Let's celebrate yellow / 5 reasons why we all adore this color of joy and sunshine

Colors have a strong but also subconscious effect on our everyday lives. During my design studies, studying color was our most demanding and time consuming subject. As a visual artist I was taught how to influence and effect others with my use of the color spectrum.

Yellow is the color of sunshine, joy, vitality, happiness and creativity. Yellow is bright and warm and often used for light, breezy and joyful subjects. When I think about yellow I think off sunshine, vacation… But this color is also symbol of courage an confidence, boosting energy and self esteem. And with a little hint of black, bright sunny yellow turns into a trendy mustard color. With a little touch of red, ochre. All gender neutral colors that are very popular right now.

1 // I love yellow personality
I personally never liked yellow. Up until last year I wouldn't use this color in my designs. Only a little hint every now and then. Now I create full yellow, mostly mustard colored, designs and I really love these shades of yellow, but still I would never add a 100% yellow color to my work. I still have this inexplicable aversion towards the bright yellow color. Maybe it is just a little too energetic, draws a little too much attention, and with this ingredient it is hard to balance out colors in a design too? According to spiritual studies the color represents our self worth and in stressful times can be too vibrant. The color always makes me feel a little agitated.

2 // Yellow & branding
Yellow has often been used as a signal color. Like red is used for caution, bright yellow is often used to stand out and bring attention to the subject too, think about urban signage or the numerous cabs that circle around Manhattan, they are easy to find since their color pops out. And what about post-it notes, a brilliant color to remind you of things to do. A great color for attention without the heaviness of danger. Yellow loves to talk and is a color that can speak for itself. It is not often used in logo design but if we think about yellow branding we all think about cheap, outlet companies. Can you come up with some?



3 // The color of creativity
Yellow also lifts our mood and increases brain activity if we are surrounded by the color. It is the color of new ideas, while activating us it puts the brain at work and can give us a new perspective, create new solutions. Yellow activates in al lot of ways.

4 // Yellow & food
Studies have shown that people that were eating in a yellow room would eat a lot more than in rooms that were painted in other colors. So maybe painting your dining room in a shade of yellow might not be a good idea if you want to watch your weight. I do not eat at fast food joints often, most of these 'restaurants' have yellow interiors to make you eat a little more. A clever way to generate more cash right? One of world's largest fast food joint is well know for it's screaming yellow logo. The go to place to stuff your face.

5 // Girls & boys
This year yellow has been making a come back in fashion design. Yellow is a perfect color for gender neutral interior accents and is perfect in fashion for both boys and girls. Right now ochre and mustard are two shades that are very trending in print and fashion and also two shades we love to work with. We have made an entire new mustard colored series for this summer season. Go shop for sunshine at Spoonflower.

Top 5 Hot Sellers // Love inspired fabric for Valentine’s Day

We are half-way January and blue Monday has come and gone so it is time to focus on the year’s best holiday: Valentine’s Day is around the corner an our loooooove sales are going well. I think everyone is excited to spread some love and we see some new cool Love themes come up in our trend overview. So here is a little top 5 of this years most trending Valentine themed designs on fabric. And of course love is always an option, so no need to limit the use of these designs to one day of the year.

1 // Lollipop Love
This prints was inspired by the naive pop culture trend. We see food and candy pins pop up in fashion and we love these retro style illustrations influence new fashion collections. This designs is a simple illustration of heart shapes lollipops combined with black dots making the design fresh and quirky. Perfect for Valentine. https://www.spoonflower.com/designs/7177070

2 // Monochrome Love Typography
We adore monochromes and this style is still growing strong. A simple black and white print, you cannot go wrong. Small hearts with hand drawn love typography. A cool combo making this print on trend and very useful for gender neutral creations. Create some cool fashion pieces or use this print as wallpaper for your home. I’d love to see this design used in a baby nursery. So cool! https://www.spoonflower.com/designs/6093977

3 // Textured Hearts
This design has been around for a little while. The mint and peach combo is still trending after three years. The textured hearts are matching our inky texture collection. A collection of designs that have been licensed throughout Europe, United Stated and Australia. But it is also available on fabric and wallpaper via Spoonflower. So if you are looking for a more contemporary love themed design, this one might be just what you’ve been looking for. https://www.spoonflower.com/designs/5163891



4 // XOXO Sweet hearts
The monochrome nursery is very popular. And this soft pink xoxo design is perfect for your little girls bedroom and wardrobe. A raw abstract ink print with xoxo and heart shapes. The designs is a basic repeat with minimal shapes making it perfect as a secondary design or for large scale use like curtains and wallpaper. Curious to see some finished results with this one! https://www.spoonflower.com/designs/4867777

5 // Love Hearts
Black and whites with a hint of color are it this year. And this design is perfect for both boys and girls. For your little one or for your own fashion items or home textiles. The pattern is made with hand drawn heart shapes and the random placed shapes make this print playful yet stylish due to it’s color use. You can never go wrong with a strong basic black and white. https://www.spoonflower.com/designs/4845697

2018 // Top 10 illustrated new year's resolutions // 10 things to add to your life to make it a little more joyful and fun

A brand new year! Hopefully you have had an amazing NY eve, did some partying, cocktail drinking with friends or cuddle up with your family or loved ones. After weeks of making lists and taking time to reflect on the past year it is now time to make room for a new year. Make plans, start new beginnings and of course: new year’s resolutions!

