Rafa-kids website is live!

Today I can finally show you what I was busy with for such a long time… 

I am proud and excited but also pretty stressed.

The site is open!  Rafa-kids: modern children furniture is ready for you to have a look! 

I will be happy to hear any comments, advise or opinion from you. 

I really look forward to this new adventure I'm taking in my life. There is so much ahead of us.

 It is just a beginning.

Blue & Yellow children's room

There is not many things that I do not like in this styling/idea made for a boy room in the Dutch magazine 101woonideeen ! ;-) First I really like the bed! What a fantastic idea to connect the bed with the desk, and make an important and playful element in the room. The yellow accents - the chair, the small stool and of course the industrial lamp and closet! So many details and accessories I would immediately borrow for my boys room! 

production : Moniek Visses Photos Sjoerd Eickmans

Picture books from Portugal - Planeta Tangerina

If you are looking for inspiring picture books: by sure you visit Planeta Tangerina!  

I like my " Exchangescope"  so much!  " What can this strange word mean? Is it the name of a fish with crooked eyes? Or is it what we call someone who is constantly changing opinion? None of that. The exchangescope is the invention of the century: a fabulous machine that changes the world, shuffling the parts and giving them back, showing everything in new and unexpected arrangements. " made by Bernardo Carvalho. 

Inspiration - modern quilt

During the weekend I dig into African-American quilting history. If you follow me here , you know I love strong, expressive print patterns and simple shapes. These old quilts are often much more powerful than the ones I see temporary. Can you recognize on my pictures which quilt is old and which one is made now?  I feel like taking my sawing machine and doing something about it!  ;-) I wish you a nice and inspiring week! 

Thank you for inspiration: 

African-American quilter Yvonne Wells

Barbara Perrino

Antique African-American quilt

Karen Anne Glick

Yvonne Wells link via: finelittleday

Book - Szary chłopiec (Gray Boy)

In the gray and rainy day I found in my post box a nice surprise from Polish publisher Entliczek - book  "Szary chlopiec " ( Gray Boy) It is first Polish translation of this spanish Picture Book from 2007. In the contrast of the gray cover and tittle the authors are coming from hot places like Barcelona - Lluís Farré  and  Buenos Aires - Gusti. What brought this great combination together? An interesting and funny story about a boy which was born GRAY - not only from outside but also from inside. He didn't have any emotions , he will not laugh, he will never be surprise…Till one day! Something bring him back to live, colors and emotions! Such a simple story which can be a great start to talk with our kids about feelings and what is making life colorful. Actully I don't have any problems with being gray! ;-) Gray is also a color of emotions for me …. but that's the start!  The book " Gray Boy" have many layers to discover - and the illustrations are making it so much complete. 

W szary deszczowy dzień, wpadł nam do skrzynki pocztowej bardzo ciekawy prezent 
" Szary chłopiec" Wydawnictwa Entliczek . W przeciwieństwie do szarej okładki i szarego tytułu autorzy pochodzą z bardzo gorących miejsc:  Lluís Farré  z Barcelony a Gusti  z Argentyny!  Co przyniosła taka kontrastowa mieszanka?  " Szary chłopiec"  to historia Marcinka, który urodził się SZARY. Szary nie tylko od zewnątrz ale również wewnątrz. Szarość to brak emocji w jego świecie i jego zmartwionych tym faktem rodziców. Marcinka nic nie dziwi, nic nie cieszy, Marcinek nie płacze gdy wydawałoby się że powinien …aż któregoś dnia , dzieje się coś, co przywraca go do życia i do świata emocji i kolorów! Ta ciekawa historia może być wspaniałym początkiem do rozmowy z naszymi dziećmi o uczuciach. Ja osobiście nie widzę nic złego w byciu "szarym" od czasu do czasu ;-) Książkę " Szary chłopiec" można odbierać i czytać wielowarstwowo. Ekspresyjne ilustracje Gustiego wspaniale dopełniają całość. Mój 5 latek doprasza się od kilku dni o codzienne czytanie " Szarego chłopca" - wiec czytamy i oglądamy! 

Spirit of the Table - Christien Starkenburg and Slow wood

I really like the two first photos and how the same table is changing with different light and accessories added to it. Back to the basics, soul and simplicity: no-nonsence design - that's a few words I could use to describe the furniture made in Friesland (part of the Netherlands) by Slow Wood. I was plesantly suprised to see in the April issue of EigenHuis and Interieur magazine, a house of the owners standing behind this brand. Christien Starkenburg and Henk de Jong are running the interior shop called Jan de Jong. Their family has great tradition in furniture design. Themself they are already the 4th generation in the bussines! Christien Starkenburg is running also her own office called Interieur+. 

materials from oficial site : slowwood.nl

Build-in sleeping nook

I saw the colorful build-in sleeping nook bed some time ago. I really liked it but I couldn't find where it came from! What a nice surplice too see it back in the May issue of vtwonen magazine! It is a room of 9 year old Olivia and the bed was made by her parents. The sleeping nooks are having a really long tradition in Dutch culture. I like the idea to use the space under the bed for toys, small shelfs for treasures and above it, it is even a place for a guest to sleep ( you can reach it with a ladder! ) . The neon yellow and pink colors are really 'hot' in this season - you can see it in the beautiful Scholten&Baijings plaid on both beds I'm showing. The sleeping niche below is from the last number of EigenHuis and Interieur. 

photo 2/3 for vtwonen Dana van Leeuwen

Nice post about build-in sleeping nooks : handmadecharlotte -sleeping-nooks

Street art

" garden " 

Its cold, gray and rainy out here. I don't know where the Spring went? 

I do my best to bring the Rafa-kids website to live…

and here are just some photos from a walk I did today to get some groceries around the corner. 

Plying with water

…my little boy is getting tomorrow one and a half year old…

for him Water is the best toy there is ;-) 

I'm so happy to watch him grow.

Have a great weekend. 

Ridder & Clown - Memento kast

Ridder & Clown is a young design duo consisted of : Thijs van Agt (1983) and Kevin Caboor (1985) from The Netherlands. During their studies at Design Academy they discovered that they challenge and inspire each other and their different personality can bring a interesting products. Their new design is called " Memento kast " and is meant to keep our important treasures - in special boxes. Some of them you want to show , other hide from everybody - that was the idea. This beautiful object is made out of oak wood. Ridder & Clown are looking for producer for their interesting new design.