{My Hand Knitted Vest}

Since it is winter and we are wearing our woolen sweaters and such, I like to show you My Hand Knitted Vest. On January 20, I did wear it for the photo so you can see it on my blog...

Wearing my hand knitted vest with my English woolen tweed suit from Planet.co.uk

Husband Pieter did buy this suit for me in London, many years ago when he was by himself and it still fits perfect!

The entire Planet suit.

Worn with a  Laurèl silk blouse and Escada shoes and +Wolford pantyhose, both from the Outlet at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in New York State. 

 There also is a Wolford Outlet at Orlando Premium Outlets at Vineland Ave. 

Also at Sawgrass Mills Outlets - 1700 Sawgrass Mills Circle -  33323 Sunrise, FL 

This classic tweed suit does have a dark brown velvet collar.

Jacket off and showing you my A-line skirt with the hand knitted vest...

Tiggy-Tiger girl sitting on the Wood Trail.

The vest has cables knit into the front and back. Also a mice tooth edging and knitted-in button holes.

Detail from the cables, two fine ones with a broad one in the center. You also can see the button holes and buttons with mice tooth edging all around vest. 

This is the back, with three of those cable rows knitted in.

Very practical it reads on the side, it was in the Anna Burda, February 1983.

Another classic pattern.

Click here on pink hyperlink: → Cable Vest for the Pdf.

Pattern is in Dutch but with some explaining and clear knitting example that will be easy to follow, also some translation of key words.

Do you love to knit cable patterns?

I know, there are two blog-ladies whom I admire for their knitting of sweaters and such: Anett from Fadenstille  and Marlies from Bergzauber stricken. Can't compete with them!

Related articles:
{My Hand Knitted Leg Warmers Then and Now} | previous post by me
{My Hand Knitted & Hand Embroidered Sweater}| previous post by me with brooch

{Guilloché Enamel Brooches, Thimble and Rose Box} | previous post by me

{Mohair blend Peacock-stitch Sweater Knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{AJOUR KNIT JACKET FOR MY NIECE MAARTJE} | previous post by me

{Cotton Ajour Sweater with Lace Effect, knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{30 Years  Ago In My Rose Sweater} | previous post by me
Wolford Fashion | FB Page

{Our Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem}

One more of our white Camellias I like to introduce to you; this is Our Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem. This variety has larger petals than the other white; Camellia Japonica White by the Gate. However, this too produces the kind of Siamese twins, where buds grow back to back.

Those Camellia blossoms are quite striking against other bare trees in winter.

Another Siamese twin...

One bloom can be quite large when fully open.

Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem is a prolific bloomer.

Another Siamese twin budding...

Here there are even four together!

See how striking they look against all those bare trees?

Stepping a bit further back to give a better view of the shrub.

It is a very welcome blooming shrub in winter time.

Do you love the pink ones more than the white varieties?

Related links:
{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com
{Camellia Japonica White by the Gate} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Let It Be A Happy New Year} previous post by me, showing Camellia Japonica Debutante

{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Our Camellia Nuccio's Gem & Christmas Angel Gift} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{1818 Jeanne d'Arc Rose bloomed in JANUARY}

Usually our 1818 Jeanne d'Arc Rose blooms in April... BUT in January, on the 24th, I took the following pictures. Unreal for the time of the year... It must be because on January 11 and 12, we had such high temperatures of 26°C or 78.8°F.  Below you find a link from my previous post: {Dutch Summer Temperatures in Georgia for January} - Have a look at our 1818 Jeanne d'Arc Rose!

You can see the road behind, in the center... This huge climbing rose is on the fence of our wood garden.

It must be a really strong variety, from 1818 that is close to two centuries.

One rose fully open, a bud about to open and several more budding...

They are not fragrant.

There is barely foliage on the shrub yet!

It is a very vigorous grower, one can tell!

Of course these January roses are not nearly as pretty as those that bloom usually in April. See for its full glory the post below...

Does anyone else have also roses that bloom in January?

Sorry, not for the southern hemisphere as you are in Summer time!

Related link:
{1818 Jeanne d'Arc Rose in Our Garden} previous post by me
{Dutch Summer Temperatures in Georgia for January} previous post by me
Pickering Nurseries | Ontaria Canada, where we  found this antique rose

{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante}

Already on January 21, I have taken the following photos of our lovely pink Camellia Japonica Debutante. Have a look at this perfect beauty. Its form is absolutely perfect and it also makes a better candidate for cutting. 

What do you say; very lovely isn't she?

Like several layers of petty coats...

Lovely color too!

So far I have not seen the Siamese twins as with Camellia Japonica White by the Gate...

We were lucky for not having had heavy rains while they bloom, as that will brown them easily.

Stepping back enough here, for letting you see the entire shrub. It is loaded with blossoms!

