Kermis op de Dam!

Aside form discussing what happens when you literally translate "clusterf****" and "miereneuken," (try it, it's funny) we actually got some work done. Edwin started adding these black Swarovski crystals to the cape Elise and Karo have been embellishing and it's becoming super sparkly, which you all know is awesome. Meanwhile, I finishes the corset dress. I'm just adding straps and an adorable little bow on the front and voila! Edwin suggested I take pictures of it for school and who am I to argue that? Yes people, you will get to see a picture of the finished oh-my-god-is-she-done-talking-about-this-stupid-thing-yet corset dress!

After work, I went to get some requested items since it was Koopavond and I saw that there is a fair on Dam Square!!! Best. Idea. Ever.

Also, I went into this jewelry store and saw these flower earrings that are somehow a huge trend in The Netherlands. I've seen a lot of girls with them and my personal opinion of them is that they suck. But that's just me. It apparently started with these 2 girls form a very famous and well-viewed Dutch soap "Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden." They made them and wore them and the shit started selling like freakin' hotcakes. They're geniuses for thinking of doing this because it works (check out how much they sell for on their website. http://www.kuisemeisjes.nl/index.php By the way, you're supposed to only wear ONE and the prices are for one only. The price is 69.95 Euros for those of you who don't want to look). Anyway, all the power to the people that wear them, that's what personal style is for but they're not for me.

One of the founders. 

It was my dad's birthday yesterday but since we had company come over before we got to finish our dinner, we didn't get to celebrate with a special dessert. This was for you dad! Thanks, it was delicious :-)

Lastly, I now love Adele. She actually reminds me of my sister with her big eyes and adorable countenance. I think my sister is prettier but you'll see what I mean. Look!

Almost there.

Today was apparently the warmest and sunniest April days in years. It was already a little too warm for my liking so I'm preparing myself for a wave of humidity and disgustingness (yes it's a word. I just made it one) when I get to Florida next week.

At work, Elise and Karo worked on embroidering on a piece of floral fabric. The flowers are being embellished with fake flowers, sequins and beads and it's looking pretty awesome! I worked on the corset dress and pretty much finished it! All that needs to be done now is a hem. I stayed late to finish a bias tape and when I got done we put the dress on a mannequin and it looked great. The way it's looking now there will be a bunch of corset dresses in the collection so I'll be a production line by the end of June :-)

The floral has this feel to it.

Also, I taught Edwin the word "clusterf***" and he thought it was hilarious. I told him he taught me "miereneuken" so we're even (I apologize because this is not funny if you do not speak Dutch but it is even less funny if I try to explain it. I hear Rosetta Stone works pretty well). 

I came across this bike today. I've seen it a lot and think it's pretty clever. It's a foldable bike that is easily transportable on a bus or train. It's looks funny but it's super handy!

And we're back.

Okay so I've been working on my orange dress at night so I've been slacking with this blog. We'll I'm back.

Well yesterday two more interns joined us. A guy and a girl and they're in the same class. They've been really soft-spoken so far but I'm hoping they warm up soon so we can have some fun. Yesterday Edwin had then do some exercises since it was their first day and I went along with them and did them too. Here's the result.

Who needs college? A simple internship will do the trick :-)

Edwin draped another design for the collection and today he made the pattern. It the most confusing thing I have ever seen but it magically works. I worked on hand-sewing for the corset dress and I am determined to have the darn thing done by tomorrow. The other interns, Kahro and Elisa (I don't know how to spell their names, only how to say them) worked on cutting fabric. They're learning quickly hoe precise Edwin works. 

After work I worked on my dress some more and I'm almost finished now. Well, maybe not almost but it looks like a dress and not a bunch of weird pieces of fabric.

Also, this was in the newspaper this morning. Sex shops with cabines have to close by 10pm instead of 2am as of May 1st and the shop owners are pissed because that is 30-40% of their business. Now that is a problem only Amsterdam would have :-)

no time.

I ran out of time sorry. I'll update tomorrow :-)

Tulips!

