mayken

mostly cola

2012-01-13T13:14:00.005+01:00

I sat in Kornél's co-working atelier yesterday with two friends of mine. Barbara was blogging about a selfmade tea mix she brought and Agata was working on a delicate little book about her grandmothers. We felt all really professional in our new 'studio'.

Drink by drink I'm working my way through Kornél's menu full of animal names (from Bessy to Flipper, all your childhood animal heroes are represented), and so far they were very yummy. Forgot to take pictures though, next time I will!

Tomorrow there's a little party for Ward Zwart's new book full of short stories. Expect some exquisite squirrels, badgers and burning houses, and a great bunch of nice people. Come come from 6pm and buy the book!

academie: mount coco

2012-01-05T22:41:00.007+01:00

Here it is: a sneak peek of my first little book, our biggest (and hardest, and most expensive) project yet at the academy. Soon more pictures on my website...

Mount Coco tells a tiny story about four old ladies who surround themselves with parrots and statuettes in a house on a hill. As they quietly fade away, the parrots take over the house - and the chitchatting.

The story was just an excuse though to get experimenting with techniques and styles, inspired by the absurd eclecticism of granny interiors. And by the prettiness of birds, which I can't seem to get tired of lately. However different the images, I managed to puzzle them together to something that makes sense. It relieves me that such a thing is possible, because I'm not the person to spend the rest of my life watercolouring OR thinner printing OR drawing abstract shapes on brown paper (whatever). I'm too curious, and too easily bored.

Would you like to get a copy too? This one was entirely colour-printed and hand-bound. I'm still figuring out how I can reproduce it in a more modest way and sell it at a price that won't make your eyes pop out. Any suggestions welcome :) I'll keep you posted!

happy new year!

2012-01-05T10:45:00.003+01:00

2011 brought me some difficult decisions and disappointments, but also an important share of encouragement, inspiring encounters (thank you Hermine, Juliette, Renilde, Mieke, Gerlin, Chris, Stephanie and everyone else), and good prospects for 2012.

The next year has a lot in store. A January filled with exciting trips (London! Angoulême!) A new little job which will allow me ample time and energy to work on new personal projects and some great assignments to look forward to.

2012 also brings a new coffee bar/ co-working atelier that is very likely to become my second home. Be sure to pass by when you're in the neighbourhood. Starting Jan, 8th Liesje will serve you the best coffees, teas and lassis, plus soup on weekdays and cake on Sundays. She has McSweeney's too, and a swing, and great expos, just to say...

Go Liesje, go Kornél! I'll show you pictures when it's born.

Furthermore, I wish myself a lot of great finds, letters and books to feast my eyes on. The same for you. Happy new year!

In the picture: gifts from Romy Blümel and Ephameron, Nobrow issues, Everything Flowers by Clare E. Rojas, Peruvian alpaca wool and more.

wishlist: pastels x brights

2012-01-04T21:45:00.003+01:00

Here it goes, my last wishlist for a brand new (may I call it promising?) new year:

Tape + tape holders at Present & Correct - Rennes mint wallet - Rose Bakery's Breakfast Lunch Tea - Australia's prettiest girly magazine Frankie - Après Ski necklace

Yellow Superga tennis shoes - a book about birds (especially parakeets) with lots of colourful pictures I can draw from - Ferm Living aqua letter trays - Stine Goya cardigan (ooh those pastels! and elbow patches!)

december snaps

2011-12-28T21:16:00.000+01:00

This month, we bought ourselves a new toy: an ipod.

It's a pretty amazing tool and a great gadget to waste time with. My favourite apps are the ones that take pictures, like Instagram. You can pick whatever camera you want, take a snap of whatever lies on your plate - literally, sometimes - and dip it in a visual sauce that fits the mood of the moment. Great fun. Too bad though any pretty pictures you make can't transcend their low-res digital lives. Or maybe I just haven't found the way to save high-res versions yet. Have you?

wishlist: nude x gold x rusty

2011-12-28T20:01:00.001+01:00

VPL insertion bra N-Deer at Creatures of Comfort - a vintage bird cage - COS geometric scarf -Hansel from Basel tights - Young Frankk hammered brass collar - With Her Animal Poetry monkey puppet

Baggu leather bag - Sandqvist Roald backpack - IKEA magazine holders - Wood Wood Catherine bra - imaginary fur by Renilde Depeuter aka At Swim Two Birds, a lovely colleague of mine who owns a pair of magical hands :)

Next and last up: pastels x brights.

wishlist: red x blue

2011-12-27T19:36:00.003+01:00

All things covetable in red and blue! Those two colours pop up all over my wardrobe, artistic work and home, yet I never grow tired of them.

Wonderful water-tinted weavings by Hermine - red bell at Ferse Verse - Won Hundred universe dress - American Apparel jeans blouse - COS relaxed fit jeans

A sunday breakfast by Otark at Antwerp café De Roskam - Anthony Cudahy Fever Dream zine - Kvast socks - Makr backpack - And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman

Next: the nude x gold x rusty wishlist for a glowing end-of-year!

wishlist: black x white

2011-12-22T23:47:00.000+01:00

While I'm waiting for daylight to take some decent pictures of my newborn booklet, I might just as well post the wish lists I've been puzzling together for some weeks. Just because I like to see things organised neatly. And it makes me feel all Christmassy.

My favourite black & white goods, clockwise:

Poti Poti knitwear - Lulu Wolf print at Little Paper Planes - Wood Wood Lis dress - Sori Yanagi kettle at Mjölk - F Troupe tassel boots

sewing machine - Something Else rope jumper at ShopKoshka - leggings on Etsy (have to search where exactly I found it, will let you know)- ASOS loafers - Wood Wood Fay shirt - Ward Zwarts Mostly Cola, out soon - Krummi bird clothing hanger at Mjölk

Next up: the red x blue wishlist!

treasure hunting

2011-12-22T08:53:00.002+01:00

The last two weekends were really nice. I spent a great deal of time in the lovely pop-up shops that, well, popped up around the city. Met a few treasurable people, like Hermine (she has blogged about our first date on Journal de jours - I totally agree with you Hermine, we should do something together!). And I also found a couple of treasures to take home.

In the picture:

Atelier Solarshop (x 2 - with topsy-turvy Christmas decoration and cute kids wear from Mobiloom)

Wouters & Hendrix

The Bries Space

Other than that, I worked hard for money to afford all these treasures and... made my first little book! More about that verrrry soon!

academie: tiger petting at the Antwerp zoo

2011-12-12T11:22:00.002+01:00

A dry etch on a mica plate, based on a photo from a book about the Antwerp zoo.

I can't find its title, but it was a real treasure of a book. Will ask my classmate where she got it!

WOODEN JUBILEE

2011-11-24T21:30:00.004+01:00

A picture from the first night we met, and the first day we were together.

Now five years ago.

Definitely to be continued.

academie: puppets

2011-11-23T11:02:00.001+01:00

Let's show you a little more of what I've been doing at my applied graphics course.

A style and material study of a (I guess South-Eastern) puppet. I was really happy my neighbour in class brought this with her, since I had forgotten to bring any objects. It had wonderful colours and very strong graphic qualities which were begging to be interpreted!

alledagenhonger tweet

2011-11-22T23:38:00.004+01:00

Sorry for the silence. It's not representative for real-life produce!

Among which, a new background for alledagenhonger's Twitter page.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables allover, yessur!

Take a peek

october in books / zines

2011-11-02T12:25:00.002+01:00

A book about the marvellous textile and fashion brand Minä Perhonen

Le Chinois and Mes Recettes à Emporter, illustrated Parisian gifts from Jo & Barbara, and the very inspiring De Smaakbijbel with stories and tips about flavour combis, also seen at Jo's place.

