Illustration Friday... Spring

spring.

for me spring is always the thought of tulips.

every tuesday and saturday it's almost a religion

or a tradition

that i buy myself tulips at the market.


and spring is the promise of new.

and this spring, the illustrations on my poesie shirts is new too.

chairs... chairs... chairs...

anyone that knows me well,

knows i have a love for vintage and stories told again.

and i have a love for chairs.

i love photographing them. i love wondering about their stories.

i believe each chair has a story.


and then i find a website called chaircouture

and i'm in absolute love. love. love.

oh yes i am.


and i adore how margaret, the lady behind chaircouture,

lovingly names each and every piece.


oh i'm in heaven. chair heaven that is.


[and my hats off to one of the most beautifully done websites.

this is minimalistic purism at it's finest]

poesie...

a while back, i posted the "behind the scenes" photographs

of my new shirt collection for omondieu!... poesie!

absolutely so in love with these shirts,

if i must say so myself.

we were only able to photograph the white shirts,

still patiently waiting for the production of these

as well as the khaki and the rosa versions.

both long sleeve. and short sleeve.


and i can't wait for it to really be spring outside

and we can continue taking more photographs,

at least all those i'm already envisioning in my mind.


sunday promised that spring is on it's way

but looking outside at the moment, it's rather grey and cold

once again.

that's the way... uh huh uh huh

some days are simply exciting...

like when you take a little project,

plant it with a few ideas and then watch it grow.

it's usually something that requires "patience"

and i think i can speak for both tamara and myself in saying,

patience is not our virtue.


but we've had a great start to our "clooney collection"

and after elaine from www.laineygossip.com

wore the shirt on her eTalk segment last night,

there's more media picking us up already.


but tamara has written all about it here...

and of course, we'd love you for sharing it with your friends as well.


so amongst a most beautiful bird from alicia,

and then fabulous news regarding george,

i'd say it's a fine fine tuesday!

birds of a feather...

you know it's promising to be a good day,

when magical packages arrive with the mail[wo]man...


and now, there's the sweetest, most lovely little bird,

pretty in pink,

sitting on my window sill

between garden roses and english teacups.


i can't thank you enough alicia

every little detail, from the crocheted necklace,

to the made with love packaging...

it was just beautiful.


but the true magical moment was

placing little birdie on the window sill inside,

and being greeted by a bird outside,

in the midsts of collecting things for her own nest.

it was almost as though she just peeked in to say hello,

just looking in with her quizical glance

before flying off again.


but you can find a bird for your own flock

here, at posie, rosy little things.


thank you so alicia...

you definitely have been the magic in my day.


[photograph above from alicia...

birds of a feather, do flock together!]


ps... alicia also carries my collection of omondieu!

in her store in portland, called ella posie

yet another beautiful discovery!

oh george. darling george.

it all started as a joke,

or maybe wishful thinking between two friends...

right here. at tamara's blog.










and if you're in canada and watching CTV's eTalk at 7pm...

you just might see elaine from www.laineygossip.com

wearing one of these shirts.

kind of like our own little premiere.

oh dear. what have we me and tamara done?

www.mistersandmisses.com

but it would be awfully sweet if you help share the word too.

just because we reckon,

george clooney for president!

yup.

and because girls will be girls.

once upon a time ago...

once upon a time ago...

i had a gallery. which was simply called galerie neun.

it's been a couple of years since i closed the door now,

however sometimes it feels like yesterday.

either in my own memory,

or when approached by people on the street.

it wasn't the longest chapter of my life,

but i can say, it was a chapter that seems to have left it's impression.


yes, sometimes it's still a painful chapter,

and sometimes a chapter that leaves me with a smile.


it was actually through the gallery,

that i had met susan, as she was travelling through.

sometimes i believe we meet people for a reason,

and yes, the both of us were destined to meet.


there are times, i wish that money possibly wasn't the issue it is,

and i could pick myself up,

find a lovely place by the sea

and open shop again.


today, was yet another meeting at the gallery.

i like to think it's part of the healing,

the letting go, and the beginning again.


i had a moment of closing my eyes,

and i could see it all over again.

oh rena. dear rena.

the lovely rena from rare device in brooklyn

mentioned some press is coming our way the other day.

of course, that's always good news that leaves me absolutely ecstatic.

but better yet, is when we can read about it in her blog.


and the photograph above, is from joana in portugal

not part of the series she photographed for omondieu!,

but from a visit to her grandmother's house.


and evertime i see this photo,

it always makes me smile.

tell me...