So nothing too thrilling happened Friday which is why I didn't post. Also, I didn't feel like it. I redid the whole zipper fiasco and here's the result. Now the corset dress is almost finished :-)

Over the weekend I went with my grandparents in search of tulips again. This time we say a bunch but we were still too early so maybe we're going next weekend.

These are my favorites. Because their colors are so bright and my camera isn't, you can't see that they're fushia on the bottom. They were so awesome and their name is basically a sign that I need to own them. Just kidding, I'm not a monarch. Yet.

Awwwwwww

These tulips were so bright red that the camera couldn't even properly
photograph them. THAT'S how beautiful they were. Pretty legit.

I also worked on my orange dress. After 4 muslins (proofs) I was finally ready to cut out of the real fabric except...I forgot to wash it so I couldn't go any further. I wanted to be lazy and not wash it but it's 100% cotton so it'll probably shrink and that could ruin the whole dress if I don't wash it before I construct it. Oh well, hopefully I'll get a lot done after work tomorrow. We'll see!

Stupid zippers.

So today I was hoping to get the corset dress done. The zippers were finally all done and after I sewed all the pieces together, I thought it wouldn't take much longer. As I mentioned before, there are two zippers. One that is a chunky zipper that separates on the inside and a blind zipper on the outside. When Edwin tried to open the separating zipper, it wouldn't separate. We were both baffled and didn't know why this was so difficult. It looked like the end of the zipper was cut off but I was sure I didn't cut off the bottom of the zipper. That would mean I would have cut through plastic and I would've noticed that. I thought I was going crazy because the zipper was not separating. After about ten minutes of pulling and frustration, Edwin realized something. The zipper that was put in the dress was not a separating zipper! It was a regular zipper that goes to the bottom but doesn't separate. Oh. My. God. So now I'll have to redo those pattern pieces and the dress didn't get finished. Ugh. When I went to get an actual separating zipper, the bubble guy was back and there were a bunch of people around him watching.

I got done early again today since Edwin was supposed to hang out with Nick and his parents (they had a change of plans but I still left early) so I went to the bead store. I discovered something excited. After two years of being covered by a huge plastic thing for construction, you can finally see the palace again!

When I was walking on Dam Square, I saw this little memorial of the guy who lit himself on fire last week. He was an Irani refugee and he and other refugees were about to be put out of the country. He was a journalist and was unpopular in Iran so he had to flee for his safety. He had no where else to go so he burned himself to get attention for other refugees. 

The bead store.

The beads I got.

When I got back, I went to have dinner at my Aunt and Uncle house with my cousin Fleur. It's so nice to be able to go have dinner there. It's a little difficult when I'm in Florida. You know, with those 8000 Kilometers and that Ocean thing.

Dress time.

Nick's parents are in town so instead of working 10u-18u I worked 9u-14:30u. That also meant I had to get up at 7am. Not cool but at least the sun was shining like it was already noon so it eased the pain.

I spent all day on finishing the zippers for the corset dress. There's one to hold it shut and one blind one that covers the ugly one. Edwin worked on a cape for the collection and it's going to kick ass!

Around 14:30, Nick's parents came by and after they all left, I attempted to work on a dress for graduation/my graduation party. Edwin offered his workroom to me while he's away doing things with Nick and his parents. He also said I could use it Saturday but I don't know if I want to yet. I also went to the fabric store to find fabric but they didn't have what I want. And I wanted orange. Surprisingly, despite my love for the color, I do not own a dress in it! A tragedy that shall soon be rectified.

However, it wasn't working out so I left around 19u. I'm hoping to get it done by saturday but we'll see.

Also, Bas Kosters has a new display and I really like it!

And I can't stop eating Dutch junkfood. Maybe I should just make the dress a size bigger.

&^%*!#@$%^ (Embroidery)

Today we did more embroidery and since we needed more sequins, Edwin and I went to a bead shop. It. Was. Amazing. The were jars and jars and jars of every single bead you could ever imagine/wish for. I need to do there later this week and buy about 3000 beads. I do have that money tree out back in my grandparent's yard so that's convenient.