2 SSE artist zines from South-Korea, Boy & Deer by Ju A-young and The Magic Child by Lee Yoon-hee (open)

Put a egg on it, art and literary magazine from NY, printed on green paper

october in pictures

2011-10-31T12:24:00.002+01:00

This month I ran into:

A lovely book cover and the craziest stuffed animal setup I've ever seen!

A bike shop in Brussels and more bikes at Piet Hein Eek's imperium in Eindhoven, during Dutch Design Week.

This lovely installation in the A Rua exhibition about Brazil at the MUHKA in Antwerp.

food

2011-10-31T12:02:00.002+01:00

I'm not gonna pretend to be a great kitchen princess or food photographer here, but I do like to dabble in the kitchen on a lazy sunday or an evening with friends. And I must say I'm pretty good at improvising with leftovers. I also simply just love to look at food. And to draw it, as on alledagenhonger.be!

ffffeist

2011-10-18T23:39:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow she'll be very close to us. We'll hear her in Brussels.
Can't wait!

eggs eggs eggs

2011-10-16T11:17:00.003+02:00

Here's my new eggs pattern!
I'm trying to develop some patterns for the little parrot book I'm making at the academy.

Let it be a symbol for all the wild new plans I'm working on... But those are secret for now!

academie: coco

2011-10-08T00:14:00.003+02:00

Remember I told you I enrolled in the local art academy this year? Well, this is a little glimpse of something I'll be working on: a first modest book experiment with try-outs in different techniques. This one's made with carbon paper.

After my shrink plastic parakeet brooches I thought it would be nice to translate the home jungle theme into illustrations and pictures. So my book will be all about grannies, their feathered friends and room plants. More to come!

lovebook

2011-10-06T23:03:00.004+02:00

I'm in the DaWanda Lovebook! This will be distributed to magazines etc., probably mainly in Germany.

My little feathers ended up in the 'Haute Hippie' section. Not exactly my target group, but well, it looks nice with the rest :-)

copenhagen: nice poster

2011-09-28T21:38:00.001+02:00

Really loved this poster in Copenhagen. No idea who made it.

b.i.l.l.i.e.h.o.l.i.d.a.y

2011-09-21T12:04:00.003+02:00

This song is so wonderful. I can keep listening to it, and singing along.
Thank you Gerlin for reminding me :)

new!

2011-09-20T16:17:00.002+02:00

Click around people, because I have changed and updated all my webhomes:

my website
my shop

and this blog, of course! I have made several banners with my logo, so you'll see it change now and then.

And I've made a new portrait too:

I hope you'll like all this!

denmark: architecture / part 2

2011-09-16T03:17:00.000+02:00

Top: 8 house, BIG architects
Bottom: VM houses, BIG + JDS

Lots of Arne Jacobsen chairs and Poul Henningsen lamps there.

denmark: architecture / part 1

2011-09-15T10:14:00.002+02:00

Back to Denmark!

A Copenhagen must-do for architecture aficionados: take the metro down South to Orestad. You can visit some remarkable apartment buildings along the line.

They're nice to look at and to climb, but I wouldn't ever want to live there as it is now. Aside from the nature park at the far end and a giant sterile shopping mall somewhere underway, it's still a dead area around these blocks. I guess with architecture it's a bit like with illustration: you have to think about the space you don't use just as much as about the space you fill in. Because what's the sense of making costly statements out there in no man's land?

However, I liked the use of colour, shape and materials in these buildings. The mountain graphics in the top picture, for example, are actually perforated aluminium plates. Stay tuned for more.

Top: Mountain Dwellings, BIG architects
Bottom: 8 house, BIG architects

alle dagen honger

2011-09-14T19:02:00.001+02:00

My current favourite pastime: making illustrations for www.alledagenhonger.be.
A delicious blog for (Dutch-speaking) foodies, filled with passion and care by two ladies from Antwerp. I did the website design and will be making more illustrations for their upcoming series. They sound promising, so keep close watch!

Johanna Goyvaerts is web editor for Njam!, a Belgian culinary channel and magazine. She loves to hunt after recipes and the stories behind them, as she's doing now in Paris (see poster). Tell me, how many people would undertake such an adventure for a newborn blog? That's what I call dedication! Her enthusiastic mails are simply heartwarming in off-days, and I'm sure her cooking is, too. If she'd ever decide to fulfill her dream and write a cookbook, I'd do everything to support her. Even eat liver with sprouts.

Barbara Serulus is the thriving force behind theatre company SKaGeN, who staged a lovely live silent movie in the parks around town this summer. Barbara appeared as Barbzilla in the closing credits, need I say more? If someone has the guts to start her own culinary business, I'm confident it's her. Barbara lives right above us and leaves presents at my door all the time. Last week only I received a pair of handmade scissors from Vietnam, a pack of dark crispy chocolate and an Egon Schiele postcard. Asking me kindly if I would, maybe, make a few more illustrations? Really, they now how to pull my strings!

We'll be having our first real dinner party soon, I'm hungry already...

jacqueline wants to look nice

2011-09-08T18:08:00.006+02:00

A couple of girls from in and around Antwerp started the webzine 'Jacqueline' a while ago, as an alternative to the average shallow gossip magazine. Jacqueline does read gossip magazines too, when she's in need of a brainless break, but her curiosity reaches further than the next best diet or an it-girl's bad hair day. Jacqueline's web page covers everything from science over DIY to - yes, it's still made by women - fashion and beauty.

This is an illustration I made today about day and night creams. I also designed the header of the site, and the illustrations in this, this and this article.

minä perhonen

2011-09-08T11:42:00.003+02:00

Yesterday I paid a visit to the Japanese brand Minä Perhonen's website, thrilled to see all the new outfits and pattern designs. Every year they invent the most innovative and playful colour, texture and motif combinations.

Today I saw a book about them, and instantly dropped my good intention to leave The Book Depository in peace for a while. That book will be mine soon, I want to know all their secrets!
(too bad they will be in Japanese...)

denmark: in bloom

2011-09-05T10:44:00.003+02:00

Denmark is not all melancholy, it can also be bold, wild and playful!

a late memory of A'dam

2011-09-03T11:27:00.000+02:00

Copenhagen gave me the chance to finish an old roll of film. It was a surprise to see what that roll had been hiding for so long. A couple of pictures from our months in Amsterdam, which seem pretty far-off after a year in Antwerp.

this and that

2011-09-01T13:58:00.002+02:00

1 September
Back to school (art academy, in my case)
Cleaning up desks
Diving into books

This post is the most back-to-schoolish I could come up with at the moment.

What do you see?

1/

A pleasure post pack from urban poets/image catchers Levi Lanser and Iris Jans. They must make an adorable couple.
Stickers from Ephameron. If I'd stick up every one of the stickers she gave me, my entire appartment would be covered in her lines.
A surprise booklet from Louis Reith.
A portrait by the lovely Ana Carucci, based on a self-portrait I posted on Flickr in the old days.

Print workshop: Hand-printing techniques and truly original projects, by Christine Schmidt, founder of Yellow Owl Workshop
Open Studios, by Lotta Jansdotter and Jenny Hallengren
An old magazine from Sabena, the now bankrupt Belgian flight company
Otherworldliness, a paper extract from Irana Douer's Ruby Mag
Mamma Andersson, exhibition catalogue
Joe Speedboot, by Tommy Wieringa

Also recently acquired, but not in the picture: the excellent Digital Textile Design by Melanie Bowles.

Copenhagen: meatpacking district

2011-09-01T13:25:00.002+02:00

We had read about the meatpacking district in a magazine before. It was tipped as one of the upcoming places-to-be in Copenhagen. So there we went, keeping up our image of relevant cityhoppers, eager to examine the city's vivid heartbeat.

