Marit's Paper World (blog)

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Past, present and costumes…

August 10, 2012 By Marit 29 Comments

Time is such a strange thing… one day the hours seem to fly you by and
on another day a minute seems to last forever. I know it all depends on
your mood and activities, but don’t you never stop and wonder where
the days went?

Time seems to speed up as one gets older – I actually read a book once
that explains this phenomenon:  Waarom het leven sneller gaat als je
ouder wordt
– Douwe Draaisma (Why life speeds up as you get older –
Douwe Draaisma)

I was thinking about ‘time’ when I woke up this morning.
Friday? Already? Where did this week go?
Next, I stumbled upon this photo that was taken approximately around
1970 – it shows a view on the main street of the small village I grew up.
In fact, there were only 4 streets (and one alleyway) in this hamlet
that had only 800 inhabitants- including the farmers that lived in
farms in the surroundings. I was six years old in the Summer of ’70.

My parents still live in the same house in the same village and yes,
things changed there too of course. New houses were build.
New streets were constructed. Still whenever I visit; the main street
looks more or less the same – leading to the cafe and the small square
with the church in the middle. Even women in traditional costumes
can be seen – although they have become rare.

Oh, which reminds me of this photo… I think you will like the
giggle I’m about to offer you… ready for this?


Yep! That’s me on the left and an old photo of my great-grandmother
on the right. She wore the ‘Zeeland’ traditional costume all her life…
I put on the costume just once, for the photo, but the resemblance
struck me right when I looked in the mirror.

Anyway, where was I?
Oh – my hometown…
Even after all these years, a lot of people greet me when I walk through
the village. They knew me as a child,  they used to play with me or their
children played with me. They know ‘from whom I am the daughter’
and when they are not sure, they ask ‘are you one of H., E. or J.?
(E. and J. being my uncles.)

I love visiting my hometown and when I’m there, time stands still.

Haiku My Heart

mijn dorp in de zon

er verandert niet zoveel

een vrouw fietst voorbij

hamlet in the sun

nothing changes around here

a woman passes by

‘Haiku my Heart Friday’ is hosted by the wonderful Rebecca.
Visit her blog to find a list of the other participants: Recuerda Mi Corazon

OK – before I get all sentimental here… let me show you some
of the  pieces I made recently.

Happy mail-art for my niece and nephew.

Card for Lisa (front and back)

Card for Eine (front and back)

blank

… and last week’s Chronicles

The photo (cut out of a magazine) on this first spread made me think:
‘Spadoman!’ I’m sure you look just like this when you hit the roads Joe!

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 30

Next spread was inspired by yet another haiku-lover: Lea.
She wrote a ‘pink post’ last week, and I’d just painted my pages pink when I read that post. So hereby I dedicate this page to you Lea! (and yes, Lea and I are Absolutely Fabulous when we are together, aren’t we dear?)

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 31

I wish you all a happy weekend dear ones.

Make time to create.
Make time to smell the roses and
have a good TIME!

….

 

 

 

Filed Under: art, Art Journals, Chronicles '12, Haiku, Mail Art Tagged With: art, art journal, art journaling, chronicles, costume, haiku, past, present, Zeeland

Comments

  1. blankJess says

    August 10, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    Great post…love the pics and history/background…very interesting! beautiful art journaling as always! Have a great weekend!!

    Reply
  2. blankSandra says

    August 10, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    Wat een leuke chronicles weer, Marit! Vooral die eerste, waarbij je de weg hebt doorgetrokken onder je journaling vind ik helemaal leuk.

    Reply
  3. blanksomepinkflowers says

    August 10, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    aaahhhhh…
    love this—>

    “”nothing changes around here
    a woman passes by””

    so true!
    we become our mothers
    who become our grandmothers
    and
    so
    on…

    {{ loved
    seeing you all dressed up
    and

    as always

    i enjoy your art*journal pages… }}

    Reply
  4. blankJulie Tucker-Wolek says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:01 pm

    What great memories of were you grew up — my hometown was probably NEVER like that… lol … I was born in NYC! 🙂 Now, the town I grew up in was a small town were everyone knew everyone — but that has all changed now…

    I loveeeeeeeeeeee your pages this week! So many awesome colors!!!

    Reply
  5. blankPetra Coolen says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    Die foto!! Jij bent precies je overgrootmoeder maar dan in ‘n stoerdere versie 🙂

    Ik herken het gevoel vwb “mijmeren over vroeger”… Volgens mij hoort dat gewoon bij het ouder worden (zelf betrap ik me daar ook regelmatig op 😉

    Je kaartjes en chronicles zijn zoals altijd “plaatjes” om te zien. Kleurrijk en creatief.

    Reply
  6. blankAnthony North says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Sometimes it’s good that nothing changes.

    Reply
  7. blankMarcia says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    I totally agree. The first 15 years of my life seemed to have gone by at a snail’s pace and now the rest has been a blur! I LOVE your mail art pictures 🙂

    Reply
  8. blankJulia Hammond says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:56 pm

    The side by side pictures is the BEST!
    Julia

    Reply
  9. blankrebecca says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    oh marit so lovely your words, your honoring. thank you for sharing a glimpse into the richness of your traditions. love love love the photos, your haiku, heart warming with its charm.

    loved my visit with you here this new morning, hoping time moves slowly today for everyone, so we can drink it all deliciously in!

