Sweet 'n Spicy

Are you sending a card to your Valentine this year? And if you do, will it be sweet or spicy?

Spicy?

Or sweet?



Both cards are available at Stoffer + Blik.
You'll find the hottie right here. And for the sweet one, click here.

If you're in the USA or anywhere outside of Europe you best order within the next two weeks for it to be on time for Valentine!

Tools of the Trade

I'm not making as much new Stoffer + Blik products as I would like to. I am hoping to find a little more time next year to do so. My hands are itching for carving new stamps and designing new cards.

But I have just added an extra item to the shop. This is a postcard of an illustration I made for my own portfolio site. As you might know I am a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, so I have a portfolio website for self promotion. This website was thoroughly updated a few months back, which resulted in a lack of time for other things. And... this illustration. Tools of the Trade: pencils, nibs, a tablet, macbook and some pantone swatches.

If you are a creative like me, you'll probably recognize the tools!

The postcard I made, you can find right here. Only 1,20 euro. For all you creative folks out there!

The start of a little Natural History Collection...

I had an interesting offer from a (a real one, stone and everything) shop recently that wanted to sell my items. I might go ahead and do that... I will let you know the details when it's actually happening. As a result I took the weekplanners out of the Etsy shop. These were to be customized and therefor unfinished. I decided to finish them and use those to be sold in this shop. Sorry about that. I will add new ones in a short while!

The other thing (also a result of this in a way) are these new items in my Etsy shop: mini posters. Maybe you remember the grasshopper linocut. It needed company, so I cut a beetle out of lino to start a little 'natural history collection'. I cannot really call it a collection when there's only two pieces, can I? But it's a start. I used both stamps to create these mini posters, A5 sized. They're actually printed with blockprinting ink, rolling and all. No stamping ink this time. And the color is so gorgeous! It's a deep blue that really lies on top of the paper. 

I made a couple, limited and numbered. They're all different and completely handmade and unique artwork. Two are in the Etsy shop, the others are reserved for the 'real shop'. You can get your hands on #4 right here and here.

Minimalist love card

For all you not so corny lovers out there who secretly do like Valentine: a minimalist love card. Simple and elegant! I stitched three X'es on a double white greeting card. 

I only have one right now, but I'd love to make more!

Be the first and get it here

An ode to my island

'Your island? I thought you lived in Rotterdam.'

Yes, I do. And we have a few little islands in the Maas. The one I live at is the Noordereiland [Northern Island]. And I love it. I also love maps, so it is sort of miraculous that this never happened before... but I made an illustrated map of the Noordereiland. I gave myself 'a day off' and what did I do? Work! (But I love it, so then it's okay. Right?)

I know what triggered it. There might be a nice collaboration in the near future with a recently opened coffee place just a few streets away. That made me think of postcards that are more specific for that place. I started with tea, coffee and pie. I tried different things and made two cards that definitely have potential to show up in the shop (and who knows... at the coffee place!).

While working on that I moved from coffee and pie to something that's more specific for this island. We have a bunch of landmarks around, especially bridges (duh...). I thought of drawing these specific landmarks, and I might. But I started with the island itself and it's location in the middle of the Maas.

See for yourself. I think it's a little too specific to put in the shop. But you can always request a printed poster if you're interested (click on the image at my website to send me an email)

PS. The coordinates are exactly where this illustration was made ;)

This little bird has left the nest

A while ago I made two new week planners. I meant to write a blog about how they came to be, with photos of the process and all. Yeah, that never happened. Sorry 'bout that. But there may be another chance, because one of the week planners has just been sold. It's spreading its wings and flying all across the North Sea to London.

But there is one more, if you're interested. It says 'Don't forget' instead of 'Important Stuff'. You can also put me to work and let me know what text you want on there (and then buy it of course ;)) Here it is. Next time I make a couple of new planners I'll do a little making of. Promise.

Sunny side up!

Just a little experiment with a puncher and colored paper. That turned into this egg and peas.

A whole lot of X

Since about a year and a half I have this thing for the letter X. It started out as a creative way to say 'kiss'. Since then I have been seeing x's all around. And receiving them too. They are on number plates, on stickers, in fences, shadows form them and workers spraypaint them as signs on the pavement. I now have an X-radar. They're everywhere!

That made me think of the stitched heart card I made a while ago. It is looked at at Etsy quite a few times a week, but it has been sold out for a while. So on a slow evening with a cup of tea, I dusted of the needle and the brightest pink wool and put some x's together. That means I have one of the these cards in stock again. You can get it here.

Illustration Experiments #12

I know, I know. These experiments are very irregular. But so is my job and the availability of time. That doesn't mean I am not busy at the moment, but I really needed some creative time for myself. Somehow that is different from creative time-for-work.

I planted a bunch of radish seeds a few months ago and I've been snacking from my balcony lately. These little fellas are quite tasty. And pretty! I got myself a couple this evening and decided they deserved a little drawing. I started off with pencil on paper, followed by watercolor. Not the Photoshop kind, the real, wet stuff, which was kind of scary. I tend to ruin these things. You know: too much water, too many layers, wrong color, smudging.

