papier marché project

Monday 10th of February

Papier maché project.

This project has been on my to do list for a while. I kept the colorful graphic sheets from last year's tear-off calendar by Karel Martens.

I started the first layer with an old IFFR filmfestival newspaper, covering the base of a table lamp.
I made the glue paste with 1 part flour and 2 parts water.

It's a precise messy and sticky job, however trust the process.

After drying overnight I could start the second phase with some more layers today, this time with the brightly colored calendar sheets.

So far I am pleasantly surprised with the result. The papier maché lampshade and base have already turned out wonderfully beautiful. I can hardly wait until the table lamp is ready for use!

winter knitwear - patterns - make your own

Are you knitting yet?

November is pretty much the start of the knitting season for me. I just started a spencer with burgundy yarn.

For inspiration and patterns you can take a look at my ETSY SHOP.

knit your own

Checkered, diagonal striped, striped or you knit it in one color.

The knitted spencer patterns are available in my Etsy shop.

Follow the LINK and make your own. Also for beginner knitters.

easy level knitting pattern

More spencer options!

Some weeks ago I designed a new striped spencer with super nice fit. I knitted everything in one go, so it couldn't be easier!

Well, actually you can let your imagination run wild with this new basic spencer pattern.

Do you need a hand knitted spencer in you winter wardrobe too?

You can download the knitting pattern of this STRIPED SPENCER KNITTING PATTERN in my ETSY SHOP. This new pattern is available in English and Dutch version, with easy to follow knitting chart.

After the lilac & yellow and this green spencer, now I have a smooth black spencer on my knitting needles.

the striped spencer - new knitting pattern - easy-peasy!

Thé ongoing trend of AW 2021 are spencers!

You see them even more than last year. Three years ago I designed a knitting pattern for a checkered spencer.

It seemed a perfect piece in my winter wardrobe. So this year I wanted to design a new striped spencer with super nice fit. This time I knitted everything in one go, so it couldn't be easier!

I brought my new lilac & yellow striped spencer to Barcelona last week. A perfect garment for a city trip, it's nice and warm on your body and yet easy to wear under a blazer or coat.

The woolen spencer truly is a stylish item for the colder months. You can simply mix it with anything. Wear it over a t-shirt with long sleeves or under a jacket or cardigan. It's perfect for the feminine look, with a blouse, pencil skirt and heels, but can also be combined with pants, even with Adidas track pants ;-)

Mix, don't match. Everything is possible. Well, actually you can let your imagination run wild with this new basic spencer pattern.

Everyone needs a spencer in their winter wardrobe! You can download the knitting pattern of the STRIPED SPENCER KNITTING PATTERN in my ETSY SHOP. This new pattern is available in English and Dutch version, with easy to follow knitting chart.

And in the meantime I have knitted another one, a green striped tweed version. Easy-peasy!

Obviously you can also make a spencer in one color, also beautiful and even more easy.

first day of summer - sweater weather

What to wear on the first day of summer?

A super light striped summer sweater!

New in my ETSY SHOP; an easy to follow knitting pattern with detailed description in English and Dutch version.

And what is it about stripes that they just scream S U M M E R ?!
Probably it has something to do with sailing on those summer seas.

Hop over to my Etsy shop if you want to knit your one-piece summer sweater. It only takes a couple of days.

striped summer sweater - d.i.y.

Oh, lookie. The striped summer sweater!

New in my ETSY SHOP; an easy to follow knitting pattern with detailed description in English and Dutch version.

Summer is on the way and what is it about stripes that they just scream S U M M E R ?!
Probably it has something to do with sailing on those summer seas.

Who doesn't want lilac & yellow stripes for summer evenings?

Hop over to my Etsy shop and knit your one-piece summer sweater in only a couple of days.

loopy patchwork pillow

New loopy PATCHWORK PILLOW in the shop.

Besides the ready-made patchwork pillow, you can also download the easy-to-follow crochet pattern for this pillow in my Etsy shop.

Especially for those that would like to make a loopy patchwork pillow themselves. Choose your own color pallet, this crochet pattern is ideal for using leftover yarn. The pattern is as well easy to adapt to a different size pillow.

new design - ribbed & striped beanie - crochet pattern

2021 and a brand new design, easy to make, cool, warm and unisex!

Last week i've made a colorful striped beanie with ribbed texture.

This week i've made another one with natural colors.

The striped beanie is very easy to make, the fabric looks like it's knitted but actually is an easy crochet technique.

You can download the pattern from my ETSY SHOP.

And since we are still in lockdown for a while, it might be a fun project to keep you from getting bored.

You don't need to buy new yarn, because this project is ideal for using up old scraps of wool.