I know every year I have a bunch of silly ones. Luckily enough I am pretty content with my life so usually my new year resolutions are not very strict, life altering or sudden. For this year I have made a series of illustrations to remind myself to stay close to who I am and what I want. They say visualizing your goals makes it easier to work towards them right? The past months have been pretty hectic, so many new things, a demanding new business, to worry about, I have to keep reminding myself to be a little more kind to myself. Add some things, remove some habits, balance my time. Here are some of my favorite new year resolutions for this year.



1 // Create something every day
As a designer this might be a little obvious but the past 6 months my days were filled with contacting customers, searching for the right people for our studio renovations, being busy learning new things to set up a new business, meeting with lawyers, trying to get money back on fabric orders, trying to resolve a ‘water’ issue, fighting for justice with a company who is handing out my designs to anyone. Well, I can go on for a while. But all this meant creating was not an option. An artists day only has 24 hours so for the new year I need to sit down and create again. Do what I love most. Start my day with a pencil in my hand. Definitely my number one resolution for the new year.

2 // Don’t work for assholes
Well, as I already mentioned above, working as an independent artists means having to deal with shitty things sometimes. Every year I try to let go of those who take advantage, are disloyal or just behaving like complete ignorant assholes, mind my vocabulary. I am pretty easy going and if you do something stupid and apologize I am pretty forgiving. Unfortunately saying sorry is a little hard for some companies. I have to remind myself: I will be fine without the drama. I rather work with people that have a heart. Bye bye!

3 // Travel
The most important thing in my life is my freedom. Starting a new business might come with some extra strings but I have to remind myself to take time to travel, soak up some new impressions. I am a worthless human being when I am trapped in a routine. I want to experience new things, challenge my own perspective. It keeps me sharp, clear, focussed and most important: inspired to create new things.

4 // Eat more ice-cream
I know right? Such a great goal! No, I don’t want to lose weight, or eat healthier. I pretty much exercise twice a week and eat pretty healthy home made food, fresh veggies, start the day with smoothies, you name it. But this past summer I went out for ice cream once! Seriously! So I do need to eat more ice-cream, treat myself a little. Don’t forget to spoil yourself sometimes!



5 // Write more
I love creating, I am not a very good writer though but I like how it organizes my thoughts and experiences. We do not take enough time to let things in. To experience to the fullest. I love writing down things to sit down and reflect. It is like taking pictures of moments. They will stay with you a little longer. I love sitting down to write blogposts but I am too busy to make them as in dept as I would like. So yes, write more, and take time to write.

6 // Go for walks
I don’t spend enough time in nature. And I love wandering around the forest, take a walk on the beach. Go out and clear my mind. So important! I do not have a significant other special peep to talk about and share my day with over dinner and I know that my mind will go get busy if there is no room to digest things. A walk in the park can do wonders. I should. I will go for a walk. Once a week. With or without company. So doing this!

7 // Smile to strangers
Don’t you hate it when someone looks at you and they try to ignore seeing you? they cannot look away any faster. Especially irritating when they know you personally. What the hell? Such a weird way of treating someone. Sometimes I can feel very lonely, I walk down a busy street. No one interacts with one another. That is definitely not me. I started smiling at strangers, just a second, a short connection can make a day a whole lot lighter. A simple smile makes such a difference. It even releases endorphins, natural painkillers people! Let's give it a try!



8 // Eat more Cheesecake
Cheesecake is my guilty pleasure. I used to meet up with my best friend over cheesecake to talk about life, and love and everything that would keep us busy. Eating more cheesecake means: spending more time with loved ones. Sit down and listen. Quality time with friends. Let's make it a priority again!

9 // Quit buying shoes
And suddenly I was and accidental shoe addict. I don’t like shopping, I don’t like trying on clothes, I don’t like brief trends and I am not someone you’ll catch shopping on a Saturday afternoon. But as a human being I kinda have to cover myself, with clothes. Somehow I always go home with new shoes. I should definitely stop buying shoes instead of clothes!

10 // Get a new kitty
Or make some room in my life for something cuddly. I have had a cat for 22 years and I miss a soft purring creature that makes my house a home. But I am also a little anxious to commit. I might have some issues with commitment nowadays. Hmmm. Get a new kitty might be the first step to healthy commitments again.

Happy Valentine // Share the love and send out a romantic gesture

Little Smilemakers designs are available at several postcard and stationary companies all around the world. There is one company in Holland we are working for directly. Kaartje2Go is an online website from which you can send out a postcard to your loved one, friends or family. You can choose a design, add images and you can even upload text in your own handwriting.

Since social media took over there are not many people sending out paper postcards anymore but digital mailing services have grown ever since. It is all about that little sweet gesture. Who doesn't want to receive a little note from their loved one with Valentine's Day? I must say it has been a few years, well maybe even 10. Yes, I know how to pick some very unromantic boyfriends (working on that!) No, seriously, I am not a very big fan of the commercial Valentine's Day. But any gesture is welcome right, when you love someone? You just want to take some time and think about how to make that special one actually feel special, so we have a whole bunch of cards inspired on love available. To send to your significant other, your best friend or family member who should know they are lover.

Last year typical red and pink prints were hot sellers. Popular trends this year are minimalistic designs. Basic black and whites with color pops. A more simplistic style related to the Scandinavian trend going on in surface pattern design. But also typography is trending this year. Hand lettering with sweet notes with a little quirky touch. With a background in typography it is always nice to step aside from our daily surface pattern design routine. These hand lettered designs were made in ink and pencil. For this post we featured our less common love prints and we wanted to show you our Panda postcard. I am celebrating not having any panda point today! Yay!