Anyway, here is the result. I added a little graphic design to it. Do you also see a series in this? Yeah, when I have the time... Seriously! Where does it go? I want more of it.

#12. Radish in watercolor

#10. Spring!

#10. Experimenting with different styles and changing textures.

The 'orginal' sheep I drew for a job I'm working on was a full pencil sketch, no watercolor clouds. For my own amusement I changed it around a bit and made it into a sweet pink, fluffly sheep. For spring, since the sun has done a little sneak preview of it last week.

#9. Watercolor Tags

#9. Watercolor gift tags with handlettering

I really love how these turned out. They are all completely unique because of the watercolor doing its thing. I am thinking about making a couple of sets for the Stoffer + Blik shop. That would be a nice addition, don't you think?

#8 What I ate....

You see those 'what I was wearing' illustrations on (fashion) blogs a lot. Creative people who can draw and look fabulous every day. I don't think my daily outfit will inspire you, but I can draw and I love to cook. So I'll do it my way. 

Now don't think I'll be posting one of these every day. But it might be a returning feature here. For now it's just the ingredients. If you're interested in the recipe itself as well, let me know in the comments. 

This one I tried for a dinner party I'm having next week. Turned out perfect very first try. Yum. 

#8. What I ate...

#7. Some People...

#7. Some People... Pen & ink, edited in Photoshop.

A little museum

A few people mentioned lately that my house is like a little museum, so much to see: old and new stuff, souvenirs and other things with a story. And the 'collection' is growing. I found this gorgeous set of mounted butterflies in a little shop nearby. I love the typewriter names, the discolored paper and the slightly faded butterflies. And yes, it is also an inspiration. A while ago I was already a little obsessed with butterflies, remember these? And now I feel like starting a new series. I just need a few extra hours in a day...

If you like butterflies, like I do, you might be interested in these cards in my Stoffer + Blik shop. Handdrawn, handpainted in aquarelle! 

Pantone Colored Feathers

Every designer knows Pantone and since it has become sort of a trend to design products with the Pantone color and number (like pillows, mugs etc) most of you will be familiar with it by now. I enjoy flipping through my books, finding the perfect color.

I was drawing black and white feathers at first and then I got my Pantone book out to find inspiration for the (digital) coloring of them. That's where I decided to go along with that Pantone trend of mentioning the Pantone colors. So here they are: my Pantone colored feathers. 

This is a potentially endless project since Pantone has well over 1000 spot colors in their color books. Feathers are pretty diverse too, as is imagination. I might use them for a project someday. I think they would might make nice covers for my hand bound books...more on that soon!

Color preferences

Working as a designer there are three key things: typography, shape and color. While I was trying to find some sleep somewhere last night I realized something about that last thing: color. Your preferences are determined very early on. I remember lots of colors from my childhood. From the color of my favorite sweater (white & pink), my blue parakeet, the color of the room of my brother (red & white) and sister (mint green). But what came to mind most were some pieces of clay. I had a set of square clay sticks in different colors and I remember I really loved three of them. And I still can see these colors very clearly. I made sure to never mix the clay: they had to stay the perfect color. I could look at them for ages.

Here they are:

My childhood bedroom has been that exact color green and later that color pink. I now have some additional favorites that are a little more subtle, but these are still 'my colors'.

I looked it up this morning and read that as an infant you start developing color preference when you are just 12 weeks old. It changes over time, but positive things from your childhood linked to a certain color, will stick with you throughout your life.

You can see it in Stoffer + Blik and you can see it my home and my wardrobe. I guess you really choose your favorite colors very early on, I was no older than 7 when I was so smitten with these colors of clay. And it really never changed. These colors look familiar?

This set of Christmas cards is for sale at Stoffer + Blik.

Orange

It's Dutch, it's sunsets, it's Halloween, it's happiness, it's sacred and spiritual in Buddhism and Hinduism. It's Nemo and it's autumn. It's uplifting and extrovert: it's orange.

The crochet pot coasters at the bottom left are made by me and for sale at Stoffer + Blik.

Red

The only red things in my house are a red colander, a sports bag, a teapot and nail polish. That's it. You'd say I don't like red. But I do! When you are wearing blue jeans and a simple grey shirt, red fingernails can make all the difference. It adds a little spice. I love that. And then there is red (tomatoes) and there's red (cherries) and there's also red (chili peppers). Pick your shade...

The strawberry at the bottom is part of my 'Hello Sweetheart' postcard. You can get it here.

Minty Green

This gentle shade of green makes me think of morning dew. And waves that roll gently onto the shore. Fresh summer breeze. Crispy clean bed sheets. Herbal tea. Deep breaths.

Mint's a beautiful pastel that is cool and fresh but also soft and gentle. The chalkboard week planner on the left is handmade by me. You can get it here. 

Pink

As Steven Tyler put it: "Pink it's my new obsession. Pink it's not even a question. Pink on the lips of your lover, 'cause Pink is the love you discover"

I do like pink, but there are some rules. It has to be the pretty pink, not the ugly one. The sweet and subtle kind, that is. And too much pink is never a good thing: moderation is key. If you do that and you add some grey: yes, I am a fan.

The necklace with the Chinese birds is made by me. You can get it here.