More words + (digital) images after the jump...

The Meat City (Kødbyen) breathed a unique atmosphere at night. The place looked slightly desolate, with only the robust signage and sleeping trucks to remind us of its daytime purposes: in most of its buildings, carcasses are still being processed and traded. Now they looked quiet and even pretty in their own white-and-blue modernist way.

Some of them were still buzzing with activity: restaurants, galleries and clubs did their very best to lift the site to a higher level. For a moment, a yellow-lit wrestling club had us flashed back to a reality of flesh and bones.

But then we saw Mother at the other side of the street. A mother will make you feel home in the strangest places, right? Definitely when it's an Italian mamma type, who knows you by name and serves excellent pizzas on a bed of general coziness. Yes, I could follow their strategy.

And it must be said, the place quite lived up to its promise. Mother is a lively and affordable Italian restaurant where pizza dough is tossed and stretched in front of your eyes. Although the owner is not a mamma, he does speak Italian and remembers your name. The pizza is good value. And in front of your nose you will find an idea so self-evident that I wondered why I hadn't seen it before: no flower arrangement there, but a plain basil plant, functional and fragrant.

denmark: waterland

2011-08-30T23:17:00.000+02:00

After ten days of well-used silence, I'll be churning out posts the coming weeks. I have finally processed all my travel pictures and have gathered quite some other blogworthy topics in the meantime.

I didn't tell in the previous post, but this is where we hung out for two weeks: Denmark. A little flat at first sight, but quite exciting at heart. And watery, too. Luckily, we didn't get much water over our heads, except for a welcome drop of rain while we were melting on the beach.
(Yes! Sunbathing was the last thing I expected to do in Denmark, but we did it even twice!)

The last photograph was taken at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, a memorable art oasis on a 20mins train ride from Copenhagen.

When you go there, and you SHOULD do so, be sure to reserve enough time for your visit. Although the Louisiana museum doesn't look that big, its exhibitions are executed with such meticulous care and its gardens and views are so beautiful that it would be a pity to speed through them.

Three hours were in any case too short for our brains to properly absorb all the extensively documented case studies in the 'Living' architecture exhibition. The Yayoi Kusama installation in my previous post was only one of the exhibition's many surprising illustrations of how men experience and appropriate space.

Evenings are a good time to visit Louisiana. If you have enough time, you can enjoy the Danish buffet in the restaurant with a panoramic view, and nose through the museum shop's vast assortment of Danish design, books and fashion.

back

2011-08-18T11:36:00.001+02:00

Back from gone and busy.

For a couple of weeks, we escaped to a place up North. But sometimes, it felt like outer space.

The above worlds were created by Yayoi Kusama and Olafur Eliasson.

dagboekdag: fashion allover

2011-07-21T18:30:00.003+02:00

I recently bought one of those magazines that give an overview of all the major fashion shows of the new season. Great to have all those pictures on paper, I don't like drawing from a computer screen...

I'm trying out different materials to get a better idea of which effects they can create and what I like most. One thing is already certain: I love fashion illustration, need to explore this further!

Everything's made with some of my favourite tools:

crayons from Dille & Kamille
Artline 210 pen
Staedtler pigment liner
and my Winsor & Newton watercolours!

print+pattern

2011-07-09T19:24:00.001+02:00

I am slightly obsessed with prints and patterns. My passion for images and illustration has been spreading like a virus over my life and now it has taken a firm hold of my imaginary wardrobe too.

My dream is to be able to design patterns, transform them into fabrics, and into whatever wearable shape I'd like. And if I'd ever marry, I would rather go for a dazzling all-over print than for a virginal white dress. That's how deep it's rooted.

May I present to you some wonderful printalicious designs: a wonderful collab between Finnish illustrator Jenni Rope + Finnish print dinosaur Marimekko, a map dress by Carven, and fluid geometry by Hui-Hui, who are simply the best at turning whatever they find around them into the most intriguing prints, shapes and colour palettes.

knitwit: fancy tube skirts

2011-07-08T22:18:00.000+02:00

In the last knitting class of the year, I took a picture of a classmate's knitting project. It might not look that stunning lying flat like this, but it did look fantastic on her.

And there my fingers started tickling. It only takes a fancy stitch and a nice thread to spice up a simple tube shape. Circular knitting needles would make it a perfectly adorable on-the-go knitting project, and given that I like to wear my skirts rather short it wouldn't even take long to finish.

Some internet browsing only supported my new plan...

Pictured, clockwise: skirts by Warmi, Potipoti and Karla Spetic.

rainy days

2011-07-04T20:41:00.006+02:00

... are luckily over!

I couldn't be happier with my new camera, these gloomy images just wouldn't have been possible with my old one.

I enrolled at the art academy for an applied graphics course. From September on, I'll be attending this class eight hours a week, in hopes that it will raise my productivity to new heights and that it will help me develop a graphic style of my own. I went to the open day last weekend and was very charmed by the subtle works of Younes Abied. Looking forward to exchanging ideas with people like him. Can't wait to start!

Holidays are approaching too. We're heading North, to Copenhagen and Arhus. I've been dreaming about Scandinavia for a long time, so I'm curious how I'll experience it for real. If you'd have any tips, be sure to pass them along.

With such a shiny future in sight, of course a drop of rain couldn't stay away. But that doesn't mean my bike had to get stolen! My bike and I have been together for 12 years, so that hurts really bad.

show2011 - group visions (women)

2011-07-03T19:45:00.000+02:00

Top to bottom:
Frederick Hornof (4th year)
Leonneke Derksen (4th year)
Charlotte Pringels (3rd year)

I really liked the collections by Eva Dunis, Sarah Archut, Tabitha Osler and Erika Mizuno, but haven't been able to photograph them satisfactorily.

show 2011 - group visions (men)

2011-06-30T20:18:00.000+02:00

Top to bottom:

Niels Peeraer (4th year)
Mathias Weber (3rd year)
Marius Janusauskas (3rd year)

show2011: singular creatures

2011-06-28T18:33:00.003+02:00

Finally I found some time to process the pictures we snapped at the graduation show of the Royal Academy of Antwerp's fashion department. I haven't been able to shoot all the designs I liked, so I definitely advise you to take a look at their website for more awesomeness.

Anyhow, I'm already very pleased with my new little camera's achievements! It was high time I got a new one, because I really missed taking pictures...

More show2011 coming up in the following posts!

ephafish

2011-06-26T19:16:00.005+02:00

Thursday, I accompanied Ephameron to the boat lift of Strépy-Thieu, a massive construction known for its high cost and low utility, which she adorned with a fresh 'n fishy tape drawing for the La Louvière art biennial.

It's nice if such occasions lead you to places you normally wouldn't discover. And we got a free lunch buffet on top.

potting plants

2011-06-08T23:34:00.003+02:00

Who would've thought the house plants I'm surrounded with would bring me so much inspiration?

This is my second try at pattern-making. I call it 'potting plants'. What would you use it for?

art trek update

2011-06-07T12:53:00.003+02:00

The ART TREK 8 flyer designed by Ephameron is flying out now! The website has been updated too (those were my first steps in the world of Dreamweaver), so fly over there for more information about the what, how, when, why and who of this notorious event! And become a fan already...

binnenskamers

2011-06-01T17:00:00.000+02:00

Binnenskamers is a very graphic novel by debuting Dutch author Tim Enthoven. Freshly brought out by the Antwerp publisher Bries.

Bries might not (yet) be a resounding name in the world of comics, but the ones who know it will acknowledge that it stands for so much more than what the label 'comics' might make you expect. Bries publishes books that move on the fine line between comics, literature and art. Books to read, look and cherish, made by the best international authors.

