Happy Stats

• breakfast at a friends house in Antwerp last Sunday followed by strolling around 'Zuiderzinnen': all sorts of acts and performances in the area where she lived related to literature
• yoga, so glad I started following classes again
• taking pictures of new creations, Max was so good to give a hand, well paw, getting the lighttent ready

• making my mum, sis and my self happy with a cardigan for us each from Maija Fashion 
• going to the esty meeting in Amsterdam, so nice to meet so many other etsy sellers and Matt and Benedikta from the Berlin office
• driving to Amsterdam and back with Mitsy from Artmind (express your feelings with ceramics), great to have great company when driving far
• staying with Marta from Martice (all to keep your laptop cosy), so good to meet her, she is just great
• sharing a booth at the Crafty Markt with Liesbeth en Barry van Pinipiru (if you're looking for a great t-shirt look no further and they're organic too!) and meeting many other etsy sellers there too

Happy Stats

This weeks happy stats cover the last 2 weeks, as I was away to a rain drenched ceramic market last Sunday, which did not make me happy but this all did:

• thinking of new designs
• laughing and creating in good company whilst enjoying good food in France
• will take part with my work in a local December shop run by a group of local artists
• getting lots of cuddles from our kitten Sientje, she really missed me :-)
• planning a trip to Ireland to my writer friend Shauna to work more on our project 'story bowls'

Wishing you all a wonderful new week!

Happy Stats

Here are my happy stats for the past week:

• packing for a creative week in France
• visting Mix-Art and found they sold more of my creations
• making more story bowls
• firing 2 kilns
• packing for ceramic market in Lommel
• enjoyed the good weather

Picture from last year in Le Veauthibault

Happy Stats

Last week I skipped the happy stats, was too busy preparing the BBQ for the family (20+ people), but I can now add this event to my happy stats as it was a great succes. Anyway here the stats for the last 2 weeks.

• Sientje trying to catch rain drops. 
• Wonderful BBQ with good weather, good food and good company.
• Sending packages all over the world.
• Receiving a lovely message from friends whom I send a surprise gift.
• Successful fair yesterday in Hasselt in many ways: meeting fans, meeting others crafters, a visit from Mitsy from Artmind and nice sales to top it off.
• Lovely day in Zeeland with hubby, eat lots of seafood and went on a very windy boat trip:

Happy Stats

Here we go:

• lovely day in Leuven meeting friends and finding a new (to open) shop to sell my items
• loevely meal at favorite Indian restaurant in Antwerp: Saffraan
• making lots of new things in porcelain
• went to see this circus, loved it!

Happy Stats

This week was another nice week, with lots of sunny weather. Time just flew again. Bought lots of nice things (or so I hope; they still have to arrive) on etsy and the internet, presents for friends and myself too :-)

But these things made me most happy this week:

• Seeing the kittens discover the world
• Firing a kiln and making more jewelry
• Went to a circus/dance act by Feria Musica with friends, which was nice and bit strange too
• The lost pigeon who landed in our garden was reunited with it's owner
• Making Banoffi Pie for the first time
• Trying out mattresses in the shops, was a weird sensation to lie on a slow foam mattress

Happy Stats

My happy stats for this week:

• Plums are showing there first signs of color
• Lovely dinner with hubby for his birthday
• Munched raspberries, cherries and red currants fresh from the bush/tree
• Finally finished painting the bedroom, after a delay due to too hot to paint
• Finished putting the new floor in too :-)
• Enjoyed the cooler, nice warm weather
• Finally time to play a bit with clay too

Happy Stats

The things that made me happy this week:

• Day in my atelier after lost of painting and flooring last week
• Day out in Nieuwpoort with the familiy in law
• Lovely dinner at a friends house
• Great day with fellow ceramists doing a pitfire
• Enjoyed the thunder storm, a welcome cool down and lots of water for the plants

Happy Stats

I skipped the happy stats last weekend as we were busy clearing our 1st floor of the large items, bed cupboards and boxes full of books. We sleep temporarily downstairs in the living room where it is a bit cooler so not to bad in this weather. All together had a lovely week, even if I did not have a chance to create a lot of new ceramics and porcelain.

