Recovery Mode

Photo via Instagram

My last post was about striking the right balance. I have to confess that while writing that post I was more off balance than ever. Returning from holidays I was hit by a sledge hammer while on the balance beam. It made me crashing down resulting in the worst concussion. All metaphorically speaking of course but still....I had the symptoms of one. Confusion, headache, nausea, vomiting.....

For the last 3 weeks (which is the average recovery period for a concussion) I have been mulling over what hit me, a painful and very personal process. I am still confused but the world keeps turning and there is no use in lingering. Luckily the store and having to prepare for the Maison et Objet has kept me going. However, I could not have done this without the wonderful support of family and friends. Thank you for being there for me xox.

"We have a choice of how we view the obstacles on our life path.
One choice makes us slaves to circumstance,
while the other empowers us, and motivates us
to follow our dreams - and our happiness."

Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Striking the Right Balance

Annemarth & Mauk

Yes I have been off the radar for a bit. It has been such a busy year so far. Especially setting up and running my flagship store in Amsterdam has been extremely demanding. Everybody is suffering from less attention on my part. Not only friends and fans but especially my family, my loved ones, two of which happen to be my son Mauk (14) and daughter Annemarth (16). Didn't I change careers to have more (free) time.... I can't help wanting to be successful in what I do whether it was in my previous banking life or now with my art and designs. And well... actually as a single mum I can't afford not to be successful otherwise I would need to look for another job! It is hard and I struggle everyday, mostly with a smile, finding the right balance. But what is the right balance....what is "right", who decides what is "right" and for whom...? It is so personal and there are so many involved that it is seems almost impossible to do it "right" for everyone.....
Aarrrrgh this is what is keeping me awake tonight, a sort of "Carry Bradshaw" column like question. It makes my head spin and so does the jet lag as we just arrived back from New Orleans. We (my kids and I) bounced around the US visiting friends and family (and of course I squeezed in a bit of work here and there) but by the smiles on their faces I dare to say that at least for them I stroke the right balance during this exciting trip (and build some credits along the road).

"I get up every single day and I do my very best with what I am and what I have.."
Elizabeth Gilbert

Friends Steven & Isabel (left) riding the Street Car with Annemarth & Mauk (New Orleans)

#INTERIORSPHOTOMONTH #INSTAGRAM

#interiorsphotomoth #candle

#interiorsphotomonth #couch

#interiorsphotomonth #natural

#interiorsphotomonth #bargain

#interiorsphotomonth #light

#interiorsphotomonth #books

Besides working my a.... off I am having fun everyday with #interiorsphotomonth on #instagram. Everyone participating is so creative taking shots of one interior subject a day. Join the fun today and experience how others see! Don't know where to start? Click here to follow initiator Jen Bishop of Interiors Addict and look up the calendar with subjects.

In the Press (Netherlands, UK, US)!

Dutch Women's weekly Vriendin

My store on bright young thing Will Taylor's blog!

More store tales on Louise's 30's magazine

From the UK. Thank you Carole!

And last but not least from the US Kiki's list

Just to share some of the latest media attention (Netherlands, UK & US). First of all a beautiful 4 page spread og my home (before I painted everything dark grey) in Dutch Women's weekly "Vriendin" and furthermore online tours of my shop on Will Taylor's colorful Bright Bazaar, Louise de Miranda's 30s Magazine, Dear Designers (by Carol King, editor in Chief of HeartHome magazine) and Krista Salmon's Kiki's list.
Thank you all! HAPPY FRIDAY!

Focus (mwaaaaa)!

