Amsterdam.

Amsterdam was so lovely, we enjoyed cylcing in the city, take the boat, and have good food. During my stay in Amsterdam I hung up 1 ‘word for strangers’, he’s on a special place. The first person who will find the note will get a surprise from me.

5 places that are worth a visit when you are in Amsterdam:

Café Latei
Zeedijk 143
a place with delicious coffee’s and lunch. Coffee meets second hand store.

Foam – museum of photography
Keizersgracht 609
A beautiful museum where we saw a nice exhibition about Erik Kessels

De grachten
Walk next to the little canals, and look at all the houses. The people in Amsterdam certainly love plants, inside and outside.

De taart van m’n tante
Ferdinant Bolstraat 10
For the best cakes in the world !

NDSM-werf
Amsterdam-north (you have to take a boat to get there)
A nice industrial place with old buildings and boats. you can find a little café called ‘Noorderlicht’, and a big barn filled with ateliers of artists. Certainly worth a visit !

Boedapest.

My holiday was great ! I loved being in Hungary. We enjoyed the sun, fresh lemonades and lang walks to discover the city. I’m an early-bird, so while my friends were asleep I took care of the breakfast, went to the supermarket, made walks in the city that was still asleep, did sudoku’s on our terras (which was in a very beautiful old building). Oh, how I love this sunny early morning. Next year we’ll visit Portugal ! Yay !

* I love the soevenir-shops in Boedapest because they were filled with hand-painted-puppets.
* I love the Hungarian coins with the birds on the back-side
* On friday I go to Amsterdam for 3 days
* Just discovered this band, love them.

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Cologne.

A trip of 2 days, and we have vistited 3 coutries, first Belgium, the next stop was the Netherlands and then Germany. We visited textile companies, trend-bureaus and a museum. There was a lot to see on those two days.

One of the companies that we have visited was Vlisco. They produce african fabrics with batik-techniques and printings. It was amazing to see the production-proces, I’m always amazed by the fact that machines can produce beautiful fabrics. Oh, and they had this grand archive where I could spend hours and hours. It was filled with fabrics, old stamps, colours, … .

I found some little samples on the ground in the factory, and I took them home with me, as a souvernir. Like I found the feather and the Ginkgo-leave on the ground in Cologne yesterday. I also have a new collection of postcards, I bought them at “Ludwig museum” in Cologne.

It was a lovely little trip. Soon more pictures.
Happy weekend !

Berlin.

We had such an amazing time in Berlin. We filled our days with a lot of walking, window looking, coffee-drinking, …. . To be honest we didn’t visited any museum. We just walked, but that was more than perfect.

In Berlin I finally met the most lovely woman, Geneviève. She was the first who I start writing with, so she’s very special to me. Like she said, it’s like the “imaginary friends” become real friends. I never forget the nice day I spend with her (and my 4 friends), and hope I’ll see her back soon.

Soon I show you more pictures of my Berlin finds, and some nice addresses.
Enjoy your weekend.

oh, and I loved the Brezels in Berlin a lot !

Up to Berlin.

Just a collection of nice things.

Made a wallet this weekend from a handwoven fabric. I think I like it this way. My crochet doily is almost finished, the doily reminded me of 2 big doilies I always see when I’m going home. They are hanging there already a long time, but now I decided to take a picture of them. Aren’t they beautiful ?
I also found some nice things in the thriftstore, all white and blue. Those white and blue plates and cups are always my favourite. A week ago I also found this amazing plant, love his deep green colour in combination with the pink.

I’m packing for Berlin now, I’m a little bit nervous about taking the plane because it’s just my second time. I think I’ll squeeze my friend hand while hanging in the sky. We have a list of nice things we want to visit, we’ll meet one of my sweet penpalls in Berlin, we drink a lot of coffee’s in the sun (because the weather will be very nice !), …… . So, little loves, take care of yourself this week. See you next weekend with a lot of new adventures.

Oh, and I made a new page about my ‘Words for strangers’-project. I’ll take it with me to Berlin, and surprise the people over there with nice words hanging on their bikes.

Paris.

Our trip to Paris was way to short. One day we spend on a large textile expo, called ‘Première Vision’. On the expo you can find a lot of textile designers, new trends, … . Fashion designers come to that place to order their new fabrics. It’s interesting to see, but I can’t find inspiration up there. I prefer to search my inspiration in daily life, little things, … .

And the second day we went to an exhibition about etnical costumes selected by Christian Lacroix. That was really impressive and I’m always get jalous about their technical skills. Yesterday afternoon we also did some walking, and discovered lovely stores (I will show my favourite shop this weekend).

Follow me, I know the way back home

Words for strangers. (4)

PARIS EDITION

In the beginning it was very hard to find some bicycles in the center of Paris. It looked like everyone takes the car, the metro or the motorbike. So I was a bit “sad” that I couldn’t work out my words-for-strangers-project in Paris. But this afternoon we came into an area with bikes, and I was happy. The result.

Soon more Paris-adventures. I really had a lovely time with my friends, and we found a few lovely adresses that I really want to share with you all. See you this weekend !

Japan.

My teacher went a month to Japan, she had such a lovely travel. And I’m a bit jalous. She met the men of Mina Perhonen, and visit a lot of nice textile ateliers. I hope that I can do it one day to, this song fits very well with this post.

She also bought a lovely book op there, she knew that I would love it to. So now I will try to buy it on internet, because it’s a dream of a book.

Travel.

Today I travel back to Ghent, and will take all my stuff back to my little room there. My plants, weavingloom, cones, wool, … . Everything that I need to make my day to a wonderfull day. I’m a bit tired of have two home-places, havy bags on the train is weekly ritual for me. Hope that I can find an own place in a few years, I’m already thinking how it would be, maybe a light appartment in the centre of Antwerp ? Would be great ! Almost can’t wait !

(Today went to the gardencenter with my bike. I needed some new pots to put my plants in, I planted some mint and citron, hope they will be fine.)

Els.

A friend went to Ghana for a few months. Now she’s back and she mis the place so much, I can believe it. But it makes me smile when I see she was soo happy out there. It’s like she is shining on the pictures. I think she lost here heart there.

They give the children some balloons.

Beautiful trees.

Happy Els, drawn with the children.

Her Ghanees room.

She give some medical and care information in little schools. She teached how to use a toothbrush, how to wash the hands, telled how important it is to drink clean water, … .