{Detail Floating Jasmines and Roses}

As promised in my two previous posts, here some more detail about my Floating Candles, Jasmines and Roses Center Pieces. First of all, only those that live in a subtropic or tropical climate will have access to these exotics, minus the roses of course. My selection of Table Setting was this time in white and Cream Color on Cream Color Wedgwood, Gardenia Bowl. Also the flowers are all white. That creates a very special atmosphere, pure romance and more like a thousand and one night fairy tale setting. Our idea of home décor and thus also table setting, has been greatly influenced by our world wide travels and work as consultants. We did bring home different cultures that emit more romance with their unique world wide blend. As stated before, it might give you some different ideas as well. Let me know what your thoughts are about this, love to hear feedback from my readers! Below this post you will find other links about Jasmine and Gardenia flowers which we do grow on our property. We both love those highly fragrant blossoms! Do you...?

Seen here are clockwise from the left: Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine; Moondance AARS fragrant rose; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka' bud; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Previous post: {Floating Candles with Jasmines and Roses}

Clockwise from the left: dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine.

Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Moondance AARS Rose; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine' and Aimee Yoshioka Gardenia bud.

Gardenia 'Aimee Yoshioka' bud; Jasminum Nitidum  'Royal Jasmine'; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Moondance AARS Rose; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Radicans Gardenia; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine.

Dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Moondance AARS Rose; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine (top); Moondance AARS Rose; 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides bud.

Confederate Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides bud; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Confederate Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Gardenia Jasminoides bud; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'.

Confederate Jasmine (top and center); dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine' (leaning onto Rose Floating Candle).

Moondance AARS Rose; Moondance AARS Rose bud; dwarf 'Radicans' Gardenia; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine; Confederate Jasmine; 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Rose Floating Candle...

Confederate Jasmine; Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'; Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine; 'Radicans' Gardenia.

Rose Floating Candle...

Confederate Jasmine; Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine.

Gardenia Jasminoides; Confederate Jasmine.

Gardenia Jasminoides; Moondance AARS Rose...

Let's hope you did enjoy this fragrant 'Garden Tour' with me.

It smells and looks like Paradise. 

Too bad that the blooming season for the gardenias is only limited. 

The Jasminum Sambac - Maid of Orleans - Arabian Tea Jasmine remains blooming though, as well as the Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'. As usual, I have forgotten one Jasmine family-member; our Murraya Paniculata 'Orange Jasmine'... that is near our greenhouse. I'd gathered most though, a flower basket full of heavenly bliss! Thanks for your time but I sure loved to show them to you.

Related links:

{Going Green for our Bedroom + Confederate Jasmine in bloom} | previous post by me

{Our Jasminum Nitidum 'Royal Jasmine'} | previous post by me

{White Indian Jasmine the Queen of Flowers} | previous post by me

{Murraya Paniculata 'Orange Jasmine'} | previous post by me

{Our Jasminum Sambac 'Maid of Orleans' - "Arabian Tea Jasmine"} | previous post by me

{Tuesday May 4, dinner with friends} | previous post by me

{Our Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans'} | previous post by me

{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias} | previous post by me

{Our Gardenia duruma - White Gem} | previous post by me

{May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} | previous post by me

{Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka'} | previous post by me

{Gardenias in November!} | previous post by me

{Our Gardenias} | previous post by me

{Visiting Ria from IT'S ME} | previous post by me

{6 Antique Christofle Knife Rests Griffes Antiques - Antique Claws} | previous post by me

{Floating Candles with Jasmines and Roses}

As promised in my previous post, more details about the three centerpieces I used as table setting. Floating Candles with Jasmines and Roses. Also Gardenias, but they too belong to the Jasminoides family. In the 'Old World' we've been taught that for a perfect table setting a center piece should never be towering high above the table, thus obstructing eye-contact for a lively conversation with your table companions. As a host, setting a table with a tall centerpiece conveys a message that the flower arrangement is of more importance to you than easy eye contact and lively conversation between table companions. Those tall pieces are fine on a side table, against the wall. Or even better in a hotel or restaurant, in areas where people are not seated down but are standing around, while conversing and nibbling on some hors d'oeuvres. 

Here I used three vintage cream color on cream color Wedgwood gardenia bowls with floating candles, gardenias, jasmines and roses. They thus become perfect vases! Check for link below, for availability at Replacements Ltd. 

Next post you will get to see the different jasmine varieties and gardenias that I used.

Is any of you using fragrant flowers as table decoration?

