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.

Merry Christmas // Enjoy the holidays!

It is that time of the year again when half of the world gathers and celebrates Christmas. Christmas time is always a time to look back and reflect on the past year. We have so much to be thankful about!

The past year I have registered my new company, to take a step into a different direction. Together with a partner we are setting up a brand new shiny studio and a shop. So many things are happening! And what a great fruitful year it has been for the studio. We have worked for companies all over the world. Have seen our designs pop up in Canada, Australia, and we added South Africa and Brazil to our list of countries we do business with. 2016 was a fun year but also had some bumps in the road. We discovered a crazy lot of misuse of our designs, and struggled with a representing company not fighting on our behalf. We said goodbye to a 10 year business collaboration but in the end it will only give me and my business the freedom to stay close to the heart, create and make other people happy with our designs.

So we hope you can look back to a great and successful and most of all joyful year. Go enjoy the holidays! And take some time to reflect on where you are. Merry Christmas!

Sinterklaas & Zwarte Piet // Dutch Holiday season start // Kleurplaat & Kijkdoos

For non-Dutchies this might be a little bit of a strange post. Each year The Netherlands celebrates Sinterklaas the first week of December. It is quite similar to the well known Santa tradition in the US but our old white-bearded man comes from a typical Dutch heritage. He arrives on a boat with a dozen helpers that come and turn the dark November month into a sweet candy filled mayhem. Like Santa fills socks, Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Piet fills kids shoes with presents and candy.

Each year we try to create a cool freebie around this traditional Dutch holiday. This time of the year we need some cool crafty projects to work on while it is pouring out go sit down and have a nice crafty afternoon with your kids. This year we have a fun project to work on. A Sinterklaas and Zwarte Pier themed set of drawings your kids can color, cut and paste into their Sinterklaas paper Peepshow. Click on the image below and save the file to your desktop. Don't forget to send us your results!

This crafting set was originally made by me around 10 years ago for H&M Holland when I was still working for a design company that was hired to do all H&M's graphic design in The Netherlands. The original illustrations were made for them and this crafting project was a free giveaway they handed out to mommies and daddies shopping for their youngsters.

Top 5 tips // online shopping Christmas gifts for fussy people // tips & tricks for the perfect present

It is that time of the year again, half way November it is sneaking up on you: you have to get started on your Christmas shopping before all awesome things are sold out. But time flies and as you schedule in your day of shopping you realize it is mid-December already. There is no time to cover all those gifts in one day!

Christmas can be pretty hectic and shopping for the perfect gift can be pretty stressful. For some people hand picking a present is almost impossible. How to get your hands on a cool, genuine item your family member appreciates? I love to keep it close and personal, but sometimes some people… First of all, take a deep breath and realize we live in a world of internet and 24hour shipping. Things will be all right! We have made a top 5 for the more fussy peeps, the art of giving.

1 // The Designer
I must be the most difficult person to buy something for so let’s start with a the fussy eco-conscious designer. Go for a one-of-a-kind present and stay away of bulk knick-knacks and artificial materials. Think about something authentic and handmade like a piece of handmade jewelry or licensed designer wall art. Art can be very personal so if your friend is a designer think about what they create themselves, is their style colorful, vintage or minimal? You can find all kinds of styles, on trend and contemporary via Society 6 where you can choose different sizes, frames and of course designs.

2 // The One-Without-Any-Hobbies
One of my family members is really difficult to please when it comes to picking a Christmas gift. Don’t fall into the gift bundle or gift card trap. If you have every unwrapped one of these your know that ‘oh, yeah’ feeling. Not very exciting unwrapping those. Make your gift personal, maybe print out a small photo book of your time together. Spend some money on a shared experience, a high tea together, a day at the museum or a sewing class. Whatever fits best and shows the recipient you put in some effort. We have found some cool courses via Ansje Handmade. Take a look!

3 // The Teen
I did not grow up with a lot of cash when I was a teen so I appreciated every gift coming my way, even second hand clothes. But I remember one gift up until this day: receiving a souvenir from my fathers (then) new girlfriend: a bottle of Sahara desert sand. I loved the fact that someone took the effort to think about me while riding a camel a few 1000 kilometers away. What was perfect about this gift that it was not related to my own style and needs of expression. Stay away from clothes and specific items they do not ask for. (Or get the ones they ask for.) Give them something they haven’t seen before or expands their horizon. A lot of things can do that. A night at the theater, a concert ticket. I loved that little bottle filled up with sand, it made me wonder about the world, about places I had never seen before. After that she gave me tickets to a summer festival I could not afford. She still remains the best gift selector up until today.

4 // The Grandpa
Our older family members can use a little help every now and then and sometimes the Christmas presents they go home with seem to be more like an old people survival kit. Containing weird storage boxes for their daily medicine, walking sticks or those giant sized objects because their sight is not what it used to. Surprise your Grandpa a little and get them something fun, colorful or shiny. Something from the now, some on trend socks or a cool hat your hipster boyfriend could wear. Give them the impression they belong in this time, in the here and now, instead of teaching them they need help. We love Happy Socks but have you heard of the Alfredo Gonzales? They have some cool stuff too.

5 // The Colleague
Not sure if this goes for celebrating Christmas all over the world but in Holland we have a thing called ‘surprises’ where we blindly pick a name form a jar and then we end up having to arrange a present for our dusty accountant 60+ colleague. Everyone has to buy one person a present and that means sometimes it is for that colleague that kinda holds a grudge for you, or that spoiled posh manager. Those things can be tricky. Buying a present for someone you don’t specifically like can be hard but thank god for modern technology. Just check their devices: iPads? Laptop size? What type of phone? And get them some cool case, laptop sleeve or accessory that fits their style or interests. Daily objects for instance offers a great collection of cases. Abstracts, themed, textured, girly. I bet you can find something fun in their collection of designs.

