Just a quick reminder that we'll be in Den Bosch these coming days.

We're not only bringing our Flower Constellations and Waterworks-sets, we'll also be trying out our very own line of plantable postcards and giftlabels as well as new seed-package labels.
I've had a lot of fun designing these, so i hope they'll be well-received. Fingers' crossed!

And that's not even all of it: Visitors to the fair will get a very first sneak peak pf the new Flower Constellations Helios (for pits and bulbs) and Ophiuchus (for larger vases and bigger stems)

Last week we asked what you thought should be the new Dutch Master Wrapping paper (remember?).

Thank you for your lovely response!
I'd love to say it was a tight race, but Amrosius Bosschaert won by a mile. ​Only a few respondees preferred the Dutch classic by van Gogh.
​
A few examples of your reactions: 

We wasted no time at all getting the new wrapping paper printed.
The paper came in right before the weekend and  has been added to the Flower Constellations wrapping options in our webshop.  

Now how's that for a lovely spring of a present?!

ps. New gift-tag options will follow soon!

After moving to our rural home in Overasselt two years ago, we (or i) immediately started fantasizing about our garden. 

I actually bought a permaculture book (bible) months before moving and started with big plans to turn our land into a lush and fertile eating forest.  
​With no prior gardening experience to speak of, you can guess how that went down the first year...

You guessed correctly: although we did have a decent strawberry and pumpkin harvest, our garden is not so much a fruit and veggie heaven yet.

However i have hopes that with a lot of time, practice and soily hands, we will get there eventually.
We made great strides last fall planting 16 fruit trees in the meadow. It will take them a couple of years to bear fruit, and i guess so do my gardening skills.  

However, gardening did become a new love of mine. 
And i'm definitely planning on freeing up more time this season to tend to my greenery. 

The TuinIdee ('garden Idea') fair in Den Bosch in late February is a brilliant place to start the season. 
And we'll actually be at the TuinIdee with our designs!

​Participating in the fair is kind of an experiment, and we have no idea how this will turn out. 

But even if our designs aren't a match with the visitors and we don't sell a thing, at least i'll be getting my fair share of gardening inspiration.

We'd love to see you there!

21-24 February
10:00-18:00 daily
Brabanthallen Den Bosch
free shuttle-service from the train station

<Get your tickets online with a discount>

We always try to keep track of whenever a design is mentioned in a magazine, so we can get our hands on a copy and be proud about it at the time the issue is actually in the stores.
But sometimes we miss the memo, and a magazine is already out the stores before we can catch on and get our hands on a copy.

We were a little late to the news the Flower Constellations were featured in 2018' last issue of magazine Buitenleven.
Although we don't actually have a hard copy in our possession, luckily we did receive a pdf of the piece (which you can find below).

Super happy with the spotlight. Thank you Buitenleven! 

Last fall we wanted to do something special for the Holiday season and designed custom Flower Constellations wrapping paper based on Dutch floral still lifes.
Remember? (click)

​You helped us out by letting us know which masterpiece you liked best, and we ended up with lovely rich colored Rachel Ruijsch wrapping paper that turns your Flower Constellation in a super chique present fitting for the Holidays.

We're still in love with the beautiful still life of seventeenth century Dutch master Rachel Ruijsch.
​Yet the dark and saturated colors in the painting might be more of a winter thing

We literally spent hours in the public domain (thank you World of Driftwood) to find bright colored paintings that would make good wrapping paper.

This time we looked though the extensive archive of Dutch painters and, with spring colors and brightness in mind, narrowed it down to these two options:

This Dutch painter was one of the first to specialize in still life floral paintings and started a trend that went on for centuries.

Although his work is highly sought after, Ambrosius Boschaert the elder does not have a large portfolio. His time was mostly spent working as an art-dealer.
Even more reason to make sure his trend-setting work is not forgotten.

Van Gogh is one of the most (in)famous artists of our country, and made quite a few floral paintings. 
​
Although happily colored, the timing of this painting of irises in a vase (May 1890), is rather gloomy: Vincent would die from complications after a self-inflicted gun-shot wound two months later. 
Maybe not so happy-go-lucky, but an important piece of Dutch art history.

So, what do you think?
Should we go for the important Dutch staple Van Gogh, or choose the painting from the master who may have started it all: Ambrosius Bosschaert?

That way we'll have the new wrapping paper ready to go for Object Rotterdam

More about Object:
​
​The OBJECT fair is a platform for the latest limited editions and one-offs from well-known and upcoming designers working in different design disciplines and with various materials.

OBJECT is thé place where the cutting edge between design, crafts, fashion, architecture and art becomes evident and it is a must-see for collectors, professionals and other design-minded people.

Location:
HAKA BUILDING 
​Vierhavensstraat 38-42 Rotterdam
(Find us at verdieping 2 / third floor)

Opening hours 
Friday 8, Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 February
From 11h – 19h

Entrance fee
12,50 euro / Children under 12 for free
- Tickets for sale at the HAKA building only, no online ticketing.

NB - FREE Shuttle service between Van Nelle, HAKA, Rotterdam centre.
​
PLEASE NOTE: Due to inoperative elevators the HAKA building is difficult to access for people with reduced mobility.

More information and the full list of participants can be found on the OBJECT website.

pssst... we might have a few free tickets available.
Get in touch to hear more!

See you in Rotterdam!

Remember <this blogpost> about Rachel Ruysch a little while ago?
We asked you which painting you liked most, so that we could turn it into wrapping paper.