"tell me,

what is it you plan to do

with your one wild

and precious life?"

- mary oliver -



[photograph of my mom and dad,

once back when...]

celebrating...

today, i'm celebrating.

which means i even got dressed up for work.

not something that happens often,

considering you'll often find me at noon,

still in my jammies, still not under the shower,

until i take lenny bo benny out for his afternoon walk.

and then get dressed up.

yes, do i admit here, that i'm one that never leaves the house

without her lipstick?


but today, i'm wearing my new black skirt,

a black turtle neck and tailored jeans jacket.

accented of course with a big and beautiful gwendolyn's rose,

as well as a ring that i don't yet have up on the website

and my new gold coin layered necklace.

i like it because it tinkers sweet and i play plenty with it.

especially while thinking.

i'm still wearing my necklace from andrea,

a most precious gift, and a lucky charm so to speak.

but i have that tucked under my turtleneck at the moment,

as i do always need it near.


but when you're self employed,

and basically the girl for everything.

you often have days that feel more unproductive

than they do productive.

i try to justify it, in saying it's sowing seeds.

but needless to say, there are days that even that justification doesn't help.


and then there are the moments, that everything feels

like it's coming together.

and magical things happen.


yesterday in itself was rather uneventful.

working on fleurs, trying to get packages completed

to be sent on their way.

catching up on emails i'm way behind on,

and messing around with the new project that tamara and i are working on.

but in the evening, suddenly there was an abundance of good news.

susan from the artstream gallery wrote to say,

that yet another photograph was sold.

i was already so thrilled and overwhelmed

with the sales and the resonance from the last exhibit.

photographs primarily from my café series, taken in venice, paris and london.

black and whites, and observations simply taken in cafés

[very intimate places for me...]

so with a new exhibit of new artists already on in the gallery,

i really wasn't expecting this as a follow up,

as well as two more photographs from the limited edition

that i need to send again.

so i'm hoping that the new camera will happen soon,

reminder to the self, to finally finish working on the portfolio]

and once the new camera is very definitely mine,

i reckon that a trip to paris will soon be on the agenda too.

exploring and discovering with open eyes.


and so one found me with a big smile on my face yesterday.

a smile that said thank you susan. she's been absolutely amazing to work with.

supporting the arts and the artists in a most fabulous way.


but more good news kept coming in.

catherine, an editor from one of my favourite canadian fashion magazines

wrote to say she'd like to bring the poesie shirts in the june or july issue.

and a fabulous boutique from chicago contacted me,

showing interest in the fleurs,

and very possibly the poesie shirts as well.

i've had such a continious great online response from chicago,

especially after the daily candy feature.

however this will be [fingers crossed] the first boutique in chicago

carrying the collection.

then the request to be a part of a LA Lakers celebrity charity evening.

i still have to decide on that. definitely a great oppurtunity,

and usually these have a big price tag for participation,

however this would simply be a product donation

and of course, for a good cause.

damn that i don't live in los angeles,

as she asked if i'd like tickets to the event as well?


so yes, it's simply a reminder that even the days

that feel as though you work yourself in circles

and can't see the direction you are heading...

do sow their seeds. planting for good things along the way.


good things, like yesterday.

and that is something to celebrate.

there, he said it!

and he couldn't have said it better...

i applaud you george!

with all the more admiration, awe and respect than i already had!

[and it's just not fair, that he's just not so good at all it does,

rather looks just as good too.

oh george.]


and i think it's time we all said what we believe in.

monday babbles...

monday again. almost startling how fast days move

and change from one day to the next and next and next.

some days i feel like i should still be stuck

in the middle of february.

and here we are with already in march midway.

i had a lovely early start today. and getting the fresh air

first thing in the morning with the pup was definitely

the happiness of the day so far.

i'm in the studio, surrounding myself with the fleurs

doing inventory of what was sold at the trunk show on saturday

and preparing three more packages that i need to send away.

one going to cologne and some lovely ladies at the grundy tv network.

a few of the girls got their hands on the flowers a few weeks ago

and then a nice big order came in from some of the other girls that wanted.

so i suggested just sending them a whole big package that they can keep

for a few weeks. maybe showing more colleagues and friends.

then another package for the floral & home store we were at this weekend.

she was really smitten with the blooms and would like to carry them herself.

should be good, as i reckon her own girls are already the biggest fans,

each of them having bought almost enough for each finger already.

and then a package for a salon here in lahr.

for some reason, salons always sell the fleurs well.

most be something in the need for women to treat themselves to something new

after getting colour, cut and style?