So here we are featuring some of this years new trending designs for Valentine. So have your pick, browse around this years most popular postcard designs and send one to your BFF or love of your life. Not sure what to write to your loved one, family member or friend? Hallmark has come up with a series of sentences if you lack inspiration or don't know what message is appropriate. So if you do not know what to write check out Hallmark's blogpost about what to write to your valentine this year.

Sources of inspiration: Cambodia // Lush and lovely // With brutal history and a brand new future // top 5 things to see and reasons to visit this beautiful country

As you all know I love to travel and get a taste of new cultures. I have seen some amazing places, met some amazing people and every time I pack my back I have no idea what is to come. I travel without expectations. Some people thinks that is impossible but trust me, with my background you don’t dare to expect much, it is something I mastered without knowing but it is wonderful to start a new experience without any expectations attached to it. So I didn’t know what to think of Cambodia, I only knew I was very much intrigued by this war torn country. I love traveling through Asia and Cambodia became a destination I had been wondering about for a while.  

Every year I take a break in December and January. I pack my bags and go somewhere warm to escape from the holiday mayhem. After a few very busy months, renovating the new studio, starting productions, and well, running my business, I couldn’t wait to take off and explore Cambodia. Via Bangkok I traveled to the Cambodian border where my experience exploring this amazing country began. 

Scarred generations 
Cambodia has been a Buddhist country and temples are scattered throughout the country but it is facing so many challenges, the country has had a taste of freedom for just 16 years now. And I will type down some of my worries and a little history in a nutshell here. After the Vietnam war exceeded Cambodian borders the Khmer Rouge Army tried to keep out Vietnamese communists, their fights spread out throughout the country and in 1975 the Khmer Rouge soldiers seized the opportunity to take over the capital of Phnom Penh and ordered all civilians to leave and work as farmers. Leader of the army Pol Pot wanted to make a secular state, free the country from religion, his solution: killing all Buddhist monks. All educated people and intellectuals could be a possible treat for his ideology so any hint of that and they would get killed. The people of Cambodia should work their lands and free themselves from capitalism. They were forced to work on rice fields, pieces of land burned down to grow crops, crops to trade for supplying the army. it is such a sad story. Supported by China, the Khmer Rouge army kept on fighting up until the UN interfered in 1993. What happened in the early nineties, well, nothing constructive really, there were elections and the main pawns of Cambodians bloody history are housing the government up until this day. My guide called them ‘flexible.’ That sure is one hell of a positive way of looking at it. When you think about it Cambodia nowadays is still controlled by those with blood on their hands. But a new generation is standing up now, informed by media, they can obtain information, read, think and discuss. They educate themselves.  

Elections 
My guide is one of those, from my generation. He grew up with a ‘missing’ dad, his older brother was killed by the army and he spend his childhood in a Buddhist monastery. He became a father a day after we visit Angkor Wat with him. He would talk about his past with defeat and repressed anger. He know damn well what is happening. This March Cambodia will have new elections, the prime minister, former head of army, has stated he won’t be going anywhere. Meanwhile Cambodia is paying back their bills to China, the war has left them in great dead for supplying their army with weapons and munitions, so China is building airports, factories, Phnom Penh is turning into an economic anonymous city with a skyline all thanks to foreign investors. What will happen to this country after the elections? What will happen when Cambodians realize they have paid enough, settled the bill? What will happen when China owns all this land and Cambodians want back their country? They are still trying to keep up their democratic appearance. Of course things are way more complicated that how I see them, how I type them down. I hold my breath for what is yet to come. Hope my guides daughter will grow up in piece and prosperity.



1 // Angkor Wat 
Cambodia is very proud of it’s Khmer history. Angkor is one of the world’s most famous archeological places and protected by Unesco, you have probably heard about it, seen photo’s. Maybe you remember the jungle temple from Tomb Raider? From the city of Siem Reap it is a quick drive to the most visited place in Cambodia. The site extends over 400 square kilometers where you can see old remains of Cambodians civilization; the Khmer Empire. You can easily spend three days driving around the old temples, (there are over a thousand), reservoirs and old Khmer architecture but if you only spend one day, do visit Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Angkor Thom and the Ta Prohm jungle temple. Rent a tuctuc and a driver to navigate the area. The temples are breathtaking, I always feel pretty insignificant watching those giant structures. The magnificence of these old creations is breathtaking. The religious sculptures, statues and craftsmanship. The interior detailing. It sure makes you think ‘how the hell did they manage to complete such an impossible task’ with such eye for detail and beauty. It is truly genius. Angkor is a wonderful place and definitely one of the high lights of my travels. A must see.  

2 // Tonlé Sap 
When I was traveling on the bus in Cambodia I loved starring out of the window and seeing the typical Cambodian houses. Built on wooden posts, their homes are protected against floods, entirely made out of wood and painted in vivid colors. So wonderful. Cambodia can be pretty wet and people are used to live with and on the water. The Tonlé Sap lake is the biggest body of water in the country and stretches out from Siep Reap all the way to Phnom Penh were you can travel further over the Mekong River. I love traveling over water. I am a little bit of a water rat but I won’t advise you to swim in Tonlé Sap! Hell no! They have some crocodiles up there. Yikes!But I do try to travel over water if I have the chance. Just rent a boat and explore the lake for a day. You can see how people live on the water. Entire villages, schools, markets, they are all floating and it is wonderful to see how Cambodians live on their colorful boats, doing laundry, kids playing, just a glance of their every day life. 