Below is another previous post where I did show them with Chocolate...

Of course, I do not need to confess here again that I am a chocoholic! 

Dark chocolate that is and I am not even willing to kick that addiction, as it is good for you.

Don't you love this variety?

Related links:
{Camellia Japonica White by the Gate} previous post by me

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} previous post by me

{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} previous post by me

{Let It Be A Happy New Year} previous post by me, showing Camellia Japonica Debutante

{Our Camellia Nuccio's Gem & Christmas Angel Gift} previous post by me

{Our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant} previous post by me

{International Sterling Silver Rose Pendant on Black Giovanni Raspini Necklace}

For the month of Romance, of course one can never have enough ROSES and CHOCOLATE...! One more find for you, this lovely International Sterling Rose Pendant on Giovanni Raspini, Italy black caoutchouc necklace. Note the beautiful silver bail that's on the pendant. Again, this unique piece of jewelry is available at Spectrenoir.

As usual, these photos are taken outside on the balcony. Not easy to capture silver!

Without bail, this beautiful rose pendant is 2.2" x 1.6" or 5.5 cm x 4 cm.

The Giovanni Raspini black necklace has a 925 silver lobster clasp and shows the 925 and ★132 AR, Raspini Arezzo silver marks.

The necklace is 16.5" or 42 cm in length.

Closeup of the Rose Pendant...

International Sterling marking on the lower back of this Silver Rose Pendant.

Sorry Sold out...

{Hot Chocolate Tastes Better From an Orange Cup}

• On January 8 of 2013, I came across the following article: Drinking hot chocolate from an orange or creme colored cup makes it taste better...
• So I had to check it out if: Hot Chocolate Tastes Better From an Orange Cup! 
• Out came our vintage Dutch cups & saucers from Potterie de Driehoek and together with our FIRST fragrant daffodils and some DARK CHOCOLATE I made the test, together with husband Pieter. 

• Yes, I did make Hot Chocolate from Dutch processed Droste Cocoa, using Half & Half  (half milk and half cream). No sugar added...
• Indeed, my very first vase with fragrant Sweetness Daffodils. See more about them in links below post.

• Friend Barbara from Switzerland made the brown mug...
• Dark Chocolate is healthy too, so we had to have some!
• The tablecloth has been hand embroidered by my Mother-in-law.
• She made probably hundreds of those on request; she still had a long list when she died at almost 95...

• Sure, some Rose Silverware has to go with this setting as well... that will also add to the taste!
• Silver plate with silver mark: E ST 925 and repoussé roses.
• I placed a crystal bowl on top for the chocolates...

• Alvin Bridal Rose demitasse spoons...
• Okay, go ahead and take some dark chocolate!

• What is your idea about WHAT will make Hot Chocolate Taste Better?

Related link:

{Our 1939 Sweetness Daffodils} previous post by me

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday} previous post by me

{WONDERFULLY FRAGRANT SWEETNESS DAFFODILS} previous post by me

{Camellia Japonica White by the Gate}

On January 24, I did take some photos from our blooming Camellias. So here are our Camellia Japonica White by the Gate that I would love to show to you. These particular Camellias we do have now for 12 years. They are blooming very heavily each year but for cutting flower they are a bit tricky as they don't have a real stem and often bloom back to back, like a Siamese twin...

Perfect bloom and perfectly white is this one...

They do resemble a rose, don't you think so?

And no, they are NOT fragrant!

Something must have been eating on the lower one...

This is what I mean with growing back to back. Also on one branch there is a bud together with two that are already fully opened up.

For a bowl with some floating candles however, you always find some perfect ones.

They are lovely and the shrubs are evergreen so that is a bonus for winter too.

Does anyone have this variety of Camellia Japonica White by the Gate?

Related links:

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} previous post by me

{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} previous post by me

{Our Camellia Nuccio's Gem & Christmas Angel Gift} previous post by me

{Our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant} previous post by me

{Vintage Silver Rose Brooch}

Another treasure for offering to my clients. This time I found an Old World Vintage Silver Rose Brooch and it is in excellent shape, pin and all. Just have a look at this lovely piece. Some artistic silver smith did an excellent job. This gem is available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

More and more I do admire those professionals that make photos for magazines or books.

It is awfully hard to capture anything in silver! Even my French ombré silk velvet is shiny...

But you do get an idea how lovely this rose is.

This is taken on our balcony and you can see the trees reflected in the silver...

The silver mark, an 800 content of silver. The back is smooth with only the needle and lock.

Sorry Sold out...

