Tweemeisjes

I'm sitting on the sofa wondering what I should tell you so that you get an idea of me and my life. Somehow it feels a lot like the poetry albums I used to swap with friends at the age of eight/nine. My hobby's, favorite books and colors must have changed a lot since then. Here's a shot:

Twee meisjes is Dutch for 'two girls'. That would be us. A big girl and a small girl, both Belgian, but living in The Hague and quite liking that. The big girl (me) likes reading (a lot), seeing rainbows turn up in the sky, the smell of fresh baked bread, knitting with bright colors, cooking and trying new recipes, talking to people I don't know and suddenly sharing a 'moment' with them, words and the wonderful feeling when they all fit together, handmade dolls and stuffed animals, snail mail.. And most of all I like the little girl. Seeing her dancing, singing, being stubborn and saying "What's that?" a thousand times a day.

Beloved books - to name some: The Book Thief (Zusak), The Passion (Wintersson), Hotel New Hampshire (Irving), The History of Love (Kraus) and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Saffran Foer), Simon (Frederikson). I sometimes believe that if you mention five books to me that you love (and I know them), I can name five others that you will adore.

Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain, About a boy, The Hours, Himalaya, La meglio Gioventu. I am a sucker for romantic comedies. Notting Hill, for instance, I must have seen that movie ten times.

Cold Feet, Ally McBeal, Six Feet Under and Grey's Anatomy. I love getting into a show by watching one or two episodes every evening when fall and winter come.

Knitting (beginner), crocheting (beginner), sewing (far from an expert, but enjoying it very much), making stamps (beginner), folding origami (beginner).. I've always crafted, since childhood, but now I'm doing it much more and I would actually like to become more than a beginner at something. I am lazy though. I love projects that consume little time and create great results.

Things I've made so far: http://tweemeisjesindestad.blogspot.com/search/label/zelfgemaakt

I've studied Swedish and I still find great pleasure in listening to that beautiful language in which people almost sing instead of talk. I deeply wish I would have been born in a French speaking country. Everything sounds so much more elegant and frivolous in French.

I've never been to Africa, but I would love to go some day. This desire is in contradiction with the fact that I like slow traveling. By boat or horse would suit me fine, although I've never done it and I am slightly afraid of horses. Sometimes I prefer traveling in the mind over the real thing. I always feel different when in Scandinavia. Did you know that breathing actually feels much better there?

Creme brulee made by Jan (you don't know what you've missed until you've tasted that) and my own apple cake from Ellens Swedish recipe.

My house is decorated mainly in white and dark grey/black. Recently I've started adding color. I like bright, basic colors like red, raspberry, deep yellow, spring bud green, turquoise. And I like patterns with flowers and dots, lots of dots. Or funny figures and shapes. Petit Pan, Echino and Kokka fabrics are wonderful.

I don't like gold and glitter, Disney, Diddle and other too commercial figures. I have a strange old dislike for checks. I usually don't like pink and girly, romantic stuff, unless it's fun kitsch, but that line is hard to explain. Most of the time I prefer bright colors over pastels and straight lines over fuzzy aquarels. I don't like anything goth, sparkly or electronic. I prefer wood over plastic and cotton and linen over synthetic fabrics. I don't use or wear lace.