venice & vreeken

Wednesday morning, Venice-like Dordrecht.

Due to a sudden rain shower, the intended coffee on the terrace, turned out into a Vreeken Zaden visit.

Vreeken Zaden is a family business specialized in seeds since 1926. For years they have collected an assortment of seeds. In the old-fashioned cozy garden shop, you can find besides a large assortment of seeds, a lot of quality tools and special garden- and house plants.

For the shadow side in our mostly sunny backyard, we found a baby ginkgo, a peanut plant, a fern and a 'Lady's Mantle'...

between the eucalyptus & ginkgo

Summer in May, at least that's how it feels in the garden lately.

We have a new evergreen in the backyard; an Eucalyptus Gunnii tree.

The small eucalyptus stands beside the ginkgo tree on the terrace. The new tree is an evergreen tree. The small round gray-green leaves give off a delicious eucalyptus smell. Especially when the leaf is bruised, a strong eucalyptus smell is released. Good thing is, mosquitoes hate this smell, so perfect for long summer evenings in the garden.

This afternoon we planted the new evergreen, a remembrance tree for Henk's mother, who passed away yesterday.

After gardening (we also repotted some plants and sowed flowers seeds) we had a tea between the trees and it felt special...

the tree is up

december decorations

And suddenly it's December and freezing cold outside.

Time for warm woolen sweaters, beanies, candles and everything that belongs to this time of year. Christmas countdown...

The utterly cute hare family also has made its appearance.
They are my traditional models on the new collection of wooden x-mas trees last week.

Are you December ready yet? Do you have your tree up?
If you want a sustainable tree that lasts for years and takes up little space, you have 6 pieces left to choose from. This is the time.



Do you fancy one?

You can order it in my Etsy shop and you will definitely have it in time for Christmas.

jubilee for a sustainable evergreen

New sustainable and unique handmade trees in the SHOP

10 years in a row, a jubilee year for the original woodwoolstool x-mas tree.
I'd rather don't mention the x-word yet, but already got some questions about the trees this weekend.

Therefore, entirely according to tradition, I've made a small collection of the eco-friendly trees for the enthusiasts.

It's never too early (and late) for an evergreen! Have a look and pick your favorite.

house of plants

More green.

The [house of plants] is the newest book in our 'green books' collection.
It's a gift from my niece Afra from London. We share our passion for plants :-)

One of the other books, [evergreen] was send to me by Eimear from Ireland. She's one of the Cool Crochet participants in April last year and will join us again on the Green Gardens workshop in Marrakech in May.

Merci beaucoup Afra & Eimear!

We might already have as many plant books as plants nowadays...

peas & carrots

Peas & carrots.

...for our tiny x-mas tree.

is your tree up?

Only a few T R E E S left in the shop!

evergreen since 2007

'Green' handmade T R E E S in the shop!

An unique eco-friendly x-mas tree, that will last for years!

The trees are pet-proof, perfectly suited for the children rooms and front doors too!

[woodwoolstool x-mas tree is up since 2007]

green is the theme

Want a 'green' x-mas tree?
This eco-friendly Christmas tree, will last for years!

Some new T R E E S in the shop!

The woodwoolstool evergreen tree is up since 2007.

t r e e - t r a d i t i o n

New T R E E S in the shop!

up to the ceiling

Our kitchen palm has reached the ceiling in six months' time.



This is a picture of the chamaerops humilis when we moved it from the garden to the kitchen last October.
The weather forecast for tonight is ground frost, so we'll wait another week to take it back outdoors.

about white trees and an angel

White wooden x-mas trees have always been the most popular.
During the last weeks I received a few requests about white trees.
This morning I've made a few more white trees...in the sun!
You can find them in my E T S Y shop.

The cutest little angel is made by my dearest friend Rosa. Isn't she dinky? Rosa makes the most beautiful dolls, called Stella By Rosa and you can find her shop H E R E.

perforated plant

Swiss Cheese Plant - Gatenplant - Monstera deliciosa. All names for this lovely tropical plant.

In the Jardim Botanico in Lisbon I fell in love with the huge Monstera deliciosa plant this summer. In one of the rooms of our apartment there was a single leaf on the vase.

I've been looking for the plant eversince and it wasn't easy to find one, but last week I've bought a small version at Dille & Kamille in Rotterdam.

The holes make it...