Focus!

Hello!

Thanks to all visitors for their lovely comments on (part) of my collection of cardboard boxes. Now you probably expect me to continue with a spring cleaning story, but no, first things first.

I received this work of art from Karen Harvey Cox;

Mijn favoriete quote; amor vincit omnia= liefde overwint alles, tekening en gecalligrafeerd door Karen Harvey Cox.

I have to tell you that in real life this is even much more beautiful, the metallic highlights don't show this way. And it has been raining cats and dogs for days over here, so we had very bad light to take a photo.

The reason for Karen's generosity was this (I copied the quote from her blog):
Growing up I always remember when my mother would have a really bad day she would say, "Well, now I have to give someone a gift." Over the years I have learned that when we have reached a really hard spot in life, if we give someone a gift somehow it takes the sting of our pain away.

Now isn't that something we all should do? Thanks Karen not only for making this piece of calligraphic art, but for your wise words too. This scripture Amor vincit omnia means love conquers all.

I had a bad day too back then and Karen inspired me too:



I send this self made art journal to a fellow blogger, who could use a little extra attention. I filled it with ephemera. I hope that I remember Karen's wise words on my next 'bad day'. It's good to guide negative energy in a positive direction. Thanks for inspiration Karen!

Now for something completely different:

Wanda has tagged me: I had to take the 6th photo of the 6ht folder of my photo library.
Well, here it is:


Op 'Memphis' geïnspireerde kast ontworpen door ondergetekende.

Mmm this blurry photo might need some explanation.

This photo was taken in about 1986, before the digital era, it's a digital photo of a photo.

In the early 80ties Ettore Sottsass founded 'Memphis' an post modernistic design group. I fell in love with the Memphis designs immediately. But of course I couldn't afford a single cup and saucer being a poor student. So inspired by Memphis I designed a room. This cupboard, (a former plain white cupboard which was given by the parents of my SIL) was changed into the masterpiece of that room. (Before I had a scanner I tried to take photos of photos, this is one of them.)

Now I need to tag 6 bloggers too, in alphabetical order of first name:

Antoinette of Twaatjes' diary
Jeany of Jeany's Brunnen
Manuela of Manuala & Co
Marianne van A songbird is nesting
Marloes of Tante Tee
Nicky of Poppedijne

Play along ladies, if you feel like it.

Do you remember that with the start of 2009 some bloggers choose a word for 2009? To me the word 'focus' would have been very appropriate! What about the Pip room? Not finished yet! Spring cleaning? Just be patient with me, please!

Porceleinen deksel van 19de eeuwse tandpasta pot met Koningin Victoria

I'm ending with a little part of my spring cleaning; this lid. Yeah, yeah I know I should have been polishing the floor in stead of cleaning this piece of history. This pot lid was a gift from my brother, thanks Big Al! This lid has been dug out of the ground near Amsterdam. It's 19th century, the Queen is Victoria who reigned the United Kingdom from 1837 till 1901.
19th century cherry tooth paste...who would believe that?

Now you are pleased that I cleaned the lid, a photo of my polished floor would have been so dull!
Thanks for visiting me, see you next time, for...
I think it's better just to wait until next time!
xoxo LiLi M.

Van Karen Harvey Cox mocht ik dit mooie kunstwerk met gecalligrafeerde tekst ontvangen. Karen heeft van haar moeder geleerd dat wanneer je iets rots meemaakt en daardoor een slechte dag hebt, dat je wat weg moet geven. Zo kom ik dus aan dit kunstwerkje. Ik vind het prachtig en ik vind ook de gedachte erachter heel mooi, omdat je op die manier negatieve gevoelens positief kunt kanaliseren.
Ik had toen ook een beetje een off day en ik heb bovenstaand art journal gemaakt voor een blogger die moeilijke tijden doormaakt.

Iets heel anders; ik ben weer getagged, dit keer door Wanda.
Het is de bedoeling dat je de 6de foto van je 6de folder publiceert.
Bij deze! De foto van de door Memphis geïnspireerde kast is rond 1986 gemaakt toen ik helemaal weg was van Memphis design. Van een gekregen kast heb ik toen deze gemaakt, nou ja, de aanwijzigingen gegeven.
Als ik hem weer zie roept de kast zoveel leuke herinneringen bij me op.
Ik heb 6 medebloggers getagged :

Antoinette van Twaatjes' diary
Jeany van Jeany's Brunnen
Manuela van Manuala & Co
Marianne of A songbird is nesting
Marloes van Tante Tee
Nicky van Poppedijne

Als jullie zin hebben Antoinette tot en met Nicky kunnen jullie jezelf ook als getagged beschouwen. En wie nog meer graag getagged wil worden natuurlijk ook. Ik ben niet zo moeilijk.

