dahlias

The dahlia comes originally from Mexico and is named after Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl. It is the national flower of Mexico and was originally used by the Aztecs as a food plant.

Once the dahlias were spread around the world, they became much loved for their beautiful vivid flowers, but I still use the petals to cheer up the salad.

wednesday workspace

Wednesday morning in my workspace.

Make-over of a caftan I bought last year in Haarlem, which still had to undergo an adjustment.

(and another pile with all sorts of things that had to be patched...)

I am still very happy with my atelier, everything has a spot and there's enough space and light to do anything creative. It is even more practical than I imagined and frankly feeds my inspiration to work between all my stuff and houseplants. (and Spotify)

After sewing in my studio, I had a coffee & moroccan almond-pistachio cookie in the front yard.

An additional advantage of sewing in the studio, I can close the studio door and leave the mess behind.

inspiration - may 2019

New inspiration in da house;

White & colors chevron pillow with two front sides (lilac & yellow chevrons inspired by the woman with headscarf art print)

David Hockney Joy of Nature exhibition poster (souvenir of the Van Gogh museum visit last week)

The World of Apartamento interior book (an irresistible book, with ten years of everyday life interior by one of my favorite spanish interior design magazines)

amsterdam & hockney's joy of nature

Amsterdam - 10th of May - 12987 steps

Coffee and cake at Waargenoegen.
Vintage tour at Van Dijk & Ko and Neef Louis.
Catch of the day; two crazy chairs, Hungarian 'design'.
Lunch at Stach.
Van Gogh Museum - The Joy of Nature - David Hockney*.
Drinks at Cafe Wildschut
Evening walk to the Olympic Stadium.
Dinner at the Neni* restaurant in the iconic Citroën garage.

Splendid and inspirational day in Amsterdam!

* In April 2015 we visited another David Hockney exhibition at the Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch.
* In March 2019 we visited Neni am Naschmarkt in Wien.

the chevron pillow on repeat

New chevron pillow in the making.
Since both chevron pillows I made in January have moved to Boston, USA.

Actually only one chevron pillow was listed in my etsy shop, however Gillian, a friendly customer, asked me if she could buy them both. Well I thought it's better when the pair would stick together anyway.

I miss the pillows in my studio, so I started a new pillow project the same evening. Chevron pillow on repeat, in white & colors, my best loved combination.

Fancy to make one too?

You can download the chevron pattern (with chart) in my ETSY SHOP.

greenterior

A new green family member in da house.

I spotted the chestnut vine - TETRASTIGMA VOINIERIANUM - at Klavertje Vijf with my friend Marieke in Haarlem a few weeks ago. A vigorous evergreen climber.

I noted down the name in my phone and have been looking for this plant ever since.

And today when I went to the nearby garden center to buy potting soil for the garden, I suddenly came across this rampant climber.
There was only one, also an amiable one, so I had to take the plant home with me (and luckily just fitted in the car).

We have found a good spot, not too light, not too dark and it can climb for a while until the ceiling will be reached. `

hello april!

A bunch of ranunculus from the market and a new 'old' vase from Lammie's shop.

blog versus instagram

In 2009 I started my blog.

It's a kind of diary, where I share my passion for photography, interior, travel, art, green and inspiration. Only a few posts every week and after all those years it's still a pleasant way to capture my 'life'.

Blogging is a way to archive my daily activities and besides it's also nice to inspire people.
(It still happens regularly, someone approaches me at work in the market at Villa Augustus or somewhere in a city; "you are woodwoolstool right?" So funny. Of course it is always flattering to meet blog followers and who get inspiration from it.

Visually oriented as I am, my blogs are rather 'photo reports' then extensive stories.

In the pre-Instagram era I read more blogs. It used to be how I started my day, a cup of coffee and reading my blog roll. With the number of blogs I followed, it was clear and took little time and nevertheless provided me with a daily dose of inspiration.

And suddenly there was Instagram.

I've been a fan since the first hour. And yet it is more 'fleeting' and before you know it, you are swiping endlessly. Instagram can be very time-consuming and addictive. Daily dose of inspiration sometimes is an overkill of inspiration.

It may sound a bit old-fashioned, but sometimes I miss that good old blog time.
Do you recognize this? or am I the only one?
Well, as long as I enjoy it I keep blogging (and instagramming)

cheers to the weekend

Friday in the late afternoon.

Back home from work. It was pouring outside.

I had been looking forward to this moment all day: lights on, fresh coffee and continue my crochet project.

Cheers to the weekend!

light light light

Wow, it feels like it is spring already.

Mid February and the temperatures are rising to serious spring level.

The next few days are filled with sunshine and what I like most about it; the light!

Although we have a rather light living room with white walls and light furniture, it can be quite dark during the winter months. The daybed space evokes the fresh feeling in the afternoon when the shadows of the plant are playing on the wall.

The hand knitted blanket is now for sale in my ETSY SHOP.

Size: 230 x 150 centimeter

Material: 100% New Zealand Wool, hand knitted in Nepal (fairtrade)

checkered fritillaria flowers

Sunday morning, 3rd of February

Sunshine and fritillaria in da house, it seems like an announcement of spring.
I'm fond of the delicate spring bulbs!
The checkered patterns of the flowers are incredibly sophisticated, one by one small graphic artworks.

atelier

Atelier. I love the sound of the elegant french word for ‘workspace’.

In the past months I've moved my workspace items, the entire wool collection, a desk, a sofa and a lot of vintage furniture to the spare room in our house. It's completely decorated with items we already stored in barn and attic. In the meantime it is slowly taking shape and it's an inspiring place and wonderful room to work. Moreover it's a great space to relax on the sofa.

It's great to have a special spot to call your 'own'.

home art gallery update

New on the art wall; Tate Modern poster by Camille Walala

New on the bamboo vintage chair; secondhand striped cushion set from the Villa Augustus leakage attic clearance.

the chevron pillow

New year, new design.

I've designed a new multicolored chevron pillow.
Recently I've made two new pillow covers for the vintage chairs.

You can find the chevron pattern (with chart) in my Etsy shop.