• friend came over for drink, stayed for dinner and we had a wonderful evening in our garden talking
• choose the colors for the 1st floor and really happy with them
• made good progress revamping the 1st floor
• enjoyed the long summer evenings

Pïcture by http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

Happy Stats

Another week is over, time just flies.
I had a relaxing and sort of busy week at the same time.

• 2 new kittens were added 2 our household 
• tried new variations of muffins and they were well received 
• meeting lovely fellow Estians at the carft party at Mitsy's (read all about here)
• met even more Etsians at the fair today in Antwerp
• My cuttlefish castings are part of a research project by Shauna Busto and Karen lee Street , yesterday they gave reading about it, which was well received 

Happy Stats

Remember that I talked about our house, cause we're thinking of moving we have to fresh the house up to make it more attractive. Upstairs was completely done up when the house was bought over 10 years ago, but now in need of a revamp. The color (which already was not which it was supposed to be from the start) and the carpet need to go. So yesterday we made the first step and bought new flooring. Most other days of the week I have been pestered by a headache so not so happy, so only a short list this week:

• first step in upgrading our house, bought new flooring
• sorted through my endless pile of fabric samples
• helped a friend
• send a certificate for 2 trees for the orangutans to a tenth buyer

Happy Stats

The week is nearly over, so time for my happy stats. It's been a very full week with lots of preparation for Crafty gardens in Eindhoven and a trip to Rotterdam. The fair was nice, great selection of different crafters and lots of booths. There was a good crowd of people and lots of interest. But than the wind wanted to be part of it all too. A little sand storm was the result, a few drops of rain joined in and this was unfortunately too much for most visitors. Could have been worse, we later heard that in an other part of Eindhoven it had been lashing down. So here for the happy stats:

• Enjoyed the good weather while creating lots for the fair.
• Had a positively inspiring day at TEDx in Rotterdam (will blog about this later)
• Had a loverly day at Crafty Gardens, even if the weather was not cooperating
• Eat lots of chocolate
• Had a great evening with fellow crafters preparing our yearly trip to France

Happy Stats

My happy stats of a wonderful past week:

• My baby niece got baptized, was a beautiful ceremony. She wore the same dress that her mum (my sister) wore when she was baptized and which my brother and I wore as well. I do love family traditions like that.
• A friend, who's a writer, is going to write about me.
• Love the color the red clay has turned after firing at 1220°C.
• Found a shop in Leuven to sell my work: Bizart.
• Had lunch with a friend whom I had not seen in years, sooo good to catch up.
• Light for the garden in porcelain worked out fine.
• My bum is not too sore after cycling a long distance for the first time this season.

Happy Stats

Finally treated myself to a lovely notebook from Kreativlink

Fixed the back door, it opens and closes smooth again

Went to an interesting reading by ceramist Jeanne Opgenhaffen 

Made lots of ceramics, so I could fire another bisque-kiln

Enjoyed lots of good weather and time with family

Happy Stats

My happy stats for the past week:

• Was pleasantly surprised by the color of the red clay after firing
• Got a leather hide from a deer at a bargain price (I think), the start for a fantasy costume.
• Spend time with friends, surprised one with breakfast, met another for lunch.
• Had a nice day at keltfest, enjoying the sun and keltic music.
• Was only pestered by a headache for 1 day.
• Set up a to do list for the house and looks forward to do some painting.

Happy Stats

Here I follow in the footsteps of some of the bloggers I follow, Artmind, Huismus and I'm sure there are others too, by looking back at this week and noting my happy moments. Something which also is advised by Cynthia Morris, a creative coach, I met her last year (or is it 2 already ?) on a creativity day near Antwerp. I had a great chat with her and found her stories and talk very inspiring. In her last newsletter she writes: "... celebration is vital to the creative process, and people often overlook or even avoid this step. Why would anyone avoid celebrating? It isn’t just fun; it’s empowering." So I will from now on look back at the end of each week, celebrate my happy moments and share these with you. 

• Nice walk in the orchard with my family, enjoying the last sweet apple blossom.
• Found another shop who will sell my bowls (and maybe later jewelry too :-) MIX-Art
• Working on new design for ceramic ornament and lights in the garden.
• Found and bought a great but small antique cupboard.
• Planned a day to do a pit-fire with fellow-ceramists.
• Got some fresh eggs from this lovely lady: