momstory

Mom Story: Peta from Love Mae

How wonderful to introduce the lovely Peta from LoveMae to you.... she is the founder of love mae ... you know that beautiful fabric wall-decalls and wall stickers label with all the romantic colors and patterns ... "Love a little bit more passionately, live a little more recklessly and nurture a little more deeply. It is you that notices the precious detail in life and enjoys the moments that are truly important."

Peta lives in Stokers Siding in the Byron Bay area above Sydney together with her husband and two daughters.

Do you keep your children’s play areas separate, or do you believe they should have a space in every part of the house?
I must admit I've always loved the idea of a children's creative area where they are able to hang out and create chaos. I imagined this as a space where they don't have to hear me ask them to tidy up constantly, so I made one of the rooms in our house into a craft room. I was so excited and thought that my our little home might be a bit tidier for it - we live in such a small cottage and mess can really take over very easily. It didn't work though, my girls follow me everywhere so if I'm cooking the bench gets covered in an amazing amount of stuff. I do however get a bit strict with the end of the day clean up. I figure I'm teaching them good habits, but I must admit it's because I work quite a bit when they go to bed at night and I need to house tidy to be able to concentrate better.

Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, or blogs?
All of the above. I'm a very visual person and love being filled with inspiration. I'm an addict. Small crazy bursts is all I can squeeze in lately, but I'm sure I'll make more time for it soon. Blogs are much more easier for me to access and enjoy. I find I completely go off on a tangent when give the chance.

What are your children’s favorite items in your house?
In the house, the love their craft supplies. I  think all of us would be lost without them.

Some tidying tips? Do your children tidy up after themselves?
I love a tidy space, in fact its the only way I can clearly think. Not a good trait with two crafty girls. I promise I'm trying to work on it for their sake. I dream of built in cupboards where everything hides behind doors. In the meantime we find ourselves being quite minimal, we don't have lots of things. Living in the country most of our time is spent outdoors. Every month or so I do a complete tidy but otherwise they are encouraged (or cheekily tricked) to tidy at the end of each day. Especially when a cubby house has taken over most of the house.

If you are living in a foreign country, how do you feel about it? How do you meet new people, make new friends? What is it that you miss most about 'home'?
I don't live in a foreign country, but 5 years ago we moved a rural location. A little cottage in a little village. Finding new friends that you truly love the company of can be difficult, especially when life is so busy. I find that my children seem to attract like minded people. It's an amazing ability they have and of course it's always convenient that their children and ours children get along. I often fantasize about living close to all my good friends, but with them scattered everywhere I know it will never be possible.

What is your idea of a perfect day with your children?
The perfect day would definitely start with a little bit of a sleep in - not so much that the morning is gone, but enough that you wake up naturally. Straight into the car and down the beach. A big swim and sandy play to work up a big appetite. We've got a family breakfast tradition going on the moment so we would head home for this. The rest of the day would be hanging out. We really love to entertain too so friends to join us in the afternoon and into the night would be a perfect day for us.

What is a normal day with your children? What do you do on the weekends?
It's warm here now and I can feel the summer sun. Our weekdays are very busy. Lots of school work and all sorts of activities including piano, circus and swimming lessons. Gosh children have so much going on. Our weekends are filled with beach, gardening playing and friends. We love all our weekends so very much. I'm travelling a lot at the moment so our weekends are filled with each other. 

Can you mention some of your ‘how-to-raise-your-kid’ advice?
Some days I still can't believe that I'm a mother. I'm not sure if I have any advice as I feel like I'm stumbling along making all kinds of mistakes. I try to include my girls in everything and always remain honest with them. I don't really believe in the little untruths to get through a situation. I think understanding is the most amazing trait we can posses, and honesty has a big part to play in this. I believe you can love whatever you understand.

What kind of DIY projects do you like to do with your children?
We are crafting mad in this house. Crazy messy crafters. My girls are amazing at turning nothing into something. I stick to that sort of DIY. My husband is a joiner so I try to steer clear of the DIY at home ... don't want to mess with his manhood. In the Love Mae studio it's a different story though, I wield a drill with passion.

Are you a crafter or DIY person?
Crafter when my husband is home and DIY when he's not. Its a much happier home that way.

Books, websites, local shops you would recommend for tips and ideas about kids crafting?
I'm a big Hello Sandwich fan. Everything Ebony Bizys does is wonderful. My girls and I find lots of amazing craft projects on lovely blogs.

Pinterest is amazing for storing these ideas. We are also lucky enough to have some great craft and origami books. We went through such a huge origami phase lately.

We are very excited about a new movement in a local town. A collective called Hey Maker is just about to deliver pure crafting goodness. Its a collective of women who see the need for a place where crafters can meet and craft together. They have classes for all ages and are really inventive with their courses. If only that kinda thing would roll out like McDonalds.

How do you like to celebrate birthday's and other special days in your house?
We do the year on year off thing. One year we have a party and the next the kids choose what they want to do. We find it really fun. I don't think I could do a party every birthday. I've got this problem with wanting to do absolutely everything myself and I end up quite a mess at the end of it. I think mothers are crazy like that.  When I'm sipping my wine at the end of the birthday party day I always declare I'm crazy if I do it again. 

Are you a ‘cook’ or ‘food lover’ or both?
I'm part time both. At home I'm a cook, it goes with the country setting. I have an incredible talent of keeping the larder full as it's a 15 minute drive to the nearest town. I love cooking and entertaining. I travel alot with Love Mae so I balance this with dining out in every city I find myself in. The restaurant trail I find in Sydney, Melbourne and New York will always be a huge passion of mine. I get so incredibly excited when I find a good restaurant.

Where would you like to go to on vacation - with or without your children?
Our next vacation is to Cairns (Australia) to watch the solar eclipse. We are very excited and have a few side trips planned in the area. As for the next unplanned one, I'm doing my best to convince everyone that we need to buy a caravan. Then we could holiday without involving airports. My husband thinks I'm just trying to add to his work load, he knows I'll buy some vintage wreck that needs a complete overhaul. I drive him mad with my love for things that need 'a little work'.

~ Thank you Peta from LoveMae for sharing your home and thoughts with us! ~ irene

..Love Mae

 

Mom Story: Rosie Jansen from Tribe Bags

I’m Rosie Jansen, mom to an active two-year old, my son Toby. I’m also the founder of Tribe Bags, a luxury line of stand-out leather diaper bags. Our signature diaper bag, the “Singapore Sling”, was named Best Changing Bag in the prestigious UK Junior Design Awards, and is often seen carried by several Hollywood celebrity mums including Katherine Heigl and Denise Richards. While I was born and bred in Australia, I now live in sunny and humid Singapore with my husband and son.

Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, blogs? 

I collect contemporary Asian art and several of my friends are art curators and gallery owners, so I’m always looking around for pieces that take my fancy. I’m running out of wall space though, so I don’t buy as much art as I used to. I’m always looking at interior design magazines and lately, blogs. Besides Bloesem, I like checking out designsponge, and apartment therapy for general ideas and inspiration. My taste stays fairly constant but I have fallen in love with colour over the past few years, and that love has translated into my designs for Tribe as well. Colour works well in my home because I have a backdrop of a lot of stone-coloured and light wood fixtures and furnishings.

What are your children’s favorite items in your house? 

When I was pregnant. I bought a very modern and generous-sized rocking chair which I placed next to my son’s crib. Since birth, my son and I have cuddled up in that chair every night and read book after book. Toby loves the chair and has become quite territorial about it.

How do you like to celebrate birthdays and other special days in your house? 

I always make a nice creative sign celebrating the occasion – “Toby’s 1^st Birthday”, “Toby’s 1^st Christmas” etc. – and make sure that the sign appears in photographs taken on the day. As Toby grows older, it will be nice to look back at photos and to instantly know how old he was at the particular point in time when the photograph was taken. It’s a good way of keeping track of time without having to look at the date stamp of when certain photographs were taken. 

What are your all time favorite books for children? 

Toby and I are both obsessed with books, and they’re my absolute favourite things to give as baby shower and newborn baby gifts. I love Australian author Mem Fox and her books Hello Baby, The Green Sheep, Time for Bed, as well as classic children’s books like Peter Rabbit and Winnie The Pooh. I also enjoy reading fairy tales to my son.

How do you buy your books? Bookstores?  Online? 

I like visiting bookstores as it gives me an opportunity to flick through the pages of a book to get an idea of the story line and to also see the illustrations. I have a soft spot for beautifully illustrated books. 

Luckily for me, there’s been a growth of lovely independent bookstores in Singapore, like Woods in the Books which specializes in children’s books. Another one I like is Littered With Books, which carries books for both children and adults, so there’s something for Toby and myself. Both stores have a very relaxed and warm vibe, which just makes the shopping and reading experience so much more pleasurable. 

What movies do your children like to watch, is there one from your childhood you would love to show them? 

My son Toby just loves Thomas the Tank Engine. Currently, he doesn’t have the attention span to watch a movie, but he likes short 10-30 minute episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine and various other animations like Shaun the Sheep that I also love. I liked the Smurfs when I was a child and have around 100 Smurf figurines, which my mother kept and stored for me, but my son just isn’t interested in them!

How do your children prefer to spend their leisure time? 

I suspect my son isn’t dissimilar from most young boys his age - he’s active for the whole day and never stops! He loves playing at our local park (on the slippery slide and in the sandpit), playing at home with toy cars and trains, and really enjoys running around and just making his own fun. He just turned two and has started go to pre-nursery school several mornings a week which is something he really enjoys due to the mix of different activities and the company of other toddlers.

Thank you Rosie for sharing your lovely Mom Story with us!

..Tribe Bags

Mom Story: Filippa Asved

My name is Filippa, I live in Denmark with my husband Claus and our three girls Natascha(11), Olivia (8) and Cleo(3) – we have three cats, 5 fish and five chicken that provide us eggs every day. 

I am a freelance interior stylist with a love for DIY, and ideas for kids, therefore 70 % of my work is all about kids.

My blog is called Cirkus, it started as the place where I could show all the amazing things I find, in hope that someone would be interested and get inspired as I do. I also pin here when I see things I love or need to remember.

And once I blogged for the kids magazine Vi forældre, where I had the luck to find a lot of great stuff for kids and Bloesem jewelry was one of them.

At the moment I use most of my time at my new project – my webshop – Fabel A (decorations and ideas for birthdays and parties). I have wanted to open a webshop, for the last 12 years, but never found the right angle - as I have now. :)

What kind of house do you live in - are you and the kids happy here or is there anything you find lacking or would like to change?

We live in a rather ordinary house north of Copenhagen. It is a two storey house, a pretty big garden, with apple trees, small spaces for reflection and playing. The kids love the trampoline, the chickens, and just being in the garden and playing.

I love the garden and I am working on getting as many flowers as possible in the garden, so it will bloom from spring to fall – I still have a long way to go.

What is it you like best about living there?

That we are close to nature and the city at the same time. Two minutes walk to the Forrest, 10 min by bike to the sea and 15 min by car to Copenhagen.

Do you like to spend time decorating your home and the children’s room?

I love to decorate my home and my kid’s rooms, but ever since I started working as an Interior stylist, I do not have the same need to live in a certain way. But now and again I move things around and decorate my home. I decorate with flowers, almost as an obsession some would say, but for me, a small bouquet can change the look so easily. One of my favorite flowers is Lilac.

Do you keep your children’s play areas separate, or do you believe they should have a space in every part of the house?

Natascha and Olivia each have their own room, the rooms are small and connected but their own, and Cleo still sleeps in our room, and has some of her toys in the bedroom. We have toys in the living room and in our office where they each have their own little “office”.

Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, or blogs?

I find inspiration in traveling, magazines, books, Pinterest, blogs, or just observing. The best ideas come when I get home from abroad, a trip to Copenhagen or a walk back from the kindergarten.  

My mom is a textile designer and a crafter and has always been a huge inspiration, even though we do not have the same taste. She taught me to believe in individuality in many aspects of life.

What are your children’s favorite items in your house?

The Trampoline, their bikes, computers, Sullvanien, lego, Play mobile, the swing, water sprinkler in the garden, television, clay, painting and crafting.

Some tidying tips? Do your children tidy up after themselves?

I wish I had – we have been renovating our basement, and I hope that when we move all our things back, it will be in storage systems that would make tidying easier for all of us. 

As for my kids I periodically try to make them tidy up after themselves and it is getting better, but I must admit that they are a bit spoiled.

If you are living in a foreign country, how do you feel about it? How do you meet new people, make new friends? What is it that you miss most about 'home'?

We have lived abroad several times, but we only had kids when we lived in New York - I gave birth to my oldest daughter in New York, at The Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center, where I also met a lot of sweet people when I attended the childbirth class. We love living abroad and exploring. 

What is your idea of a perfect day with your children?

A morning with smile and laughter, and an afternoon where we are together with no expectations, just being together.

What is a normal day with your children? What do you do on the weekends?

I bring them to school and kinder garden at 8 and pick them up around 16, three times a week they go to sports or music and often they have friends over. On weekends, we try to be together all 5 of us. See friends, family, play in the garden; work in the garden and house. Some times we go to the summerhouse to do absolutely nothing.

Can you mention some of your ‘how-to-raise-your-kid’ advice?

Not much – but the things I appreciated was: Breastfeed if you can, let your children sleep next to you as long as you can manage – we had each of them the first year. Show them love, smile, laughter and that you believe in them.

What kind of DIY projects do you like to do with your children?

We love to make Christmas decorations, and painting Easter eggs. Beside that we have made a lot of HABA plates, necklaces, paintings and clay dough figures. 

Are you a crafter or DIY person? 

Can you be both? Yes – love it. But I must admit that for the most time I am a DIY person – I try hard to be better at crafting. When I was younger I did a lot of crafting, but somehow I lost it when I started working behind the computer as a digital designer. 

I attend a local Graphic printing workshop, where I make small art prints for my self and for the friends that like them.

Books, websites, local shops you would recommend for tips and ideas about kids crafting?

Jørgen Clevin was definitely a big inspiration when I was a kid, and Lis Paludan. Today a lot of kids gets their inspiration from Shane Brox - he makes amazing things. Martha Stewart and her creative team have definitely inspired me years ago with MS Kids magazine.

How do you like to celebrate birthday's and other special days in your house?

With friends and family, loots of good food, a layered cake for the birthday girl, happy decorations, laughter smiles and a treasure hunt in the garden. 

Are you a ‘cook’ or ‘food lover’ or both?

I cook because I love it and yes I love food that is made with love. My girls would really like to help – but at the moment our workspace in the kitchen is so small that it does not happen to often. But in the near future we hope to change the kitchen and then I hope they can help some more – if they still have the passion for it.

Where would you like to go to on vacation - with or without your children? 

We love to travel – with and without our children. We go on ski holyday almost once a year and in the summer we go camping somewhere in Europe – this summer we went around France. 

Claus and I sometimes go to Paris, London, or Stockholm to meet up whit our friends, or just relax for a day or two.

Last year we went with the kids to New York to see where we lived and where Natascha was born – great trip, the jetlag was a bit hard on the kids, but they loved being in the city and exploring.

What a sweet Mom Story, thank you Filippa for sharing it with us!!

..Fabel A

Mom Story: Mimi from Hello Shiso

Mimi from hello shiso

Hi, I’m Mimi and I live in Berkeley, CA with my husband and two kids – Otis (7) and Bee (4).  I’m the owner and designer of hello shiso, which makes accessories for kids. We’ve mostly been making hair accessories for girls, but I would love to make bibs and bags for girls AND boys soon.  

I write a blog shisomama, where I post pictures of my kids on Fashion Show Sunday, and I’m an avid user of Pinterest. 

What kind of house do you live in - are you and the kids happy here, or is there anything you find lacking, or would like to change?

We live in a Craftsman-style house built in 1906, and there had only been one owner in this house before we moved in (he moved in when he was 6!). It was a mess and really needed a lot of work when we bought it, so we were able to update it and make it what we needed, including a kid-friendly backyard full of fruit trees. We added a backyard studio a few years ago, and it’s been really wonderful having a space so close to home for my business.