Bries is also Ria Schulpen. She is the one responsible for more than ten years of bold choices and passionate work. I've had the pleasure to help her here and there the past year, and I am sure there are few more careful eyes to trust your newborn comic endeavours to.

I am glad she now teamed up with Tim Enthoven. The young man has tons of talent, surprisingly witty ideas and a work discipline that will take him far. In his first book however, it is the same discipline which keeps the main character trapped within the four walls of his student room. This sense of isolation and its disturbing consequences are masterfully captured in the author's unseen manipulation of space. Architects will definitely like the book, as will graphic designers, illustration fans and habitual readers.

You will, too. What are you waiting for?
Maybe one last advice before you rush off and buy the book: please resist the urge to colour in the pictures! The paper and format of the novel might resemble that of a colouring book, but don't be seduced. That black and white looks smashing the way it is. Just look at that cover!

www.bries.be.

PS: that's me in that picture! My first artist portrait, I'm honoured.

in need of a loyal feathered friend?

2011-05-19T00:36:00.004+02:00

I sold my first two parakeet brooches at the Scheld'apen Jaartsail.
The start of a new collection, inspired by the first signs of summer, the former home of my grandmother and Olmo's houseplant collection... more info soon!

coney island

2011-05-09T11:01:00.002+02:00

Photographs of Ephameron's wall via NYC No Longer Empty
Pictures from Romy Blümels Coney Island taken from her website

Ephameron is back from yet another fruitful voyage. She went to NY this time and added her lines to an area that already reads like a storybook: Coney Island. I haven't been there yet (haven't been anywhere out of Europe except for Peru), but pictures of it appeal very much to the imagination. Not only mine, so it seems: coincidence wants that one of my favourite artists of the moment, Romy Blümel, made a marvellous book about this exotic place. Romy will also participate in the eighth Art Trek, which I'm organising this Summer with Ephameron and friends at the Mekanik gallery in Antwerp. I am entirely blown away by her work and am looking forward to nail her contribution to our walls.

I hid some more words about Ephameron after the jump...

Ephameron is an illustrator and artist from Antwerp with a sense of beauty and form that I can very much relate to. She's a fulltime observer, takes snapshots all over the world, feels her way through life and translates all this to sensitive multimedial drawings. Collages, digital compositions, screenprints, wall paintings or tape drawings, you name a technique and she has made it her own. She's a highly energetic person who can't be held still: when she's not working hard for clients in the media or cultural field, she's flying around the world from one exhibition to another or organising her own events in her home town Antwerp.

Right now Ephameron has an exhibition with Kim Troubleyn and Anneke Caramin at Nova, and she's working on her second graphic novel. Visit her website for more.

I met Ephameron about three years ago, in search of a nice internship for my studies. I wanted to dive into the world of illustration and crafts I had been falling in love with and hoped she might have some tips for me. I finally ended up doing a different kind of internship, but agreed to help her out with the ART TREK exhibition she had been organising for some years.

Since then we have a little partnership, although it has not been defined as such: I assist her here and there, folding and sewing books, drawing up grant applications and press texts and spreading the word; I teach her some of my craft tricks, look after her apartment when she's gone and buy maltesers for her to make her favourite drink. She motivates me in return, gives me pieces of experience and advice, lends me books from her exciting collection and gives me selfmade zines and bird-printed tape. I'm happy we share our hometown now.

On Sunday the 15th of May, we'll be sharing a stall at the Scheld'apen Jaartsail, close to the new MAS museum that will be festively inaugurated the same weekend. Ward Zwart, Brecht Vandenbroecke and other exciting artists will be there too.

So... I'd better get started and make some new sellable stuff! Pictures soon!

sewstew: granny fabrics

2011-05-01T19:31:00.000+02:00

Fabric scraps from my grandmother, sorted out and waiting to be used.

knitwit/sewstew: Bless & CUT #5

2011-04-14T13:28:00.003+02:00

picture via IS MENTAL

How cool are these knitted 'Eram' boots from Bless?

I'm curious to see the DIY project they designed for the new CUT magazine.
Tomorrow it'll be out, you can order it right away on Dawanda. I will, for sure. It's good for my German skills too.

polly.bird

2011-04-14T13:26:00.000+02:00

I made a surprise letter for the Italian Polly who lives in Finland. I think no one documents letters with as much care as she does on her blog. That's only one reason why I sent it to her.
More reasons: she loves birds. She makes beautiful pictures. I think she has great taste. And a good nose for hidden beauty.

We also share a passion for old photographs and the memories that come with them. She recollects as I rerember. Her recollection project is being exhibited in Helsinki right now, but you can still take part and send her your pictures and stories.

Visit her website.
Take a peek at my letter here.

dagboekdag

2011-04-01T12:24:00.000+02:00

Shame on me, cause I haven't been able to live up to my own drawing intentions made only a few months ago... Apparently daily sketching doesn't really work for me. At least not right now, while I'm preparing the release of new books at Bries, a new edition of Art Trek, the layout of a new culinary blog, all on top of my regular activities. Well, 'dagboekdag' won't appear every week then. You'll see it show up whenever I have sketched something acceptable.

This is such a something I made after having listened to the wonderful Oi Va Voi song 'Pagamenska'. Antwerp has a very close-knit jewish community. Although I bike through their neighbourhood everyday they will always remain a mystery to me, and I guess to most citizens since they live very secluded. I love this song about jewish celebrations since it is remarkably intimate and touching.

Displacing myself in the jewish festive atmosphere, I imagined the chassidic men would swap their trademark sidelocks for colourful serpentines on their birthdays. And so I quickly drew this little fantasy.

And then, a week later, while mindlessly standing in the tram, I suddenly saw five blue jewish smurfs passing by. Many other characters popped up in the streets, from merry Marie-Antoinettes to sumo wrestlers, and yes, even Arabs. Mostly kids, although some brave men in chassidic dress dared to throw on a disco or cowboy hat too. It was an unusual sight. Thanks to Purim, I learned later.

knitwit - Roos Vandekerckhove sale

2011-03-23T10:29:00.004+01:00

A weekend ago we went to a sale in Roos Vandekerckhove's textile workshop, in Ghent. The flyer told us she sold everything from yarn and fabrics to CD's, clothes and furniture. A look at her website learned that there would be lots of colour to be found. Promising, we thought.

Well, rewarding it proved! When I saw her closet stuffed with knitting machine wool on nice big spools, I had to restrain myself. It took me quite some time to select an acceptable bagful of harmoniously coloured yarn, which would cost me 8 euros. But when we came back to pick it up after a stroll through the city, Roos whispered to me that the wool had produced some offspring. So I went home with two bagsful of wool for the same 8 euros, fantasizing about what I would make...

PS: the lower picture could have been a super sleek street style photo, but my face did not quite cooperate so I wisely chopped it off.

project Red Skirt finished!

2011-03-04T15:05:00.004+01:00

Phew. I've been ploughing through quite a few sewing classes to get this skirt finished. But well, there it is, with lining and all: my very first skirt! And it's even wearable!

I love the wool fabric. It's easy to sew and of great quality. I bought it at a Bruno Pieters stock sale. I've got a lot of it left - I could make a matching top piece out of it too if I'd like.

who has won what?

2011-03-02T18:00:00.002+01:00

Finally my hand has picked a winner of the postcard pack. Dear champion, I hope you can read backwards.

Since there were only three to choose from, the two others can get a postcard in their mailbox too. Leenhilde and Maicen, I need you address ladies. Drop me a line at info@mayken.be if you want one!

PS: there's a sneak peek of my selfmade Cathy Pill dress!

sleep tight

2011-02-28T22:46:00.003+01:00

This is something I've been wanting to try for a long time: making patterns in Photoshop! It proved to be surprisingly easy actually.

