Pretty Wardrobe Doors [portas de guarda roupa]

The photo above was spotted by me on decoeuração blog here. When I see somthing I really like I copy it and insert in an archive about home interiors. Sometimes I have no clue how to accomplish the ideas or where to find the materials and objects, but I keep the photos anyway. For a while I was searching artistical ideas to be apinted on my son's wardrobe. Coincidentally, months after seeing the photo above I have seen another idea for kids - just the black silhouette of a drawing for kids. It was a mural on the kids corner of the town hall in my my village. See below:

O armário acima foi visto por mim no blog de(coeur)ação aqui. É um dos blogs que eu mais sigo e persigo. Quando eu vejo uma coisa que gosto muito eu copio a foto e coloco num arquivo relacionado a decoração de interiores. Às vezes eu nem sei como posso realizar algo ou onde encontrar os objetos, mas eu guardo a foto assim mesmo. Eu queria uma silhueta de um desenho para o guarda roupa do meu filho e coincidentemente, meses mais tarde eu vi uma outra ideia de tema para crianças com só a silhueta em preto do desenho. Foi no cantinho de espera para as crianças na prefeitura da minha village. Veja abaixo:

Isn't it amazing ? No colours, just the contour. As if it should be coloured with your own eyes and imagination.

Não é lindo ? Nenhuma cor, apenas o contorno. Como se fosse para ser colorido com os olhos e imaginação.  

And the idea of a silhouette is what my father graciously accomplished on the doors of my son's wardrobe. My father is a classy and very accletic artist - he does such works for the family pleasure and as a hobby. He has drawn and then painted just the countour of Milou (I am not sure how it is called in English) - but with a discreet touch of colour...

E foi isso que meu pai acabou realizando no guarda roupa do meu filho. Meu pai é fera ! Um artista muito caprichoso que faz esse tipo de tarefa só para a família. Ele passou a lápis e depois con tinta preta só o Milú das Aventuras de Tintim - cor um toquezinho de cor que fez toda a diferença...

It cuts my heart the fact that we will leave this pretty wardrobe behind, made by father under my request. While commenting this on the phone with him lately, he told me: "Me and your mother we are coming to Holland for the summer. You can start thinking what you would like as art on the wardrobe of your kids. For your son we can make something bolder now. Spaceships, dragons, Avatar or superheroes - think of what you would like, ask him what his tastes are. For your daughter maybe puppies, or a pair of butterflies/ladibugs & birds ? I will make anything you wish !"

Realmente me corta o coração deixar esse guarda-roupa para tras com uma arte especialmente feita pelo meu pai. Quando eu comentei isso no telefone com ele, meu pai me tranquizou: "Ih, nem se preocupe. Quando eu e sua mãe chegarmos aí eu faço outras coisas na casa nova. Vai vendo o que você quer e eu faço. Agora a gente pode pensar em algo mais elaborado pros seus filhos. Como naves espaciais, dragões ou com tema de super heróis ou desenho animado. Pra sua filha eu posso fazer coisas delicadas como gatinhos, ou só um par de borboletas e pássaros, bem delicado. Pensa aí que eu faço ! "

Maybe for my daughter in the new home I will go for a more "dreamy" theme, like the door above ? I have found this pic on the blog Design*Sponge  - but I do not have the link any longer.

Eu acho que ao invés de gatinhos eu vou de algo mais fantasioso como a porta acima ? Eu vi essa foto no blog Design*Sponge, mas eu nao tenho mais o link, infelizmente.

Above, a detail of a painting with 16 fairy tales my father made for my little girl in 2006, with his typical signature hidden somewhere - in this case on a tree branch. Have I told you guys that my father is just incredible ? I think the next wardrobe of hers must have indeed a touch of fantasy on the same style of this painting. Wait until the ende of the year and I will blog about it. With every phase of the painting, and maybe my father on the pics ? (hahaha, he is such a shy guy...)   

Acima, detalhe de uma pintura que meu pai fez para minha filha, durante o ano de nascimento dela - 2006. É típico dele assinar a pintura com uma dedicatória em algum lugar escondidinho. Meu pai não é um artista incrível ? Acho que o próximo guarda-roupa dela vai ter uma arte feita pelo meu pai nessa mesma linha da pintura. Esperem até o final do ano e verão aparecer aqui no blogueto. Acho que vou postar cada fase da pintura - e talvez até colocar meu pai nas fotos ? (caramba, ele é tímido, hihihi !)

