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.

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!

Fabric Feature Friday: Little Chief Apparel

Little Smilemakers Studio sells around 2000 designs on fabric all over the world. From Spoonflower to Robert Kaufman and small online fabric shops in Europe our fabric travels fast. Every first Friday of each month we feature one of our fabric customers. From small start up businesses in home decor to stay at home mommies who create cute little fashion for there kids. Some just pop out.

This Friday we would like to share this great Etsy shop: Little Chief Apparel. A children's clothing brand started by a young mother in Minnesota. She asked us to create some new color schemes around fall and here is the result of her creative input. We especially love the cute orange triangle series and the purple geometric cross fabric, leggings, shirts and head bands, our most popular prints on fabric but in our most recent colors. A great refreshing combo! And we love their fun colorful photography to sell these creative results. We are proud to see they create such gorgeous items with our fabric. Hopefully there is a lot more to come!

Want to get your hands on one of these? Check Little Chief Apparel's online shop.

Behind the scenes: Top 10 pro's & con's // having a home office

When starting Little Smilemakers Studio I knew one thing: to make a living as a creative artist I had to keep my expenses as low as possible. So I started working from my home office instead of renting an expensive office downtown. I thought: "If the cash-flow will get steady, I can look around for another place to work outside of my own home" Almost 4 years later I am typing this post on my dinner table with classical music playing in the background and a washing machine reminding me to hang my wet clothes.

Sometimes I wonder why not rent a place and keep my work a little more distant from home. But at the same time working at home makes me more creative, gives me more freedom and of course, I travel quite a lot, so why pay rent for a workspace that is empty four months a year? So yes, four years later I am still working from my home and I love it, wouldn't change it for the world. But then again I am single, don't have kids, so I have the place all by myself.

I always advise young start-ups to not spend money on rent if possible. Cut costs as much as you can. Start small. First and foremost you will have to earn a steady income to provide a living for yourself and maybe also for your family. I do not have the responsability for a kid, or have to be a girlfriend when my spouse is home, have food on the table at some certain time... Does it work for everyone? I am not sure, but I have made a little top 10 of things I love and things I do not love about working from my home. Here are my personal pro's & con's having a home office:

1 // It is cheap
Face it, starting your own business can be a huge struggle. Make end meet is hard being creative so cutting costs starting out is a must. I started working from my own dinner table simply because i could not afford a decent place somewhere else. After three years I turned one of the rooms into a proper office. Not worrying about paying the rent, that is a great luxury.

2 // Never stuck in morning traffic
The best thing about working from your own home office must be the fact that you have so many extra hours to spend on whatever you want to do. You won't have to worry about being stuck in traffic every morning and every night. You don't need to spend any money on a car or gas, cutting costs is a big must if you start your own business.

3 // The Healthy lunch
I remember working in a 9 to 5 business structure where my lunch time got planned by projects and deadlines. I had a very unhealthy diet since I did not have time to eat a proper lunch, sometimes I forgot all about it or the pile of work forced me to skip lunch all together. I love that I can make whatever I want, my kitchen and fridge are only a few steps away. I eat more frequently and a lot more healthy since I run my home studio because I have time to prepare something decent. It takes a little longer but it is also a nice break from work too.

4 // It is all yours
I thought about sharing a creative space but the thing I got attached to during the years i am working from my home is the fact that everything feels like me. To feel comfortable is so important for my creative process. Putting me in a clean cubicle or office space where I can not decorate my walls, add a personal touch or rearrange furniture will kill my creative flow. I need to be surrounded by good energy and my studio if filled with things I love. Inspiring artwork, little personal memorabilia, reminders of loved ones and travels.

5 // Flexibility
Oh I love the freedom. I can pack my laptop and work anywhere. Lot's of lunchrooms and coffee places have free wifi and working from a free spot like that will change your perspective a little and triggers creativity. I can do errands during the day and don't have to get into shops on rush hours. I can go to the beach on a hot summer day and work nights if I want to. Freedom is very dear to me. I love it.



6 // The daily mess
There are always things to do at home. Clean dishes, scrub the floor. A home can be a place of distraction. My home is always clean and tidy. If not, when I have a deadline and finish up work I find myself in the kitchen, cleaning. A messy home is a messy head so I can only focus when there is no random stuff laying around the house. These house chores can be a real distraction!

