Creative and Juicy Art Studio
It’s scary.
It’s very scary to throw a new workshop out there.
To share your most recent learning process with the world.
To share your inner wisdom with the world.
To try and find the words for what you know to be true.
To have the courage to speak these words out loud.
But when one,
only one
takes the time
out of her busy life
and tells you how much it meant to her
that I actually had the courage
to speak up
it was all worth it.
And I am so grateful she took the time to let me know.
In the summer I have 6 weeks off.
Yes, that’s the great life of a Kindergarten teacher :))
Elke zomer ben ik 6 weken vrij.
Ja, het is heel fijn een kleuterjuf te zijn :))
Six weeks to sleep and breathe and play.
Six weeks to do all the things I didn’t have time before.
And also: six weeks to do all the nothing I need.
6 weken om even adem te halen, om te slapen en te spelen
6 weken om alle dingen te doen waar ik eerst geen tijd voor had.
En vooral: 6 weken om heel veel niets te doen.
And this summer I have noticed, more than ever before, the importance of nothing.
The importance of creating space to breathe.
Of creating space for remembering, for dreaming and for inspiration.
En deze zomer heb ik – meer dan ooit tevoren –
gemerkt hoe belangrijk niets doen eigenlijk is.
Hoe belangrijk het is om ruimte te creëren om even adem te halen.
Om ruimte te creëren om te mijmeren, om te dromen,
om nieuwe inspiratie op te doen.
In order for that space to come with me into this fall I have come up with an idea.
A simple daily creative practice.
Something that really reminds me of the space I need.
Something that helps me return to ME everyday day.
Something that isn’t too difficult or too time consuming.
Something I love to do, so it will be a sustainable practice.
En om te zorgen dat ik die ruimte mee kan nemen de herfst in, heb ik iets bedacht.
Iets simpels, voor elke dag.
Iets om me te helpen herinneren aan de ruimte die ik nodig heb.
Iets om weer even terug te keren naar mezelf.
Iets wat niet teveel tijd of moeite kost.
Iets wat ik heel fijn vind om te doen, zodat ik het heel lang kan blijven doen.
And now I am ready.
Not ready with the project, I will never be.
Ready to share it with you.
I would like to invite you to join me for this project.
It’s called “THEEkenen”.
And yes, I also know that THEEkenen (or the English version “TEAkenen”) is not really a word.
Not in English.
Not in Dutch.
It’s a new word.
That means something in Dutch.
But not in English.
And neither is Dutchess, while we are on the matter.
En nu ben ik klaar.
Niet klaar met het project, dat ben ik nooit.
Maar klaar om het met jullie te delen.
Ik wil je uitnodigen om samen met mij te “THEEkenen”.
En ja, ik weet dat THEEkenen geen echt woord is.
Niet in het Engels en niet in het Nederlands.
Het is een nieuw woord.
Ik heb het zelf bedacht.
En het betekend iets in het Nederlands.
Maar niet in het Engels.
En dat geldt ook eigenlijk voor Dutchess.
Oftewel, ik heb mezelf weer opgezadeld met een vertaal-probleempje…..
Let me explain about the Dutch Dilemma:
Like I said, THEEkenen is not a word.
Not in English.
Not in Dutch.
Even though it may sound that way.
It’s a whole new word!
I made it up.
THEE is the Dutch word for TEA.
And
Tekenen is the Dutch word for drawing.
THEE + Tekenen = THEEkenen.
Or in English: TEAkenen.
Because if I am making up words anyway, I might as well do it in 2 languages, don’t you think?
Wacht, ik leg het uit:
Zoals ik al zei: THEEkenen is geen woord.
Niet in het Engels.
Niet in het Nederlands.
Al klinkt het wel zo.
Het is een nieuw woord.
Ik heb het zelf bedacht.
THEE + Tekenen = THEEkenen.
(And why I am called the Dutchess of Orange, and not the Duchess (or the queen, or…….) you can find HERE.)
Come join me for a month of THEEkenen – all the details and the signup form are HERE.
(En waarom ik de Dutchess heet, vind je HIER)
THEEken je met me mee? Alle details vind je op DEZE pagina.
I love to snuggle.
I love to snuggle in the corner of my couch.
I love to grab blankets
And pillows
And books
And tea
And crayons
And paper.
And put on soft music.
And close the drapes.
And art my heart out.
I’ve got a plan.
During the last few years I have seen a lot of people who had created a list of things-they-would-love-to-do-in-their-life. A Life List, a Wish List, a Bucket List.