3 // Phnom Penh 
The Capital of Phnom Penh is a rapidly growing melting pot and you can hardly spot any authentic Cambodian architecture. Next to the National Museum and the Palace there is not a whole lot of typical Phnom Penh left in the city center. But it is very likely you will visit this city to see some historical places. Not far from the city center you can visit the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide. A former school that was used by the Khmer Rouge army who turned it into the notorious S-21 prison where over more than 20.000 people were executed and approximately 17.000 people were imprisoned. Inside of the old class rooms on the ground floor you can find thousands of photographs of the people that were taken to this prison. The rows of photo’s are endless as are the rows of cell blocks on the second and third story. I wondered around the third story when I got all weezy and light headed. It is not a place you enter that lifts your spirit obviously. It will stay with you for a little while. 



4 // Taste of Cambodia
Let’s talk about one of my favorite things in the world: Food. The Cambodian cuisine is absolutely amazing. The country is rich, fresh vegetables, fruit, spices. Cardamom mountains and rice fields. Because of it’s Buddhist background Cambodians do not eat a whole lot of meat and it is pretty easy to veggie your way around the country. But if you are not a vegetarian there is even more to explore. When you leave the big cities behind and travel through more remote area’s you can find some pretty interesting stuff for lunch. Marinated scorpions, spiders, frogs and tiny insects are a popular snack for the less wealthy. Stop at one of those tiny local markets and try one! And if you like cooking do visit a market to get your hands on some spices. They’re fresh and cheap. I loved the Cambodian dishes. There is so much variety in taste and ingredients and it might be good to know for European travelers: their dishes are not filled with chilly. Cambodians do not eat very spicy, they proper adding a little black pepper. I really liked my Pomelo salad with small pieces of pork and pak choi with a soy sauce dressing. Delicious! Oh and the salad with chicken lettuce and fish sauce was amazing. Do indulge in fruit: Pineapple and Mango. They are so sweet and crazy juicy. And the best thing about it all, everything is still organic. No crazy pesticides or big multinationals importing food. You eat local food in Cambodia. My rash (that was stuck on my face for the past 10 months) disappeared after a few days. While I am typing this, being back home, it is returning again. Says a lot about the food right?  
The French also left their mark in Cambodians meals today, you can find baguettes all over the country. And they are good! Cambodians are also pretty heavy coffee drinkers, you can find a proper Arabic coffee every few blocks. So don’t hesitate and try as much as you can. I loved the Cambodian cuisine. 

5 // Ghosts of the past 
Not very far from Cambodians capital there is another sinister place that is worth the visit but that will haunt you for days. Cambodia has a violent history and when you visit the country you will first and foremost enjoy the scenery, the welcoming people, the delicious food, but this is a must see when you are traveling through this country. The Killing Fields in Choeung Ek is now a memorial site open to public from 1988. When you visit this place you will follow a path which leads you to the numerous mass graves that are scattered around the plot. ‘Don’t step on bones’ a sign says. Bodies were exhumed and smashed skulls and bones are now carefully protected by the walls of the newly build stupa that holds over more than 5000 skulls. While typing this I still cannot seem to grasp what I have seen here, and what has taken place during those years the fields were a place of execution. In the small aula you can see a short video about the process of discovering the graves and the research that began after that. 

Well, with the Killing Fields I am ending this travel post. Cambodia was a wonderful place to visit even though there are some things you rather not see, don’t avoid what is part of their history. It gives you insight for a more in depth experience. Hopefully the elections in March will turn out for the better. My thoughts are with the people I have met during my trip. Hopefully Cambodia will remain ‘safe and peaceful'. Again, I feel so lucky to have been born into a country where safety is a common good.

Top 10 New Year Resolutions from an artist // Happy New Year

A brand new year! Hopefully you have had an amazing NY eve, did some partying, cocktail drinking with friends or cuddle up with your family or loved ones. After weeks of making lists and taking time to reflect on the past year it is now time to make room for a new year. Make plans, start new beginnings and of course: new year’s resolutions!

I know every year I have a bunch of silly ones. Luckily enough I am pretty content with my life so usually my new year resolutions are not very strict, life altering or sudden. For this year I have made a series of illustrations to remind myself to stay close to who I am and what I want. They say visualizing your goals makes it easier to work towards them right? The past months have been pretty hectic, so many new things, a demanding new business, to worry about, I have to keep reminding myself to be a little more kind to myself. Add some things, remove some habits, balance my time. Here are some of my favorite new year resolutions for this year.



1 // Create something every day
As a designer this might be a little obvious but the past 6 months my days were filled with contacting customers, searching for the right people for our studio renovations, being busy learning new things to set up a new business, meeting with lawyers, trying to get money back on fabric orders, trying to resolve a ‘water’ issue, fighting for justice with a company who is handing out my designs to anyone. Well, I can go on for a while. But all this meant creating was not an option. An artists day only has 24 hours so for the new year I need to sit down and create again. Do what I love most. Start my day with a pencil in my hand. Definitely my number one resolution for the new year.

2 // Don’t work for assholes
Well, as I already mentioned above, working as an independent artists means having to deal with shitty things sometimes. Every year I try to let go of those who take advantage, are disloyal or just behaving like complete ignorant assholes, mind my vocabulary. I am pretty easy going and if you do something stupid and apologize I am pretty forgiving. Unfortunately saying sorry is a little hard for some companies. I have to remind myself: I will be fine without the drama. I rather work with people that have a heart. Bye bye!

3 // Travel
The most important thing in my life is my freedom. Starting a new business might come with some extra strings but I have to remind myself to take time to travel, soak up some new impressions. I am a worthless human being when I am trapped in a routine. I want to experience new things, challenge my own perspective. It keeps me sharp, clear, focussed and most important: inspired to create new things.

