While you were reading about the hot summer over here...this is what happened:

Jaja, jullie merkten het al; er is weinig van de zomer overgebleven:

Typical dutch summer rains. I remember when I was about 7 ,my brother and I went to the local mall, to spend some money our mother gave us for the holidays. I bought a sketch book and some felt pen and when we were walking back home, the heavy rain surprised us. The orange cover of my sketch book started to run down on the white paper. But I didn't mind the rain, I could sketch all day inside now! And that's how I feel now too. It's nice to do some indoor activities too.

Last Sunday the weather was fine during the book market:
Vorige week zondag was het bewolkt en warm op de Dordtse boekenmarkt:

A bit cloudy but hot. The theme of this years' book market was:

Het thema was dit jaar schoolplaten en atlassen


'Schoolboards and Atlases'



Maar er waren natuurlijk heel veel van dit soort stalletjes:

But of course a lot of stalls just looked like this.

Boekhandel Bagage had koffer labels als visite kaartjes in een antiek koffertje. Leuk om te onthouden.

And some of them fit in by coincidence. Like this shop named 'Bagage' which means luggage. What a clever way to make and present your business cards. Of course their speciality is traveling books.

Ik kocht wat historisch-culturele tijdschriften over Dordt, een boek over knip kunst, wat onbeschreven kaarten en enkele vellen poezieplaatjes.
Eigenlijk nog meer, maar dat worden weer cadeautjes!

This is what I bought: a few German scraps, some old unwritten postcards, a book about the art of scissor cutting and a few magazines about the history and culture of my hometown Dordrecht. Perhaps you know that I'm a historian and I love to read about history of course.
And then about 4 books and some other stuff that isn't on the photo, as these are meant to be gifts.

Which brings us to the next subject; People asked me to show what I do with the flea market finds. First I love to buy presents over there, think birthday, think present in stead of a bunch of flowers, think swap and think give away. The rest:
Waar laat je alles toch, vroegen sommigen zich eerder af:
Nou hier is dus het klokje! Ik heb zulke goede herinneringen aan dit soort 'Zwitserland' kitch. Vroeger vond ik het altijd prachtig bij mijn vriendinnetjes, ik had dit soort dingen natuurlijk niet, want mijn familie haatte souvenir kitch. Leuk om het nu toch te hebben, in de kast op de slaapkamer, achter glas hoor Manuela!

Inside one of the cupboards in my bedroom there is this little vignette. I knew the clock would complete the picture. I love the "Schildkröt" souvenir dolls. The little music house (plays Edelweiss of course) and the weather house bring back so many happy memories. When I was a kid some of my class mates had these. Probably given by them by uncles, aunts or grandparents that had visited Switzerland, Austria or Germany. Of course I never had one of these, my family hated these kind of souvenirs, they hated to travel anyway. 'There is no place like home', could have been invented by them. So these remind me of the numerous times playing with school friends in my happy childhood.

NIet alles dat ik fotografeer gaat mee naar huis. Van Amsterdam Montmartre ging alleen dit bisquit poppetje mee. Misschien maak ik nog een jurkje voor haar van oude kant. Nu ligt ze in bad met haar vriendin Charlotte.

Some people think that I buy everything that is on the photo of a flea market. No ladies, the little french postoffice didn't go home with me. I didn't even ask the price, which is probably more than 200 euros. Only the little bisquit girl went home to Dordrecht. Here she is now. Maybe I'll make a dress for her of vintage lace, but naked as she is, she is lying in the bathtub with her frozen Charlotte friend.

Oude naaibenodigdheden vinden een plaatsje in de vitrine kast.
Als die te vol wordt, zoals nu, reorganiseer ik de boel eens.

Vintage sewing supplies usually find a spot here. The needle books and the blue and white ribbon cards are finds that you saw recently. I change this when it gets too full, which is about now.


Next stop the cupboard in the garden.

Het kleine kannetje dat ik voor 10 cent vond bij de kringloop staat in de buitenkast, met haar grote zus.

Here is the small pitcher I found at the thriftshop

Hier vond het leesplankje een plekje.

And the reading board is above my favorite antique store in the large cupboard in the dining room.

De pitrieten koffertjes (pitriet, ook zoiets dat je niet meer ziet) staan hier op de stapel.

The wicker suitcases are on this staple, I know I should make two staples, but where to put the paper in that case?

Het kleine strijkplankje kocht ik om zoiets mee te gaan doen.

And this is inspiration for what I am planning to do with the children's iron board.
(do you see the potholders Barbara?). I bought this book 'Collections projects and ideas to display your treasures' at 'A million books' while I was in the States.

in mijn waskamertje in het souterrain

I have this small room in the basement. So I can dream along. Of course, first the Pip room, then my sons' bedroom after that....but I when I start I better have the supplies don't I?

Voorlopig is het hier vakantie. Mannetje trekt door Ijsland en wij dachten ook eens uit de band te springen; snacken bij de tv: heb ik toch ongemerkt een stuk van de vork (ik eet nooooit van die plastic vorken) opgegeten. Als je niets meer hoort, dan ben ik of leuk vakantie aan het vieren of druk bezig met de vertering van dat scherpe stukje vork.

It's vacation, finally, over here. Hubby is hiking through Iceland. Yesterday we had dinner -take away - in the television room, yes while watching, which we usually never do. I don't recommend it though: see what I ate yesterday evening ^. So if you don't hear from me I'm either having a lovely holiday or digesting the edgy part of this fork!
Have a great time! Hope to see you soon and it was nice to see you here, hugs LiLi M.

Ook vakantie? Ik wens hoe dan ook iedereen een fijne tijd. Bedankt weer voor je bezoek hier, ik hoop je snel weer te zien, xoxo, LiLi M.