PS for the non-crafters: the two ready-made striped beanies are also for sale

painting a palette

Work in progress.

I'm painting a simple color block canvas for our new bedroom. Using the colors from Marrakech, Majorelle blue and moroccan pink. I don't have that many colors in stock, so I have to mix colors and use my imagination to fill in the remaining white blocks.

Haven't been paiting on canvas for ages, but it was great fun to work in the backyard with an improvised easel. Being creative helps me to spend these weeks in a positive way and I'm beginning to 'appreciate' the time for new projects.

I am already quite satisfied with the result so far and will finish the canvas tomorrow.

moroccan pink is making a comeback

While we’re quarantined, we planned to move from our cozy attic bedroom to Minne's bedroom, the master bedroom.

It is the largest and lightest bedroom in our house.

When we moved in our house in 2004, Minne & Pippa both chose the larger rooms on the first floor and we liked the cozy attic bedroom.

Minne found his own apartment just before the whole corona crisis started overhere.
Our plan was to slowly try out if we maybe should move to the first floor and sleep some nights in Minne's room to test it.

However we already knew it right away, when the room was almost empty. Let's go for the spacious room and let's use the quarantine period to create a new beautiful master bedroom. We have plenty of time...

We are very attached to the blue & white wooden panels behind our bed. Once they were beachhouse doors. Those vintage doors will stay in the attic, which will be our future guest room.

So time to get started, a creative #stayhome challenge!

We started with a panelled wall behind our bed, this to approach the atmosphere of the headboard in our current attic bedroom.

Furthermore, we will both choose our own bedside table and table lamp. We thought it would be a nice idea, to seperately and secretly choose 'our side of the bed'. So it will be a surprise what will come in front of the panelled wall.

The world map wall painting made by Henk in 2004, will stay and the other furniture in the room we will 'shop from our stock'.

The Moroccan pink on the wall is making a comeback. This color once adorned our kitchen, still love it!

The wooden floor needs to be painted and we are not in a hurry at all. Hence, for the time being we will still sleep on the attic.

PS: the paint was not completely dry when I took the photos and the moroccan pink actually is even prettier now!

d.i.y. tuesday & french toast

Pippa will move to a new place soon.
An old house in the city center, currently being renovated to make it habitable.
Nowadays it's very difficult for young people to find an affordable home in the Netherlands.
She has been waiting for so long and finally will have a place of her own soon.
In March she's moving in together with her boyfriend Joe, if all goes well.

Pip is looking forward to decorating her interior and has her own style, which is nothing like ours haha...
And that's exactly how it should be, right?

We are planning DIY Tuesdays for the coming weeks and I love to help.

Today the first preparations;

Filling up the golden pouf from Marrakech, which she bought almost 3 years ago...

Foam flakes all over the place! (including my woolen sweater, and it won't come off)

After cleaning up the mess, we went to the hardware store for tools and paint. Choices, choices, but we found just the right color.

Time for a break. I made French toast for lunch. In Dutch called 'wentelteeftjes', Pippa's all time favorite.

Back to work. We settle in my atelier (Pip's bedroom after all), so boucherouite carpet on the side, banana leaf curtains up and get started.

Together we carried our old heavy baroque mirror from the attic to clean it and paint it 'Flandres grey'.

Pippa handles the paint brush like a pro and she was very satisfied with the result.

We had such a fine day together and will continue next week...

crochet top pattern

Finally it was warm enough outside today, to wear my new handmade crochet top and take some pictures.

You can download the CROCHET TOP PATTERN in my Etsy shop now.

I've worked out the pattern in a step by step process with lots of detailed photos (11 pages). The crochet top pattern is an easy to follow pattern and it is available in English and Dutch version.

Don't you think the white edge is 'très chic'? It's a subtle and sophisticated finishing touch.

All you need is about 150 grams of cotton and 50 grams for the edges to make your summer crochet top! Choose your favorite colour(s) and get started.

It's not difficult at all and it takes just a few days to make it. I'm already making a second one, this time a striped version.

oh ombre

Oh ombre!

Finished the ombre baby waistcoat I started yesterday.

It really is a piece of cake and made within a few hours.

For this mini crochet project I've selected 4 colors from the wool stock; tweed yarn from natural to gray to black.

Cool color palette for a tough baby and the expectant mother (my niece from London) liked the sneak preview I send her ;-)

Yesterday I posted the dusty pink baby waistcoat and was in the mood to make another one. The color inspiration came naturally, standing in front of my wool cabinet. I love how the darker hues fade.

Do you fancy to make wooly waistcoat for an anno 2019 baby? You can download the pattern in my ETSY SHOP.

I will certainly make a few more for '2019 babies' in our friends & familie circle.