{Worldwide Giveaway: Giovanni Raspini 925/000 Silver Alphabet Angel - Celebrating 100 Followers}

Today I am offering to you my First International Giveaway for commemorating the milestone of 100 followers. Since I do have worldwide readers, it is quite appropriate to include everyone. There will be ONE winner for such a beautiful High End Giovanni Raspini 925/000 Silver Alphabet Angel from Italy. Would make a lovely Valentine's Day gift...

Please see at: Spectrenoir for the available letters. This is my thank-you for loyal followers worldwide!

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How to enter:

• Make sure you follow me and leave a comment.

(Those that currently follow; please leave a comment that you are already following.)

• To double your chances, put the 200 pixel wide Giveaway button below as a picture in your sidebar as well.

Don't forget to leave me a comment for each separate handling; following; placing the 200 pixel on your sidebar; writing a blog post about it or a mention on  Facebook, etc.    The drawing will be on Tuesday 25 January, 2011 and the winner will be notified by email. Good luck! ♥♥

{Splendid book about Silver Rose Flatware}

In November 2010, after Thanksgiving I went ahead and purchased a book from Germany, written by Johanna Gehrlein. She just did publish her first book about silver flatware with Roses. Johanna, like me, did fall in love with these pieces of art long time ago and started collecting them. She too has been searching all over Germany to find other pieces and then she wanted to know more about them. What is the pattern name? What company do the silver marks stand for? So obviously she got into it head over heels. It took a lot of research and some four years of work but the result is superb! A very informative book and a joy to read as well. Just check her website Rosen-Bestecke or find her on Rosen-Bestecke as well as Silber-und-Rosen-Shop. 

You don't need to worry about the language barrier as she is fluent in English!

Both of us became almost instantly friends; the kind of kindred spirits that seem to have found each other after having shared half a life together with so many common interests! What a joy when her book arrived in the mail! I was hospitalized at the time with a rare auto-immune disease, diagnosed later with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis but what a treat to finally come home and dig into this fabulous book. She was so gracious for writing an added personal inscription page for me... That I will treasure forever!

Just want to show here a photo of her book and also some of my rose silver flatware that I’ve collected over the years. Together with some solid silver and silver with enamel pill boxes in varies sizes.

For those of you searching for Hildesheimer Rose Silver Flatware, I do have several pieces for sale... not yet all photographed and listed on my Boutique but please do ASK!

Quite remarkable is the pierced pie and cake server which is on the cover of the book's bottom, and at the very top in my photo above. In that pattern I also have 6 pastry forks, a butter knife and some two-toothed forks.

When comparing those gorgeous pieces that are photographed so well in her book, one has to think about the favorite Alvin, Bridal Rose pattern here in the USA. Replacements Ltd. does have it and one can check the pictures on line from the different items. That Bridal Rose Pattern I love very much but it is rather expensive, also due to it being very popular and sought after. For anyone wanting to start out with a collection, email me as I do have lots of different and beautiful pieces from Germany.

Why is silver tableware with a rose pattern so popular in Germany? It came all about because of a legend and a thousand year old rose bush. You can read more on this Unesco World Heritage Site where one can still visit the remarkable rose bush.

Tausendjähriger Rosenstock

• The 1000-year-old rose tree in the apse of the Hildesheim cathedral which is connected with the establishment legend of the diocese. It belongs botanically to the native wild kind of Rosa canina, literally Dog Rose and blossoms delicate pink.
• So over the ages many a silversmith got inspired by this legend and each one of them tried to capture the beauty of the rose into a silver art form. Some pieces are truly breathtaking! I have to warn you that you might get addicted to roses too… After all, it is the most popular flower in the entire world!
• Happy collecting and if you need more info; ask me anytime!

The very last rose from our garden on December 09, of 2009 in a silver vase with rose...

{Peace and Freedom will Prevail}

It just so happened to be that on the 1st day of January, 2005 another American flag was flown, over Iraq, by the United States Air Force; for both of us.

Signed by all eight members on board, including Capt. William R. Kincaid, Aircraft Commander.

Capt. Kincaid is the nephew of our dear friend Rebecca, who also stood by me during Pieter's surgery time. 

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They have adopted us into their family and that is a great honor, for both of us.

Pieter and I were very touched by this token of respect, by these brave servicemen.

Presented to 

Pieter Vedder and Mariet VandenMunckhof-Vedder

In recognition of their unwavering support to our nation and its military forces.

"We will not waver, we will not tire; we will not falter, and we will not fail. 

Peace and Freedom will prevail."

President George W. Bush October 7, 2001

This hangs proudly displayed, together with the certificate of the United States of America Flag, that was flown over the United States Capitol on November 30 of 1993. See my previous post: {December 30, 1993 U.S. flag flown over U.S. Capitol for both of us!}
Both are framed by Irok Gallery.

On the side of the organ, where the lamp of Capt. William R. Kincaid's Granddaddy sits proudly.

A family with three generations of pilots who proudly served our nation.

The wooden lamp has been hand turned by the Granddaddy and it is for us a living memory, as we keep it burning on its lowest setting all the time... In honor of another fine and brave man.

This shows the full light...

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From the bottom of our hearts we wish all our military people:
a Happy New Year.

May God protect and our nation RESPECT them!