Thriftin’ and dreamin’

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Kokeshi dolls, Star Wars and kitschy statues…
Over the past years, I’ve developed an obsession for a list of strange things that don’t seem to be connected in any kind, except that they’re all liked by me.
Last week I’ve added two more vintage kokeshi dolls to my already bigger than average collection, the week before that I found (and bought!) this white Snowball the Cockatoo statuette at a thriftshop.
I often feel that the very kitsch part of those statues seem so decrease when combined with Peonies (or other flowers) and some contemporary home-accessoires. I love to play with objects from different era’s and see what result I get when combining them. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, often it results in arrangements like these. That’s the fun part of the time we live in now: we can collect the beautiful items that where made over the last century and combine them with each other. It feels to me like one big playground, with endless opportunities and where I get to decide what the rules are (always nice huh? making the rules (and bend ‘em if you don’t like them! ;-))
One is never too old to play around and have fun. What does your playground look like?

Ch-ch-ch-changes

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Problem is not that you decide to take in a new piece of vintage furniture…

the problem is that on that exact spot there’s another piece of furniture that needs to make room for the new one.
But since you’re very attached to that piece of furniture too, it needs a new spot.
The new spot is great, but pity that that spot was already taken too, so that piece of furniture needs to make room for…
I could go on forever.
I’ve spent one whole weekend refurbishing this sweet sideboard and replacing almost every piece of furniture in our home after giving this one it’s spot in our livingroom.

We bought him in a thriftshop for about $ 30 and after a good clean & wax session, it’s ready to do it’s storage job again for the next 40 years. I love to clean and ‘get to know’ old furniture like this, dreaming about it’s former home and why it ended up at the thriftshop.
As you know, I tend to name things I like, even if it’s a piece of furniture. I call this one Bruin (Dutch for brown). Because he’s brown. And because I love him since the first time I layed eyes on him.

“Dear? Where can I find my keys?”
“Did you look at Bruin?”
I think we’ll have a very long and happy life together.

Swans, greyhounds and Lisa

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Last Sunday I visited the Swanmarket at the ROTABS Stylecenter in Rotterdam.
And I almost got home with one picture of some flowers and a bunch of greyhounds. (Because, I’m crazy of greyhounds. In fact, if I would ever get a dog it would be a pug or a greyhound and the greyhound would be called Frank…in case you’d wonder.)

But shooting pictures of things that don’t have anything to do with that lifestylemarket wasn’t what I came to Rotterdam for. I had to drop off some little deer I made for Lisa Manuels’ brand new shop Elle Aime, which opened it’s doors also right that day. In Dutch we call that combining the practical with the enjoyable (I risk sounding very silly when trying to translate Dutch sayings to English, but I still can’t find a good English sayings dictionary on the internet, so I’ll have to settle for sounding silly).

(Lisa in her shop, when it was finally a bit less crowded.
Don’t you just love those Formica candy coloured chairs?)

Lisa selected the most beautiful handmade goodies for her shop and displays them so simple and yet so beautifully, I’m very proud my little deer will be for sale there. So if you’re in the neighbourhood, be sure to pay her a visit (and don’t forget, like me, to buy a parking ticket).
For more pictures of the shop, the collection (and Lisa’s own work!), check out her Elle Aime blog: http://www.shopelleaime.blogspot.com/


The loot of the day: a screenprinted scarf, some Jessica Nielsen cards and (at last!) a handmade brooch by sweet Erica of MikoDesign…
and a parking ticket (so I even made a car-park attendant’s day…one big sarcastic hurrah!)

Ladies and Gentleman, we have a winner

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Deary me, I’ve been so busy (and so absent here)!

In the upcoming posts I’ll let you know what I’ve been up to (besides working at my regular job and doing a lot of boring housekeeping…the two things I won’t post about, unless I’d want this blog to be the borest one in the entire world ;-)).
After the Major Blogger-Meltdown of Thursday and Friday, I tried to sit down yesterday evening to write something nice, but somehow nothing came up. I shot some pictures I was not happy with, I made a selection I didn’t like, so I decided that a blogging silence somehow is better than to jabber about something that’s not interesting at all. (I often wonder how other blogging-people do that? I often feel guilty for not blogging, but when I write something I feel is not entirely blog-worthy, I find myself annoyed by writing that post. Even though I did post something…do you still follow?)

But what am I meowing about? It’s time to announce the winner of the fabulous one-and-only Special Rhino give-away!

My sweet cousin was willing to assist me to draw a winner (she has lovely fine hands, don’t you think? I’m the one that got the chunky hands … the ones you use to dig in dirt or to overhaul a motor section with) and boy, did she do a nice job with those gorgeous hands!


I’m proud to announce that she drew number 3 (even though the picture is not entirely sharp, it says 3 ;-)) which corresponts with number 3 in the row of comments. The lucky (and dashing) winner of little LouLou is
Llaria Chiaratti
Prepare for a lot of confetti girl, ‘cause LouLou is coming your way (if you dare to send me your address of course, find me at info[at]ohmarie.nl.)
Thanks so much y’all for joining and for your super kind comments, I wish I had a little Rhino factory, I would send you all a little party-girl. Actually, I had so much fun with this give-away, I might announce another one in the near future!

Guess how much I love you

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With a sugary title like this, you can of course guess the post is about little Molly. She’s sound asleep at my desk in my studio, the only way to shoot a non-moved picture of her.

Many times, I compare her to a little dog, she follows me around the house, never leaves my side and sometimes (ah well, most of the time) I have the feeling she understands exactly what I say to her…and we understand exactly what she wants from us: love. A-Lot-Of-Love. Molly could die of a broken heart if you don’t give her the attention she needs. It gets her through the day ;-)

When my Love and me have a bit of a row, she often starts rolling on the ground between us, showing her soft spotted belly, as if to say: “Instead of shouting at each other, better save that energy for cuddling me!”. It’s no fun fighting when a little hairy monster is claiming all your attention. I think Molly would be the perfect secret weapon in war. Why fight if there’s a sweet litte, flat headed cat that needs attention…all day, every day?

For that reason, and many many more, we love her. From here to the moon..and back.