What do you like best about living there?

I love that everywhere I look, I see memories that we’ve built as a family. And I truly love our neighborhood – we all know each other (street parties and BBQs are common, and there have been many jumpy houses rented) and kids are always on the street, traveling in packs. You can’t walk down the street without stopping to chat. 

Do you like to spend time decorating your home, and your children’s room?

I love it! I just wish I had more time for it. I’ve got a long list of projects that I’d like to get to soon, and the list just gets longer and longer.

Do you keep your children’s play area separate, or do you believe they should have a space in every part of the house?

The kids have a play room, which started out as a playroom/studio until I got kicked out and we built a studio in the backyard. But the kids play all over the house and in the yard. 

Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, blogs?

I’m a little bit obsessed with Pinterest. I also love Design Sponge, Remodelista and A Merry Mishap, among a million other blogs that I don’t have time to read. And I love Japanese books and magazine, which I buy when I’m in Taiwan – they always have great styling.

What are your children’s favorite items in your house?

Cardboard boxes, if you can believe it. Every box gets pulled out of the recycling and co-opted for play. After a while, I can’t take it anymore and recycle a few while they’re at school, but then more show up.

Some tidying tips? Do your children tidy up after themselves?

Unfortunately for my children, clutter makes me crazy! Recently, we borrowed a neighbor’s policy of getting rid of the things that the children do not clean up, and it’s been somewhat effective. But we all try to tidy up and do chores like laundry folding together, and we’re all trying to be better about putting things away as soon as we’re done with them.

What places in your neighborhood do you like to shop at?

One of the reasons we bought our house is because we’re within walking distance of so many great stores and restaurants.  We’re definitely regulars at  Elmwood Café, which used to be an old fashioned soda fountain and pharmacy.  The new owners have continued the tradition with homemade sodas.  They’re also right next to our beloved bookstore, Mrs. Dalloway, and you can peek into the bookstore from the café.

What is your idea of a perfect day with your children?

We start the day off with something relaxing, like a leisurely breakfast or a trip to the farmer’s market, continue with something fun like a hike or bike ride and finish off by hanging out and having dinner with friends. With no fighting or whining.

What is a normal day with your children? What do you do on the weekends?

Weekdays can be a bit chaotic with carpools, play dates, activities and a little bit of “alone time” with me for each kid, but we are often lucky enough to have our weekends look like our idea of a perfect day. Though occasionally with more whining and bickering. And every Sunday, we do Fashion Show Sunday, where one or both of the kids gets dressed up and we take pictures. We’ve been doing it since Otis was teeny, and it’s usually good for a few laughs. My family always looks forward to seeing the pictures.

Can you mention some of your ‘how-to-raise-your-kid’ advice?

I think you have to do what feels right to you and your family.  I always tell my kids “Different rules for different families” and I feel that’s true in so many ways.  So much depends on what kind of parent you are and what kind of kids you have, and I try really hard not to judge other people’s choices. 

What kind of DIY projects do you like to do with your children?

We love to make art together, as well as cook and garden. Lately, Otis has also been interested in sewing, and it’s been fun watching him try something new which requires so much patience and concentration. He’s very proud of his projects.

We always take sketchbooks and pens when we go out. I have a little packet filled with thin sketchbooks that is always ready to go – it helps us kill time when we’re waiting. Otis also loves to make word puzzles of all kinds.

Are you a crafter or DIY person?

I love DIY!  I always feel like if I just had enough time, I could figure out how to do just about anything.  I’ve made a giant homasote board and a chalkboard art table for the kids’ playroom, and my husband made a fort for the kids in the backyard. The DIY to-do list is long.

What do you do with all the projects your children make at home, or in school?

We have a huge stack which keeps growing, even though I try to go back periodically and weed some out.  I’ve also been trying to take pictures instead, which is also good since then I can show them to family that live far away.  I’m so sentimental, so it’s really hard!

How do you like to celebrate birthday's and other special days in your house?

