak version of a very stately Dutch Atlas Zaanse Wall Clock.

At the top you see 'ATLAS' bearing the heavens on his shoulders. He is standing on the metal bell that is being struck by a metal hammer every full and half hour.

When starting your clock, adjust the time and carefully wait for each stroke for half an hour and all hour!

You see the long chains attached to the pear–shaped gilt metal weights being hung up on the curled adornment underneath the wood.

Now tap the pendulum sidewards so that it will automatically move back and forth.

Pull up in time before the weights are down!

Detail showing ' ATLAS ' bearing the weight of the heavens... (click link for definition)

It is inscribed in Old Dutch: NU ELCK SYN SIN

NOW EACH GETS HIS WAY

The cast metal figures represent Faith, Hope and Charity.

The entire clock shows beautiful ornate brass design work.

The dial plate is mounted on black velvet.

Some describe the dial plate as being surrounded with four cherub angels but I'm not sure about that.

Anybody with more information about these ancient figures, please let me know!

This is where ours resides.

The pear shaped brass gilt metal weights need to be pulled up every 8 days.

The pendulum shows a rider on a horse.

They seem to have been made also in Rosewood as is shown here at a Christie's auction.

Christie's A DUTCH BRASS-MOUNTED ROSEWOOD WALL CLOCK 'ZAANSE STOELKLOK'

CHRISTIE'S A DUTCH BRASS–MOUNTED ROSEWOOD WALL CLOCK "ZAANSE STOELKLOK"

Related links:
{Our Dutch Table Clock} | previous post by me
{Our Dining Room} | previous post by me