Black swan

Simply had to show you this new needle-felted black swan. Made by a Waldorf teacher here in Holland. On one side I love design, very graphic and modern, on the other side (must be my Waldorf roots) I love these organic things, handcrafted from pure materials.

Etsy treasures: pull string containers

Who: The small object (again, sorry!)
What: pull string containers.
Why: They are so cute, funny and functional.

The poetry of shape

Nicholas Jones, a Melbourne based book sculptor, makes me forget the dusty smell of old books immediately. His approach is fresh, new and gorgeous!

Framed details

This is an installation by Scott Franklin and partner Miao Miao from Nondesigns. It was exhibited for 2 months in a park in West Hollywood. With these XXL megaphones (that remind me of shouting directors on the set of Hollywood movies in the last century) they 'framed' the view of branches, bark, shadow, leaves and pieces of the sky, to emphasize their beauty.

Deepak Chopra in Amsterdam

Last Friday I invited my friend Katinka to a lecture by Deepak Chopra in Amsterdam. It was the first time in my life to attend such an event. Never read one word of this man, I rather read novels than esoteric stuff, don't seem to have the right concentration for it. But somehow this man fascinated me, and in an impulse I decided to go to this lecture. And yes: he unveiled a little of the mystic of our existence that night. In a way his theories are pretty abstract, on the other hand he provides very practical, down-to-earth insights and shows you the simple laws of nature. Yesterday I bought his last book, hoping to find the concentration needed to read a chapter every day!

Clouds

'Mum, the sky is like a painting' my eleven years old son shouted from his room at the top downstairs. He took this photo from his bedroom-window. It makes me happy that he has an eye for beauty.

Friend

Some weeks ago I met a new old friend, someone I had never seen before. We started talking and it felt like catching up some lost years. She lives in Stockholm, is a great designer and has this lovely famous Swedish webstore, called: Cosas.
The parcel-service just rang my doorbell: a parcel from Stockholm. A present from Anneli... sooo nice! Tack så mycket!

My present: two paper-looking delicate porcelain (unglazed) tealight holders are designed by Karin Eriksson for Cosas. Karin's styleblog is worth a visit as well.

Papercraft bible

This treasure I found on the Elle Inside Design Fair in Amsterdam. Didn't even open the book, just bought it. I knew it would be absolutely worth the € 44,00! Most of my favorite paper artists are featured. Unfortunately they forgot to ask Paula Arntzen, an amazing and lovely 'paper woman' I admire and who I met on the fair last weekend. Papercraft, 256 pages of paper inspiration and even a DVD-rom with DIY-templates! Published by 'Gestalten' in Berlin

Room 222

Next weekend the Elle Decoration Inside Design, a major Dutch interior design fair, will take place again in Amsterdam. Main attraction will be the exhibition in the Lloyd Hotel. Every hotelroom features different designers or interior design companies.
My Paperwork is invited to stay (and get sold) in room 222 for the weekend, together with paper and textile products of other designers. I am so proud! I'll be visiting the show on Sunday. Hope to meet you there!

Tasty parasol in the woods

Looks like a piece of folded paper art. But it is a Parasol-mushroom, with a diameter of at least 25 cm! It was found by a couple we came across today during a walk with my family in a forest near us. He was a goodlooking tall Italian, who knew everything about wild vegetables. She was a dutch 'white whitch', made her own elixirs, herb-oils...
I asked: Wow, what is that mushroom you are holding in your hand? He (with this Italian accent): This is the best pizza base ever! Put it in a pan, bit of olive oil, unions on it, parsley, pomodori, cheese...
I am a bit afraid of just picking mushrooms for consumption (besides: it is forbidden to pick them here), I think you need a good book for advice. The odd couple told me: if you don't trust it, just don't pick it!

Etsy treasures: tea towels

Who: Mr PS
What: Tea towels
Why: They look like little notes, drawings on paper!

Kitchen

Every Friday Peter and I reserve some hours for a new project: a real kitchen (finally!). We have only a small space, but ambitious plans...
Since I have no spatial aptitude (I even had to look this one up in my dictionary), I leave the spatial planning for a great deal to Peter and I stick to the styling. We won't have any high cupboards, only one long shelf and I really get carried away looking at all the Etsy-things that I could place up there!

The ultimate beautiful pan by Jens Quistgaard, designed for Dansk, at Etsy-shop Modbots



Vintage espresso-maker, Etsyshop: Modera


Vintage plates at Etsyshop: Menzo Collection


Enamel pitcher at Etsy's Finding Fabulous


And I hope to find more unique things like this Japanese salt shaker at Etsy's Modish Vintage

Fluid harvest

Since the year my parents moved to the country side, every autumn we had to eat/work ourselves a way through the fruit harvest as soon as possible, because of the decay. Piles of applepies, jars of apple sauce and baskets full of pears that needed to be eaten straight away...
Untill last year: My uncle Paul discovered the mobile fruit press!
Mobipers is a professional fruit press on a truck, that travels from village to village in Holland. On one side the apples and pears go in, on the other side your own organic (and pasteurized) juice is put in a so called 'bag in a box', in which it stays fresh for 2 years! The price is 1 euro for 1 liter including the boxes etc.
Yesterday we spend on ladders in their old high-stem trees, shaking branches, picking up pears and apples. The sheep had a feast: all the damaged ones were for them!

Emma's

I found Emma's blog, looking for inspiration to make a moodboard. Needed a nordic (swedish) touch for a new design for one of the biggest coffee company's in Holland. When I design patterns or products I first literally picture the home in which the design would feel at ease and then I start designing. I found the home here, at Emma's!

Colour celebration

Today - grey sky, lots of rain - I was desperate for some colour. Came accross this French artist, Sophie Cuvelier. She lives in a world full of garlands, mostly textile ones (sometimes paper as well!), which she makes by hand. Not only she does the colouring herself, she cuts them, sews them and puts them on a string. She dresses buildings, streets, huge ceilings. Don't forget to click on her 'diaporama', it will make you feel good and smile in a second!