I love traditions and it seems like most traditions around here are celebrated with food.   For birthdays, we always eat noodles, which is a Chinese tradition. The birthday boy or girl gets to choose whether we eat the Chinese noodles which I grew up with, or spaghetti and meatballs, which is our new tradition. We usually throw parties for the kids’ birthdays, and last year for my husband’s 40th birthday, we had a pig roast, which was amazing and completely memorable.

Do your children have friends over often? If yes, what activities do they do?

YES! I try not to pack my children’s schedules with too many activities, since I feel it’s such a luxury of childhood to be bored and to create fun with friends. Luckily, there are often impromptu play sessions with neighbors, and we’re almost always happy to have kids over to play. They stream in and out of the house, and create amazing games. There are many lemonade stands, and the occasional yard sale.

How do you buy your books?

We love our local bookstore, and we receive a lot of wonderful books as presents. Luckily, our public library is very close, so we visit every week or two. We are discovering how wonderful it is to have knowledgeable book sellers and librarians, who always give us such wonderful advice.

What are some nice activities you can do with children in your area, and what would you recommend when people are visiting?

We have amazing playgrounds in Berkeley, plus some great parks where families can take hikes together. We also love going to our local farmer’s market (there are so many in the Bay Area) – ours always has live music and kids playing in the creek, whether there’s water or not. If we’re ambitious, we go to a museum – the Exploratorium in SF is one of our favorites. 

Are you a ‘cook’ or ‘food lover’ or both?

Both! I used to be completely obsessed with food, but starting with my first pregnancy, when I was sick for 9 months, I became less interested.  Isn’t that sad?  Even though I’m not dreaming about the next meal in the middle of eating one anymore, I still love to cook for friends. 

Do you cook together with your children? Does Dad cook?

I do try to cook with the children, which they love. My family has also slowly been teaching the kids to make their favorite foods, including dumplings. I do most of the cooking in the household, though my husband is an excellent pancake maker. Lately we’ve been doing a food exchange with our neighbors (so we cook for them one night, and they cook for us one night) and it’s been really great – I cook one less meal, and it’s also such a treat to eat by someone else’s palate. 

Where would you like to go on vacation - with or without your children? 

I try to take the kids back to Taiwan every summer. I have a lot of family there, and it’s important to me that they get the family time, the culture and the language. I just wish it wasn’t so hot! Some times we take trips to other countries in Asia with my family.   

My husband and I are dreaming about the day we can take a nice, long trip by ourselves. I’d love to go back to Paris, which I love!

What are your tips for traveling in a plane or on a long road trip with your children?

I always search for small, portable items and fill their backpacks with these toys and a special snack or two. I’ve heard of wrapping each toy like a present, and I think I’m going to try that this summer.  We also have an iPod filled with music and especially audio books. We also bring books, though I think we might have to move our son to a Kindle pretty soon. 

What a lovely Mom Story, thank you Mimi for sharing it with us!!

..hello shiso

Mom Story: Yvonne from Beautiful Bag

Hello, my name is Yvonne Kusters, I am married to Steven and together we have a wonderful daughter Faye, 10 years old. Eight years ago we moved from the Netherlands to Kuala Lumpur. We really enjoy living in the tropics. Can you believe it? Every morning the sun is shining, how lovely is that?

Six years ago, together with Brigitte Tops, we started the company Beautiful Bag. Colorful personalized bags, we started a website with 2 designs. Today we offer a variety of 20 different kinds of products. 

Beautiful bag is an exclusive, trendy and international lifestyle product that completely fulfills today’s desire for individual accessories that make a personal statement.  Mischievous eyes, a shining smile; these are the candid moments that make a gorgeous subjects to place on an item from Beautiful Bag.

Besides the personalized collection, we are very interested in B2B. This year we have been selling a collection of bags with colorfull flowers, which are selling in Holland’s famous flower park, De Keukenhof and currently at Schiphol Airport. For the other half of the year we will be selling at…still a little surprise…but very magical…

Since 2010 we introduced a new collection ‘keep the memories alive’. The collection includes: tablecloth, table runners, placemats, wall frames full with photos of Malaysia. Mainly for expats who are leaving, these products are very popular as farewell gifts. Soon we will expand this to other countries.

