happy birthday!

My friend (and business coach) Sabien turned 40 this week. Tonight we'll have her roller-disco-70's-party at her home in Amsterdam! Bought her a great vintage button necklace made by Bjørke. After I wrapped the necklace in a done-in-60-seconds homemade giftwrap I took some photo's. So if you want to see the present itself just check out Bjørke's website. Sorry!
The giftwrap is just a printed A4 sheet of paper with a pattern and a personal text. Tied up with some of my last bamboo paperclips. Bought those (I don't remenber where) already 15 years ago. Does anyone know if bamboo paperclips still are manufactured somewhere in the world? Thailand, Vietnam? Anyway, paperclips are worth to write a special post about, I love them!

Etsy treasures: vintage stuff

Who: Sweet Love Vintage
What: Sweet vintage home accessories and more.
Why: Not only does SL Vintage have a great eye for unique small vintage products, this online shop is a little Etsy-paradise because of the clear, fresh and funny styling and great photography!

piet hein for fairtrade org

Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek has been a recycle-trendsetter for ages. Everyone here knows his (worldwide copied) waste-wood tables and chairs. He was asked to do a project in Vietnam for the Fairtrade organisation. The problem for small wood manufacturers there is the humid climate. Once the products arrive in the west, the wood is warping. Piet Hein Eek now designed a series of baskets made of thin wood slats that are strung together, so shrinking and expanding don't have an effect on the final product. So clever.

done in 60 seconds

Since I started my own business and started to design for a living, there is hardly any time left for crafting. No more felting (the wool felted eggs on the photo are the remains of that hobby), no more sewing, painting etc.
Since then I have been specialising in quick, easy crafts with a satisfying result. Allthough I miss the process of 'getting there', it is still fun!
It really took me only 60 seconds to make this lampshade. Found a lampfoot at the second hand store, bought a lampshade at good old IKEA and just glued some vintage ribbon on it. And yes, Peter (my husband) you are right: I didn't do it straight, but for a 60 secs-craft it's good enough!

polish pajaki

Strange...sometimes I come across things that have been famous already for months (or years) in the blog world, but somehow have been invisible to me. This 'pajaki' (Polish paper chandelier) for example, posted already in 2008 by Laura Normandin on her great blog Wren Handmade.
I was like struck by lightning when I 'found' it yesterday. This kind of folkloric paperwork is so inspiring! Five years ago I made a colourful paper chandelier like this with a diameter of 2 meters as a decoration for a huge party. If I ever find time it will be my first project to make one for my home...

almost ready

To celebrate the fact that my kitchen is almost ready I would like to share some nice tea towels with you again. We have been eating dust and micro-wave prefab food for the last 3 weeks... Allthough cooking is not my first favorite hobby (I rather make designs) I can't wait to cook a fresh and real meal on my new stove, or bake cookies in the huge oven!

Left: Teatowels from Marimekko, designed by Maija and Kristina Isola, available (on sale!) at finnstyle.
Right: The fish-tea towel is an etsy-find! Isn't it adorable? It is printed in the design studio of Open Face Sandwich

soul birds

One of my favorite designers, Sanna Annukka from Finland, will have two new (limited edition) designs in her collection within a couple of weeks.
It are wooden soul birds, Sielulintu in Finnish, who bring the soul to newborn babies and take the soul to heaven at the moment of death. During life they protect your soul when you are asleep.