4 // Eat more ice-cream
I know right? Such a great goal! No, I don’t want to lose weight, or eat healthier. I pretty much exercise twice a week and eat pretty healthy home made food, fresh veggies, start the day with smoothies, you name it. But this past summer I went out for ice cream once! Seriously! So I do need to eat more ice-cream, treat myself a little. Don’t forget to spoil yourself sometimes!



5 // Write more
I love creating, I am not a very good writer though but I like how it organizes my thoughts and experiences. We do not take enough time to let things in. To experience to the fullest. I love writing down things to sit down and reflect. It is like taking pictures of moments. They will stay with you a little longer. I love sitting down to write blogposts but I am too busy to make them as in dept as I would like. So yes, write more, and take time to write.

6 // Go for walks
I don’t spend enough time in nature. And I love wandering around the forest, take a walk on the beach. Go out and clear my mind. So important! I do not have a significant other special peep to talk about and share my day with over dinner and I know that my mind will go get busy if there is no room to digest things. A walk in the park can do wonders. I should. I will go for a walk. Once a week. With or without company. So doing this!

7 // Smile to strangers
Don’t you hate it when someone looks at you and they try to ignore seeing you? they cannot look away any faster. Especially irritating when they know you personally. What the hell? Such a weird way of treating someone. Sometimes I can feel very lonely, I walk down a busy street. No one interacts with one another. That is definitely not me. I started smiling at strangers, just a second, a short connection can make a day a whole lot lighter. A simple smile makes such a difference. It even releases endorphins, natural painkillers people! Let's give it a try!



8 // Eat more Cheesecake
Cheesecake is my guilty pleasure. I used to meet up with my best friend over cheesecake to talk about life, and love and everything that would keep us busy. Eating more cheesecake means: spending more time with loved ones. Sit down and listen. Quality time with friends. Let's make it a priority again!

9 // Quit buying shoes
And suddenly I was and accidental shoe addict. I don’t like shopping, I don’t like trying on clothes, I don’t like brief trends and I am not someone you’ll catch shopping on a Saturday afternoon. But as a human being I kinda have to cover myself, with clothes. Somehow I always go home with new shoes. I should definitely stop buying shoes instead of clothes!

10 // Get a new kitty
Or make some room in my life for something cuddly. I have had a cat for 22 years and I miss a soft purring creature that makes my house a home. But I am also a little anxious to commit. I might have some issues with commitment nowadays. Hmmm. Get a new kitty might be the first step to healthy commitments again.

Sources of inspiration // Top 10 favorite world wide Modern Art Museums & Galleries

As an artist, I can find inspiration in everyday things — but traveling, that's a whole different creative source. Maybe it's the need to feel connected to the bigger picture, or a different culture; or to get more insight into who I am and explore things from another perspective. Maybe it's simply stepping away from my routine and overlooking things from a distance. But one thing is for sure: traveling provides an endless flow of inspiration, and there's an entire world to explore.

How often do you visit a gallery or museum? Holland has some great art galleries and museums and I love to see all these different artists and skills come to life. I often visit the Pulchri Studio close to my home in The Hague where they have new art up on the walls every few weeks. I try to visit museums during my travels. It is lovely to see cultural differences, there is a different way of expression in each part of the world. What museum would you recommend in your country/city? For this post I have selected a top 10 of personal faves. I have seen quite some Modern Art Museums and would like to share those with you. Some awesome gems of The Netherlands and some less obvious choices, places I have seen during my travels. Enjoy!

1 // MAXXI - Rome
Rome is not a typical place to visit if you love modern art. Also modern architecture is not really common in the city, but if you take a train out of the city center you can visit a few very interesting places if you stop at Euclide. The 'bugs' at the musical auditorium for instance are a architectural feast. The arena Palazzetto dello Sport built in 1960 for the summer Olympics is a very interesting piece, could use a fresh layer of paint though. But the real gem for me was discovering the MAXXI. The National Museum of contemporary art and architecture. The building itself is simple beautiful and only open for public for 6 years now. With it's sharp edges and overlaps it's a surprisingly pretty composition in a slightly neglected looking area of the city. The exhibits are surprisingly well set up and diverse. I was very happy to see a some Italian parents brought along their kids to explore this place. There is a nice library dedicated to the building and Roman modern architecture. Check out the website before you go. All exhibits are contemporary. The ones I visit were conceptual, highly political engaged and visually powerful. But of course every artist and every expo will be different. Enter a place like this without expectations and it will surprise you.

2 // Pulchri Studio - The Hague
This Art gallery is a place you can just walk in free of charge. Every few weeks there is something else to discover here. The short term exhibitions are great for a little break during a busy working day and I visit this gallery in the old part of The Hague frequently. You can also enjoy a good lunch in the restaurant area, or sit down and have a coffee.

3 // Brandhorst Museum - Munich
The museum itself is a great piece of architecture that is already worth a little glance. Inside of the museum you can find a collection of modern art with a large representation of work by American artists. My personal favorite is the collection of paintings by Twombly on the first floor. Unfortunately the Museum prohibits photography. Such a shame since I love to capture the amazing visual art to take them home to stash in my box of memories.

4 // Tate Modern - London
On the bankside of the river Thames you can find one of my favorites of all time. The very immense and industrial looking The Tate Modern is a place for modern and contemporary art. If you ever get the chance to fly in to this city do check what is happening here. There have has numerous amazing exhibitions in the part. Malevich, Kandinsky, Hodgkin, Hopper, to name just a few. You can easily spend an entire day at this place.



