a dress for a doll

On Tuesday a few friends and I made the trip up to Groningen to see the exhibition of fashion designers Azzedine Alaïa and Iris van Herpen. 
Azzedine Alaïa has absolutely stunning couture dresses on display that accentuate sensuality, style, and sex appeal.

Iris van Herpen's collections are highly conceptual and confronting. She uses innovative techniques like 3D printing mixed with craftsmanship and handwork to create breathtaking pieces that tell a story.


The Museum is putting on this adorable challenge to design a dress, suitable for a barbie doll, inspired by the exhibition. Of course I couldn't resist submitting. Making tiny clothes for a doll is bringing back all kinds of memories from my childhood when I would make outfits for my stuffed animals :) 
Here's a sneak peak at what I'm thinking of making. Come back to my little tulip to see the completed dress in a week or two.

a new collection

For some time now I've been considering starting a collection of some sort. My brother and sister-inlaw took photos of mailboxes (for a friend of theirs) in each country they visited during their travels through Europe. It was such a cool idea, each country has a unique mailbox. It turned out to be a pretty darn neat collection. 
*by the way if you are interested in reading about their travels through Europe they made a very elaborate and witty travel blog here* 


As for me, I'm pretty stationary in The Netherlands so I wanted my collection to reflect something of this country. 
Ahh hah! Yesterday, at the second hand store I found my item. 
: Delfts Blauwe tiles : 
I want my collection to have some variety so I am not sticking strictly to Delfts Blauwe, I will branch out in designs in order to get a fun tile collage in the end. One day I will install them on the wall and they will be a lovely reminder of my time here in Holland.

it's spring: outfit post

Well hello there. This warm weather has been so inspiring. Spring is upon us: more time spent outdoors, energizing sunshine and new growth.
I recently made my first thrift shop purchase of the season, this vibrant red skirt.

Along with the skirt I'm wearing these extremely comfy moccasins. A few weeks ago, I attended a Pow Wow at Conestogo College in Kitchener where I got to enjoy a day of ceremonial dancing and drumming. While there, I purchased this pair of hand made moccasins from a woman native to the Canadian prairies. 

The necklace is a gold plated leaf from an Australian eucalyptus tree. Not only do I find it beautiful and unique but also it symbolizes my experience there and it will forever embody my memories of living in Sydney.

the record player premiere

I bought a few records recently and listening to them on my grandparents' old record player has inspired me to put together this small clip that illustrates how I enjoy it. This was my first time using Final Cut editing software and I must say I am addicted to it. I am now in the process of putting together a similar film about my process of sewing a dress. I also have a documentary in the works so stick around for more video posts : ) Hope you are able to enjoy some lovely spring weather today.

ps. I was featured today on Laura Toeniskoetter's blog: Pens and a Camers Lens. Head over there to check out 5 fun facts about me and while you're there why not poke around a bit. 

bloom: a beautiful art installation

If you read 'Colossal' Art and Design Blog you likely would have come across this post: "Bloom: 28,000 Potted Flowers Installed at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center"
I have to say, this is brilliant. The concept is so deep and meaningful and the execution/outcome is incredible. If you have a few minutes I urge you to visit www.thisiscolossal.com for more photos and to read the full interview with artist, Anna Schuleit. 

"How does one memorialize a building impossibly rich with a history of both hope and sadness, and do it in a way that reflects not only the past but also the future?" 
-Christopher Jobson

For more details and the full interview with the artist check out colossal blog, you can also check out the bloom homepage or the artist's website. All images copyright Anna Schuleit.

susie homemaker

I came across this commercial today and it made me smile, so I thought I would share it with you. I adore advertising from the 1970's, it's so fun.
Also, how darling is this dress! 

a watercolour housewarming card

My brother and his wife recently moved into their first home so I wanted to send them a unique housewarming card just for the occasion. Here's what I whipped up.

Piccolo: a mini CNC machine

I want to congratulate my competitor and winner of the TEI'12 Design challenge by sharing their winning little robot here. I noticed through core77.com that they have now teamed up with Diatom and seem to be well on their way to production. Best of luck Piccolo team.

photo (source)

my five: poster edition

I often come across beautiful images, things I would love to have and pieces of inspiration while surfing the internet. I've decided to make a feature here on my little tulip called 'my five' as a place to categorize and house these things I find within the web. Here is my 'posters I enjoy' edition. Hope you had a good weekend.

love the sketches and the pop of orange with the record player (source)

colour theory by Josef Albers "Homage to the Square" (source) 

cute : ) (source)

(1.Stanley Kubrick is a genius and (2. I like the clean and elegant poster layout (source) 

cool Star Wars print (source)

a paper record player

I recently discovered wonderfully talented artist/designer Kelli Anderson by stumbling upon her website www.kellianderson.com

Among her many beautiful designs is this paper record player wedding invitation she created for her engaged friends Karen and Mike. The couple composed and recorded their unique song onto a flexi disc and Kelli put it together with the help of her husband using the most suitable materials and endearing graphics. 

I must say this is one of the coolest interactive invitation ideas I've seen. I'm smitten.

//photo

If you like this, I suggest that you watch her TED talk here. She has a pretty awesome outlook on life and her work is so adorable and fun.

going vinyl

Not too long ago my mom inherited this Zenith record player from her parents. We’ve always had a record player in the house but this one is pretty unique and now that I’m home for a few weeks I’m happy to have the opportunity to use it.

Many of my favourite indie bands have been recording their music onto vinyl albums so I decided to order a few and start a collection of my own.

the Head and the Heart and Fleet Foxes - Helpless Blues purchased through sub pop records (source)

There are some things that I absolutely love about buying vinyl:

The Artwork

The packaging provides so much space for artistic expression, from the cover to the interior, the booklet, the sleeves and the record itself. These elements are virtually lost with MP3 but are amplified with the record.

The Tangibility

I think that listening to a record is about the experience as a whole, from taking the vinyl album out of its sleeve to watching it as it turns. I also believe that music on vinyl just sounds better, I love to hear the crackle and watch the wobble.

Analog vs Digital

Digital music is convenient and instantaneous while putting on a record is romantic and inviting. Both of the records that I purchased came with a mp3 download so I really got the best of both worlds.

I’m putting together a small video showing my interaction with this wonderful record player that has been passed down from my grandparents. The video is just for fun but also as practice for me in editing sound and video and using new (to me) final cut pro software (for my current project where I am creating a short documentary film)

So stay tuned for my record player mini film, coming soon!