This is a quick-quick composition on the basis of a little watercolour sketch, just to test the technique, but I kinda like it already... I'd like to make some pattern designs for Envelop later.

But for now: huddle together and sleep tight!

dagboekdag

2011-02-27T13:05:00.004+01:00

Something I saw a couple of weeks ago in the shop.

Last week I was also:

Thankful to PJ Harvey for making the sublime Let England Shake. Raw, pure, simple, bittersweet as we now her, yet excitingly fresh. At least a protest record has never made me feel so much like singing and dancing. Yes, this record might grow on me even more than that other one that's been stuck in my cd player for the last years - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.

Happy that the MoMu was closed. Because when it will open again, it will be covered in tricot!

something new

2011-02-18T18:07:00.003+01:00

Working on something new. Featuring gentlewomen, bohemian cats and a raven or two. On brown and white paper, in ink, pencil and collage, with a bit of gold, red or blue here and there.
That's all I know for now.

knitwit / sewstew: in progress

2011-02-15T14:51:00.003+01:00

A dress in stretchy fabric by Cathy Pill, bought in Brussels during the stock sales of Spring 2009.
A blouse in blue chequered cotton by Stephan Schneider, bought in Antwerp during the stock sales of Autumn 2010 (not pictured)
A dark green cardigan knitted in bramble stitch, pattern from Rowan studio issue 21.

dagboekdag

2011-02-15T13:54:00.002+01:00

We have a lot of Iittala in our cupboard - white and blue Ote glasses and Teema mugs in white, yellow and grey.
Our living room is full of living plants, thanks to Olmo who likes to hop around the room with a plant sprayer.

Glass, greenery, wood and white - that pretty much sums up our interior. It's a good place for relaxing and inventing odd little fellows like the one up here.

hanna hermans + esther horchner

2011-02-15T12:49:00.003+01:00

Two marvelously multi-talented Dutch ladies I'd like to have over for tea.
Their art is very much in the same spirit: super feminine and delicate with a wink, well-crafted with visible care.

We'd wear knitted sweaters and collaged brooches and eat figurative patisserie by Hanna Hermans, and drink pink tea from Esther Horchner's naked lady cups while planning an illustrative attack on the world.

dagboekdag

2011-02-07T21:32:00.003+01:00

Eva Mouton maakt elke dag een tekening en gooit die op het net - nu even niet, maar gewoonlijk doet ze dat heel trouw en zonder remmingen, zoals we dat van haar gewend zijn. Dat wil ik ook, dacht ik bij de start van het nieuwe jaar. Als ik elke dag wat zou knoeien in mijn schetsboek, al was het maar een stomme kriebel of een gekke zin, dan zou dat mezelf een aardig duwtje in de rug geven. Want zo gaat dat met tekenen: als je niet smeert, dan gaat het roesten.

Maar ik ken natuurlijk ook mezelf. Ten eerste wil ik altijd twintig dingen tegelijk doen waardoor ik uiteindelijk niks doe omdat ik niet weet waarmee te beginnen. Ten tweede zijn sommige schetsgedrochtjes nogal internetschuw. Daarom leek het me verstandiger om het te houden bij éen dagboekblog per week. In een gulle bui kan het al wat meer zijn, maar minder? Da's niet de bedoeling. Doe me eraan denken als ik het dreig te vergeten.

In a few English words, let's say I have the good intention to post at least one sketchbook drawing a week. Because drawing is the best of all sports, and I need to stay fit! I'll try to make the scans as neat as possible, but since it's all pencil in a book that won't always be easy.

I was pretty satisfied with this lady, there's something fresh about her that makes her stand out from the trillions of mediocre ladies I produce every year.

glove

2011-01-25T11:04:00.005+01:00

Just stopping by to say hi.
And I've got two of those. Yeah!

I'd also like to cheer for Maicen, who has featured me on her blog.
I love answering questions, thank you for letting me :)

NEW

2011-01-19T11:01:00.004+01:00

Now for sale at DaWanda:

Six cards, three designs.

A red-nosed conversation
A woolly mountain scenery
A swimmer with cellulite

Three slightly offbeat illustrations for your friends to fill in with their own imagination. Usable for every possible occasion, at every time of the year you wish! They'll feel comfortable on your walls too.

Here's a little action: you tell me the story you imagine with one or more of these cards (in the comments section of this post) and I'll pick a winner at random. The lucky one will receive a six card pack!

I've experienced people coming up with strange shit when seeing one of these, so I'm curious for more... Go go go!

happy 2011

2011-01-13T18:25:00.001+01:00

A week and a half too late, with a 'City 2030' picture: there are more appropriate ways to wish you a happy 2011, I know. But I just couldn't get down to posting the last weeks... Numerous family reunions, craft attacks (more on that later), winter sleeps and work got in the way.

I have thought of a few resolutions I'd like to see fulfilled in this new year though. Two of those being: blog more, draw more. This blog complies with both, so maybe it's not such a bad start after all?

What you see here is part of my work for the green party I talked about earlier. It's for another leaflet and poster about the city of the future. It was quite a hell of a job, with late night photoshop teaching (thank you Olmo) and last-minute colour switching. I'm not too pleased about the printed leaflet either. But hey, I'm still pretty proud of my first digitally coloured achievement!

schitterend snoeien

2010-12-09T14:23:00.002+01:00

Een oude pagina uit het schetsboek.
Wat een schitterende quote is dit toch. Vraag me niet van wie ze komt, ik weet het niet meer...

plant abuse

2010-12-03T11:42:00.003+01:00

In the freezing cold, we transported our new roomie home.

winter birthday wishlist #3: knitwit

2010-12-03T11:40:00.000+01:00

Oh yes.
This would be it, right?
I wish I could do just such a discovery as my knitting friend Nanette did.
She bought the whole wool stock of an old lady for very, very little money.

Of course I'd also like to have a sewing machine, a knitting machine and all the world's fancy patterns. But this first. Oh yes.

Oh, and that's my second scarf. I love it way more than the first one. For its colour, length and simplicity.

winter birthday wishlist #2: wear

2010-12-02T18:13:00.000+01:00

Henrik Vibskov mittens, Studio BonBon pink rocks necklace, Warmi sweater dress, Karin Nunez de Fleurquin ring, Donna Wilson Mountain Peak hat, Sessun wool jumpsuit at Urban Outfitters, Rag & Bone Barton cardigan at La Garconne, leather mittens (don't know where they came from), Atelier Elf necklace, Proenza Schouler bag, Monica Vinader ring, Kyoko Hashimoto Dolly necklace, UNE make up, Miju arrow ring, Stine Goya Snake Plait jumper at UO, Bird in Hand pullover by Karolin Schnoor at Poketo, B store Edie shoes (from a previous collection), Charles Anastase tricolor knit dress at La Garconne.

And -as always with fashion- many more, but above all, I want to continue learning to make my own designs!

winter birthday wishlist #1: home

2010-12-02T17:49:00.000+01:00

Blankets by Craig Thompson, antique monkey puppet by Arthur S. Wilkinson at the V&A museum, Mountain Peak cashmere mini blanket by Donna Wilson, Boskke sky planters, Vitra Uten.Silo storage system, Sretan Bor High My Dear cushion at Envelop, Rain pillowcase by Fine Little Day, Pictures by Tim Walker, vintage globe at Present & Correct, calendar by Camilla Engman, tassel garland by Confetti System, Hay Pinocchio carpet.

Plus a lot of nice art, vintage photographs and furniture with an edge!

green

2010-12-02T10:03:00.003+01:00

This is a small glimpse of my very first 'official' illustration assignment. I was very surprised to be asked by the youth division of the Belgian green party to illustrate a folder of theirs about democracy. I am not so much into politics but I can quite find myself in their program so it was a fine job to do. Quite different from what I'm used to doing. But I loved doing it anyways. It was a huge chance for me to practice, learn and get out in the open.