// Brooklyn Museum - New York
New York has so much to offer for the creative soul. There are many places worth visiting but on my last trip to the Big Apple I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge to watch the Ai Weiwei expo in the Brooklyn Museum. I am a big fan of modern art but this museum also shows a little bit about the history of Brooklyn and I was surprised about the variety and quality of art that was shown here. It is a gem and truly worth crossing the river for.

6 // Moderna Museet - Stockholm
Pay attention creative peeps! If you ever visit Stockholm: visit Skeppsholmen. You need to visit this little creative island. I was lucky enough to spend a truly magical summer night here with some live music and street food in the Moderna Museet garden during the Yayoi Kusamas exhibit. Surrounded by Picasso scultures I was enjoying a live performance of one of my fav sing and sing writers José González. You can visit the Moderna Museet but don’t forget to enjoy the outside sculptures by Calder and Jean Tingely and Niki de Saint Phalle. From the island you have a beautiful view over Stockholm. Walk around the island and check out the little harbor on the northern part with old steamships and fishing boats. A great place to enjoy the sunset. From the south side you can take a ferry to the Abba Museum or Nordiska Museet.

7 // Louisiana - Copenhagen
As a graphic designer I adore this amazing Danish museum of modern art. If you ever visit Copenhagen make sure to take the train to this museum. It will take you an hour traveling North but it is a lovely way through a beautiful area of Denmark. The museum is located in the most lush area near the seaside and the sculpture garden has a breathtaking view over the water. But trust me, you don’t need the water, there is so much to see inside alone. With over 3.500 pieces of art, a combination of American, European and Danish art from 1945 till now, there is enough to see to keep you busy for a day without noticing the surroundings. Warhol, Picasso, Kiefer, Kandinsky, they are all there. But if you visit the museum on a summer day, do take a stroll through the park and enjoy sculptures from Calder, Henry Moore and my personal favorite: Miró. A must see, beautiful museum. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

8 // FOAM - Amsterdam
My favorite museum for Photography is located in Amsterdam. I think it is the museum I visit most frequently in Holland. They have temporary exhibits and change their walls every few months. I have seen numerous great photographers here. Helmut Newton’s life work. Annie Leibovitz with her famous portraits. The Kate Moss Show. Vivian Maiers black and white, street photography and this winter there is another big name to add to the list: Weiwei. FOAM is a lovely place to pop in for a quick visit. You’ll be in and out in 2 hours so if you want to see something during you stay in Amsterdam but don’t want to wait in one of those crazy museum lines go visit this little photography gem.

9 // Blain Southern Gallery - Berlin
This contemporary art gallery is located in the old press building and offers a huge canvas to artists. This summer the gallery has an impressive exhibit of Morellet. You can see his paintings and also his later work: neon installations. His work was influenced by artists like Piet Mondriaan and Max Bill. You can see some similarities in the movement and the composition but using materials like neon, concrete, metal, and leaving out color were considered to be quite modern back then and still make his work very unique. What I love about the gallery itself is that it has a huge main area with one high sealing stretching up into the sky. The canvas for the work makes the art even more astonishing.

10 // MoMa - New York
New York, one of the most inspiring art museums are based here. With the Frick Collection, the wonderful Guggenheim with temporary exhibits and of course the Witney. All amazing places to go and check out but my fav: the MoMa will always be one of the greatest places to visit if you are an artist, I think this museum is a must see. Don’t get me wrong, there are other awesome places in New York, I will have to type down a top 10 for New York only some time… The MoMa has some iconic pieces every artists should see i real life. Monet’s Water Lilies for instance. Picasso, Matisse and our very own Piet Mondriaan and Willem de Kooning spreading our strong Dutch Design. The sculpture garden has some wonderful pieces too, don’t skip those. But I particularly like this place, not because of those great names but because there is a mix of so many different techniques, that really trigger my imagination. Why choose paper or why stick with ink? Sculptures, paintings, architecture, graphics. Very inspirational place!

Happy spring // 5 reasons why spring is our favorite season

It is finally spring! Well, almost-ish. The winter seemed to be endless but finally after all these dark months days are getting longer and sun actually shows his face and warms up the little balcony where flowers are now able to bloom. I love spring. I have to say I love the drama of fall and the cosy winter nights on the couch bingewatching Girls but there is nothing better than waking up in the morning to see the sun light up the home.

I love the outdoors. I grew up in a little village and I remember playing outside for hours and hours. Picking flowers, yes also from our neighbors garden, collecting ants and enjoy the new signs of life. I could spend hours watching little baby animals run around the country side. The very first day outside was usually during easter when eggs were hidden on playground in our street. We knew exactly how many eggs were hidden and only stopped our searching for a quick drink. Months later we would find the remains of easter while digging around the swing or building castles in the sand. I loved those first days outside in the sunshine and I am happy to see spring coming every single year.



Of course I am not digging for easter eggs nowadays but there are 5 reasons why spring probably is my favorite season.

1 // Quality time in the sun
Since I work from a home studio I can feel quite isolated at times. Especially during winter I can be in the studio working for days without seeing or talking to a living soul. I love to work outside on a terrace, catch up on some paper work in the sun. But this season is also about finding a new way to spend quality time together with loved ones. Reach out again. Every year spring seems different. Time to go out again, have a nature walk, climb trees, watch the sunset on the beach. Meet up with friends and meet new people and of course celebrate the spring sun with a cool glass of beer.

2 // Late night ice-cream
Oh I love those late night trips to the local ice cream shop. I live in a country where ice cream shops close up for the winter. During spring new ice cream shops pop up all over the city and I love to hop in for a little ice cream at night, when the sun sets, to have a little bit of a festive end of a regular day.