Matching candle holders that I've purchased on several trips to Europe, these lace work ceramic holders I found at 'de Bijenkorf' in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, a leading Dutch Department store, like Neiman Marcus in the USA.

In the dark, those candle holders work very well with the lacy cut out design.

An arial view... My hand crocheted placemats I've shown already in the previous post. 

Also the yummy recipe from the spicy corn and lentil soup you find in that post as well.

But this overview gives you a good idea about the center pieces with floating candles as well as other candles.

Creating such an atmosphere by daylight is not easy, neither for capturing it all on camera...

Pure romance: lace, candles, fragrant flowers... creating a bit of a thousand and one night atmosphere.

We might bring back to table more of a world-wide blend than the average person, as we've worked and traveled all over the world. Thus integrating the beauty that we've encountered on our journeys.

Maybe it will give you some different ideas too... Just let me know what your opinion is.

The floating candles are also in the shape of a rose.

Very exotic!

The fragrance does take your mind away to exotic places... For us also creating numerous fond memories!

Love the lace work ceramic candle holders... Did also buy some at 'de Bijenkorf' in The Netherlands for gift giving. We use mainly true Dutch Bolsius candles because of their great quality. They are available in the UK but I have no experience with the USA as we purchased ours always on trips home.

Those flowers make a still life...

One floating candle did burn out and its wax has floated onto the green leaf. Those rose candles are not from Bolsius however, they were a sweet gift from a dear friend. She knows how much I do love roses...

Below is a scanned page from an old Victoria Magazine with floating candles...

Fragrant Candles from Annick Goutal - Photograph Luciana Pampalona.

Related links:

{My Lace Crocheted Placemats} | previous post by me showing floating candles

Setting a Pretty Table | Learn from Mariette on my website

Charme d'Antan | Learn from Mariette on my website
Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color for 10 Inch Gardenia Bowl | Replacements Ltd

{My Lace Crocheted Placemats}

Today I've set the table for you, using my handmade Lace Crocheted Placemats. They're done in a French DMC Cébelia thread in white, using a Neue Mode pattern. Cébelia is a 3-ply 100% combed cotton and double mercerized for a smooth and silk finish, which makes it easy on the crochet hook as well. For the inside I have used a Swiss cotton damask in a woven stripe pattern, bought in St Gallen, Switzerland. The table is set for serving a yummy spicy corn and lentil soup, using a recipe from Tammy, from T's Daily Treasures blog. Link to the recipe on her blog you will find below. I also used floating candles with fresh gardenia, jasmine and rose blossoms for center pieces. Will show that more in detail in my next posts. Now my crocheted lace...

This is the placemat with the crocheted lace edging that I did hand crochet. 

Inside is made out of Swiss striped cotton damask and the napkin is also from striped cotton damask.

French Baccarat crystal Piccadilly glasses and Wedgwood cream color on cream color Gardenia bowl for the floating candles with flowers.

Four placemats and three Gardenia bowls with floating candles and gardenia, jasmine and rose flowers. Replacements often has them available, see link below.

Does any of you use floating candles with flowers? 

Detail of crocheted lace edging, using the flash of my camera for better view.

Anyone reading my post, who also crocheted placemats in combination with fabric?

No flash used but I turned the light above the table on for a more yellowish and soft light.

But you get the idea...

More in detail...

My version of the spicy corn and lentil soup, using lentils from Trader Joe's and sweet golden corn instead of creamed corn. 

Recipe follows below...

 These lentils are perfect for this recipe! 

TIP: For easily separating those Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils, use this SUPER Rösle® Turner for Nonstick Pans (Rösle® Pfannenwender für beschichtete Pfannen). Using the end side of it for breaking up, than hash it with the flat side. Works like a gem and fast. One of my most favorite kitchen tools!

Below I will provide a link for this Rösle® item #10680 

This is the placemat in the Neue Mode magazine. 

Instead of striped fabric I used woven striped damask.

That was a Dutch version of the Neue Mode magazine.

Now, let's eat the soup as it is no longer piping hot and the smell of the fresh cilantro is calling us to the table. Delicious and healthy soup and rather easy to make. I find the plucking of the cilantro the most tedious of all. But I do use the entire bunch of it as we both LOVE it.

Cilantro (Coriander or Chinese parsley) functions as a natural diuretic and is a great detox herb as well.

Related links: 

Spicy corn and lentil soup recipe from T's Daily Treasures blog

Setting a Pretty Table Learn from Mariette 

Creating Heirloom Pieces Learn from Mariette
Rösle® Round HandleTurner for Nonstick Pans

Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color for 10 Inch Gardenia Bowl Replacements Ltd.