Besides my work I love to travel which suits my passion for photography. Kuala Lumpur is an excellent base to travel from in Asia. China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and India all great countries to explore.

What kind of house do you live in - are you and the kids happy here, or is there anything you find lacking, or would like to change?

We live in a landed house located on a hilly golf course, 10 km outside Kuala Lumpur. It’s a wonderful green tropical place to raise our daughter. There are cycle paths all over the golf course, a big pool and best of all, many children for her to play with.

What is it you like best about living here?

We really love the outdoor living.  We don’t even have a dining table inside. The last eight years we’ve eating on our table outside, at the terrace. 

Do you like to spend time decorating your home, and your child's room?

Yes, you can say that. I’ve done a lot of styling in my previous job and now and then I love it to turn the house up side down. Always gets inspired when traveling in Asia and visiting local markets, temples etc. but also when reading Bloesem Blog.

Do you keep your child’s play area separate, or do you believe they should have a space in every part of the house?

We love to have Faye around, don’t mind if it gets messy. At the moment she is really into cooking, making a big mess in the kitchen, but always ending up with something new. 

Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, or blogs?

Trendtablet, Flavourite, coolhunter, Bloesem blog, Elle fashion, Flow, VT wonen.

What places in your new neighborhood do you like to go shopping at?

I like to go to the night market in Sungai Buloh on a Friday afternoon,  lots of tropical fruit en veggies all very fresh,  colorful and extremely friendly people.

Also SSF is one of my favorite shops, fabrics like organza in many wonderful colors, ribbons with prints, plain in different sizes and lots of nice vague tropical flowers.  

If you are living in a foreign country, how do you find it?  How do you meet new people, make new friends? What is it that you miss most about 'home'?

We have made many friends during the 8 years we are living in Malaysia, lots of them moved forward to other countries after a couple of years.  Some  friends we are still in contact with, they come back to Malaysia for holiday or we meet them during our summer break in Holland. Sometimes we visit them in their new country to see how they live, spent quality time with each other and build new memories together. What I miss about home is family and friends.

How has your child adapted to the language, food, and cultural differences?

Our daughter Faye was 2 years old, when we moved to KL, she is 10 years now. For her Kuala Lumpur is her home town, she speaks fluent English, but find it difficult to keep up with Dutch. She often mixes them up. She loves to eat Roti canai (as all the children do here), but is not the creasy about spicy food. Rice she loves to eat with her hands, hard to get rid of that (Asian influence)

Going to an International school, means contact with children with different cultural backgrounds and celebrating all the local festivals like the Indian Deepavali, Chinese New Year, Malay Hari Raya, for each festivity she dresses up to school in the traditional  costume.

What's it like to raise a child in your town?

KL is a lovely town to raise a child, because of the nice weather, she can always play outdoor on bare feet and never needs to wear a coat. What’s not great is that the school is far away, she needs to go by school bus which means leaving in the morning at 6.40 am.

What is your idea of a perfect day with your child?

The perfect day for us are the Sunday’s,  having lunch together and spending a whole afternoon at the pool and reading a book while Faye is playing with her friends. Coming home cooking a meal together, and watching a movie with the 3 of us. Sunday is family day. 

What is a normal day with your child?  What do you do on the weekends?

Wake up at 6.10 am, breakfast, and off to the school bus. Faye comes home between 3 and 4 pm. I always try to be home when she is comes back, we then drink a cup of tea, eat some fruit and then it’s time for homework. Hmm.. not our favorite subject in the house…when she finishes her homework, she runs outside to her friends to play. Around 6.30 we have dinner and often after dinner she play’s outside as well. On Saturday morning we bring Faye to Rugby, often she has parties in the afternoon. Sunday we take it easy.

Tell us a funny story, quote, or remark one of your child recently made.

The other day she wrote me a letter because I was not feeling well, it started off with ‘because you are the first mum I have’   huh??

Are you a crafter or DIY person?

DIY suits me better. Although I have a wonderful back up, my colleague Brigitte in Holland, who loves to comment on my designs of necklaces and photo-editing. Designs for the beautiful bags we do together. Often I suggest the color combination and she prepares the final design before sending it to the factory.

