New York City Tales: NYNow, CitiBikeNY, Vogue etc.....

With the beautiful Stacy Kunstel and
 Dunes and Duchess Candelabra

Whilst my body has landed back in Amsterdam my brain is still in NYC. An amazing week with a packed schedule, great encounters and full of inspiration!

I started of with NYNow to scout some interesting products for my Flagship Store in Amsterdam. As for lamp bases I went to visit my favorite designers Stacy and Michael of Dunes and Duchess. I selected some beautiful sconces in the most amazing colors which will first grace the walls of my booth at  MaisonObjet in Paris. The other lamps I loved were Julian Chichester's new etched glass designs.

My favorite color and shape from
Julian Chichester's new range

What made my week especially enjoyable is CitiBikeNYC. It gave me so much freedom grabbing a bike to anywhere I needed to be. From my lunch date with the Brooklyn Contessa to my appointment at the Conde Nast headquarters in Time Square :). Girl on (w)heels!!!!

Off to Conde Nast #citibikenyc #prada

I know this is hardly a snippet of all my NYC adventures but I am going to see Woody Allen's new movie Blue Jasmin right now so I am signing off! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday xox

Connecting the dots and New Press: French Architectural Digest

French Architectural Digest issue featuring my designs

Coco Ikat wallpaper (black and white) and Jungle Fever tray

Home Office/Atelier of the struggling creative brain...

 "...you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." Steve Jobs (from his Commencement address at Stanford June 12, 2005).


There are days that I struggle. My head is spilling over, my to do lists growing...Priorities, priorities...It is mostly Mondays, my day 'off'. My financials are spread out next to my paintbrushes and I feel guilty grabbing a brush in stead of a file. But I let my gut feeling take over and jump as I do with many things.... Steve Jobs was a wise man. When I make my choices I trust that what I do is right even though at those very moments it doesn't always make sense. Receiving the spread today from French Architectural Digest connects an important dot for me. It keeps me going in MY direction with sheer determination!

Never listened to Steve Jobs' Commencement address? You should! Click here.

Torn between 'being' Martha Stewart and Juliette Binoche

My little writing nook

Where to start (again) and do I actually want to give my blog a boost again. I certainly know my parents will cheer as they were my biggest fans!
Since I have started my Flagship Store in Amsterdam I have been so overly consumed by it that my blog became one of these mountains I was dreading to climb.
I have no regrets starting the Store. It has given me so much insight, but boy it is an extra full-time job on top of all my activities as an artist, designer, 'empire builder' and mum.
There are days that I feel torn between 'being' Martha Stewart and Juliette Binoche (in her role as Vianne Rocher in Chocolat). Maybe I am a little naive thinking I can handle both sides of the trade: building an international lifestyle brand on the one hand and personally advising customers in my Store. I just want to elevate people's spirits with what I do and create whether it be on large or small scale, whether it be in my public or private life.
Am I overly committed? YES. Am I stubborn? YES that too and much more......and I am trying very, very hard not to apologize for being me.

I have to admit that I do miss the writing and if I jot things down in my diary why can't I just write and share it with you?

"All the things I love is what my business is all about." Martha Stewart

Inspiration: My city Amsterdam (and running)

Amstel Hotel on one of my early morning runs taken with Instagram

City of Lights PC Hooftstraat

Amstel river

 

One of my store windows with the Graphic Daisy collection

View from my store on to the Singel canal

Storefront in the evening

I often get the question where I get my inspiration from. The better question is: what does not inspire me! I am a walking (and talking) sponge. Of course travelling, museums, the usual suspects...but I also find inspiration daily just from biking around in my beautiful city, meeting up with friends for a coffee or dinner, people walking in the park, running along the Amstel river....simple daily life reallly...
Before I started my Flagship store in the historic centre I was bouncing all over the planet and I didn;t really know yet where I was heading to. Starting the store has given me a foundation, more structure and focus but it also keeps me more 'in town', but no worries I still do travel enough :).
Here are some snapshots of the last week or so which I hope will inspire you!
HAPPY SUNDAY FROM AMSTERDAM!

You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter for more regular up-dates (oh yes and I do have Pinterest too :)) and for running I use the Nike app click here if you want to know more.

Ground Rules (and Homes&Gardens YEAH!!)

Feature in Dutch magazine ELEGANCE (Dec issue) shot in my house

Author and producer Eva Posthuma de Boer with actor husband
 Frank Lammers looking glam with my lampshades as back drop

On the bed surrounded by my pillow designs

Snapshot of my store today lamp by Matthieu Challieres,
Painting: Lemon Tea, oil on canvas (Mariska Meijers)

MILESTONE! My Ikat traytable in British Homes and Gardens

"With" Snoopdogg at the PAN Artfair :)

At the PAN Amsterdam art fair #inspiration!

Meeting up with no 1 DJ in the world Armin van Buuren
(and he is a lawyer too like me :))

According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 'ground rules' means 'the basic rules or principles on which future actions or behaviour should be based'.
Reason to write about this was triggered by yet another email from an aspiring designer wanting to know HOW I DO IT (building a 'successful' brand etc etc etc).
By nature I am a person that loves to help others but as there are only 24 hrs in a day I just can't give the individual attention to everyone (and I have had to promise a good friend to stop apologizing for that :)).
So here are some of my ground rules that I like to share.
(1) START NOW, take action. A lot of people talk about their dreams, keep pondering but don't take actual steps. I know it can be really scary, but
(2) FACE YOUR FEARS, put your teeth into them, swallow and digest...
(3) FOLLOW YOUR GUT FEELING and don't let others put you down.