This one is about privacy. I'll show you more when the folder is published.

Today it is snowing.
Tomorrow I'll be 23.
I can feel winter wishlists coming up!

first results

2010-11-18T10:26:00.002+01:00

First finished pieces!
Honestly, I haven't worn that bow out in the open yet... The scarf, on the contrary, is serving me well in the first winter chill.

Next up: black mittens with a white v-pattern and a long, simple mustard scarf.

Sorry this blog seems all about knitting these days :) Once you get started it's hard to turn back, believe me! Every empty moment my hands are yearning for a pair of needles to pass the time productively.

mountain

2010-11-07T12:36:00.002+01:00

Another transformed old photograph. I'd like to print it and attach some wool threads to it.
That's a ball of yarn in her hands, see... Maybe I'll do something about the black-coloured people too, don't like them very much.

Today I'll be enjoying a nice empty day, draw some more, knit some more, take pictures of my grandma's hats (I'm going to put them for sale) and tonight we'll make sushi!

seeing stripes

2010-10-17T13:31:00.003+02:00

It seems to be marinière madness at Petit Bateau... If you want to cover yourself in stripes this winter, PB is definitely the place to go. In December, we expect a special interpretation of the trademark stripes by Tsumori Chisato in store. For now, there's dresses, pyjamas, underwear, sweaters, and my personal favourite: the marine-and-honey striped blazer. Roomy, comfy, warm and chic à la Parisienne: I am smitten! See the blue-and-white version at Tokyobanhbao. I might take a picture of mine later.

Perfect occasion to show you the marine-inspired pages from my inspiration book.
Enjoy...

longstocking #2

2010-10-14T12:38:00.002+02:00

knitwit: books galore

2010-10-03T11:03:00.003+02:00

Drape Drape 2 - Hisako Sato
KnitKnit: Profiles and Projects from Knitting's New Wave - Sabrina Gschwandter
CUT Magazin 4 - All You Knit Is Love
400 Knitting Stitches
Built By Wendy: Dresses

My first little accessory collection has nearly sold out... I'm getting a little bored painting the same shapes on shrink plastic over and over again, but I can of course still remake them on order. I have gathered many new ideas already, hope I can find some time to bring them into practice soon and refill my shop with new stuff.

Anyway, I am very thankful to everyone who bought something and/or left me some encouraging comments. Thanks to you I can now buy five really nice books that will give me tons of fresh inspiration. Yummy, can't wait until they arrive in my mail box!

collecting

2010-09-28T15:39:00.003+02:00

Wool & faded ladies.
See, I've started my snowball scarf!
I think tonight I might get over halfway :)

knitwit: snuggly snowball scarf

2010-09-19T11:10:00.002+02:00

I'm buzzing with activity these weeks... and it feels good!
I'm very happy to announce that I found a sewing AND a knitting course.
My aim: to be able to make everything wearable that pops up in my head.

I'll be sharing some of my knitting inspiration with you under the incredibly witty category name 'knitwit'. Just because it sounds catchier than knitting inspiration.

Project one on my needles: the Snuggly Snowball Scarf, based on this wonderful fashion editorial from Elle NL by Carmen Kemmink. Don't you love the model too?

vintage peru

2010-09-03T16:08:00.005+02:00

Found these on a lost roll of film... One year old they are.
In the world of blogging that's vintage already, right?

atelier solarshop

2010-08-31T12:18:00.003+02:00

Probably going there tonight.

I love Hui Hui and their campaigns, but I'm gonna make that scarf myself now I know how to knit!

Stephanie Schneider and Saskia Diez use materials in a refreshing way.

Also check out the website of SOKI, because I wear their deer ring all the time.

And that of the talented illustrator/graphic designer Inge Rylant. I met her yesterday in line for the sewing course and shared my disappointment with her. She rocks glasses too.

time for new eyes

2010-08-30T19:45:00.004+02:00

My new hobby: fitting glasses. My eyes are bad as hell and I can't wear lenses so I think they deserve some pampering. My old pair is a little rickety so it's time for a change! I want to go a little bigger, a little rounder, not too dark and heavy (already too much dark and heavy going on in my eyebrows).

It's strange how strongly a pair of glasses determines the look of your face. These two pairs did a pretty good job. Both Paul & Joe.

I like the gradient in the first. Grey is a nice colour. And it looks pretty light on my face.

The second looks a little aristocratic, but in a fresh way. And the colours are just perfect for me.

Which would you pick?

ginger ladies with socks

2010-08-30T19:36:00.003+02:00

You might have seen these on Flickr a while ago, but since I like this blog much more: there they go. I love how the watercolour stripe and dot patterns turned out. Not too happy about the green background of the ginger lady though, it makes her look a little seasick.

Bummer of the day: the sewing course I wanted to enroll in was a full already. There goes plan number one for this year. Any other craft course tips in Antwerp?

4 teeth less and ready to go!

2010-08-25T15:06:00.007+02:00

Phoooo. Finally. Back.
Where have I been hanging out?
We've been travelling around like nomads in eager expectation of our own place to stay.
Which means: a bit everywhere, really. Everywhere with no computer.

In a hospital, having a makeshift dinner on its rooftop.
At Ephameron's, housesitting on her visual bombardment of an appartment.
In the Belgian Sahara, cooking for an odd collection of disproportionate teenagers.
At the docks of Antwerp, trying to wave the giants goodbye.
In another hospital, having my wisdom teeth taken out.
In my old bed, recovering.

But, ladies and gents, all this voyaging has finally led to something:

We have an appartment! In the best neighbourhood of Antwerp!
(pictures later)
I have four teeth less and got in touch with the chubbier version of me!
(no pictures, thank you)
I have the time and materials at hand to get back to crafting and blogging!
(= more pictures for sure...)

Hurray times three!

a first art investment?

2010-08-03T10:14:00.003+02:00

We moved to our first house-sitting spot in BE. Busy looking for jobs and appartments while Olmo is having his first day at B-architects. They did a lot of nice projects, among which many exhibition and shop interiors, so I am curious to hear what he will be working on.

Art Trek ran smoothly, although a package got stuck at the customs and the most expensive piece of hand labour had a hard time staying up on the wall. We are seriously considering to buy our first piece of art before even having a wall to hang it on. I am talking about the gently priced and seriously witty illustrative hotpot screenprints by the Dutch Hedof. Would you know which one to pick?

pack for the next art trek!

2010-07-22T16:26:00.005+02:00

Top: Martine Johanna, Louis Reith and Gemma Correll painting the Art Trek wall in 2009
Bottom: impression of this year's participants

On the schedule today: scrape my mess together for a new adventure. No breathtaking mountain sceneries this year; I will be more than happy with an exploration of the whimsical minds of a new Art Trek generation against the backdrop of my exciting future home: Antwerp. Yes, I will be swapping A'dam for A'pen soon, scarily soon that is. I have not even finished my list of things to do here. Big stress. And I am already missing the water and the boats.

However, I am looking forward to being part of the new Art Trek experience next week. Last year's was a very fun week of hanging around town with artists from all over the world. I enjoyed the buzzing atmosphere of last-minute creative sparkles and finishes and shared everyone's excitement at the opening night. This year I will be on the first row to help founder Eva Cardon uphold the tradition and applaud the results! I am especially curious to see what Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch, Dominique Goblet and Nicolas Burrows sent in.

I will be fluttering around Galerie Mekanik on July 31st, from 18h to 22h. Promise we meet there?

birds of a feather

2010-07-08T23:19:00.003+02:00

Love this unusual picture by Robert Mapplethorpe of Patti Smith as a fragile but fierce singing bird.

