Ola!

How was your weekend? My weekend was actually pretty hectic (hectic is what I call having to deal with French customer service people on my day off), but I did manage to find some pretty awesome DIY tutorials for you around the blogs! * This DIY Coffee Filter Pom Pom decoration from the Creature Comforts blog combines everything good in the world. Prettiness + thriftiness + easy instructions + something with the word coffee in it. Great way to start of the week, I think.
Link: DIY Coffee Filter Pom Pom

* The instructions by Julia Petit to make a totally awesome bracelet are in, what, Spanish (you can tell I have a knack for languages, yes?)? But if you're not as talented as I am in the language department, though - don't worry. The pictures speak for themselves. I am so trying this at home.
Link: Grampo e linha


* This very simple but sweet envelope tutorial from The Pink Couch is so worth checking out. You can use this technique for different formats, too, I think. No more boring envelopes!
Link: The Pink Couch Envelope Tutorial


* I've been thinking I should learn how to crochet for a while now, but I've never really gotten around to it. This week I've got a pretty long train ride coming up, and I think I might try my hand at creating this crochet heart garland from Molly over at Design*Sponge!
Link: Molly's Crochet Heart Garland Tutoriual


Have a great Monday everyone! Make sure to drop me a line or leave a comment below if you've made or found any awesome crafty tutorials online you feel I should mention here as well!


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A little while back, I wrote an article for our alumni magazine about mood boards. They're pretty much the best thing since shoe laces and I love staring at a fresh mood board for inspiration. It really helps me to think of new color combinations and the process of creating a mood board is very therapeutic, I find. For today's Craft Monday I am very pleased to share the article with you as well.
You can read it here.
I based the 2010 mood board around my two staple colors: yellow and turquoise and added the pink, because, hey, pink is awesome. You can spot the work of some of my favorite artists on there!
For good measure, here's what the mood board looked like before: And here's what it looked before that:

Have a great Monday everyone and show me your mood board if you have one up in your house or studio!


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So January isn't my favorite month of the bunch. It's gray and cold, and any bit of the tan I got last summer is gone fo-evah. But... but... the light does seem more pale, a little lighter than it did in December. So here are some things that reminded me of January. Have a great Saturday! Links: 1. Asos Maxi Dress (via Fashionologie) | 2. Papercut Kissing Couple on Bike by Papercutsbyjoe | 3. 100 Series Wristwatches by UniformWares | 4. The Recession is Over necklace from This Plot Shop | 5. Arrow Ring by MijuAndYou | 6. Jumbo Wool and Chain Necklace by iheartnorwegianwood | 7. Sulky Belt from Anthropologie | 8. 14" Yellow Satchel from The Cambridge Satchel Company | 9. ACNE Belted A-Line Dress on Need Supply Co


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So, I know you all think I'm pretty great and all, but in fact - I suck. Let me tell you why. So I've been planning today and today's blogpost all week. My family was coming over, I did some fun crafty projects to share with you on Monday, I took some shots of my awesome Chrismassy interior, and I had planned my outfit carefully. I was going to ask my sweet, lovely boyfriend to take a picture of my fabulous self and my outfit and post all of it here including links to the shops where I bought everything.

So that's what you're not getting. Well. You're getting the links. And a carefully photoshopped image of what I wore. But not the real deal. I know. I suck. I told you.

Links: 1. Navette Chandelier Earrings from Accessorize | 2. Gypsy Mix Bangles, also from Accessorize (god, I love their stuff) | 3. Dogeared Camel Leather And Gold Plated Believe Mantra Bracelet from Asos | 4. Gallop with Glamor dress from ModCloth (it has an elastic waistband - perfect for big dinners) | 5. Men's watch by Diesel, borrowed indefinitely from my brother | 6. Le Vernis Particulière by Chanel | 7. Cognac Leather Boots from Sacha (my go-to shoes this fall and winter) | 8. A classic leather belt, not unlike this one from SuburbanLeatherworks. I paired it with some navy tights I don't even remember buying.