Ik weet het... ik zou allang aandacht besteden aan de Pip kamer (bij lange na nog niet klaar), aan de grote schoonmaak, maar focussen is niet mijn sterkste punt. Een klein tipje dan van de grote schoonmaak. Ik heb het porceleinen deksel met koningin Victoria erop schoongemaakt. Jawel!
Het is een bodemvondst, uit Noord Holland en een cadeautje van mijn broer.
Prachtig hè, dat verpakkingsmateriaal uit de tijd van Koningin Victoria (ze regeerde van 1837 tot 1901). Wie van jullie had gedacht dat er toen al tandpasta met kersen smaak was?
Ik zeg maar niet wat ik de volgende keer laat zien, dat lijkt me wel zo veilig, tot snel weer,

xoxo LiLi M.

What I collect...

Today I was visiting Villa Extra, Sylvia joined a challenge hosted by ' The charm house' and is showing one of her fab collections. Great idea! I sometimes miss the show and tell challenges of last year. Today no results of spring time cleaning, as promised, but a part of one of my collections; vintage cardboard boxes: Let's start:

I have a collection of cardboard facial powder boxes, this is one of my favorites ^



I collect boxes of hair powder too. This one prevents lice, the eggs of lice, dirt and itch. Well you never know. On top of that it cleans the hair, makes it more beautiful and stronger. Mmm I wonder why I have this still sealed ^



'I don't know what'- box bought in Belgium ^,
possibly candy?



Like this  ^ one, a gift from the ever generous Mrs. H.



I have a collection of toy shops, you can see part of it here. These little shops have to be stocked, preferable with Dutch packages. Packages from Belgium are okay too, as long as the packages are in Dutch (too). You know of course that Belgium is bilingual; Dutch and French (trilingual to tell the truth, there is a German speaking part too, but most products are labeled in Dutch as well as French). ^ This is a cardboard box that was filled with little wooden toys to shop. 



A very small package of cocoa ^, the other side says -in Dutch- cacao. This one can be bought in one of my small stores,



as well as this dye ^ 'oud goud' in english old gold.
I used to buy these in the 70-ties and actually dyed my clothes with these packages. They dyed perfectly then, but they date from the 50-ties.



Another 'I don't know'- box is this ^ one, but I bet this once held soap.



Like this ^ one. Boldoot is a dutch brand, famous for their 'eau de cologne'.



To make this a little more of a tour, a small vignette ^.
I know you all love to peak in the cupboards.



Another one of my favorites and another gift of Mrs. H.
This ^ is a ribbon box from a special ribbon shop, that unfortunately no longer exists in the Hague, the town where I grew up. The Veenestraat still exists though now spelled Venestraat. Straat = street.



I have a collection of hairpins on card, you can see part of it here, and of course I have them in little card boxes too! ^



Birth candy boxes from France and Belgium ^. My mother was born in Belgium. She told me often that when her younger brother was born, her aunt came with him to show him and he lost some of this candy out of his diapers, hence the Flemish name 'childrens' poop' phonetically
translated in Flemish: kinneke's kak .



A cigar box ^, not from Cuba, but from Reusel a village in the south of the Netherlands. From a factory that no longer exists in the village where my mother grew up. I like these details a lot. I know the people that once owned the factory.



I collect all kind of things decorated with violets. Here ^ three soapboxes that are usually in the bathroom.



I have china too and cards decorated with violets, but maybe I'll show that some other time.

I hope you like this part of my collection. I like cardboard boxes. Cardboard is cheap, the graphics are often very pretty and you can use them for storage, so, if you like them, they are not only beautiful they are useful too.

Thanks for visiting. Don't forget to visit the Charm house, to meet all other participants. Have fun. Thanks for visiting.

Ed: LOL; this can only happen to me (and perhaps to Sylvia). The moment I download the button in the sidebar I notice that the event has taken place one week ago :-D.
Well all participants have their posts up by now I guess...