3 // Byebye layers of clothes
I am one of those woman that does not like to shop for a new season. I do not really like shopping in general so warmer weather means less clothes! Somehow I always end up with shoes or bags. Oh yes and sunglasses. Those are easy to find but clothes… So yes, staying warm with just one layer, only one layer of clothes to worry about, I love it!

4 // New positive energy
What I love most about entering the warmer season is the fact that everyone seems to be just a little more happy. People are out on the street more, there is more time for a little interaction and a quick chat to your neighbor. During spring the city transforms into a friendlier place and people seem to smile just a little bit more. Enjoy the sunshine and take your camera for a spin. Opening up is what it's all about.

5 // City trips
This time of the year is amazing for short city trips. The weather is getting better so exploring a city by foot is not the same struggle as during winter. But the cities are not too hot and smelly yet. I love city trips in Europe for this reason. This year I am planning to have a Japanese blossom trip to Tokyo and some closer to home getaway to Milan hopefully. And all these short breaks give me a great boost of inspiration to start my new work projects with a clean slate.

Of course with every start of a new season we have been working on numerous designs. If you can not wait to start your new spring sewing projects check out all new designs in the Spoonflower shop.

Happy Valentine // Top 5 things I love

It's that time of the year again. Shopping windows all turned red and pink and the past few weeks everything was covered in hearts. It is Valentine's day. We do not have a huge library of Valentine related designs but we put lot's of love in our creations. So let's talk about all the things we love. Like this image above that represents all that.

Travel the world
We saw this cute leopard legging in the Elsie & Aster shop. The design was made right before my trip to Sri Lanka two months ago. Where we went on a breathtaking safari and spotted some leopards in Yala National Park. Most of the designs that make the fabric cut are inspired by our travels. it can be the shape of some certain food, colors on a daily market that inspire a palette, or quirky animals we haven't seen before.

Ink drawings
This leopard design was part of the OMG i booked a ticket to Sri Lanka experience. But it also contains my other passion: black ink. I was just a kid when I decided I wanted to draw all day every day. Turns out you can actually make a living out of that. Well if you put in the effort and work hard. Nowadays I try to draw at least something every day. I especially love using a pencil with black ink. I love the contrasting colors and the harsh lines, I like how you have to be confident with the black ink. There is no way to erase the lines and shapes, it is my own handwriting that will be translated into the shapes and illustrations I make.

White
Clearly, when you would look into my personal portfolio you will see lot's of white. I love to start with a white canvas. The photo above also has the crisp and clean feel to it which I love so much. Designing is a process of making choices. I like to start on bright white and work with black, than fill in the blanks and balance out color. White. You are loved!

Finished projects
I can not remember the first design that was turned into something tangible but I do enjoy every single hand made piece we see posted on our facebook page and Instagram. It is so much fun to see how your creations evolve into another creative project. All those adorable kids wearing our prints, we can not get enough of that! Makes is so much fun to create.

A visual diary
All right, let's be honest, I personally am not the best writer and posting things here on the blog can be a challenge. I am visual. So writing might be a challenge but I make up for that visually. I dreamt of becoming a photographer for a while. I love making pictures, creating images, illustrations. So Instagram for me is the best invention for our Little Smilemakers business. That way we can share all our designs and we can stay connected with our followers. I love updating this visual diary. Follow @littlesmilemakers on Instagram.

Sources of inspiration: Keith Haring // Kunsthal Rotterdam

The last few days you can still visit the Keith Haring exhibit in Rotterdam Kunsthal. I know I am a little late with this post but I did not plan to write about it actually. But when I visit the exhibit yesterday I was struck by how much his work is still inspiring me up until today. So a little writing is in order.



I was 15 when I got introduced with the art of Keith Haring. With it's colorful pop culture works of graffiti and giant canvasses I completely fell in love with the energy put into the art. It was then when I realized I could create something to release my emotions, that might look a little naive to some, but was in fact a part of dealing with what was going on. I loved its powerful strokes and expressive colors and up until this day I find myself being inspired by the works of this NY graffiti artist.

Keith Haring was a street artist of it's time, heavily influenced by the eighties in which he openly discussed (his) sexuality, the global commercialization and political topics like the war. His work might be playful but clearly shows his perspective on serious matters like the increasing homophobia, Aids, drugs, homosexuality and rape. Some pieces are very explicit. The topics are heavy but the body of art makes it all joyful, light and almost appealing. He was struggling with his own health and was diagnosed with Aids. Every painting and every canvas is a piece of himself, reflecting on his life and life in general. His symbolism and way of expression in color and shape still truly captures me up until today. So if you have some time to see an upcoming Keith Haring show near your place in the future go and experience the lightness of a heavy life. It is breathtaking.

Knippie Magazine June // Rainbow Love fabric summer dress

One of our Spoonflower customers sent in this adorable photo of a girl in her little summer dress made with Little Smilemakers Studio fabric. The final result was selected for Knippie's June issue.

Knippie is a Dutch DIY Magazine in which you can find sewing tips and tricks, new trends and fun fashion patterns for your little ones. For this new June summer issue the Rainbow dress made by one of our customers was selected as part of the "rainbow children" photo shoot. It has been a while since we were featured in a Dutch Magazine. Fun to see our designs a little closer to home too.

Want to make this dress for your little girls yourself? Check out the Knippie website and order a copy. If you would like to use this Rainbow Love fabric for one of your sewing projects you can take a look in our Little Smilemakers Spoonflower shop and order your piece. This design in available in three different scales. Don't forget to send us your creations once your done! We are curious what you create with this dreamy fabric.