Well... the votes are in, and the winner is: Painting number 3!
Over all, most people liked the bright colors and explosive composition in this painting most.

Out of the Rachel Ruysch painting, we created this lovely wrapping paper that fits perfectly around the Flower Constellations. 

The Netherlands is historically known for quite a few things.
Of course there's wooden shoes, cheese and wind mills, but what about Flowers and Golden Century painters?

​(We'll go ahead and gloss over the stuff the Dutch are infamous for, meanwhile hoping that soon we'll get over our adoration for pirates and invaders.)

We came across the beautiful Flower still life paintings by Dutch Artist Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750), which we absolutely loved. (The dramatics!) 

Here's the plan: we'll use one of these paintings as our Christmas gift wrapping paper for the Flower Constellations.

We've been so insanely busy in the months of September and October that even in late November we're still working through the pile of work that was 'put aside for a moment'. 

For example, we never got to tell you about our Volkskrant magazine publication in October.
We are so happy to be featured in the magazine, and in the Design special no less!

At the time, we were actually at the VT Wonen & Design beurs. We had a blast there, but it pretty much consumed all our time and definitely all our energy.

Anyway, here it is, maybe you spotted it back in October already?
It might be more than a month ago, we're too proud of the publication not to mention it!

Last weeks' Libelle (#49) featured the Flower Constellations!
Did you spot them?

We were just in time to get a copy ourselves and are very happy to be part of the 'Groene Vingers' (Green fingers) segment. 

​Thank you for featuring our design Libelle!

Every year i get asked for a wish list for the holidays, and every year i draw a blank, leaving it up to the other party to try and find me those hidden treasures.

However... not this year!

Being a creative entrepreneur myself, i recognize the hard work that goes into bringing a product to market independently. 
​Fellow designers: we recognize your hard work and the risks you take by bringing your own designs to market and we salute you!

To support our friends and colleagues who design and market their own work, i’ve put together this gift guide full of affordable products by independent Dutch Designers that could be on your wishlist, (and are definitely on mine!).

What we did is try and find designs that cost less than €30,-, (preferably less than €20,-), are designed and developed by the designer/design studio and can be bought directly at the designers' webshop.
To make it super easy to go and get those goodies, we linked directly to the respective webshops where you can purchase on-line.

New Kintsugi kit
The beauty of an imperfect ceramics repair

The art of embracing damage.
With New kintsugi Humade combines this lovely old technique with new technology. By messy mending you emphasise the marks and scars of a product, giving it a new perspective and beauty while offering it longevity. 
You can use the kit mutiple times. 
​
€27,- | ​Get it here

Porcelain pen holders
handmade porcelain pen holders

Mix & Match penholder-set

€15,- to €30,- | ​Get it here

Small Storytile 10x10
Catch of the day

ONCE UPON A TILE…
​Ceramic tiles have been made in and around Delft, The Netherlands, since the 16th century. StoryTiles continues the tradition by creating miniature art-on-tiles.
​All tiles are baked in traditional Dutch ovens at a high temperature, what makes them heat and water resistant. Each design is unique, as it is hand baked and designed.

€27,50 | ​Get it here

Shopping bag
Eco friendly long-lasting bag

The New Shoppingbag by SUSAN BIJL is a long-lasting, lightweight, sustainable, super strong, waste reducing and water repellent bag.
The New Shoppingbag by SUSAN BIJL is made from 100% bluesign® certified eco-friendly ripstop nylon with a waterbased coating.

No matter how creative and innovative men is, there is no force as colorful and powerful as nature. And what better match for SUSAN BIJL’s environment-friendly and sustainable products than the deep and rich colors found in minerals?

€23,90 | ​Get it here

Plants are friends
art print
​
€20,- | ​Get it here

FCK Art print
sometimes the F-word is the only answer

€12,- A4 / €22,- A3 | ​Get it here

The following products by Dutch designers narrowly missed the cut.
Either because the designer is not actually selling the product in a webshop of their own, the design was in fact made for a brand or label, or it's priced slightly higher than our €30,- budget.

Zeepbootje (Soap Boat)
By Floris Hovers
​for Design x Ambacht

€9,95 | get it here

Did i miss any designs or designers?
Please let me know!

A little something i'd like to add: we did not receive any compensation from, or have affiliate deals with anyone on this list.

We made this gift guide / wish list to showcase the beautiful and affordable designs that are made in the Netherlands and to give a shout-out ot all those hard working independent designers out there.​

​While scouting for this list, i came across a lot of designers who make beautiful products, but don't have anything in their collection that costs less than €45,- or even €150,-. 
Which we totally get: we know how difficult it is to produce for an affordable price when you're on your own. ​

Even more reason to support those designers who are trying to bridge the gap between mass-production and design-art, and design and bring to market well-made products that are available to a wider audience.

The Holiday season is upon us and we're getting in the mood for an overload of sing-a-long tunes, mulled wine, chocolate, log fires and sparkling lights.

How far along are you with the Holiday shopping? Got everything wrapped and ready to gift?
Nope, neither do we.

To help you out and spread the love, we made it extra easy and affordable to get the Flower Constellations for your loved ones and business relations. 

Here's how it works:
We created a special page full of Discount codes to be used in our webshop. (<click>) 
Simply fill out the correct code at check out and save some money!
Different discount codes apply depending on the number of Flower Constellations you're getting: Buy more to save more!

More Holiday promotions to be revealed soon.
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