#Vignette in my livingroom #interiorsphotomonth via Instagram

Do you ever have trouble with focus. I do, big time. My mind is always racing in thousand directions. When ever that happens a run usually works to clear my mind, but today even that has not helped. I am sitting behind my Mac and have been going back and forth between emails, Twitter, Instagram, blog, Facebook, internet banking, Iphone, landline...I feel that I have achieved nothing today. Hello FOCUS where have you gone? There is sooooo much stuff to be done and all I want to do right now is play with my paints. I keep telling myself that the best thing to do is to let go. Leave the long "to do" list for what it is, start playing without feeling guilty and start over refreshed.
One of the things that got me side tracked today (in a fun way) is the #interiorsphotomonth on Instagram which I happened to come across via Table Tonic's Instagram (Louise I keep admiring you how you manage it all!). Today is #vignette day. #interiorsphotomonth is an initiative of Jen Bishop of Interiors Addict.

Off to attack some paper and paints to relax my cluttered mind!

Shop Tales: just some random Instagram pictures

Vintage cup on MM birch wood tray surrounded by MM color popping pillows

Mariska Meijers Electric Ikat Tray with vintage Limoges plate

Flowers & Mood Board

Store front on Singel 434, Amsterdam

Detail of an Interior painting I am working on in the store

part of my creative space in the store

I must admit I just love having a shop! Talking to clients gives me such positive energy and inspiration. The beauty is that they come from all over the world. Small problem (currently ahum) is time management. I midst designing new items for the Maison et Objet in September, including wallpaper and carpets, finishing some paintings, mentally preparing for a US trip with my kids, redecorating my house.....call me crazy....So here is some random pictures  of the store I have taken with Instagram, a very addictive iphone app (which you all propably already know!). Care to follow my creative adventures on Instagram?

Our Flagship Store in the Press! Naturelle Magazine

In the summer of 2005 I met Annemique de Kroon. She was doing a feature on me for Joie de Vivre Magazine. At the time I was still married living in a "grown-up" house and at the start of my creative journey. By the time the article was published I was in the middle of a divorce and living on a houseboat. Things change, evolve, for the better....
7 years later Annemique steps in to my store on the Singel canal. Suprised to find me there in a place which has my name on the windows! Like me Annemique has taken the road of entrepreneurship. She has created Naturelle Magazine. A beautifully styled online magazine about interior decorating, travelling, cooking and living well, green and consciously. The issue includes amongst others an interview with Yogini Seane Corne and features the inspiring homes of Maryam Montague and Martin Paternotte. Thank you Annemique for giving my store attention (and I did not mind being on the same page as Shannon Fricke :)). To read the issue click here!

Our Flagship Store in Sweet Paul Magazine!

Picture: courtesy Sweet Paul Magazine

From Sweet Paul Magazine (picture bottom right page: my store)

From Sweet Paul Magazine

Honoured to be mentioned in the latest issue of Sweet Paul Magazine. Sweet Paul's market editor Will Taylor  (who also is founder of one of the most colourful blogs on the planet Bright Bazaar) gives his colourful perspective on shopping, dining and sleeping in Amsterdam. Here is what he says about my store: 

"A case in point was discovering the newly opened Mariska Meijers Amsterdam - they recently opened their premier location on the Singel Canal. 

Located just between Jordaan's 9 Straatjes (9 streets) and the Bloemenmarkt (Flowermarket), the creative aesthetic of artist - designer Mariska Meijers is a perfect fit for the area as it matches the eclectic attitude of the 9 Streets and the colourful floral theme of the market. Be sure to stop by Mariska's original designs across a mix of homeaccessories and furniture, all complimented by an ever evolving collection of art, antiques and vintage furniture."

No need to say that Will and Paul made me very happy :). Thank you, thank you!! And for those of you not familiar with Sweet Paul Magazine and its founder : Paul is an amazing food and prop stylist who moved from Oslo to New York to live, love and create. The magazine is his baby and a must read for all of you who love to live the good life (and don't want to munch on salad leaves everyday :)).  Enjoy the ride uhhh I mean read. Click here to go to the latest issue.