And I am making one for myself.
Except my list will be a little different.
Ik heb een plan.
Het afgelopen jaar kwam ik regelmatig mensen tegen die een lijstje hadden gemaakt van dingen-die-ze-graag-ooit-nog-eens-willen doen. Een levenslijst, een wensenlijst, ook wel een “bucket list”.
En ik ga ook zo’n lijst maken.
It will not be filled with large far-away wishes and big life-changing desires. To be honest, I don’t think I have many of these.
But I would like to create more space in my life for “playing on purpose”. To do more of the things that make me happy. To do more of the things that make my life lighter, brighter and happier.
During the last few years I moved, very slowly, into the direction of the burnout I had in the first few months of 2014. And I know one of the signals I ignored, was that I stopped playing. The world didn’t feel light and happy anymore, but serious and troublesome.
Alleen mijn lijst wordt wel een beetje anders. Ik heb geloof ik niet zo heel veel grote wensen. Ik heb ook geen grote onvervulde verlangens. Maar ik wil wel graag heel bewust ruimte maken in mijn leven om meer te spelen. Om de dingen te doen waar ik blij van word. Om de dingen te doen waar mijn leven lichter, vrolijker en fijner van wordt.
De afgelopen jaren schoof ik steeds een heel klein beetje dichter bij de burnout die ik uiteindelijk het afgelopen jaar had. En ik weet dat een van mijn persoonlijke signalen hiervoor was dat ik stopte met spelen. Dat de wereld niet meer licht en luchtig voelde, maar serieus en lastig.
So….
my list will be a Play List.
A list of ideas for moments when I need inspiration and play.
But that’s not the whole plan.
Because one of the other signals was that I retreated into myself. First I stopped being the Dutchess of Orange. Then I stopped seeing my friends, then my family and in the end all I did was go to work and come back. I retreated into myself like a turtle in her shield, like a snail in her house (only a little less slimy), like a bear in her cave.
So I want to fill my list with things I want (and need) to do on my own, but also with things I can do TOGETHER with others.
Dus mijn lijst wordt een Speel Lijst.
Een lijst met ideeën voor de momenten dat ik behoefte heb aan inspiratie en spelen.
Maar dat is nog niet het hele plan.
Want een ander signaal is ook dat ik me terugtrek. Als een schildpad in haar schild. Als een slak in haar huisje – maar dan minder slijmerig ;). Als een beer in haar hol. En daarom wil ik op mijn lijst dingen zetten die ik alleen kan doen, maar ook dingen die ik SAMEN met anderen kan doen.
I will fill my life with: TINY ORANGE ADVENTURES
And I am inviting all of you to join me.
Every month I will go on an Orange Adventure all by myself.
And every month I will invite you all to go on an Orange Adventure with me.
And we’re starting right now!
With: Orange LIVE! The LIVE version of my free online workshop (if you haven’t joined, it’s not too late yet, go here!).
If you’d like to come, please email me at kim (at) dutchessoforange.nl and I will send you all the details.
And yes, you are welcome to fly in from any place in the world you are at for this :). If you would like to hear about the next adventures, please sign up for my mailing list HERE.
Ik ga mijn leven vullen met: ORANGE ADVENTURES
En ik nodig jullie allemaal uit om mee te doen.
Elke maand ga ik alleen op een Orange Adventure.
En elke maand nodig ik jullie allemaal uit voor een Orange Adventure.
En we beginnen meteen:
IK GEEF EEN FEEST!
Nu weet ik heus wel dat ik net jarig ben geweest.
En dat het dus nog lang geen tijd is voor een feest.
Het is dus ook maar een klein feestje.
En deze keer blijven we in mijn studio.
Het is meteen de afsluiter van mijn gratis workshop “Oranje”
(doe je nog niet mee, dat kan hier!)
Kom je ook naar Oranje LIVE? Een avond vol oranje en creativiteit.
Vrijdag 31 oktober (ja, dat is ook Halloween, maar nee, daar doen we dit keer niet aan).
Ladies only, de kosten zijn 10 euro en de deur van Fort Ossenmarkt in Weesp is vanaf 19.15 open.
Heb je zin om mee te doen? Mail me dan op kim (at) dutchessoforange.nl.
En wil je op de hoogte blijven van nieuwe Orange Adventures? Schrijf je dan hier in voor de nieuwsbrief.
Why?
Why are you called “The Dutchess of Orange”?
That’s a question I’ve been getting a lot lately – so here’s part 1 of the answer :).