{Robins Stripped our American Holly - Ilex Opaca}

Usually we manage to keep the berries on our American Holly Ilex Opaca tree till February when flocks of Cedar Waxwings come and strip the entire tree in a couple of days. But this year things went different and quite unexpected. On Thursday I did make photos from our heavy Holly berry crop. On Saturday, hundreds of Robins did land in our American Holly tree and feasted on the thick berries. Sunday at breakfast time I noticed the tree was BARE. It is very hard to capture those birds on camera, while they keep flying and landing and eating... We've tried that with the Cedar Waxwings before but they move constantly. Below post you find a link to a Youtube video with Robins in action.

So I can only show you the yield before and the bare tree after the invasion.

Well, what would we do if we were a bird? 

Probably feast on them too!

This tree is at the corner of our Veranda, you can see the top of the house behind it.

They were great for Christmas time and almost all of January...

The tree in the back ground is our Live Oak tree so from our Veranda window we at least see year round GREEN!

There already were lots of spills from the 'Bird Cafetaria'... The ground is covered with them.

Love the Kidney Weed or Dichondra Repens that is growing instead of grass, as that too is evergreen!

BARE, except for that one on the left... 

We never had this American Holly tree stripped that early.

IF the Cedar Waxwings do come; they will cry!

Do you have such an American Holly tree, still loaded with berries in your yard?

Related link:

American Holly (Ilex opaca)

Robins feed on Holly tree berries Youtube video

{Travel with me to Southeastern Europe & Blog Award}

From the very talented Anavi, from: Pletionica.blogspot.com I did receive another Blog Award. Thank you ever so much dear Anavi and it is a pleasure to mention you here. So let's travel to her country...

Source

As many of you know by now, I worked together with my husband and partner Pieter, in Italy where we lived outside of Venice. Our household belongings all came in through the Italian port of Trieste on the border of Slovenia and close to Croatia. Anavi is from Croatia, so you have an idea now where that is located. We did drive with our manager, Dr. Gigi Bagnasco, to Trieste, in order to pick up our cars at the harbor and driving them home. We imported all our belongings to Italy at that time, from Pennsylvania, USA to Italy and later back over land to The Netherlands via Rotterdam to Charleston, South Carolina/USA...

Working in Italy I had many harvesters that came from former Yugoslavia, so I actually worked with many of them. They spoke some Italian and I mastered Italian fluently at that time, still can read and understand it with ease but it takes more time for speaking and writing it. 

This is the Premio (Italian for Award)  that I got from Anavi.

A lot of young bloggers have no idea about the hardships in this world, far worse than what some are facing here in the USA. Growing up in a war-torn country is no fun and the outlook for the future is most times very dim. No chance for education, no chance for realizing almost any dreams.

It is with pleasure that I have seen more sewing, knitting and crocheting all around the world; that is a great come back to living more frugal (or shabby as it is now called...). 

Please do me a favor and visit Anavi's Pletionica.blogspot.com and scroll down to see what this young lady is able to make with her crochet hook!

Also on Facebook you find: Pletionica and you can make me happy if you like this girl!

We CAN CROSS BORDERS and pass some LOVE!

Let's do it and learn from one another.

Thank you all; wherever you are ♥

I like to pass this blog award on to:

Jagoda from LifeisShabby.blogspot.com from Slovenia

Susan from AvaGracesCloset.blogspot.com who lives in Canada but speaks still Croatian and Slovenian

{Cotoneaster Lacteus | Colorful Berries for the Birds in Winter}

• Wintertime is the hardest period for birds to find food enough to feed on. 
• We have lots of provisions for the many bird varieties that live on our property. 
• After all, it is not for nothing that in August of 1997, we did receive Our Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate; see link of post below. 
• That's why we also planted a huge shrub of Cotoneaster Lacteus or Pyracantha.

• Colorful Berries for the Birds

• Plenty of Cotoneaster Lacteus Berries to feast on for the birds... Shrub is also called 'Fire Thorn'...
• By the way, these berries are poisonous for humans!

• This is still only part of the entire shrub; it is huge. 
• Pine needles are hanging everywhere as there is a tall pine tree nearby.

• As printed in Southern Living magazine, listing several birds that feast on the Cotoneaster or Pyracantha. Here it are mainly the robins and the cedar waxwings that strip them in almost a day. See more links below with further info. 

• Do you have special berry producing shrubs for your birds in winter?

Related links:

{Birdie Berries in our Wood Garden} previous post by me
{Our Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate from August 1997} previous post by me
Winter Ruby Red Berries from Southern Living Magazine with the above section: Do it for the Birds...
What a Bee Wants – Cotoneaster showing how early in the year the blossoms benefit the Bees.
Robins eating Cotoneaster berries in a day Youtube video showing Robins eat Cotoneaster berries in SC
Robins eating berries photo showing the Robins eating Cotoneaster berries
Cedar Waxwings eating berries feasting on the Pyracantha (fire thorn) in Dutch 'vuur doorn'... click previous & next image also for spectacular photos!
Northern Mockingbird pair - sharing Pyracantha berries Youtube video