It all may sound too simple and I know it just isn't simple because if it was, less people would ask me how I do it :). And lets face reality what you see (of me) is the result of endless effort, trying, failing and trying again, over and over. There are days that I feel that I am getting nowhere, there are disappointments.... But still it makes me smile sometimes how people can even think things come easy to me. I only wish.....  (4) IT IS HARD WORK. So press on, dedicate your time but make sure you do it al with (5) PASSION because where there is no passion there is no joy. (6) LET GO and enjoy the ride because life is too short to linger and look back. Make your own ground rules TODAY!

And above some snapshots from my last 2 weeks including a real milestone, my first publication in British magazine Homes and Gardens and 8 page feature in Dutch magazine ELEGANCE. And as you can see work also includes fun, going places and meeting inspiring people!

I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My succes is based on persistence, not luck.

Estee Lauder

LIVING IS TASTING AND TASTING IS LIVING

With the Bauble I designed for Margot Janse

For David Higgs

Bauble for Claire Clark being installed. Heavy duty!

Jerome Nutile in the court yard of The Grand

Having a laugh with Clair Clark (one of many :))

Margo Janse with charming Carsten Klint

David Higgs and Andrew Gaskell. Great team work in the Kitchen!

Jerome Nutile in progress at Social Sofa!

Bauble for Ron Blaauw (** Michelin stars)

For Claire Clark!! (hey they tell me you cook for the Queen :))

Relaxing after dinner with Joe Barza and Lise Timmer

With Vincent Farges

Women power! With Margot Janse

Kiki Moya admiring his Bauble with Andrew Gaskell

an impression of my sketches for the 11 designs

Impression of Sofitel the Grand with the 'Christmas" baubles

For Vincent Farges

For David Higgs

Regine le Brun and Lise Timmer admiring "Athul Kochar"

 

GM of The Grand  Robert-Jan Woltering (Bauble for Frank Rosin)

For Joe Barza

For Wolfgang Becker

"Living is tasting and tasting is living" in Dutch "Leven is proeven en proeven is leven". Such a true quote from Margot Janse! Dare to taste life and go for your passion, take risks and yes there is a price to pay (sometimes). I know all to well :}} and that is why I felt so at home last weekend!
Since a few years I have been lucky enough to attend the amazing annual Stars, Food and Art event organized by my friend and partner in crime Lise Timmer (Goeman Borgesius) of Clafoutis. This event started in Amsterdam about 6 years ago at the Hotel Legend Sofitel The Grand in Amsterdam (but has now become a worldwide Sofitel event). This wonderful hotel also happens to be a client of mine for who I provide designs and artwork. For the event of last week I was asked to design 11 "Christmas" baubles representing the 11 Chefs participating at this spectacular culinary event.
It took me quite a bit of mind breaking moments before I had figured out the designs, each of which had to be inspired by a Chef.
Mwaaaaaahhhhh I just did it, don't ask me how but the 11 Baubles were proudly presented last week at the event to be sold for charity: SOS Kinderdorpen. *

But all in life is relative. I thought I was facing a challenge.... meeting the Chefs and spending time in the kitchen I take a humble bow. Chefs are colleague artists but their performance contrary to mine has to be flawless AT THE VERY MOMENT it is expected from them. As an artist I can hide with my sketchbook or canvas, throwing away my initial doodles, but it is nothing compared to the pressure cooker of the kitchen. As a Chef you have to deliver right there and then! It was amazingly perfect and seeing the interaction and teamwork between the Chefs breathtaking. Big thank you to all to let me participate, taste and be inspired.... the team of Hotel Legend Sofitel The Grand, Lise Timmer, Claire Clark, Margot Janse, Ron Blaauw, Joe Barza, Jerome Nutile, Frank Rosin, Wolfgang Becker, David Higgs, Vincent Farges, Kiko Moya and Athul Kochar. Every single one of them an amazing passionate person that strives for the best and at the same time deserves the best :)!

*This project would not have been possible without the relentless energy and workforce of Social Sofa who excecuted all my designs in such a fantastic way!

Life is a Marathon (ok make it a double:))

Just Do it!

Because we need to burn 3 Michelin Star Chocolates!

With 3 Michelin Star chef Thomas Buhner of La Vie and his
agent Lise Timmer

Sleeping in Walhalla (yes that is really the name of this hotel!) 

Having my wall papers photographed for the website

Photo shoot at my home for Dutch Glossy

tools for the shoot

Make-up please!

My own line of scented candles made in France has arrived!

Sunday morning: breakfast in bed for my kids....

Feet up!

Life is not all about pretty pictures. In my last post I was writing about peace of mind, and yes I am continuing to try to live a life less stressful and not too much anxiety for my doing. What helps me tremendously in times of emotional and/or work related stress is running. Over the last year or so my running habit slowed down and so did my overall energy level. It was a downward spiral and it was quite a mental and physical struggle to get myself out of it. Before the summer holidays I promised myself to take a turn for the better and I kick started my daily runs while on holiday.
Running helps to clear my mind, to focus and feel happy. A friend pointed me to the Nike+ running app which I have been using now for about a week. I love it because I was quite clueless about my distance, pace, calorie burn etc. Click here if you want to know more about Nike+.
Running supports me in running my life's marathon: JUST DO IT!
Above are some snapshots of last fortnight's 'marathon'.
Wishing you all a fruitful week ahead! x