In 1970 a New York’ writer called Helene Hanff wrote a wonderful book called “84 Charing Cross Road”. And although it was loved by only a relatively small amount of people, they loved it so wildly and passionately, it quickly became a cult book. And I am proud to be part of the cult.
In the book you’ll find the letters Helene exchanged over a period of 20 years with a London bookshop on Charing Cross Road, ending with the dead of her – by then – dear friend and book supplier Frank Doel. The book is enchanting, sweet, warm and so beautifully written I never get tired of it.
And luckily for me the end of the book wasn’t the end of the story. Because in 1971, Helene finally had enough money – and courage – to visit London, the city she had longed to see for so long. And about that adventure she wrote a second book, called “The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street”.
And I can honestly say I could read that book every day for the rest of my life and never be bored by it.
The stories she tells and the compelling way in which she tells them go straight to my heart. Some of her (other) books I have read more often than others, but I know phrases from all books by heart.
My favorite is the Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. In Helene’s own words another long title that no one ever would ever get right (it’s a quote from the book, but it was her publishers idea to use it as the title). Being called Kim Philips van Buren – I know the feeling :).
And because of this, I am called the Dutchess:
So, that explains the DuTchess part – but what about the color “ORANGE”, and who is that mysterious Mr. Orange?
I’ll tell you about that later!
(You can sign up for my newsletter if you don’t want to miss it).
Last week I was creating a gift for a friend who just had a baby. I bought this awesomely cute bunny and tied a tag around his neck. The tag is stamped with stamps I carved myself. When I was finished I sat at my table for a couple of minutes with a cup of tea. While I looked at all the stamps, carving tools, ink pads and erasers (I use erasers to create my stamps) covering most of the table – it suddenly hit me.
I forgot.
I completely forgot.
What did I forget?
Just before my burnout I created a lot of homemade stamps. I found it a wonderfully relaxing activity. It kept my hands and eyes busy, while creating space in my head and heart. When I showed my friends the stamps I created they started asking me if I could teach them how to create these stamps too. So, I bought erasers and more carving tools and other supplies. And…….nothing.
My burnout hit me hard.
And I forgot.
I completely forgot I had planned this.
But now…
the summer has given me new energy
the wonderful group that joined my summer workshop YELLOW inspired me wildly
and I am ready for more
more fun
more play
more action in my studio at the Fort, so
Join me in my studio in Fort Ossenmarkt in Weesp for a stamp making workshop!!!
It’s really easy, everyone can do it.
Go HERE for all the info.
(since the workshop is in the Netherlands, all the info is in Dutch)
How can I not believe in fortune cookies, when this is the message:
Hoe kan het ook anders, als dit de boodschap is:
But…what? I crochet, knit, paint, glue, draw, sew, collage, I make stamps…… what else is there?
Maar ja: WAT? Ik haak, brei, schilder, plak, knip, teken, naai, ik maak collages, ik maak stempels. wat kan ik nog meer doen dan?
When I started my first Creative Fitness E-course in 2011, honestly, I never ever imagined there would be a second or a third version, or even this one………. Creative Fitness 10!
And this one is special: it’s an E-BOOK!
Now you don’t have to wait for a new version of the e-course coming out and you don’t have to worry whether Creative Fitness will fit into your life. This time you get to decide where and when you create time for your creative practice, and you can use the exercises and the tips from the book over and over again.
Creative Fitness – THE E-BOOK will be send to you as a PDF-file.
The e-book will contain 60+ pages, offering you 20 inspiring stories and 20 creative exercises. These exercises will invite you to write, draw, think, paint, collage, dream and more. Some exercises can be done at home and some will take you on a tiny adventure.
All exercises are meant to ease you back into a creative flow – so they will all be small, easy and FUN – and you can use them whenever you need inspiration.
If you want, you can use the Creative Fitness E-book the same way the e-course was organized – doing 1 exercise a day for a month (and you have the weekends off) – or you can choose an exercise any time you like.
The e-book will also contain tips on getting started, getting over feeling stuck, doing enough and staying inspired. PLUS: there will be 2 inspirational printable posters.
It’s the second day of my summer vacation.
The rain is pouring down outside.
And I am sitting here on the couch with a BIG smile on my face.
Because I’m back.
I won’t go into the whole struggling and burnout history, I’ll safe that for another day.
But I am filled with idea’s and plans and energy
and I need a place to
spread the joy!
To be prepared, because I’ve got a lot coming, and step 1 is:
