…and it’s only a little after six. I am enjoying the cooler weather but I’m also a bit anxious about it, knowing well what winter means here – dark days, cold cold air and rain rain rain. with a little more rain. on the rain.

But! It’s not winter yet so I shall not fret.

Today was another rather eventful day, and in between my work I…

1. had a conversation with a lovely lady in her 70’s, who has lived in the same apartment in Amsterdam for over 65 years. I couldn’t help ask her a million questions, and she obliged and told me how people dressed 50 years ago, so elegantly, and that the street below her apartment was one of the most fashionable, now, not so much. We shook our heads.

2. was riding behind a woman who got her front wheel caught in a myriad of tram tracks and went head first into the tarmac. I stopped and tried to help her up, she was in shock but not badly hurt. People, please please please don’t get your wheels caught in the tram tracks, it’s terribly dangerous.

3. caught a few minutes of Bargain Hunt while I was eating my lunch – one of the best episodes! Tim Wannacott is classic, what would he be like as a dad, or grandfather? hilarious, or terribly embarrassing? I wonder how I would do on that show, the auctions look like lots of fun.

4. uploaded my guest’s next post! But she did all the work as you can see, and all the traveling – check out where she has taken us this week (thank you zoë!).

5. took loads of photos. but those, i cannot show you yet.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s post. Do you feel like I’m holding back? I am, a little. Because I have so much going on, and so much I want to tell you but want to be able to have longer moments to tell you whats going on, rather than rush rush rushing posts. I don’t like to rush.

Bon weekend!

xx

PS I’ve been thinking that it’s time that I have an assistant, but I just don’t know. Thoughts?

Autumn has arrived in Amsterdam. The days are a little darker, the rain lingers, and the leaves have turned golden,  falling all around me. I’m adjusting nicely to the season this time ’round…

and note to self: to create a perfectly imperfect photograph that captures mood, atmosphere,  & air… shoot through a dirty window.

This is a gorgeous article from World of Interiors that I have had on my moodboard for well over a year now, I’ve been meaning to show you for that long! Aren’t I lazy (don’t answer that). Oh yes I remember why I didn’t show you earlier – it’s because I was hoping to shoot Manon’s studio as part of Paris: Made By Hand! But after a chat with Manon we found out that her atelier is not open to the public, and that is very important for the Made By Hand concept. So then I tried to find Manon’s work in Paris so that I could at least include her pieces, but to no avail. Her work was nowhere to be found in Paris at the time. I was very sad as I adore her creations and philosophy, and wanted to photograph her space and her work. I hope one day I have the opportunity to do so, but in the meantime let’s take a look at these beautiful photographs by Eric Morin for World of Interiors…

Manon creates fabric sculptures, dressed household objects, clothes and accessories.  Every single piece is unique and exquisite…

She uses uniforms from early 20th century workmen and women, and her textile collection is, well, c’est à mourir (to-die-for)…

Manon’s studio is part of a residents for artists. Her kitchen is full of lovely old crockery, all on display, and the back wall is covered in peony wallpaper which she found at a brocante…

And then, as if Eric Morin (sorry I cannot find any website for his work) did not already whet our appetite for  inspiration, I just found this incredible story of images by Japanese photographer Makiko Takehara (again, no online portfolio)who recently photographed Manon and her Paris studio for Japanese fashion magazine so-en. Take a deep breath and hold it tight, because what you are about to see will indeed, take your breath away…

Are you still with me? My heart did ten double backflips when I first saw these images, with thanks to mady dooijes of abundance – a textile designer herself who authors a beautiful blog filled with inspiration. From there I went on a rather erratic wander – running to a number of dead ends in search of the original shots and more information. Alas, here are the images, but no more information than I have already offered. Manon and her work remains a beautiful mystery, one that you may cross if you are in the right place, at the right time.  Let’s hope for this moment…

To see more of Manon Gignoux’s work, please click here.

…illuminates my working space. It’s time to make a cup of tea and get started. I wonder what today will bring?

A while ago I was asked by the ever lovely anne if I could answer a few fun questions (like: what’s in your “designer travel kit” ? and: on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?)  for her boarding pass series on her blog, prêt à voyager. Today, the post is up! With loads of photos and little handwritten descriptions…

To read the full post, please click here. I do hope you like it. Thank you dear anne! I hope to see you in Paris one day soon.

xx

PS I just added the link within widget which is something I have been meaning to do as I am quite liking it on other blogs. What do you think of it? I thought it might be a nice way to see old posts that you may have missed. Let me know your thoughts…

UPDATE, 2 days later: I have removed the link within widget for the moment because I feel like it messes up the tranquility of the posts. If I can find  a way of making it more subtle, I shall put it back in. Thanks for all your feedback on facebook!