Did you see the feather brooches and wallflower rings in my shop yet?

eintausend tips

2010-06-09T11:13:00.010+02:00

A postcard by Richard Sanderson, found in the Don't Panic Berlin edition.

This one is especially for Gerlin, who kindly reminded me of my promise to post some of our tips for a summery Berlin. Though I can hardly call myself a specialist after a 4 day's visit, after the jump I will offer you some experiences that have been lingering in my memory. Fermenting might be a better word though; it feels rather odd to get this out after 1,5 month :)

Is Berlin out of your reach for now? These might do as an Ersatz until you can afford the real thing:

Browse through Sandra Juto's delicious travel snaps.
Peek into the homes of Berlin's creative herd at Freunde von Freunden.
Steal the style with help of Stil in Berlin.

Shopping

Mauerpark flea market, every Sunday 8am - 6pm. Great atmosphere, great finds
Potipoti shop, Rosenthaler Straße 66. Lots of airy watercolour garments of the Potipoti brand and playful jewellery by young designers.
We discovered many more unique shops wandering through Prenzlauerberg and Mitte. Pick up a copy of the free shopping guide Berlin ein000 - available in most fashion shops - for many more tips.

Food

Berlin is the place to kebap and falafel away! Much other nice and cheap food around too.
For breakfast, I'd recommend the Weinbergsweg. Munch a great grilled sandwich on the pavement of Portuguese breakfast bar Galão a Pastelaria while watching the unvariably young and hip passers-by. There's also Russian and Asian bars around.
Don't be mistaken by the flipped golden M on the window of Der Imbiss W: no greasy hamburgers here, but freshly baked naan pizzas with a vast array of toppings, lentil dhal, soups, salads and burritos. Kastanienallee 49.
We heard of a nice Turkish market on Fridays in Kreuzberg - Landwerk Kanal, but unfortunately couldn't make it. The same for a Weinerei in Veteranen Strasse.

Nice Berliner places

Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Kreuzberg, Mariannenplatz 2. This is a residency for young artists and a nest for refreshing ideas and collaborations. They always host free exhibitions. The former nineteenth-century hospital is remarkable on its own since it unites artists and anarchist squatters with gardening grannies and barbequeing families on its premises. Around you will find more curiosities like an anarchist trailer park and a tree hut.
The Görlitzer park breaths out a similar eclectic, slightly run-down but highly inspiring atmosphere. The former railway center at its heart seems a nice place to have a drink.
Sit on the river shores, bike through the city, admire the street paintings (not those on the Berlin wall), go wherever your feet take you and peek behind welcoming doors. The best spots will hopefully find you.

Notorious party places we did unfortunately not end up at: Berghain-Panorama Bar, Bar 25, Maria am Ostbahnhof, Watergate Club and Klub der Visionnaire

Unlike Berlin might help you to find more interesting galleries, events, bars and restaurants. They have a travel app too.

park life

2010-06-08T09:06:00.003+02:00

photos by Olmo Peeters

Berlin Mauerpark in the sunny weekend of May 22-23.
Berlin is such an amazing city. It has more

falafel
history
greenery
squat places
flea markets
party people
cheap drinks
painted walls
barbeque parks
grey apartments
creative ambiance
nice fashion shops
light blue race bikes
up-in-the-air tramways
yummy breakfast places
peaceful mixtures of grannies, moroccan families, hip creatives and anarchists

than any other city I've seen. And therefore I would love to live there.

foodplay

2010-06-07T17:50:00.008+02:00

Contrary to what you've probably learned, I would strongly recommend you play more with your food!

Golden quinoa salad
---
I boiled the quinoa with half a cube of chicken stock and added some curry for a nice golden colour. Served with spinach, chickpeas and mushrooms.

Raspberry-lime muffins
---
I rarely follow a recipe to the letter. I often improvise on what my cupboard has to offer and what I feel like eating. Mostly I modify muffin recipes slightly to make them a little healthier. This one is adapted from Weekend Knack. Recipe after the jump.

175 g whole wheat flour
1,5 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp cinnamon (I used speculaaskruiden)
zest and juice of 1 lime
50 g grated almonds
25 g pine nuts
100 g cane sugar
1 egg
2 dl creamy yoghurt
1 dl milk
50 g melted butter
200 g raspberries

Mix flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Add lime zest, almonds, pine nuts and sugar. Beat up the egg with the yoghurt, milk and butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until moist, together with the raspberries. Spoon the batter into a muffin pan and bake until golden brown (about 25 mins). I just bought a rubber muffin pan and it is such a pleasure to use; the cakes pop out so easily!

Charlotte

2010-06-06T09:56:00.002+02:00

Charlotte Dumoncel d'Argence is one of the many interesting people I worked with at Mediamatic, for a very short but intense period. Apart from bearing a name that imbues one with instant admiration, she is also a very nice French girl who makes interesting conceptual designs. I think the ceramics of her Contemporary Vanitas series are very beautiful, and I love the idea behind her recent jewellery series; Etalons was inspired on 'the spontaneous gesture of measuring with hands and fingers'. See more on her web page.

I went to visit her a couple of weeks ago in Eindhoven, where she shares a huge antikraak ('anti-squat') building with her designer collective Atelierdorp. After visiting the highly recommendable Van Abbe museum (top) I witnessed her and the girls of Atelierdorp developing a very special kind of pasta, sturdy enough to make functional products from though still pasta enough to cook and eat if necessary. Looked pretty amazing.

This picture is from her home, a haven for colourful fleamarket finds.

A few more interesting ex-colleagues online: Arden's multidisciplinary blog CFYE, Annouk's ecodesign blog Hiphonest, Saskia's design studio Büro/Atelier and artist duo Bitches in Control, Simona's schmuck, Suzanne's illustrations and busy bee Sarah's Italo Elite party and Paved Paradise.
There are just too many enterprises to mention...

twins

2010-05-14T14:07:00.003+02:00

Satara Concept Store, Spui 23 Amsterdam
Henri Manguin, Compositie VI, 1913

Last weekend, we visited the Hermitage, which currently hosts a selection of work by pioneers of modern art from the Hermitage mothership in St. Petersburg. Most of From Matisse to Malevich did not really appeal to me, except for the blue and rose tinted paintings of Picasso, the female portraits by Kees Van Dongen and some brightly colored pieces like this one by Manguin. I thought this joyful color palette would look brilliant on clothing, and look what I saw on the way back!

Garments in beautiful pastel colors by fair fashion label Satara were displayed at the AMFI concept store. Satara was started by AMFI graduates Lotte Biermasz, Sofie Claes, and Tuija Mantyla. They closely collaborate with women entrepeneurs in India to realise their designs, which were inspired by the concept and culture of Khadi fabric. This durable handwoven fabric has been a symbol of freedom since Mahatma Gandhi stimulated its production in order to solve unemployment and provide a local alternative to foreign products. Before, Khadi was mostly dyed in earthy tones but nowadays the bright colors that Satara uses are very much in fashion.

rememories

2010-05-12T21:18:00.004+02:00

Back in the analogue days, the outcome of many days' photographing was still a surprise. Some photos exactly matched the pictures we mentally shot, some did not and were orphaned in the trash. They looked too empty or too messy, too bright or too dark, or captured moments too unflattering to be remembered. With many more years to come, we need to reserve some space in our heads, don't we?

The same happened to these pictures... They were discarded memories until I picked them up and re-remembered by unveiling the exciting little nuances that the pixels had been hiding all along.

Do you have any awkward or unsatisfying pictures left? Maybe I could re-remember them for you. Mail me at info@mayken.be and who knows, a nice photo album might grow out of this!

I am also planning to make these into a postcard series.

packages

2010-04-24T16:28:00.003+02:00

So happy with my first sales! They're both packed and posted.
Gerlin and Christina, I hope you will find an envelope and a mountain of thank yous on your doorstep next week!