Dames, Sylvia van Villa Extra inspireerde mij om aan een challenge mee te doen, georganiseerd door the Charm house. Vergeet daar niet te kijken wie er nog meer mee doen. Ik heb nogal wat verzamelingen en besloot vandaag maar eens wat kartonnen doosjes te laten zien. Poederdozen, snoepdozen, ach jullie zien het zelf wel. Het leuke aan kartonnen dozen is dat ze niet duur zijn en vaak toch heel mooi. Hoewel, over smaak valt natuurlijk te twisten, maar je kunt ze natuurlijk sowieso gewoon gebruiken.

Ed.: Nou lig ik toch wel even in een deuk; terwijl ik de button download kijk ik ook maar eens naar de datum van vandaag....dit blogevent vond dus vorige week plaats :-D!
Nou ja, hoef je niet zo lang te wachten tot iedereen zijn post geplaatst heeft, elk nadeel hep z'n eigen voordeel om met Cruyff te spreken.

Veel plezier en bedankt voor je bezoek!

xoxo LiLi M.

Spring means...

Spring means enjoying the pansies. Hubby did a terrific job a few weeks ago.

in Dutch we call them little violets; 'viooltjes' from its Latin origin Viola.
But as every word in dutch we make this word small while we stick -je or -tje behind it.
We live in a small country so we make our world small too.



and these violets we call 'Maartse viooltjes' which means 'little violets of March'. These are my favorites, but I always wondered; why on earth do we call them 'violets of March' while they always blossom in April? Mmm someone who was ahead of time and aware of global heating must have thought that out! Btw do you see the little buds?



Aaah I love love love this; our new camelia has buds too!
Cannot wait to see its flowers.



I'm not sure about these sprouts; it's our Euphorbia flowering. I think we should have cut it back in October. Does anyone know? It's too late now anyway. Note to self: I have to check this.



He's not sure either; 'Cut it before it takes over the whole garden', he told me, much have watched 'The day of the Triffids', or 'My little shop of horror' too much.



Ok, I showed you this before; electricity in the garden often comes in handy but they (MEN!) should have consulted me first in picking the spots.
The good news is that the ivy is growing! And that plant that I really love in the background too!



Last season made this guy a little rustier.
But I don't mind, I love decay in the garden.




A lot of green here too, but it's not spring green. It definitely makes clear why the bottom of a shelf should be dark...and why most dutch people have a dark green shed. I like the green on the tiles and the tub though.



so there will be spring cleaning, in fact I have been busy all week! But not too much cleaning in the garden. I cannot remember that I ever did 'spring cleaning' but our house is being painted on the outside. So there are painters staring at their work, but I feel they are looking at me and thinking; 'What? Is that her again behind the computer? Doesn't she have a vacuum cleaner?' And so on, so I hoover at least once a day and I clean. I'm behind the computer less, unless they have a break, which they take a lot. I once had a roommate who just took the 'Pledge' and sprayed around. To have a clean feeling she used to say. I haven't tried that one yet.

Hope you have a sunny day too over there! See you around: next time some spring cleaning items over here! (Now if that's not a cliffhanger, I don't know!)

Sorry no dutch translation this time. I have to clean.
Sorry geen nederlandse vertaling dit keer, misschien kun je de vertaler in de side bar gebruiken.
Ik ben met de grote schoonmaak bezig!

Welcome to the slumber party!

Hartelijk Gefeliciteerd Phyllis!
(or congrats from the heart, as we say happy birthday in dutch)

Hello and welcome everybody, please come in:

Yesterday it was Phyllis' 46th birthday! And she decided to host a slumber party, all over blogland. Well ladies, are you wearing your pj's? Let's go upstairs.
Don't forget to visit Phyllis at her blog 'all the love of vintage' to see all participants. That's what this party is all about; the love of vintage.

Phyllis organiseert een blogparty voor haar 46ste verjaardag, een slumberparty oftewel een slaapfeestje, voor diegenen die net als zij dol op vintage zijn.
Kom binnen!



Welcome to my bedroom on a much more sunny day than today.



We did a total make over beginning 2004. Today it is way too dark to take photos, but there were no major changes since then.

Eerst wat foto's van de slaapkamer die we begin 2004 opgeknapt hebben.
Sindsdien heb ik eigenlijk alleen maar kleine dingetjes veranderd. Ik denk altijd goed na wat ik wil. Het duurt altijd wel even voordat ik helemaal klaar ben, zie nu ook weer de pip kamer (!). Maar als het dan klaar is blijf ik meestal lang tevreden met het resultaat.