Otherwise, besides the fact that I failed at being a professional blogger and all that - the party was great. Great company, great food, great fun, and great gifts. Yay for belated Sinterklaas / early Christmas parties!
Hope you're having a swell weekend as well! Comment »

Hey there!

As you might have noticed (did you?), there was no 'Art History Tuesdays' post yesterday. I sincerely apologize, of course, but I assure you, I had a good reason for not handing in my homework yesterday. My first ever solo exhibition opened yesterday and well, I needed to get all the prints sorted out and had to iron my best dress of course. I had a very fun evening, which you can read all about on my personal blog. Why yes, I really am supergood at everything I do, thank you for noticing.

Soooo... What have I got for you today? Well, I've got some Christmas stuff picked out for you. As you might have noticed, Santa has not made an appearance on this blog before today mostly because I'm not a big fan of the kitschy Christmas aesthetic most people seem to want to wallow in this time of year and also because I haven't been feeling very Christmassy lately. BUT! Penguin's clothbound classic edition of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' saved the day. The clothbound edition made me realize that perhaps Christmas is kind of fun. I might even get a tree today. So here it is, Christmas stuff I don't hate:

I DON'T HATE FELT ORNAMENTS BY ATELIER POMPADOUR

I mean, how can you hate these great ornaments by Atelier Pompadour? They're simple. They're pretty. They're red. They're probably soft, too. And I think my cat might want to nom on them (oh hmmmm).
Links: Website | Etsy Shop | Flickr

I DON'T HATE FELT HATS ON EGG CUPS

Although I severely dislike the taste of eggs (they make me nauseous, not sure why), these egg cups by Heidi Burton are just great. Look at the cheeky little bastards! Oechiecoochie! So cute.
Links: Blog | Etsy Shop | Flickr

I DON'T HATE HAND CUT CARDS BY MR.YEN

Now these cards are the embodiment of what I like to call 'stylish' (yes, I thought of that myself). They're simple, perfect, and say all they need to say. Wonderful work, once again, by Mr. Yen.
Links: Website | Etsy Shop

I DON'T HATE WEIRD SANTAS

Matthias Adolfsson always, always makes me laugh and this drawing is no exception. Did you see the Aussie santa? Hahaha (yes, I too can see how the quality of my writing is deteriorating, but sometimes there's just nothing else to say except 'haha', right?)
Links: Blog | Etsy Shop | Flickr


Good luck holiday shopping everyone! I myself am trying to minimize the shopping this year and focusing on small, carefully picked out gifts and handmade treats. Tomorrow I'll be back with sunny cute stuff (preferably in yellow), or I think I'll XMAS-OD. Byeee! Comment »

This week I was talking to a man who took pictures of The Netherlands and told me that he didn't think orange was truly the national color of The Netherlands (the royal family is called 'of Orange' - this is why we all dress up in orange for national holidays). He said black, greyish black, suited the country better. The color of mud, of dark skies, of sober interiors and clothes. He meant it in the nicest way possible, I'm sure, but it kind of depressed me. I love color. All color. It's where my passion for art and illustration was born. So while the city I live in and my home country has dissapeared under a layer of white snow and dark slush, I will share with you some of my favorite colors today: deep red, turquoise, and mustard yellow as used in some of my favorite Etsy finds. Links: (1) Group Hug Giclee Print A4 by Inaluxe (via Bloesem) | (2 & 3) The Color Study II Locket and A Sailor's Delight Locket by Verabel | (4) Mr. Lion - Print by HappyDoodleLand

Ahh, doesn't that feel better? Have a lovely day!

PS: Check out the nipples on that lion. That totally made me LOL.
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Irene from Bloesem wrote me a while back about writing a report about Brussels for her wonderful website. I've been a longtime admirer and reader of Bloesem, so naturally, I was THRILLED. Today I'll share with you the report I wrote about Brussels, which you can also find over here on Bloesem.

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