This is the wardrobe she has, made of mdf. Because we have a new house I have decided not to request any special decoration on this one. I have just bought some door hangers and that's it.

Esse e'o guarda roupa da minha filha, feito de mdf. Eu decidi que esse não terá nenhuma arte especial, já que estamos com uma casa nova. Só comprei uns puxadores para dar um charminho e pronto.

The door hangers are from Zara Home, located on the Kalverstraat in Amsterdam. Zara has amazing accessories and objects for home. If you have the chance when in Amsterdam please do visit this shop (the Home section is located on the 4th floor), I highly recommend it. Have a look on these knobs I have bought for the wardrobe doors in my new home:
Os puxadores acima são da loja Zara (Home), situada na Kalverstraat em pleno centro de Amsterdam. Eu vivo fuçando as coisas lindas de lá. Os acessórios, cabides, espelhos, almofadas... tudo magnífico.  Se passarem por Amsterdam nunca deixam de visitar a Zara, recomendo. Dêem uma olhada nos puxadores de porta de eu comprei para os armários da casa nova:

Elegant, aren't they ?

Uma graça, não ?

For my husband's wardrobe I have chosen these squared ones below, they remind me of cufflinks.

Para o armário do meu marido eu escolhi esses puxadores quadrados e sóbrios que mais parecem abotoaduras, não acham ?

This is a detail of the final result, below:
E depois do armário do meu marido ser pintado por mim, coloquei as abotoaduras os puxadores e o resultado ficou assim:

I wore plastic gloves to do this job and fortunately I didn't have to worry much about occasional paint drops on the ground, because the floor was not installed yet. But I couldn't stop the whole time thinking about DIY programmes I had watched on the telly. The women do painting work while wearing rings and bracelets, smiling, with pretty hair. This makes you feel dirty, ugly and incompetent in the real life. After three days busy with the painting (whie the kids are asking for cookies, or for a ball, calling me from the rest room, and telling that a friend threw a pot with flowers into the canal and that I must come asap to rescue it, **sigh**) I reached some conclusions. One of them is that you shouldn't watch DIY programmes on the TV. Never. You will be fine without them.

Dureza viu gente ? Dureza pintar um guarda-roupa inteiro (levou mais de três dias, esperando sempre cada camada secar antes de aplicar a próxima). Ainda mais com crianças e amiguinhos correndo por uma casa vazia, pedindo biscoito/água/bola/limpar bumbum no banheiro/resgatar vaso-de-flor-que-o-amiguinho-jogou-no-canal-do-quintal... ô paciência que que tenho, viu ? E também cheguei à conclusão que é tudo mentira nesses programas de "faça você mesmo" que eu vejo na televisão. Eles sempre fazem questao de colocar mulheres/apresentadoras sei lá, usando bijuterias, boas roupas e cabelos soltos fazendo esse tipo de serviço, sorrindo enquanto fazem comentários. Eu prendi os cabelos e usei luvas de plástico e ainda assim sujei os braços e as pernas. Suei, fiquei péssima de tensão e desapontada com a falta de elogios (Ha ! Holandês não elogia e além do mais marido e sogro também andam ralando muitíssimo com pintura de teto e parede). Não vou ver nunca mais esses programas na televisão.  

Luckily, all the wardrobes were already painted inside when we bought the house. Luckily.

 Felizmente, tudo jé estava pintado por dentro dos armários quando compramos a casa. Felizmente.

Above, the final result with the door painted by myself. I think it is a ver good result.

Acima, o resultado final, com as portas pintadas por mim. Ficou bonito.

Above in the new house: my wardrobe, and below my daughter's. I am really joining courage to paint the basis and then start with the colour (light yellow/beige)so that my father can perform an amazing work of art on it.

More two wardrobes that need a coat painting, pffffff ! But I really have no mood for that now... ****SIGH ****

Mais dois guarda roupas que precisam de tinta base e duas camadas de tinta, ui-ui... Tô morta e sem coragem. Mas eu sou brasileira e não desisto nunca, então...

(to be continued...)

