Tag Archives: birthday

About a Discodipped and starry night

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Last week I celebrated my birthday. I turned 31 but celebrated like I hadn’t even reached 13 yet. Growing up is something I’ll save for later.
I celebrated my birthday with a group of lovely people that I feel blessed to have in my life and call my friends. The theme was DiscoDip, after my favourite ice cream decoration.

Ice cream1

This accidental Discodip picture I took a couple of years ago. Copyrights by me, 2014.

I bet all my friends stressed out at the thought of a theme. That was the only true reason I decided to go with a theme – to make them feel a little awkward. And also the fact that Discodip is just too good and colourful to be true. It really makes me happy!

We met up at the TonTonClub in Amsterdam’s Red Light district. No red ears or under-age warnings needed; TonTon Club is kind of a modern game arcade where you can play Jenga or get lost in a car race (never ending if you keep on feeding the machine coins) and dive in a ball pit. You can also watch the prostitutes from a safe distance if visiting them is too much for you, guys.

Like any 13 or 31 year old probably wouldn’t… I made party bags for my friends. The kind my mother used to make for my birthday parties when I really was young. With a candy heart, confetti, a weird-shaped eraser and a lucky star. Because I love my friends, I love to give and I love to show my gratitude. The lucky stars I made myself and I added a little message to them before I folded them. Unless they’ve all unfolded their stars, they still don’t know what’s written on it.

So here it is, my message to you ‘unfolded’:


“Be the DiscoDip to someone’s icecream”. That’s the loveliest thing you can be: colourful, happy and full of love. And to share that is spreading it, like a colourful love-virus. So I won’t stop you from spreading. Enjoy!

If you want to fold Lucky Stars – it’s pretty easy! I just don’t like to write out the instructions so here’s a link to someone else who already did write the instructions down for you.

A January round-up and a few new cards

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The first month of the year is almost over. How has this January-month been for you? Fresh and new or still stuck in 2014?
Myself, I’ve been ill, I organised a very successful meet-up, discovered that January is in general not my lucky month when it comes to love and I paid another very thrilling visit to the printer’s. The moments in my 2015 in a jar are growing steadily and I’m feeling pretty content.

Not a bad score, methinks!

As a last January-boost, I’m sharing with you the new cards I’ve picked up from the printer’s last Monday. This time there are five different designs. For birthdays, Valentine’s or other show-your-love moments! My designs are meant for anyone aged 3 – 103. I like to think they trigger some nostalgia and creativity on the receiving end… I mean: connecting the dots and colouring – who doesn’t love that? Even if you’re 59 turning 60 there’s no reason to be ashamed when a little “wheeeheee!” escapes from your inner self.

Have I made you curious yet? Now then, let me show off the cards.

You’re true nature is…
Make a wish…
Dit kaartje versturen naar je lief? Dat kan door hier te klikken!
For a Valentine or other type of Loved-one
What colour would you give it?

 

Connect the dots – joy!
Dit kaartje versturen naar je lief? Dat kan door hier te klikken!
A little bit from me, a little bit from you
Festive!
Logo. As you do.

 

If you realise your inner self has started singing and dancing by seeing those pictures, don’t feel ashamed. We all know that feeling! And if you like to feel like it more often, than please have a look at my etsy shop Tessie’s Cornershop. I’ll welcome you with open arms!

 

[ The beautiful pictures were taken by my talented friend Maaike Res ]

Happy Today to you!

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Happy Brownie and Pretend to be a Time traveller Day to you all!

Jaja you forgot, but I didn’t. Today is December the 8th. The day we get to eat brownies and time travel to where ever it is we want to go (it’s raining here in Amsterdam so I’ll be travelling to the supermarket in my time capsule later on. I don’t have a car.)
Or maybe it’s December the 19th by the time you read this. In that case: have a ball this Underdog Day and Look For An Evergreen Day! And if it’s raining on the 19th too, no one will mind you time-travelling to the grocery shop.

These days every day is a “special day” (that’s just too many days in one sentence). Special days as moments to remember and be aware. Or simply celebrate funny facts and make every day a party. Whether you like it or not – I LOVE it – every day celebrates at least one thing. From Eat Red Apples Day (which you sadly missed as it was the 1st of December) to Disobedience Day (July 3rd) and Creative Ice Cream Flavours Day (July 1st). And, unbelievable but true, last Friday was International Ninja Day. Damn, you missed that one too!
The most creative days I’ve come across on my all-time favourite website Days of the Year. On this site you can check what day it is today, what day it is next Thursday – apart from being a Thursday – and even what month or year it will be. Believe me when I say: check this site if you are having a so called off day. I promise you you’ll find a reason to celebrate something, a reason to buy yourself cookies or caramel popcorn (April the 6th is going to be your day if you like caramel popcorn) or another good reason to take a day off. It always manages to make me happy anyway.

If you feel a resistance against the upcoming month of January – always a dreadful one – then comfort yourself with the thought January is going to be The Month of:
1) Oatmeal;
2) Brainteasers;
3) Creativity;
4) Hot Tea;
5) Soup;
6) Getting Organised (I’ve granted myself furlough from this one)
7) Being Kind To Food Servers;
and last but absolutely not least comes
8) The Celebration of Life Month.

Amen to that.

Me, I look forward to April 19th 2015. The day it will be Garlic Day (Luciana, you were born for this day!), Hanging Out Day and Bicycle Day all in one. My advice: cycle somewhere that day with your friends so you can hang out with them and feast on garlic sarnies with garlic butter and some extra garlic on the side. After you’ve done that, make sure you don’t come near other human beings for at least a week.
The whole month of April is going to be grand as far as I can tell, as it will be Decorating Month. And on April the 11th I’m having cheese fondue for breakfast, lunch and dinner to celebrate the invention of cheese fondue. I literally cannot wait!

The only day I haven’t found yet is Drink Tea With Milk Day. And that’s a loss for all of us, I find.
Which is why
*imagine drum roll*
I hereby declare April the 20th
*imagine more drums roll*
not only to be my birthday and Chinese Language Day, but foremost
*the drumming is now getting somewhat out of hand*
Drink Tea With Milk Day!

If that’s not gonna make your day then I don’t know what is… I guess I’ll just leave you be then.

Time for me to go and post the card I wrote for AirmailChristmas yesterday (it was, after all, Letter Writing Day and a card is almost a letter).

 

On my way back I’ll be resisting the brownies – which I’m pretty sure will be handed out for free in the streets of Amsterdam today – because for very unfortunate reasons I chose today to be the start of Skipping All Sugar until Christmas Fortnight… Exactly, that’s 14 days.

Have a good day!!