Recapping October – November 2025.
I started two poetry courses, because I am crazy (about poetry), suddenly. One in The Hague, already finished. One in Rotterdam, still ongoing. It did mean I sometimes had two poems to finish in one week as homework. But I am enjoying dedicating myself to writing and learning about poetry, and giving myself the space to do so. (That last thing is sometimes the hardest thing, and signing myself up for a course helps.)
For a while I have been eyeing trying my hand at ceramics, and so I also signed myself up for a ceramics course. It is not easy! I don’t have final things to show yet, as currently my pieces are still drying (I made them too thick, so I have to wait a bit longer before they can be fired and glazed) [otherwise they explode! the drama!]. Hope to share my unique bowls and one cup (because I just couldn’t master making a cylinder) in the new year!
A Story Of Sorts hosted a crafts lunch and party at her house. So much fun – I want to do one as well in the new year. I finished sewing together my silk mohair sweater that afternoon.
Did a two-day embroidery workshop in the Open Air Museum in Arnhem. It focused on techniques creating holes: patterned open seams, broderie d’anglaise. Very stoked I finished making a leaf in this black T-shirt. The plan is to make more leaves, but it is very time-consuming, and honestly I feel I should finish some other projects first before I start another new one…
A one-day artist residency hosted at Eiland van Brienenoord. The weather wasn’t great (rainy, stormy, gray), so I pretty much stayed inside all day. But it felt like a nice break from usual weekend days. There were two interesting workshops, but the rest of the time I mostly knitted and rested. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything else. Lots of interesting people to meet.
A short weekend trip to Germany – foggy forests at the Mosel, tasting and buying wine, and checking out the local wine fest (Federweiss-fest – a wine that tastes like soda!). Also lots of knitting done on the car ride there, and in the evenings.
Another embroidery workshop, this time trying out different techniques of embroidery on knitted fabrics. People ask me what I will do with these techniques. I don’t know yet, I’m just hyped about learning about it. It will come in useful someday. Some of the techniques were covering (visible) mending – definitely useful to have up your (knitted) sleeve.
Hosted a meet-up of Dutch Inspired Collective members at my house. Earlier in the year, we had a meet-up lunch before the book meet & greet by Amie McNee in Amsterdam.3 We had such a good time, recognizing so much in each other on our creative journeys, we just had to do this again. It was a great afternoon – we chatted and did a little presentation round of things we were working on. Martine Woldman hand-delivered me an amazing hand-painted tompouce Christmas ornament that day as well.
My novel has fallen a bit by the wayside, I’m afraid… with all the poetry that’s coming out of my pen lately. Following the two courses side by side is a fun experience, even though it’s a bit exhausting to be producing that much. It does mean I am building up material to send in to platforms/opportunities. I am trying and trying, and hoping for success (and not that many rejections this time, please).