Playing With Your Food

Bilingual post (English - Portuguese)

Because this couple is expecting a baby for 11/11/11 I have already started to search for a pretty gift. My parents are coming to Holland in July/Aug. and I will send via them something special to my brother - I mean, his baby.

Because I still do not know whether it is a boy or a girl, I preferred to opt for a "neutral" present. I am enjoying so much the news about this baby... I am going to by an aunt again ! On the other side, it is sad that I will not follow his/her growing up phases. The downside of living abroad...

Below, I photographed some examples from the package box to give you some ideas of how to be creatie with food presentation for kids:

Who said kids shouldn't play with the food on their plates ?
The plate cost me15 euros at this amazing department store.
Many discounts up to 12th of April.

Como meu rimão esta ligeiramente grávido (calculado para 11/11/11) eu já fiquei toda animada para enviar algo especial aqui da Holanda. Meus pais vem me visitar  no verão e levam de volta um presentinho pro baby. Decidi optar por algo “neutral” já que não sei se e’ menino ou menina. Na Bijenkorf (uma loja de departamentos com várias filiais pelo país)  encontrei esses pratinhos de porcelana por 15 euros, resistentes a máquina de lavar e ao forno. Na caixa da embalagem há varias sugestões de carinhas com comida. Em casa, eu fotografei bem de perto os exemplos de carinhas para que as pessoas possam copiar as idéias. Uma especie de "tutorial", hahaha ! Acho que meu rimão e cunhada vão adorar.

(Agora... quem disse que criança não deve brincar com a própria comida ? )

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Villa Arena, Amsterdam

If you follow this blog regularly then you know I moving to a new house next month. Because it is a bigger one and especially because it thas two living rooms we have been for a while looking for extra furniture. Two weekends in a row were dedicated to the via crucis of searching floors (laminaat) in several shops and a new sofa hunting at Villa Arena, Amsterdam (see my photo above). Villa Arena meubel boulevard has the finest of contemporary decorations and furniture. But also colonial/retro/country style (such as Riviera Maison shop). We always take a lot of pictures - discreetly and when possible - and make some written or mental notes. This can be veeery tiring, I cannot focus any longer and cannot walk anymore. But... we... must... go... on...

Above: a "poof" or stool which top can also be used as a serving tray/coffee table. I loved it and wanted to pay and take to the car asap - but hubby being the non impulsive cloggie he is held me back. So as the  vendors at markets in Morocco or Turkey complain say about the Dutch clients: "Kijken, kijken - niet kopen". Look, look... do not buy. 

This standard is also in my "wish list". I have some vases with amazing plants I would like to place on a pair of simple wooden pedestals like the one above. But my husband wants to buy new articles only when we are settled down in the new home. He doesn't want to make mistakes or have excesses. We are going to be moving in phases, so in order to not complicate our logistics it is indeed better to buy new furniture when we are able to place it already in the new address.

A quick pause at a Douwe Egberts shop. My son chose a brownie pie, husband preferred a cheese cake. Impossible to say which one was the best.  

Now, that's funky ! We need to buy a night stand for my son, to be placed near his bed. He loved them. These ones are made of cheap wood and covered with tin. Yes, tins. Found at the Woonfabriek at Villa Arena. Check the details below:

Thinking well, I find this pretty cool stuff BUT (there is always a "but" with me) we need to think again. I have my doubts about this night stand. It is so busy, you probably get tired of it very quickly. Or not.

Still in Villa Arena... that's HIM ! A L-shaped leather couch with adjustable head support. We have taken some pictures of it, checked the colour possibilities and took notes of the measures. It is definitely above our budget, so for the moment we do not buy it. Boy, God had given me a good taste - but forgot to provide me with money. To the Marktplaats then ! I have sold a baby furniture set via that site a couple of years ago and loved the experience. There are also very, very fine furniture pieces at Marktplaats.nl. Antiquities, contemporary, country style... you name it. Thousands and thousands and thousands of articles. Just like Funda, it is a must visit site if you are busy in the NL with a new home/decoration. 

Have you ever shopped at Marketplaats ? Was it a good or a bad (or terrible) experience ? What are your fave decoration/interior shop (s) in the NL ? Did you marry / started a family here in the NL and had to shop for a whole new  furniture set ? Any faves ? Ikea, Loods 5 ... ? Any second hand funiture business you recommend ?  I wanna hear from you !  