Last but not least we have a top for all guys out there shopping for their wives, girlfriends, mothers or sisters: Stay away from beauty ‘improving’ products and of course kitchen appliances. Oh and lovers: don’t give that ring under the family tree, wait for a private moment!

All right we have covered some of the fussy peeps. Whatever you do don’t buy a ‘joke.’ be considerate and show your loved ones you love them by giving them something from the heart, not so much from the brain. Enjoy giving!

A new year // A new collection // Japanese Paper Art // Origami surface patterns and fabric

When I was born my mom and dad sent our personal handmade birth announcements with little paper boats. Boot is Dutch for boat, with a surname like that it is easy to find a suitable theme for those announcement cards. My mom and dad folded hundreds of little tiny paper boats that were glued on the cover of the postcards.

When I was a little kid i loved my arts and crafts class. Of course, I turned out running my own crafty business, but while I was traveling through Japan and visiting a local museum in Tokyo I was reminded of our origami projects back in school. We made all sorts of animals and flowers. Paper was my favorite material to work with, and still is. That is why I have been working on a new series of designs, all origami animals.

I bet you have made a paper crane or two back when you were little. We are still expanding the design collection of origami animals but of course we started out with some boats first. Together with some geometric shapes and detailing they turned out to be beautiful fabrics. And it is such a simple and easy way to have a nice afternoon out with the kids, just make your own paper boats and visit the lake. It will be a memorable day out.

Yay it's May // Studio filled with new energy

This post is dedicated to a person that is very dear to me. May always starts with a little knot in my stomach, a trip down memory lane. This year it has been six years ever since my stepfather past away, on the same day as Dutch Momorial day. Right after memorial day the country turns into one big party: Liberation Day.

For me Memorial day will always be a day to remember my stepdad. And every year I buy myself some flowers, he used to bring me those whenever he came over to visit. These flowers remind me to fill my days with joy. Do what I love and bring a fresh energy into the studio. So let's start May by enjoying life to the fullest. Remembering moments we spent with our loved ones and create new ones in this breezy spring air.

One year of animal illustrations // Woodland Fall // Winter Wonderland // Indian Jungle and Brazil Paradise

July was a month filled with great new projects. One of these projects was for my former internship collegue. Ten years after my internship at Rotterdamse Schouwburg he contacted me to work on this great new series of illustrations for UITagenda Rotterdam. A cultural magazine that also includes a kids culture agenda. I was asked to design a new series of designs for the children's section of the magazine. These four patterns are a little preview for what is coming. This upcoming cultural season kicks off with a cute woodland fall theme. But I was also asked to make a design for the magazine cover. Looking forward to see all designs in printing.

// Brand new baby elephant designs // New series for boys & girls nursery textiles, invitations and wallpaper

With over 3500 downloads the colorful kids elephant patterns are still our all time bestsellers in Little Smilemakers Studio stock portfolio. I have seen the design on bags, postcards, an entire stationary range, wall art for kids. From China to Brazil, in giant shops like Wallmart and on little tiny markets in India. These little elephants have reached the entire globe in retail by now. So yes, after all these years and after only making some small updated versions of the original design I thought it was about time to make some new elephant designs. Some seamless patterns for print and fabric, and some cute designs including typography. What do you think?

All elephant designs can be purchased via Shutterstock. Check the license agreement before downloading. For commercial use, please contact the Studio.

> Happy spring & a quirky easter | Free printable poster and wrapping paper

We have been working on some seasonal themes. Easter is around the corner so we have decided to to put up these two cute free* printables on the blog for your easter home. You can frame, print your own little postcard, or make some cute little wrapping paper with it. Click on the image and download these cute sprint poster print designs for your own wall. Don't forget to send post a picture on our Little Smilemakers Studio facebook page when they are up!

artwork is prohibited for commercial use

> Fabric for the little ones | little boys textiles on Spoonflower

Have you noticed the boys fabric collection by Little Smilemakers Studio on Spoonflower? Lot's of cute boys adventure themes and retro animal series are now available on Cotton, Jersey and silk. But you can also get these prints on wallpaper to cheer up your new born baby nursery. Don't forget to post your creative skills on the Little Smilemakers Facebook Page.

> Print & Party: Cute illustrated cupcake tags for your kids birthday

Dutch winter seems to be never ending. It is snowing again. A good time to spend some creative hours in your kitchen making some delicious food!
Make your own home-made party accessories for birthdays or special kids days! There is nothing better that sharing a few minutes of baking with your kids in your own kitchen. Give them each a nice different flavour and mark them with your kiddies favorite animal. Click on the image and save the full sized printable tags on your computer.

> Yoga & Meditation | Poster design

As a graphic designer exercise is important to keep your body balanced. I love yoga and try do meditate one in a while. But it is hard to do at home. There is always something that keeps you from the things you really need so i started yoga lessons a few years ago. And i am hooked! Designing a yoga and meditation poster was a good way to keep me focused on that balance again.

> Me making nice

Almost done! We have been making so many school products for next year. It was awesome to make so much new stuff. This year i had the opportunity to illustrate all stationary myself. All nine stationary lines are completely original designalicious. All stationary is now in production! All back to school products will be in store next june.