Sunday, December 29, 2013

your help for our summer vacation?

 http://www.lottanieminen.com/
For weeks already I am filling up my few spare moments with the search for THE summer destination for 2014. I love looking at summer holiday options, but this year it is different.

We have a problem in our family: our wishes and expectations for a summer holiday do not match anymore!

- THE BOYS (adolescents, they will be 16 and 15 then): sun, sea, beach, swimming, nice young people (like girls) to hang out with, night life and wifi.

- PETER & I: nature, culture, authentic old towns, quietness, nice food, sun, swimming, and reading piles of books in the shadow.

What we have in common:
We don't like campings! It is a pity, it would be great for the boys to hang out with other young people, but we just don't like sleeping in tents, going to the communal bathroom etc.
We like to have sunny vacations, no matter where in the world.
Our budget is not high: we can't afford hilltop villa's with infinity pools, although we would love to stay there ;-)

Would you happen to know any authentic little coastal village/small town somewhere in the south of Europe, where the boys can have their fun and where we can have our tranquility and culture?

If you have any good ideas for us: please leave a comment, I would be so thankful!

Sunday, December 22, 2013

free download - DIY last minute lights!


My little DIY-gift to you!
I love crafts that don't take a lot of time. Well, this one can be done in 10 minutes!
Here are my little fairy light lampshades, that spread a warm light, allthough on the outside they have blue-grey colours...
You can download my last minute lights + tutorial HERE.

I wish you all a cheerful and warm Christmas!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

aquamarine

Received my Christmas earrings yesterday! Aquamarine with gilded ear hooks because of that nasty allergy I have for any other metal. Tsai-yen from Mus & Bloem made them for me. She 's a stylist and she makes simple and delicate jewellery, which I like very much! For all orders - not only the customized ones like mine - just send her an email.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

little gift guide

cutting board from Analoguelife - soap gems from Beklina
iPhone case by Coco Lake - brass himmeli ornament by Me&She
eco-friendly wrapping paper by Mozaiq - earring studs by Agatechristina
gift wrap paper by The Trading Post

wooden alpaca from Areaware - handblown glass ornaments by Jenn Goodale
paper ornaments from Ferm Living - golden dot garland by Couture by Ayca
Quilted mason jar from Ball (available at Walmart) - pillow from Willa Skye

Thursday, November 28, 2013

limited edition for la mesa


These are the limited edition angels I designed for my friend and German distributor Sabine Wittig from the online shop La Mesa.
Working on it, I remember it was in June, was great fun! Sabine and I had a great creative vibe together, we understood each other very well.
Funny, those 'spring-feel' colours were a point of discussion - I was rather sceptical about them - but Sabine insisted. It became the most fresh and nordic angels I ever designed. And I do think they make a difference between all the red, silver and gold during the season. Good choice, Sabine!
For sale at La Mesa and at several shops throughout Germany.

Monday, November 25, 2013

preparing for christmas

Although Saint Nicholas is still in the country I took some Christmas-photo's of a couple of my products. Please feel free to share anywhere! You can download these and other new images HERE. Thanks!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

recollections

I am a great admirer of Susanne de Graef's work.
I wrote about her lamp 'the rithm of light' 4 years ago. And now she catches my attention again with her art called 'Recollections'.

Susanne explains: When you buy a postcard of an impressive painting you just saw in a museum you take the recollection home and somehow it feels like you own the original painting. Through the recollection (and the reproduction on the postcard) it became yours.
Susanne made a relief print in metal of an object, so it became a recollection of the object it once was (can't figure out what it is actually, and I don't mind).

I like the way she thinks and I love the result of her work. I want it on my wall! And it is within reach, even for me, it only costs € 275,- For sale at Studio de Winkel.


Sunday, November 10, 2013

image diary

 
I felt a little tired when people asked me: Why are you not on Instagram?
I thought: gimme a break, please! I am on Twitter, Blogger, Facebook and Pinterest, I design and run a hectic business, I have a family and a household...

But I gave in. I am on Instagram now and I love it. I do think it is an addition to the other social media: it's fun, it's easy and it speaks in images, the language I love so much.

You can follow me HERE.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

a balanced collection

What/who inspires you the most?
I had to answer this question a couple of times in interviews in the past few years. I was always searching in my mind and heart for thé name of thé artist or thé piece of art that lightens my creative fire the most.
There are many artists and designers I admire to pieces. But if we speak of superlative degree I have to admit there's only one piece of art that inspires me the most: NATURE.
As a product designer you could say:
Nature is always in fashion, combines form and function in a great way and has a very balanced collection of beautiful products in which all the shapes and colours match.

All the images can be found on my nature-pinterest board.

Monday, October 28, 2013

mini report: dutch design week '13

objects and bracelet by Ingrid Hulskamp

lighting by Arnout Meijer
new lamps and tallow candles by Ontwerpduo
and this is their mini tallow-candle factory
red by rENs

aqua vitae flowers by Nienke Sybrandy

Sunday, October 20, 2013

dutch design week 2013

Like last year - you remember my wall with 1000 paper Circles? - I am attending the DDW in Eindhoven in an exhibition called Dutch Design Freak this week. It is held again in the ART Hotel Eindhoven, in the very center of the event, next to grand café Usine.

Building up cost us only a few hours this time so I had time to meet some of my direct neighbours:
Liza Witte with her amazing and delicate perfume bottles made out of soap. She developed the fragrances as well: combinations of fig/thyme and cedarwood, or basil, rose and green tea... I absolutely love the idea, the look and the smell of her Silhouette Collection. Next to that I find Liza one of the most sympathetic perfectionists I ever met.
Isabel Quiroga shows vases, candle holders and these Back to Basic Lamps. When I saw them I immediately went back to my childhood, when I liked playing 'office'.
Next to Isabel's lamps you can see some necklaces by Jantje Fleischhut. Allthough she loves working with plastic materials her jewellery has a certain 'chic'.

I won't be on the exhibition myself this week since I don't have any spare time at the moment. Next week on Sunday (last day of DDW) I'll be in Eindhoven though. I am really looking forward to see new ideas, to feel the inspiration and to meet my friends and collegues!




Wednesday, October 9, 2013

NEW: a gold speckled fairy forest

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Forest – pop-up tree cards

Here they are! My initial plan was doing a little restyling of an older product (Little Tree) and I came up with a completely new, fresh design, which took me 14 days more than the planned 3 days! Somehow I always do it the hard way...

Forest is a mini fairy tale forest full of gold speckled pop-up trees. Each package contains 10 different pocket-sized trees. The trees are pre-punched and can be folded upright.

As usual, also Forest can serve several purposes! Use them as an invitation for your party, a just because card for a friend, as a special gift tag or a place card for a dinner.

The Forest-trees are not only giveaways; keep them for your own use as well as they are a beautiful and fine accessory for your own home...

1 set of 10 different mini-tree cards, rrp € 8,95

Do you like the designs, the fairy speckles, the gold, the greyish green colours? Please don't hesitate to share your enthusiasm: I would be most happy if you would show my new Forest to your online (blog/twitter/pinterest/fb) friends!

High res photo's can be downloaded here. Thanks!