Every piece of furniture in this room started its life in another color. I have painted and distressed everything.



46 is a special birthday Phyllis, look what one of my BFF's got me for my 46th birthday! Thanks again Mrs. H., did you see this already? (sorry for the flash). Click on the photo to see the details, you will be amazed!



And she gave me this one. Too bad that we sleep under duvets and covers, but when it is very hot in summer, I use these, what a pleasure!
Toen ik 46 werd kreeg ik van één van mijn BFF's deze lakens cadeau. Als je op de foto's klikt zie je veel meer details en begrijp je waarom ik er weg van ben.



You are not going to sleep yet, are you?
Je bent het toch nog niet zat, anders doe je maar even een tukje tussendoor!



Let's see what is in those cupboards! That's what I like to do when I visit someone, if I have the chance of course!
We gaan lekker in de kasten kijken:



Some vignettes. I collect paper powder boxes. These are boxes from Coty, with a powder fluff design by René Lalique.



Part of my collection of antique children's services are here.



This one, by Maroeska Metz, is a new one, but I couldn't resist it. That curl is typical Maroeska Metz.



A pink Marie style service and a 1920's one.



Nowadays I only collect complete services, but when I started I bought everything I could lay my hands on. The cups on the left have a text written on the back side. 'Voor een lief kind" = To a sweet child, and were given to me when my first one was born. (Yes E. to me not to you!).
Ja, je begreep het al: Ik verzamel ook kinderserviesjes. Nu koop ik alleen nog maar compleet, maar toen ik begon kocht ik ook losse spulletjes als ik eindelijk eens wat zag. Op de kopjes op deze foto staat de tekst 'voor een lief kind', ik kreeg ze van mijn oom en tante toen onze oudste geboren werd. Ja IK Eva.



What a party! To have to watch so many teapots without having one sip of tea or a cupcake. Sorry, no eating and drinking in here, I hate that!

Het is wat; kijken, kijken, maar een slokkie thee of een taartje, ho maar!
Ik hou niet van eten en drinken op de slaapkamer.



On the cupboard there is a little service too, this one is vintage, from the dutch coffee manufacturer Douwe Egberts.



This fairy tale service from the 1920's is one of my favorites.



Just take a peek in the box or in the small drawers.



In the mean time I do some ironing and open the door for the ladies who want to leave or have a cupper in the kitchen. Thanks for your visit and don't forget to visit Phyllis and to congratulate her and see all other participants. Have some great slumber parties today!
Thanks Phyllis for hosting such a wonderful party!
Hope to see you again soon, xoxo LiLi M.

Ok, terwijl jullie nog even rondkijken, ga ik alvast strijken.
Oh zal ik de deur voor je open doen? Vergeet niet nog even bij Phyllis langs te gaan om haar te feliciteren en om te zien waar je wel een slumber party kunt bezoeken met thee en taartjes!
Bedankt voor je bezoek en tot ziens! dikke kus LiLi M.

Last week Pat Winter had a little contest on her blog. I didn't hesitate for one nano second to join and yesssss I was the first one with the right answer and so I was the lucky winner of this brooch:

It's lovely! Thank you so much Pat!



Me wearing it. Ok I cut of my head,
as the frog position of the camera doesn't flatter me at all!

Some people were disappointed that I didn't show a sneak peek of the 21 Easter tags. Well ladies, your wish is my command:



Are you satisfied?
Actually this is the backside!



Well, I leave a little to guess.
Wish you all a happy Friday!
Thanks for your visit & see you soon!
xoxo LiLi M.

Nog een korte Nederlandse vertaling;
Ik heb bij Pat Winter bovenstaande broche gewonnen. Bedankt Pat! Ik draag hem ook, maar voor op de blog heb ik mijn hoofd er maar afgehaald want de kikvorspositie van de camera flatteert mij niet echt, om het eens zachtjes uit te drukken.

Sommigen reageerden ietwat teleurgesteld dat ik niet eens een sneak peek van de 21 Paastags had. Ok, ok, hier gaan we dan; de bovenste foto is de achterkant en de onderste de helft van de voorkant, tsja er moet iets te raden over blijven.

Ik wens jullie allemaal een fijne vrijdag, een goed weekend, bedankt voor je bezoekje en tot snel weer, xoxo LiLi M.