It’s beautiful riding around this city on my bike feeling the chilly breeze against my face, leaves falling all around like it’s raining gold.

I thought it about time I tell you what I’ve been up to for the last 5 months. Have you been wondering? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t, but I’ll tell you anyway…

I’m writing my second book. It’s the next  Made by Hand book and yes, it’s Amsterdam. I’m still working on it and at the moment I’m writing and editing images. Autumn is the perfect time to be writing – being tucked up inside mon petit bateau as the weather turns cold and damp.  Inside here it’s super cosy, and I spend my days making cups of tea and writing about the ateliers and boutiques I’ve chosen for the book. It sounds romantic no doubt, but of course there is alot happening behind-the-scenes. Writing books is intense work. But, the wonderful parts override the hard parts, and one of the best parts of this job is the excitement of discovering these special places and being able to share them with you. One of the difficult parts is keeping them secret for so long! But that will make the book unique and special which is always my goal. So, until I finish I may be a bit sporadic with my posts but oh, I really hope you’re gonna love what I am creating…

Amsterdam: Made by Hand will be released worldwide in April, 2010 by The Little Bookroom.

…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.

thank you for your encouragement for my ribbon girls! Your comments are so appreciated. I often wonder if you catch my smiles when I read your comments, I wish you did as you always manage to brighten my day. in such a special way. don’t ever stray. (sorry! couldnt’ help it)

I will think about the print idea but at this stage it would be another thing on my to-do list and that list is already rather full. Don’t forget I’m still working my little heart out on My Heart Wanders. Which I hope to be able to tell you more about soon. Perhaps when I finish that I can think about other things like these ribbon girls as prints. Oh but I still want to make a book about Harriet too! Pff!! Oh well for now I just offer you my drawings and creations as they come – a first peek at what I’m making.

I’m on a shoot for the remainder of this week and the beginning of next so I will not be able to hang out here in the (blog)house until its all wrapped up. So for the next couple of days please feel free to dive into the archives. Here are a few posts picked randomly to get you started…

my heart lingers still

interlude

crazy street art of paris

Come next week I have something planned for you! Until then mes amis, I give you ribbon girls ‘fancy pants clogs’. These were just plain children’s wood clogs that I painted the other day. I hope you like.

xx

What could be better than warm custard on a grey day?

I always like to make a few batches of luscious creamy custard throughout the winter months and this delicious tart with poached pears and raspberries is a sophisticated twist on the simple dessert of custard and berries, made by our very own (blog)house kitchen guest, Aran…

Couldn’t you just take a bite our of that beautiful tart right now? I could (by the way, i’ve already checked if Aran’s photos are edible and they are not).

So this weekend, my suggestion is that you make these golden custard tarts as I have no doubt they will send your spirits soaring. Click here for the recipe and more photos. If you must cheat you can buy custard (Aran you did not read that!) but I will tell you now – no store bought custard comes close to what it is like when you make it yourself. Therefore if you have never made custard then this weekend is the weekend to do so! says me.

Thanks for sharing your delicious tart with us Aran!

I hope you have all enjoyed this week in yellow. I know I have, and I do like the idea of hosting colour weeks so perhaps every now and then I shall incorporate this idea amongst my regular posts.

Meanwhile, a winter wind is blowing in big gusts across the canal, making le petit bateau sway and rock like it is out at sea. It’s a grey cold windy day out in Amsterdam, and I am very happy to be tucked up inside my little boat. I have put my sheepskin rug on my chair and turned the heaters up just a little extra. With ugg boots on my feet, and cup of hot tea in hand, I’m settling in for the afternoon and putting some ideas together for upcoming shoots. I’m also busy working on some special posts for next week! And I have been busy with My Heart Wanders. Oh I have so many wonderful things planned for you for the rest of this year, and even more coming for next year. It’s an exciting time here in the (blog)house!

Enjoy your weekend mes amis. Keep cosy and remember, if you need a hit of sunshine, you are always welcome back here to visit the yellow posts anytime. I’ll make sure there is one of Aran’s tarts for you straight out of the oven.

xx

the wind got to the golden leaves here in amsterdam before i did unfortunately. but still pretty, non?

Heather Smith Jones has been busy making these little hearts for Christmas and she is donating 40% of the profits from the sale of each heart purchased between Oct. 21 – Dec. 15, 2008 to Habitat for Humanity. Please click here to learn more about the organisation, and click here to visit Heather’s etsy boutique.