The money has already transformed into ring blanks and ear posts to make more of this stuff...
I am expecting them in my mail soon.

pleased to meet you

2010-04-19T17:02:00.005+02:00

The business cards I forgot to show you earlier.* Logiprint did a good and quick job.
Does anyone have a good tip for printing postcards, illustrations and photos?

Also on this wall:

studio bonbon
peter pilotto

* Pssst!

I can send you some business cards if you can get it into the perfect hands... Like the masterful hands of the maker of wonderful books who could use someone to help him editing, or, the perfectly manicured hands of a lady who would like some colourful rings on her fingers, or, the crafty fingers of someone who would love to start a booming enterprise of fantastic fröbels with me... Yes, the job hunting season has opened again. Any tips are welcome.

pierrots, picots and apologies

2010-04-19T13:04:00.007+02:00

After almost a month of being an awful blogger, I feel obliged to prove that I have been a good girl nevertheless.

These are some of the things that I've been working on.

- For the first time ever, my shop contains more than one item! Two are visible above, and are also available in mint color - turn to the shop page for more. I will make ear things and rings in the same style, they will be great for summer!

- I am finally developing some doodles from my sketchbook. I have just finished the one above. Her crocodile pet goes by the name Lacoste.

- Of course, I am also a working person. We have an exhibition coming up at Mediamatic - the Sur Place web page is piling up info, but do come to the real thing for added sweat, geekery, hipsters, heroism and fun. From May, 8 until August, 22 at Vijzelstraat 68, Amsterdam. Meet you there!

Now, is that enough to be forgiven?

books wishlist

2010-03-24T13:21:00.004+01:00

My book case is aching for these.

GEDULD UND GORILLAS - How Illustrators are made.
Ram Publications

I filed through this book at a bookstore and thought it was the most wonderful illustration compilation I had seen in years. It is accompanied by texts about teaching illustration, from the viewpoint of the Lucern School of Art & Design in Switzerland.

BROODTROMMELBOEK by Marije Vogelzang.
Uitgeverij Snor

Marije is a Dutch food designer who has written, drawn and cooked together two imaginative books. This one is inspired by bento boxes, but the ideas are way more original, refined and made from proper (read: not fluorescent and plastic) ingredients. Get a preview on her website.

PRINCIPLES OF UNCERTAINTY by Maira Kalman
Penguin Press

The American illustrator Maira Kalman has an eye for things. Everything she picked up during a couple of regular days of her life - thoughts, images, scraps, memories - is bundled in this remarkable visual diary. Her mind takes you from deeply philosophical and historical issues to hilarious, slightly absurd brainwaves. Maira's colorful imagery has a naive quality, but often enough you are reminded of her excellent skills. I have already crossed this one of my list and devoured it instantly. Next on the menu are Maira's NYT columns!

CAMILLA ENGMAN - The Suitcase Series.
Uppercase

I'd love to discover the world of one of my favourite illustrators, Camilla Engman. I am curious who will be next in the Series.

AND ALSO:

All of Paumes' interior books
Japanese magazines from Uguisu
Lena Corwin's Printing By Hand
Whatcha Mean, Whatsa Zine? about making zines by Esther Watson and Mark Todd.

newsies

2010-03-15T18:33:00.003+01:00

Four little lambs were born at Olmo's parental house.

Jewellery is being made here.

The website has recovered from infantile maladies.

I am waiting for freshly printed business cards to arrive... Let's get professional!

our room

2010-03-15T18:17:00.004+01:00

PS

I inherited the purse from my grandmother, and had never properly examined it. Last week I discovered it was a Balmain though! That makes it my first designer possession :)

a scrumptious weekend - part II

2010-03-15T17:08:00.007+01:00

catalogue by Dries Wiewauters

Just in time, we discovered a great deal offered by the Dutch literature week. When you bought a book of 12,50 euros, you received a book and a train ticket for free. It took us a whole Sunday morning to decide if and where we should go, but finally we jumped on the train (where everyone was actually reading) to Arnhem. Not the most exciting city, certainly not on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but it hides some nice features.

It has Kröller-Müller, it has an unexpected little fashion district called Klarendal, and it has Werkplaats Typografie. That last one, at its turn, hides a nice Belgian friend of ours. So we visited him, cooked a proper Sunday dinner and followed a guided tour around the Werkplaats. I played the game of finding typografie in Werkplaats Typografie and we dressed up as Monkey and Frankenstein. We fell asleep in the train and watched a weird alien movie at home. Big Fun.

a scrumptious weekend - part I

2010-03-15T16:28:00.009+01:00

Weekends have become much better since I've started working. This weekend we just went all the way.

Treasure hunting at Noordermarkt, the best market in Amsterdam. Organic bakery, fresh vegetables and flowers, little trinkets and vintage goods - you can find pretty much everything in every quality range there.

Having dinner at Spanjer & Van Twist, who have one of the best menus in town. I had the salad with grilled duck, pears, mushrooms and bacon. Delicious.

Watching Alice in Wonderland in 3D with our Danish friends. My first 3D experience. Verdict: those glasses should be reinvented for bad-eyed people, and that film was visually gorgeous but showed only a tiny fraction of the original. Of course the heart of Lewis Carroll's book consists of linguistic pop corn that cannot be translated in any way. Not to film, not to any other language.

creative endeavors

2010-03-04T11:48:00.000+01:00

One of my intentions when moving to Amsterdam was to spend more time on creative projects. I wanted to do a course as well, since it keeps you stimulated and expands your horizons. So I took up screen printing. And dropped it again after one lesson, because work came in the way. Unfortunate, but I will definitely come back to it later! Dreaming of some printed tees already...

In the meantime, I kept myself going by picking up knitting (I'll give you a peek at my stripy grey cowl-to-be later), selling my first brooch on Dawanda and making an illustration about women and art for future journalist Laura Van Roey (Laura, you are too kind). More more more coming up!

mayken

mostly cola

academie: mount coco

happy new year!

wishlist: pastels x brights

december snaps

wishlist: nude x gold x rusty

wishlist: red x blue

wishlist: black x white

treasure hunting

academie: tiger petting at the Antwerp zoo

WOODEN JUBILEE

academie: puppets

alledagenhonger tweet

october in books / zines

october in pictures

food

ffffeist

eggs eggs eggs

academie: coco

lovebook

copenhagen: nice poster

b.i.l.l.i.e.h.o.l.i.d.a.y

new!

denmark: architecture / part 2

denmark: architecture / part 1

alle dagen honger

jacqueline wants to look nice

minä perhonen

denmark: in bloom

a late memory of A'dam

this and that

Copenhagen: meatpacking district

denmark: waterland

back

dagboekdag: fashion allover

print+pattern

knitwit: fancy tube skirts

rainy days

show2011 - group visions (women)

show 2011 - group visions (men)

show2011: singular creatures

ephafish

potting plants

art trek update

binnenskamers

in need of a loyal feathered friend?

coney island

sewstew: granny fabrics

knitwit/sewstew: Bless & CUT #5

polly.bird

dagboekdag

knitwit - Roos Vandekerckhove sale

project Red Skirt finished!

who has won what?

sleep tight

dagboekdag

something new

knitwit / sewstew: in progress

dagboekdag

hanna hermans + esther horchner

dagboekdag

glove

*NEW*

happy 2011

schitterend snoeien

plant abuse

winter birthday wishlist #3: knitwit

winter birthday wishlist #2: wear

winter birthday wishlist #1: home

green

first results

mountain

seeing stripes

longstocking #2

knitwit: books galore

collecting

knitwit: snuggly snowball scarf

vintage peru

atelier solarshop

NEW