i know that i'm always a candidate for such things.

alex' package for haus 13 in offenburg is finished as well,

i just have to get myself or petra over there to deliver it.

there are a few locations that i want to contact this week for meetings,

not so much for the fleurs, but for the new poesie shirts.

and i really have to get myself working on the lovely letters

getting the website designed, the shop built,

figure out affiliate things and then the copy editing. ugh.

and needless to say, hoping that me and tamara can unveil

our little playful and girlfully silly new project this week too.

but right now, all i really want to do is close my eyes.

i swear, i could fall asleep right on this chair.

and strangely, today is a blue sky, promise of spring day.

i should be just blossoming with energy.


yesterday was lovely sweet and absolutely lazy.

i treated myself to a sleep in. well deserved after saturday

and a twelve hour on the feet day at the trunk show.

regine came by around noon and we had coffee here first

before heading off to another flower shop that had open sunday

and my feng shui consultant was doing presentations

so i wanted to go to be her cheering squad.

i can't wait until i few of the renovations at home start happening.

unfortunately all low budget at the moment.

but there's the new big red couch to look forward to

and the throw rug too of course. and the chandelier.

then i'll simply paint and stay with the white walls to keep things light

rearrange and replace the wall art.

i reckon it's time to add my own photographs to the walls,

as well as the gold baroque mirrors i still have from the gallery.

and then plants. i need more plants.

the rest i'll have to work towards step by step.

but spring is always the time to start longing for new.

and at the moment, i wish i could do a complete revamp of the entire house.

i did treat myself to a few knick knacks over the weekend.

a lovely ceramic heart that has a crackle glasur in a soft pistachio green.

she's currently on the window sill in the kitchen.

simone and i did a bit of a trade at the trunk show,

so i also got me some lovely smelling satchets for the dresser and the wardrobe

cucumber and melon. and now everything in the bedroom smells subtly yummy.

myself included?

then yesterday, i bought the sweetest little angel,

with rhinestones and soft pastels.

i have her hanging on the kitchen wall too at the moment

but i think she'll be finding her way to the bedroom once i revamp there.

and of course, a lovely rose patterned coffee mug and saucer

[which is actually a soap tray, but too perfect for this cup]

it's very nostalgic of my poesie shirt collection

so i reckoned she'll be good for more inspiration along the way.

yes, yes. me and coffee mugs and tea cups.

regine and i finished the day by heading off to the bistro in offenburg.

still a bit tad to be sitting outside,

but we got ourselves a cozy corner and good coffee.

perfect for sundays.

and i guess it's time to get back to my fleurs.

i'm determined to make and keep my list of things to do this week

but also going easy on the self.

i have a habit for making the lists too long, too big.

but this week is dedicated to one step. then the next step.

patti is coming by to pick me up to go walking at 7 o'clock this evening

and friday me and the girls will be off to freiburg.

treating ourselves to an afternoon off.

shopping and cafés and a lovely yummy dinner.

i reckon, this is already promising to be a great great week!

let there be light.

finally. i have my little chandelier.

for weeks, i've been on ebay trying to get my hands

on the one or other chandelier.

in this house where everything feels like it's falling apart

and not really a budget to be working with,

i need more lamps.

in the living room. the hallway. the bedroom.

and while i'm at it, i reckon for the upstairs office as well.

the couch is already on it's way and during that time

the living room is getting a bit of a revamp.

[i promised myself, that this time yes,

i'll take the before and the after photographs]


and just a few minutes ago

i finally landed a good auction on a chandelier

much less than what all the others were selling for,

regardless if new or antique.

for fourty euro, this isn't bad at all.


i'm still not sure if this is the bedroom chandelier,

or the hallway or living room chandelier.

but i reckon she'll decide where she wants to be when she gets here.


oh, she's so gloriously kitschy. and that makes her beautiful.


and yes, this was one of the things on my list today

sometimes i really do believe,

that just by writing wishes and wants down,

we really do make them come true.


let there be light.

100 ideas... life is a wish jar

i'm a list writer.

always have been, since childhood days.

whether i write a list of things to do

for the day, the week, the month.

or i write a list of day dreams and wishes and wants.

and at the end of every day, i make a list [even if just in my mind]

of all the things that made me happy, or made me smile.

or simply the things i am thankful for.

it's like the perfect lullaby putting me to sleep.



and then there is keri's beautiful and playful list.