I got this picture online. It's the closest I could find to what the
store looked like.

We also came across a super cuke cupcake shop. It seems that here they use mostly fondant instead of frosting, which I don't like but they're adorable.

When I went to Boeken (the fabric store), Bas Kosters was there :-) I'm pretty sure now that he doesn't remember me from last summer because when I did the polite "hello" nod, he looked at me like I was crazy. Anyway, he was wearing a purple Finsk hat that I really liked, along with a purple mohawk and a black fur coat (off course, what else?). 

After lunch I worked on the corset dress and when I got back, I beat Pokemon. Oh yes, I am the champion.

It takes too much time to think of a title.

First off, Kees sent me this picture of Thijs with the onesie we got him pre-vomit. All he needs now is a Harley.

He should be a model. For everything.

At work I spent way too long trying to figure out a zipper and handsew. Then after we ate lunch outside (and got asked if we had seen a 3 year old boy walking around! He was missing!) we started doing embroidery of Noortje's drawings. It looks pretty cool but it's a lot of work.

I've also been noticing some interesting trends and outfits here so here's a little rundown. Because it was so cold here, a lot of people have a practical, yet not-so-flattering "marshmallow" jacket. It makes perfect sense to own one since it keeps your warm but I would rather be cold than look like the Michelin Man. The resemblance is uncanny.

      

Also, I think this snakeskin/leather skirt is only acceptable when it is on an actual snake. I'm not even going to bother commenting on the pleather legging combo.

Another thing I found bizarre is this. I'm no expert but that looks like the worst coffee shop ever.

And now off to bed and hope I wake up without this cold. A girl can dream. No pun intended. Well, maybe.

Feieren in Deutschland.

This weekend I went to see Kim, Kees en Thijs with Frans, Janine and Maud (Kim's parents and sister and basically all of them are family to me). Apparently Thijs was wearing one of the onesies we had gotten him but he threw up all over it so he wasn't wearing it when I got there. Thijs is a rebel.

Here are the proud grandparents. As you can see, grandpa is a baby-hog.

How adorable are his eyes right there?!?

Pretty much the perfect family.

This one's for you Krissy :-)

After that Maud and I went out with a bunch of her friends in Aachen, Germany. Only a 25 minute drive to go party in a different country. Wtf.

We went to starfish and they had decorated the outside of the building with a crap ton of lights. Maud didn't bring her ID and she asked the bouncers if she needed it. "Was Fur?" (what for?) was their reply. Nice.

Sisters form another mister (and mother but whatever).

This club was super amusing. You could tell who the Germans and who the Nederlanders were. Basically, if they were dresses like they just stepped out of a time machine from 1999, they were Germans. Nothing against the Germans, just funny. The son of the owner was the best one. He was dressed in a look-a-like Micheal Jackson outfil, which included a shiny polyester black suit with red shirt, metallic silver tie and silver glove. He was standing on some sore of table above everyone and was just dancing awkwardly and alone with sunglasses on. 

I just spend half an hour trying to upload a video I took of this guy but it didn't work. This is a picture form the video in between lights. Clarified for your amusement. You're welcome.

It was a lot of fun and after we left, I slept over Maud's and got to catch up. After that my uncle came to get me and we had brunch at my Aunt Charlotta and Uncle Richard's with some of my other relatives. My family is pretty much the bomb and it was a lovely brunch filled with vlokken and hagelslag. If you do not know what I just said that's very unfortunate and you need to get yourself to The Netherlands. Pronto.

After brunch my uncles Hugo and Olaf and my cousins Kevin and Kylie and I took a road trip back to Purmerend. We wanted to eat in Amsterdam so we had to find Amsterdam Noord to park there. Although my cousin Kevin, not unlike his kind, refused to use any kind of navigation device, we ended up where we needed to. We off course got some Starbucks (I think that should be the new name of this blog since that 50% of what I talk about) and walked around Amsterdam a bit and got a bite to eat.

People chillin' in a boat on one of the "grachten." I don't know
what it is in English so you'll have to Google it because I't tired and I don't feel like it.

Awesome weekend :-)