 Any decoration ideas on how to hang, keep or use them as presents?

As possible scan it, my experience to hang it, is that it gets dirty and at the end you need to throw it away. Our bathroom downstairs if full with drawing from kids, but all laminated. 

How do you like to celebrate birthdays and other special days in your house?

I like it the ‘old fashion Dutch way’. Organizing lots of funny games, or treasure hunts instead of going to the cinema etc.  Kids love it as well as it’s quite unusual for them here in KL. Birthday cake often prepared by myself. 

Does your child have friends over often? If yes, what activities do they do?

Yes, the gate is always open and kids walk in and out. Often she brings friends over on a Friday afternoon who stay for a sleep over. They all love to play outdoors, or are off to the swimming pool within the compound. 

What kind of sports does your child like to do, and are you very involved?

Faye likes to do touch rugby on Saturday mornings together with lots of her friends. Now and then she is participates at tournaments in Singapore. We'll join, and make a nice family weekend out of it. 

As I am not that sporty myself, I am not a mum who loves to shout next to the field on a Saturday morning, rather prefer to drink a nice cup of coffee somewhere (I do feel a little bit guilty though).

Are there musical instruments in your house?

We love to listen to music as Steven my husband is a big collector, it’s all digital. Faye is considering to start with guitar or/and singing lessons. She started with piano when she was 5 years old, but somehow it didn’t work out.  Probably she was too young and not interested in it at the time.  

Does your child read books online?  Do they go to the library?

Faye is doing part of her homework online, although she is not reading books online. At school there is a big library, she brings new books home every week. But with her daily homework, play dates, and activities she does not spend that much time reading. 

What are nice activities you can do with children in your area, and what could you recommend when people are visiting?

Sunway Lagoon, Water Park, jungle tracks, skytrex-adventure.com, science museum, China town, KLCC park, Little India. For the little ones there are many out en indoor play- entertainment. Indian lunch and Seafood restaurants

Are you a ‘cook’ or ‘food lover’ or both?

I love to cook and to try new recipes.  It’s definitely not one of my talents, and often things go wrong, but at the end I always try to make it look nice. That helps a lot. I love to organize dinner parties and bbq's, always making an effort to decorate the table in specific colors, or theme.

Do you cook together with your children? Does Dad cook?

Faye our daughter, and my husband love to cook as well. Regular on Sunday afternoon, we start cooking with the three of us. Preparing fresh pasta, risotto, fish on the BBQ nicely marinated. It all goes together with a good glass of wine, and a lot of chatting what the next week will bring for us.

Where do you like to go to on vacation, with or without your child? 

Kuala Lumpur is just a perfect  base to start your journey in Asia. A missed chance if you don’t take that opportunity. We have been to China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and India, and  a lot in Malaysia as well off course. Faye is very used to traveling on a budget (what we prefer) carrying her own backpack, and playing with the local kids.

Do you keep some sort of travel journal with your child?

The first couple of days we try, but it never seems to work out. But she has her own camera which is nice to see at the end, what she has captured.

Every year I design a digital photo book for her, it’s always ‘open’ on my computer. Every week I update it, and add the photos which have been taken that particular week, not only holiday’s, but also daily things like - playing, cooking, reading a book, dress up days at school, watching television, sport events...etc.

How do you prepare for a trip, any useful tips?

Hmm we don’t prepare that much, we are quite laid back…sometimes we do have a rough plan. But we only book the first night, and then start traveling around. We like to be flexible, stay longer if we love the place, or meet nice people to hang around with, and travel further if we want to.

What place does your child love to go?

To be honest after traveling in India, China, Myanmar etc. she often say’s she would like ‘a proper holiday’. That means not traveling around, but stay longer at one place and preferably a 5 star resort! Although she enjoyed all the trips we did with her. This year we decided to combine our home leave to Holland with two weeks Tuscany/Italy with my brother and his family. 

What a colorful Mom Story, thank you Yvonne for sharing it with us!

..Beautiful Bag

..Beautiful Around the World