The other day I received an email from Sarah who has been a long time reader of the blog and who also sent in images for the My Heart Wanders project last year (which I know many of you are eager to find out what is happening but I can’t tell you yet! You are all so patient and I think you will be very happy to learn what the next step is when I can tell you. I promise you will be the first to know!).

Sarah wrote: “How excited was I to receive my copy of Paris: Made by Hand and the latest issue of BBC Homes & Antiques through the post on the same day?… And what fun to find that your book is featured on page 20 of the magazine (August issue).”

How cool is that! Sarah attached some photos for me which you see above – thank you so much Sarah! and thank you BBC Homes & Antiques!

mrs. french, via her recent post on sfgirlbybay, reminded me how much I love the work of cig harvey by posting the above photograph. bliss indeed.

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I’m very excited about the weather lately. Others may be complaining about the ‘heatwave’ but I could not be merrier. I nearly choked on my vegemite toast this morning when I heard the BBC warning viewers about the current heatwave in the UK… “temperatures could reach up to 30C” announced the newsreader.

Um, where I come from that’s called “summer”.

So needless to say I’m soaking in this sunshine like there’s no tomorrow. Amsterdam glistens when the sun shines. I would go so far to say that it’s the happiest city in the world when the sun is out. People’s smiles are broader, there is a spring in their every step, and life just feels like it could not get any better.

This is my third ‘summer’ for this particular european stint I’m on, but it is really only the first as the preceding two summers were ridiculous versions of the season. Last year I was in Sydney in August you may recall, and considering that is the peak of winter, it was by FAR hotter than the summer here in Europe. But that was last year! As we know life is all about the here. and. now.

self-portrait, sitting at mona vale beach in sydney, australia.

When the weather is this warm, I am more Australian than ever. I find myself listening to midnight oil. and craving a glass of ice cold milo. I walk easier in my light summer dresses, and my feet are so happy to be carefree.

Most of all, when the weather is this beautiful, I crave water. I crave jumping off the jetty back home, getting splashed (or bashed) by waves, letting my feet play at the water’s edge.

a favourite photograph from this post.

Oh yes. I’m a happy girl when the sun is out. I know you’ve heard me say it again and again. and again.

I’ve been dying to share this with you for weeks now. Box & Flea is a new design project created by architect Jeremy Barbour of Tacklebox (who is currently working on the new shop for Saipua in Red Hook, NYC which I will showcase here in the (blog)house very very soon!), and Andrew Woodrum of Fleaheart. I recently met Jeremy and his wife An – whose stunning memory of spaces paintings you may recall I wrote about here – in Amsterdam during their week long stay for An’s first solo exhibition opening in Den Hague.

Jeremy brought along a few of the bandanas from his new project to show me and I instantly fell in love with them. Each design is stunning and I love that they are masculine (perfect gift for guys) and utterly sophisticated.

I have heaps more to share with you about these fabulous new friends of mine (thank you for all the inspiration An and Jeremy!!) but for now I give you, box & flea. Check out the website, and also the box & flea blog.

xx

Yesterday I said I would show you my first origami crane, and here it is! When I say my first I mean my first ‘pretty’ one, there are of course a table full of not so perfect ones. Now that I know how to make them, I’m a little addicted. It’s rather meditative, and I find it’s a really nice way to take a little moment in the day to unwind. It’s certainly a day enhancing activity, that is for sure.

I made my origami crane from this photo featured in Paris: Made By Hand, which I printed onto recycled paper…

Well what a lot of fun that was! I really didn’t know what to expect as this was my first ever book signing. Of course I was a little nervous and wondered if anyone would really want me to sign a book…

But the moment I arrived there were a few eager people waiting for me! There appeared to even be a little race to be the first book signed! I was chuffed. I took out my new pen and off I went, signing away. The weather was nice and warm, and even though it was a little overcast it was so lovely sitting outside in the square, chatting away, meeting new people.

And I was really surprised to meet some fans of the blog. As you may know, most of my blog readership is in America and Australia, so it was super special to meet some blog friends here in Amsterdam.

Among the surprises was meeting Kristina which many of you may know well as being the food editor of Design*Sponge’s In The Kitchen With series featured every Friday. I had no idea she was planning to come and it was such a pleasure to meet her in person! I also got a special surprise visit from fellow blogger Tara from Paris Parfait! In case you don’t already know, Tara’s blog is full of fabulous Paris finds and is a must if you are traveling soon to Paris, or just love everything about The City Of Lights.

And the day was made extra great by friends popping by to say hello and wish me well – thank you guys!! You all made me feel super special.

A big thank you to The American Book Center for inviting me as a guest to their fab event this year. And an extra big thank you to French Boy and my dear friend Zoë who both accompanied me the whole day and kept me refreshed and happy. Zoë also took all the photos featured here (merci merci!)

I met heaps of great people, and by the end of the day the bookstore had to order more books as there were only a couple of copies left. Of course the day was not just about me – my booksigning was part of an annual event called Urban Culture, organised by The American Book Center. Last year it was all about customize sneakers, but this year, with the handmade movement coming up at a steady pace, they decided to include some last minute guests like me, and also the ABC treehouse’s Idle Hands who are these fab bunch of knitters who get together every Wednesday night here in Amsterdam and knit! The group had a table in the middle of the square and were knitting up a storm. Every now and then I would see one of them head to a tree, or a pole, or a random street bench and tie their finished piece to it, street art style. I loved it! And I got a chance to have a chat with some of them too, I’m tempted to join up the moment I have a little more time up my sleeve as they were a really nice bunch of people. Idle Hands also have some really cool projects coming up in the following months so I’ll be sure to let you know all about them when the time comes.

Also on the day were a group called Umbrellart who were very busy creating art on umbrellas, and I also met Julia from Maoma Designer Toys who had her sewing machine out and was creating all sorts of cool things. I must say, I was a bit envious of her with her machine, sewing up treats right in the middle of Amsterdam on a beautiful day!

And last but not least I had the pleasure of being accompanied on my table by Natalia who came by especially for the day to teach passers-by a little origami. Natalia and I got on like a house on fire, I was so glad to get to know her, and she taught me how to make an origami crane! I might show you my handy work in the next post.

So that was that. A very successful day after all with heaps of laughter, a little sunshine, a handful of new friends, and lots of book signing! I’m a little dizzy with all the attention though and need a lie down now.

xx

PS The bookstore window that I helped put together the other day looks a little worse for wear I’ve since noticed as books had to be taken from the window and signed as store copies ran low! It is a rather small space to get in and out of (I have a few contortionist aches and pains from my time spend in there last week to prove it!), so hanging items became entangled, some were broken and others missing. But not to worry, I will be doing another window in another European city soon! And this time its just for my book so I can be a little more bold. Oh sometimes I think I have too much fun.