Retro/vintage/old school: what's in a name?

In this 21st century people tend to revert to things from the past. And I don't mean products like floppy disks, no, I refer to retro design, vintage fashion and old-school techniques. For example: today I made two pillow covers out of thrift shop shawls;

And when I took those pictures (with my dígital camera) my eye fell on other retro/vintage stuff in the house...

This orange orange-shaped watering can was my mother's but she did not like the orange anymore.

Not sure actually in which decade this glass belongs...

Light bulb shaped bottle. In the Netherlands bulbs are about to be scarce.

And to stay in the vintage/retro section, this week I bought a Diana F+ camera. It is a so called lomography camera, which allows the photographer to take pretty unique analog pictures. The device is almost completely made out of plastic and the camera comes with a 'lifestyle' including ten golden rules.

1. Take your camera everywhere you go.

2. Use it any time, day and night.

3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it.

4. Try the shot from the hip.

5. Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible.

6. Don't think. (William Firebrace)

7. Be fast.

8. You don't have to know beforehand what you captured on film.

9. Afterwards either.

10. Don't worry about any rules.

Today I finished my first film, and I hope to get it develloped and printed this week. While waiting on that, I will work on remembering those rules :)

My ultimate retro/vintage/old school wish.....

A few out going pieces

To Lily, Belarus

To Sanne, Wageningen in The Netherlands

My second attempt of sending a letter to Catherine in Russia, this time in Cyrillic...

To Olga in the Ukraine

To Michi in Poland

To Caroline in the UK

Must see movies

Because I like to watch movies, a lot, I hereby present you a list of five must-see movies. You probably have seen the lot, but it won't harm you to watch them again (and again and again and again)

I would like to start this list with 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain'. I can watch this movie over and over again. And I especially like her house..a lot!

A few months ago I finished the book 'Water for Elephants' which I absolutely adored. Yesterday afternoon I saw the movie in the cinema. It was great! The makers stayed close to original story and the actors did a great job.

Good old 'Dirty Dancing', another movie which I've watched a lot. Such a romantic story and it makes me want to dance the merengue and the mambo and and and...

Juno, already wrote something about this one last week. I also found the soundtrack the other day and it is really funny.

And off course 'Little Miss Sunshine'. Olive is such a sweet girl growing up in a crazy but realistic family (mostly anyway).

There was also a little mail activity last week:

From Kasumi, Russia

From Slavik, Ukraine

And this is a funny thing: a few weeks ago I sent this envelop to Catherine in Russia. According to the sticker it has been in Russia, but it could not be delivered. So I got it back..without the stamps... This week I will try again.

I received these beautiful pictures from a Dutch lady the other day. The photo's are made by Edward Steichen. I hadn't heard from him before, so I googled him. He made some amazing photo's, I especially like 'The Pond Moonlight'. Hard to believe that it is actually a photo.

A home made card for Juli in Finland.

A volcano for a lady in the Czech Repubic

An art deco stained glass flower card for Maja in Slovenia

Another list :)

The good old days

Tonight I watched the movie 'Juno' and I liked it. It reminded me at my secondary school-time (without the pregnancy part though). On the one side I was unruly, wearing a tie and bootcutted pants to school, listening to alternative music like Alanis Morissette and the Guano Apes. And on the other side I wrote for the schoolpaper, I organized school and Christmas parties. Together with my closest friend Laura I had a great time back then. Life was kind of organized and easy. And the worst thing I had to worry about was if we would make the deadline for the next issue. I'm not saying life sucks now, certainly not! But it did enjoy those days.

I just realized I'm a little behind on my lists. Here is one, about a few of my favorite artists, which a placed in random order:

Alfons Mucha, I love his jugendstil pieces and he made some really beautiful jewelry as well.

Frida Kahlo, great Mexican artist, with a really interesting life story beside her paintings.

The Dutch artist Piet Mondriaan. This painting is from before he started making squares. I like his early work and the development he made as an artist.

John William Waterhouse made really pretty paintings from woman. The genre is called 'magical realism' and I believe that name fits his work perfect.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser did not only make colorful paintings. He also was an architect. There is a Hundertwasser house and museum in Vienna. Very nice to visit when you're around.

And then there is Vincent van Gogh. This is my favorite Van Gogh painting, called Almond Blossom. I love the background color.

While I am writing this I feel I want to visit a museum again. Any suggestions for cool exhibitions?

By tomorrow this envelop will hopefully find its way to the lovely Sally. I've added a postcard which I like a lot, but I don't want to to spoil the surprise. So that one will be shown later :)

A new diary and a great weekend

I have had quite an exciting and relaxing weekend, especially Sunday was great! S. and I celebrated our four year aniversary in the zoo of Amersfoort, which was very nice. It is not a big zoo, but it is tastefully decorated. And they had lots of baby animals. There were two baby sloths, at least tree tiny ring-taled lemurs and a one year old elephant. I did not take any pictures at all, because I wanted to fully experience the day. And it worked :)

After our zoo party S. and I went to Amsterdam to celebrate my sisters 25th birthday, which was also really cosy. My sister graduated earlier this year, she is a doctor now, and so we gave her a toy doctors bag. Luckily she liked it and did not toss us out :)

On Saturday I visited the thrift shop (again) and I found some glasses and glass plates. And with a tiny little tube of glass glue I turned it into a etagiere:

I went to the bookstore last Friday where I found a one-line-a-day diary, which made me really happy. It covers 3 years, and I can't wait to start writing.

And I also ran into this little guide. Is a booklet filled with addresses and tips for vintage and retro shopping. It starts with some stores in London and continues with places in the Netherlands and Belgium. And to make it even better, there a websites mentioned as well. But I will take that up later. This is its cover:

A quick reply to the nice letter from Martina, Croatia

And another quite quick reply to Nancie, in the USA

Sweet dreams!