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Spring Vacation and Tea Time !

My little girl has just received from my sister-in-law this Mega Mindy suit - it used to belong to one of my nieces. I think it is great you can reuse something and save your money! Plus, it came just in time: it is spring vacation in the NL and I have two kids to entertain.

My little gir is not so much a TV fan - but she enjoys watching Mega Mindy on the telly sometimes. Who at 4 years old living in the NL or Belgium doesn't ?

When Mega Mindy is not kicking the butts of criminals she is earning a living working as a police agent. She is in love with Toby - who also works with her as a police agent - but he doesn't notice it (how original). **Sight **

"Mega Mindy's Secret" film. Are they going finally to kiss ?

 She can be a melancholic character sometimes and suffers from non corresponded love. I am not so sure she is a positive model for little girls in this aspect, but who is it then? The girls from K3 maybe ? Cause I have never seen/ heard one little bad thing about them. Never.

Photos above and below: Amsterdam RAI during a K3 show I have been into with my daughter and another friend and her kid.

And there they come ! Lots of smoke and lights and singing.

K3 stands for Kristel (black hair), Karen (red) and Kathleen (blond) - a- hem, how original. But Kathleen decided to leave the group in order to pursue a solo career (how cliche') and now Josje is the third girl - the Dutch blond one. The other two are Belgian and during my first years in the NL I couldn't understand them well.

 I found them to be in great physical shape (and two of them are already mothers and far in the thirties). Gorgeous hairs ! I just don't know why in almost every number they wore boots. But then this is a Dutch obsession. Some Dutch girls will wear boots even during the summer or during indoor parties. I have no clue why they do that.

Above as princesses. A lot of impact on the public. I tried to zoom as much as I could.

During a cowboy song. The Dutch adore American culture/things/pop-culture in general.

As angels.

Above you can see how broad the stage was. Lots of laser and special effects. Impressive. The photos do not give you an idea of how magnificent the show was.  

The girls from K3 and the ballet dancers didn't make one little wrong move and smiled all the time. Everything was very professional and beautiful. The song numbers were linked by a story of a crazy German scientist (how original) who was experimenting his new invention: a time machine (of course). Once, the machine went wrong and the K3 girls came out dressed like clowns (my little girl got afraid and hid behind the stools, of course - clowns are scary). I know, I know, everything is so predictable but... hey ! The average public age is from 3 to 6, what did you expect ? Anyway, a K3 show is very, very nice.  But you have to buy the tickets 5 to 6 months in advance. I am serious.  Prices start from 55 euros for the next shows during summer in The Hague (I had paid for the show in Amsterdam 50 euros  - for me and my girl). Amsterdam RAI charges 10 euros for the parking, aaaaargh ! I do not think I will be watching a K3 show again - there are many musicals and shows and ballets for kids of top quality going on in the NL. Maybe a Mega Mindy musical next time ?

Below, a very recent K3 video, exactly the show I watched at Amsterdam RAI. If you cannot watch it properly here in my blog then here's a trick: double click quickly on the video and this will take you to the Youtube page. There are many many more from K3 on Youtube, some old ones with more than half a million views.

Another thing to do during the one week spring vacation is to schedule on your agenda some time with your kids' little friends. Today we had a little girl around. I decided to buy for the young ladies some almond paste pies, stuffed with strawberry jam at the local baker/patisseur. Soooo pretty - it hurts to bite.

And tons of tea have bee drunk this week. My little girl likes to cook with plastic, buttons, paper, paper clips, tooth-picks... lots of fantasy. She says she can prepare ANYTHING  I wish. I just have to write down on a piece of paper and read it for her. It doesn't matter - she will cook it in a minute. And if you say it was delicious... then she will fix you some more. She has a very good kitchen.

Tea anyone ?

(Porcelain set, woodden tray, pastries and cookies I have bought all at the HEMA.)

Aaaah,  I have sipped lots of fake tea this week - and we are still on Wednesday... right ? The saldo so far: 2 broken nails and pain in my back from so much running after the kids and pushing little bikes. I even cancelled the visits to the fitness and Zumba classes this week. Not to worry...  I will survive.

Anyone, any tips about entertaining kids withouth much fuss neither spending much money during a short vacation break ?