Shop Tales: Happy Clients including Decor8 :)

Photo: Courtesy Holly Becker/Decor8

 

 

Photo: Courtesy Marijke Beumer

Having a store is a whole other ball game... I already admired wonderful store owners/interior designers like Anna Spiro (Brisbane), Elizabeth Bauer (New York) and Abigail Ahern (London) but wow how do they manage to run their businesses with such seemingly effortless ease? Having my own store makes me really take my hat off for these power houses in the interior design business. Clueless I stepped into my new adventure and I learn along the way. Logistics, book keeping, buying, stock taking whaaaaaa it is certainly not only about creating lovely vignettes and interiors (and not even that is simple :)). It is soooooo much more. But at the end of the day it is happy customers that make it absolutely worthwhile, because after all the proof is in the pudding!
What I love about my store is the combination of my own art and designs with the work of other artists and designers and vintage furniture and objects that I love. It feels like my second home.
We have been open for just over a month now and what amazes me is how clients already know where to find us eventough we have hardly had the time to market the store. But hurray for social media! Sharing pictures on Instagram for example is ideal for making the store visible!
This is how founder of hugely popular blog Decor 8, Holly Becker fell in love with the beautiful range of lamps by Parisian designer Matthieu Challieres. Holly treated herself to one of these gems because she has just finished her second book called Decorate Notebook which is already on presale on Amazon!
Another happy client is interior designer Marijke Beumer who fell for one of the glass vintage tables we have in the store.  She uses it as a display piece for her collection of books, vintage finds and Hermes boxes. If you like to see more of Marijke's style, her studio apartment in Amsterdam was featured amongst others on Heather Clawson's blog Habitually Chic!

The vintage table has found a happy new home but we still have some Challieres lamps in stock! Interested? Send me an email at info@mariskameijers.com.

PRESS! ADORE HOME MAGAZINE: THE ART EDITION

Adore Home new issue is online! This time Loni Parker and her team have made it a spectacular Art Edition. I feel honoured to be featured amongst a group of talented Australian artists. To name a few: Abbey McCulloch, Kate Banazi and Megan Hess. Wishing you an inspiring weekend because reading the issue will spur your creativity!
Thank you Loni and team for the wonderful feature and thank you Henny van Belkom for the beautiful photography!
Click here to read Adore Home: The Art Edition!

Shop Tales: The Opening!

In one word: wow! The official launch of the shop on the 2nd of May which also happened to be my birthday!  Celebrating an important milestone surrounded by an amazing group of people. Friends, family, business partners, clients...... I was a real cry baby that day. So many emotions.
I thought it would be best to share my friend Elizabeth Kleinveld's speech which she handed to me afterwards, handwritten on the above Picasso card.

"Mariska,

I remember first seeing you at the playground of school and hearing about all of the adventures you'd had at ABN AMRO Bank around the world. Exciting I thought. Who would have known that within 8 years you would have completely changed careers and would establish this beautiful flagship store to launch your make?
And yet if there 's anyone I know who has the determination and drive to achieve their vision, its you. The road here hasn't always been easy I dare say. It will still have its ups and downs. But you are a role model for each and everyone of us who dares to believe in their dreams believe in. And so she has - by opening this boutique Mariska has committed to her dream. Lets toast the birthday girl who surrounds us with her beauty and magic. If only we be so bold! As a famous German philosopher once said:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

    


What is there to add when somebody says this to you. I felt tiny.....but wow also proud! Here is selection of pictures of the eventful opening of the Mariska Meijers Amsterdam Flagship Store! Thank you friends, family, supportive clients, fans...I could not have done this without you! xox

With friends Tom and Dianne Lugard

With dear friend and author Lise Goeman Borgesius

Champagne and Flowers!

With Jan Willem Loor (Schaap & Citroen Jewellers)

Camera rolling for the mini dock with artists Elizabeth Kleinveld
and E Paul Julien

With actress and director Medina Schuurman & Son

With architect friend Marcia Sookha

Small and big guests arriving by bike!

speechless... listening to speech

Couturier Peter Rommers and partner Hans Hinssen

With museum director Carine de Meyere

My adorable daughter Annemarth as bartender

enjoying a quiet moment with my love Herb Prooy