100 ideas.

but i think her most important words on the list

are those in the beginning.

simply said "a work in progress"

because that's what our life, each and every day

always should be.


what is on your list today?

wanting spring... part ii

my lenny. bo benny.

wanting spring...

i'm in the midsts of putting some photographs together for the local press.

announcing a trunk show that we'll be doing at one of the most beautiful flower shops here in the area this coming saturday.

and going over the pictures again and again, i found these. and now i must confess, i had totally forgotten this session. with simone, my niece and lenny, who at this time was still just a pup.

looking outside my window right now, i overlook exactly these fields where we took the photos. so to speak, this is [un]officially my backyard. the view from where i write, and from the bedroom too.

however, right now, it's white, the branches are bare and even with reflecting light, there's a lull of grey. but these photos are just the reminder and the promise for me, that soon, spring too will once again be here.

i think the colour of the day should be green. lush lush green.

oh paris... part II

tamara, i guess this photo is now dedicated to you.

and us, having coffee in paris. come summer.

oh hurry up girl. and just get here soon!


[taken on a sunday morning, once upon a time ago. in paris.]

cold hands and warm hearts

it is march. and really it should feel like spring outside.

and not the first winter days of the season.

but it's still leaving me quietly happy,

because if only every winter day really were as it was today.

things would be sweet. lovely sweet.

soft crunchy snow. and blue skies.


i just got back from a walk with pup.

my lenny bo benny pup.

angry with the self that we didn't take the camera today

but a part of that could also be explained

by the fact that mr. lenny also recently mistook camera

as a favourite new toy of his.

so along with the growing list of "needs"

including dishwasher, mobile phone, lamps, couch, vacuum

and as of today coffee machine,

there's also a new camera on the list.

kind of leaves me gasping for my breath

wondering how all this "new" is to happen?

but the couch is on it's way. lovely big and red.

and i have my heart set on another chandelier

that i'm determinded to call mine.


but whenever lenny and i come back from a walk,

we always stop to say hello to bono.

it's just been over a year since we've had to say good bye

and i still miss the boy with all my heart.

i like to think he's around. in his own little way.


but right now, i have lenny curled up at my feet,

sleeping and dreaming of running in the fields,

and everything feels just fine. the way a sunday should.

oh paris...

walking thru paris.

again, although just in memories,

because someone reminded me thru their sweet sweet words.

the best[est] part

so it really makes me wonder,

that even though being a big girl now,

and all these years...

licking off the batter of the cake from the beaters,

is always the best[est] part of baking a cake.


i now have a yummy banana nut loaf in the kitchen

and there's a photograph of older days in my mind.

me standing on the stool, leaning over the kitchen counter,

watching my mother bake a cake.

i think the next time i go home,

that's a photograph i have to find once again.

for some reason, it's one of the pictures through out all the years,

that literally photographed its memory into my mind.


it's late. and i think i'm on my way to bed.

but at this moment,

i'm very much having a "miss you mom" moment.

wondering if eating another slice of cake is going to help?

saturdays.

some saturdays have a feeling or an urge of productive. some saturdays have a feeling and an urge of laziness. translate that to unproductive. today i suppose, is one of those saturdays that i feel stuck in the middle, between the two.

i reckon there's no house cleaning happening on my plan today. something that maybe should be on the plan, but yesterday's quick tidy of the kitchen and bathroom, a sweep thru the living room was enough for me. there is a spring cleaning inspiring itself in my mind, but looking out the window right now, it is everything but spring. in all my years living in germany, snow is a rarity. especially when you come from the likes of edmonton and canada. but this winter, has been unlike all the previous years.

snowflakes. lots and lots of pretty snowflakes leaving everything looking like it's been sprinkled with icing sugar.

i have yet to get my groceries today either. must remember to make the list. have decided that banana bread is being made today. after baking cakes the past two weeks, and not having baked for the past beyond me years, i also have no explanation for where this desire to bake is coming from. mind you, there are carrots in the fridge as well, so a carrot cake could be on the plan, but i reckon banana this week, carrot cake next week and i'll be damned if i'm eating more than just a piece myself. so that said, why am i really even baking?

senseless ramblings today.

i also reckon that now is a good time to head off downstairs. either work on flowers, or simply more purging, organising, flipping thru magazines [that are meant to find their way into the bin] and simply giving myself that sensation of productivity, in a lazy sort of way.

these are saturdays. maybe they are meant to be simply lived, and without agenda.

loose change

.

loose change.

i don't know what to say. i really don't.

but i do believe, that this has to be shared and shown.

with open mind, open eyes and a open heart.

watch and listen. here.

.