7 // Smelly food & meetings
Before meeting a client i made this amazing salmon, broccoli pie. Not a very good idea when you invite professional people over to have a chat.

8 // You never leave work
That is probably the hardest thing about working from your own home. Your work will never leave the building. It is there, so I work late hours and during winter nights I can be stuck at my desk round the clock. Closing the door to my home office doesn't seem to do the trick. Separating work and quality time can be hard. I love my work so it always draws me back in.

9 // My house is always clean and organized
I can not work in a mess. It will distract me from my deadlines and it really bothers me up until the point that I will do my dishes before finishing my deadlines. So my home is always tidy and clean. I can do my laundry while working and take little breaks to vacuum or clean the windows. Even though is is a distraction is a bad way, it is also quite healthy to stand up from your desk and move around a little.

10 // Unlimited Space
I have a studio in a separate room so I don't have to work on my dinner table. But I do have enough space to expand to my living room when I have meetings or I can use a few friends to pick their brain about a project or concept I am working on. I can use my entire house when needed or limit myself to one room. Usually I shift my work into different rooms. My home office is used for serious labour: Designing, e-mailing clients. And my living room I use for writing my blog, painting, drawing and doing research.

Sources of inspiration: Rotterdam // a day on a bike // Top 10 little gems and modern architecture

In 2014 the city of Rotterdam made the top 10 in the list of 52 Places to go to in 2014 according to the New York Times. And I would have to agree on that one. Rotterdam is a city worth to explore. When I was a student I lived in the old Northern part of this city and in 10 years a lot has changed. I can still miss being there to witness it all.

My first introduction to a creative future was in Rotterdam. A place where I could lose myself, things were happening. When I moved from a typical Dutch city with canals and old architecture to this very modern place for my studies I felt home instantly. Everything was diverse. People, food, architecture, art. It still to this day is one of my favorite cities to find a boost of inspiration. I would just get my bike and camera and my little Bill Cunningham comes out.

Rotterdam has a very complex history. The beautiful old city was bombed in 1940 and had to be rebuilt from scratch. Only a few old buildings were left after the city stopped burning. Imagine the possibilities if you have an entire downtown city as your canvas as an architecture! All though a lot of places had to be built efficiently and cheap to house people as soon as possible, nowadays the city center is a place in which you can see the old and the new, built around water, a new balance. And where ever you go the city never feels like a busy crowded place. The streets are broad and open and there is something to see, something to explore around every corner. They successfully created a city for people, to live in, to be in.

This week I spent Christmas on a bike, cycling through the city. I love photography but never seem to have enough time to actually go out and capture those moments through my Nikon lens anymore. So on a day where everyone would stay in to eat and celebrate I decided to hop on my bike again. I have made a list of interesting places, architecture and historical sights. My personal favorites. If you get the chance to visit this city look beyond the new modern architecture. Get to know the less obvious little gems.



1 // Onderzeebootloods
This submarine pilot is part of the immense port of Rotterdam. This old historical sight is now a place where history and culture come together. In 2010 Museum Boijmans van Beuningen started a collaboration with the city port (RDM) and ever since they have held art exhibits during the summer. In 2013 the port decided to renovate the building and it now is a place where musical and theater performances, fairs and short exhibits are held. You can reach this place over water with the Aqualine ferry that stops under the Erasmus bridge. If you want to see the place, check out what's happening.

2 // De Hef
This industrial bridge, officially named Koningshaven bridge, was built in 1878 and was part of the railway connection to the Southern part of Holland. The construction of the bridge was not a very practical and well thought out one. Since the bridge is a part of the city Port you can imagine there was a lot of water traffic back then. The bridge was not built high enough, modern, bigger ships could not reach the other side without getting stuck so after a serious accident in 1918 the port decided to turn the middle part into a lift (hef). The metal construction over the Maas river still is a reminder of the old city infrastructure and is now part of it's skyline. Every time I pass this bridge it reminds me of how much the city has changed over the years.

3 // Markthal
The new market building is Rotterdams most recently finished architectural highlight. The building has a central hall with a food market, shops, bistro's and restaurants. The Markthal is Holland's first indoor market. I am not a big fan of the hype and this place is a little too trendy for me to actually do my food shopping, all organic, farmer's market style, no plain banana's or Rotterdam spirit here, but well, as an artist myself I do love the architecture and the overwhelmingly gorgeous art on the roof. It sure is worth a little peek.