Be my valentine // new postcard & print designs // lovely mail

Little Smilemakers designs are available at several postcard and stationary companies all around the world. There is one company in Holland we are working for directly. Kaartje2Go is an online website from which you can send out a postcard to your loved one. You can choose a designs, add images and can even upload text in your own handwriting.

Since social media took over there are not many people sending out postcards anymore but digital mailing services have grown ever since. It is all about that little sweet gesture. Who doesn't want to receive a little note from their loved one with Valentine's Day? I must say it has been a few years, well maybe even 10. Yes, I know how to pick some very unromantic boyfriends (working on that!) Hopefully my Valentine knows how to surprise me this year. No need for a big present. Just a little note is more that enough.

Last year typical red and pink prints were hot sellers. Popular trends this year are minimalistic designs. Basic black and whites with color pops. A more simplistic style related to the Scandinavian trend going on in surface pattern design. But also typography in trending this year. Hand lettering with sweet notes with a little quirky touch. With a background in typography it is always nice to step aside from our daily surface pattern design routine. These hand lettered designs were made in ink and pencil.

So here we are featuring some of this years new trending designs for Valentine. So have your pick, browse around this years most popular postcard designs and send one to your BFF or love of your life. Not sure what to write to your loved one, family member or friend? Hallmark has come up with a series of sentences if you lack inspiration or don't know what message is appropriate. So if you do not know what to write check out Hallmark's blogpost about what to write to your valentine this year.

Top 5 designs for Valentine // Romantic winter love themes and soft abstract pastels

Valentines Day is a day to surprise your beloved with a little extra gesture of your love. Send out a postcard, bring home some flowers or create something unique with one of these new Love inspired designs that are launched just in time.

For all romantics this is the time to start your valentine DIY projects. With only a month to go we would like to show you this year's new designs available on fabric, wallpaper, postcards and also know designs that are featured here are available for licensing.

This year Little Smilemakers Studio has worked on some new Valentine inspired designs. These are this years most popular love themes.

1 // Hello Gorgeous - postcard & poster series
2 // Little Quirky Hearts - Fabric & Wallpaper
3 // Love Antlers - Fabric & Wallpaper
4 // XOXO Cupid Love - Fabric & Wallpaper
5 // I Love Your Stupid Face - postcard & poster series

There can never be too much love in your life. Send that postcard to your secret lover. And even if you are single and not looking for a relationship, Valentines Day is a great day to celebrate life and love. Spend the day with your best friend, your awesome neighbor or make someone close to you feel a little extra important.

Saying goodbye // celebrating life // make it count

Today I got some sad news: a dear friend of ours has past away this morning. He touched the lives of so many people all around the world. These prints were inspired by your kind heart and your fight for what is right. Safe travels to the rainbows my dear friend.

A graphic designer's worst nightmare // Family wedding invitations

I also have the occasional family invitation to make. This month my father will be marrying his girlfriend of 15 years. Finally they took some time to save the date and tie the knot. I created a batch of cards and invitations with some portrait illustrations of the couple and their little dog baby.

> Typography and photography travel inspired art | christmas presents | Little Smilemakers online shop

It is that time of the year again! Decorating the house for the winter season and it's holidays. A while ago I was working on some travel inspired postcards. Designs containing both photography and typography. All telling their own personal story of a country, a culture or a moment. If you are a travel addict yourself or if you are just looking around the internet for a fun christmas present, check out all travel inspired artwork that is available now at society6. Place your order before cyber monday and enjoy free worldwide shipping.

Available on: iphone case, ipad case, laptop skin, tote bag, baby onsie, t-shirts and pillows for your home. Enjoy shopping for the holidays!

> Travel typography & typography designs | only for one of the best...

Some new typography designs are coming. I have been working on a new project for which I was able to make more typography related designs. Also I was able to include some of my travel images. One of my passions: photography. I would love to see my travel series in shops. I can not say much about the entire thing yet but it will be an amazing road ahead with the company for.

> New designs baby nursery textiles

New designs are up in the La Millou webshop. Have you seen the new Paris hipster design already? I love the combination of crisp black illustrations and silhouettes with pastel detailing and little pieces of typography. Who doesn't love this pearl of love? Which of these three designs do you prefer?

> World travel | mindful typography | online postcards | Kaartje2Go

There is nothing more special than receiving a postcard from family or a loved one when you least expect it. Old & new typography designs from Little Smilemakers Studio are now available online at Kaartje2Go. If you would like to send your friend or loved one a small inspirational message take look around and pick your favorite quote to send out.

> Valentine's day - I love New York | Fashionable illustrated map of Manhattan | Online postcard and personal love notes!

Romantic days are coming. What about a short trip to New York? Maybe that would be too bold but you can surprise your loved one with a cute Manhattan gift. An adorable New York typography decorated iphone case, or a pastel colored pillow to put in your Valentine bedroom. Check out all New York inspired surface patterns and designs and enjoy all special Valentine's day offers!

Of course you can also send out a cute Valentine note to your loved one via an online postcard service like Kaartje2Go. Online postcard services are still booming. So many people send out these paper cards by using online postcard websites. Kaartje2Go is the leading website for Holland. You can send out your first card for free. And you can use your own personal handwriting if you would like to send out a more personal postcard. Check out all sweet Love cards in our Little Smilemakers shop. You can find cute typography patterned cards, retro illustrated ones but also some really cute graphic designs with typography and abstract photography combined in one special piece of art. Take a look and enjoy your Valentine's day!