Surpise!!

Sadly, I've always identified more with hoarders than with collectors. I understand feeling that something you no longer use might still come in handy in the future, but to buy useless stuff just to "have" it? I don't get it. As a kid I did start new collections almost on a daily basis. Still, looking back, I think it was triggered more by my -hoarders- idea that an empty butter container can be used as storage than about the actual collection. Any enthusiasm I had for those buttons or rocks faded when the next empty jar came along. You could of course argue that I collected empty containers, but I'm not sure it counts if you stash them in the back of your closet.

Anyway, this documentary about (grown up!) people collecting the little toys that hide in kindersurpise-eggs simultaneously entertained me, fascinated me and made me a little bit sad. My favorite part is when the woman being interviewed is truly amazed by people that don't collect anything: "I don't want to say that they're boring people, but they do lead a boring life". So, there you have it: my life is boring. Lucky for me there are great documentaries like this one to get me through  those long, long evenings. 

P.s. Who knew we all could have been rich if we had just saved all that plastic crap?
P.s.p.s. The documentary does not have English subtitles, sorry!

the art of budgeting

Buying art sounds very expensive, but I'm here to tell you: it's not! It is in fact one of the cheapest ways to accessorize your home. There are lots of places where you can buy affordable artwork. At our shop Nith for instance. Illustrator Sietske van der Meij combines old techniques like Indian ink and charcoal with the modern medium of Photoshop. The result looks like full color remakes of old picture book prints. Very cute to decorate children's rooms with. Printed on quality paper and signed by the artist, so your kid has just started it's very own art collection. Sietske also uses her artwork to make postcards. It would be thoughtful to send them to your friends of course, but don't you think these would look great in a nice frame?

In my next life I want to come back as a shopper bag

I always scan the broken furniture that piles up next to the garbage containers hoping for hidden jewels. So far, not much luck. But you always hear about people finding beautiful vintage cabinets or chairs on the street, don't you?

Someone that I know for a fact has found treasures on the sidewalk is designer Jackie Emily. Where we see an old couch with ripped upholstery, she sees: bags. That's the thing with creative people, they just need the raw materials to make something beautiful. The only thing that still reminds you of a previous life as a cast away leather couch or jacket is the tag that tells you what your new bag used to be. Now, that's what I call recycling! Have a look at the finished product on Nith.

P.s. Have you ever found anything good on the sidewalk?

Vintage with a twist: The Wood-Collar

With the Wood-Collar designer Anne-Marijn has given the vintage collar a fresh new twist. It still looks great with vintage items like sweet flowery blouses, giving them a more contemporary feel, but it also really complements a more modern look. Constructed out of thin layers of wood, every piece has it own unique pattern. And to make the necklace even more versatile, the latest series of Wood-Collars have a great feature: they can be customized. The top part can be taken off, so you can either leave it open or add any of a variety of colors that can be bought separately. The Wood-Collar is now available at Nith.