4 // Streetart
Rotterdam is a city where everything is constantly changing. Housing conditions definitely have improved over the years but there are still some area's in the city that will have to wait their turn. Social projects pop up in problem area's. Little urban gardening, sport initiatives. Small home made markets bring people from other places into a neighborhood they would have never visit. But improvements in a district also means empty homes and squatted houses. A great atmosphere for street art to blossom. Entire apartment blocks get painted in one color, remember the blue houses on Beukelswijk, or Hofboogjes? It doesn't matter what happens to there buildings, until they are just waiting to be torn down they serve as a blanc canvas for street artists. Making the city a colorful open air museum.


(Photo source unknown)

5 // Hotel New York
Back in the day while I was living in Rotterdam, this place was my regular stop for a sunday coffee. Hotel new York was opened in 1993 and in 1996 when the Erasmus Bridge was finally connecting the city center with Wilhelmina Pier it started to be a popular place among the people of Rotterdam. When you visit Rotterdam during summer the walk from the city center to this part of town is definitely worth the effort. But you can also take a water taxi from the other side of the Maas. The Hotel has a great menu and during spring and summer you can have a drink on the terrace and enjoy the river view.

Hotel New York used to house the Holland America Lines headquarters. The near Cruise Terminal is part of that international history. The Cruise Terminal is now a place to celebrate and great NYE parties are held there. A great place to celebrate the new year. From here you have a spectacular view over the city and the Erasmus bridge fire works show. This area of Rotterdam is a mix of modern Architecture and old industrial buildings. From this pier you can watch the sunset and see the city skyline light up. If you are in need of a romantic getaway this is the place.



6 // De Maas
The water is a great part of the city. The water forms a break from busy roads and heavy industry. I love to sit down by the water and feel the breezy during a hot summer day but you can also travel from one neighborhood to another over water by ferry. There are numerous boat restaurants that will give you a tour while you are eating and you can enjoy a quick water taxi ride from the park at the Euromast to Hotel new York. The river and the connection to the rest of the waterways of Europe is why this city is the city it now is. A melting pot of different cultures with a strong steady economy. So go see Rotterdam from the water.

7 // Laurenskerk
This church is the only building dating back to the middle ages and was one of few remains after the bombing of the old city of Rotterdam. Because little was left of the old city this places seems a bit odd, surrounded by new modern architecture and close to the cubic houses. Every old Dutch city structure has a central church with a market surrounded by old canal houses and victorian architecture. In Rotterdam the only piece left of this original old part of town was this church. It now is a great place to enjoy a classical music performance and feel part of what once was.

8 // Maastunnel
This tunnel is the oldest you can find in the country. I love the bike and pedestrian area. The steep stairway to enter the tunnels, the tiles, the signing, the colors and the old urban industrial non-nonsense built but also beautiful exterior. The pedestrian and bike tunnel are similar to the one built in Antwerp in 1933 and both have been built in Art Nouveau style.

It feels a bit futuristic if you enter this tunnel. If you go visit this place on an early sunday morning, good chance you will be the only one there. The Tunnel first opened up for traffic during the second world war. The tunnel connects the Northern part of Rotterdam with the Southern part of the city and was a direct connection to the provinces of Brabant and Zeeland. If you want to visit the Southern part of the city you can enter the tunnel from the Park near the Euromast. I can tell you it feels a bit strange cycling through a massive empty tunnel.



9 // Rotterdam Metro
Some of Rotterdam's Metro Stations are definitely worth checking out. Blaak, Central Station and Wilhelmina Pier for instance. You can bring your bike along too so you can just hop on and hop off and find your way back to the city on your bike. I always love to take public transportation while I am visiting a new city. It is a great way to 'feel' where you are. Watch where the eccentric peeps get off on saturday nights or feel the buzz of the city during rush hours.

10 //Oude Haven
All right, if you are driving around on your bike all day you will probably be quite thirsty. The Oude Haven is an old part of the city center that was still intact after the war. It is a little area where you can find numerous pubs and restaurants. If you are coming from the shopping district it might be quite hard to find. It is located near the cubic houses and it is somewhat hidden. Take the stairs from on your right and suddenly you will see a small harbor with old boats and the 'Witte Huis' monument. Sit down, relax and reflect on a great day in the city.

Of course there is so much more to this city. These are just a few high lights. I can go on and on about this place to if you want to read more about Rotterdam keep following the blog.