    Reply
  10. blankspadoman says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    Dear Marit… This post is so spirited and uplifting. I too, wrote about a visit to a place e where i used to live. It is the posy right below my Friday Haiku My Heart post.Please have a look if you have time. I love seeing where I have been again. That brings me to the mention of my name with that lone motorcycle riding the road. I like to think of this as a never ending ride into the sunset, only to find another sunrise and another day to ride. Thank you for thinking of me.
    I needed these wishes for a good weekend and the advice to having some fun and creating something. The weather is cooler and I’m not so busy it seems, so time to make some work space and get started on things. (It has been hard to think about making snow shoes when it is so hot!)
    Your Haiku is grand, and I love the art cards.
    You and your Great Grandmother do share a striking resemblance and you are both very beautiful. What you call a costume was regular daily attire and reminded me of my Paternal Grandmother as she worked in the kitchen, complete with the head covering. Simpler times, yet as you refer to, Time. It waits for no one.

    Much Peace

    Reply
  11. blankLea says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    Hello Marit, oh yes I giggled, I thought… the woman on the left… she looks familiar! I love the tradition and how wonderful it is to go home to the streets you grew up on and still have people know you… we get so lost these days, and search forever for that road home… your Zeeland is very special, I feel fortunate to have experienced a tiny bit of what lives in on in you… and yes, we are fabulous together! XOXOXO

    Reply
  12. blankStephanie says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    How special…I think…when some things stay the same, something to hang on to when everything around us seems to be changing at the speed of light.

    wonderful post!

    Reply
  13. blankjoanne says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    I loved hearing about your hometown, (is it a town, or a village?) Such adherence to past is intriguing and it’s no wonder you love visiting there….and yes, you and Grandma do resemble each other so much…..Your ‘mail art’ is so colorful….

    Reply
  14. blankpriti.lisa says

    August 10, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    Always a joy to be here! I love the stories, the photos, the haiku AND the art. Smashing darling!
    I think of Joe every time I see a motorcycle too!
    ♥♥♥

    Reply
  15. blankLena says

    August 10, 2012 at 6:07 pm

    Wat een leuke post!! Prachtige kaarten heb je gemaakt en je beide weekjournaals zien er ook al zo super uit! Ook al vond je het eng om over de fraai gelukte achtergrond te schrijven, het resultaat mag er wezen!
    En zooooo leuk die oude foto van ons dorp. Dat stukje is idd weinig veranderd.
    Wat was het een leuk idee van je om toen zo’n ‘Zeeuwse’ fotoshoot te doen… Het blijft leuk om die foto’s terug te kijken en jaaaaa…. je lijkt wel erg op je overgrootmoeder!

    Reply
  16. blankKaren says

    August 10, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    What a lovely journey back in time!

    Reply
  17. blankJill Zaheer says

    August 10, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    Lovely post- flowing with memories of time gone by, cradled with the sweetest of details of your youth. Beautiful costumes and love the pic of you and your great grandmother! Yes, time is one of those things that just seems to slip through our fingers- and no matter how hard we try, it keeps on moving ahead of us! Wishing you a super creative and joyful weekend!

    Reply
  18. blankCarol says

    August 10, 2012 at 10:54 pm

    love the naturalness of the haiku ~ daily living ~ very creative and colorful art work ~ (A Creative Harbor)

    Reply
  19. blankgemma says

    August 11, 2012 at 1:33 am

    Time is crazy here too.I love old family photos.
    I am sure the one of you will be old soon too
    the way time flys.lol
    🙂

    Reply
  20. blankChèvrefeuille says

    August 11, 2012 at 1:56 am

    Hallo Marit, wat weer een fantastische post voor Haiku My Heart. Ik geniet er steeds weer van als ik op je weblog uit kom. Prachtig die oude foto’s van onze klederdracht. Echt weer een genot om te lezen.
    Awesome post Marit. Loved reading it from beginning ’till the end, nice haiku, history packed in so little words wondefully done.

    http://bashorevisited.blogspot.nl/2012/07/tackle-it-tuesday-paint-picture.html

    Reply
  21. blankGrace says

    August 11, 2012 at 3:07 am

    Nice cards..I am always intrigued by crafts ~

    And yes, hometowns seems like that, eternal child ~

    Reply
  22. blankCaatje says

    August 11, 2012 at 3:26 pm

    Ja tijd is maar een raar en subjectief iets. Het gekste vind ik nog hoe het soms zo stroperig en langzaam kan lijken te gaan terwijl je erin zit en dan achteraf is het opeens omgevlogen. Dat heb ik heel vaak met vakanties, dat het voelt alsof tijd eindeloos is en dan opeens…voorbij! Zal ik wel nooit aan wennen. 😉

    Reply
  23. blankMelissa Johnson says

    August 11, 2012 at 4:01 pm

    Really enjoyed your post and love your cards and art journal pages!

    Reply
  24. blankHermine says

    August 12, 2012 at 7:44 am

    Wat een genot om te lezen op een vroege zondagochtend. Prachtige kaarten en spreads.

    Reply
  25. blankJenneke says

    August 12, 2012 at 10:44 am

    Bewondering.
    Voor de manier waarop je je gevoelens onder woorden kunt brengen.
    Voor het feit dat je dat dan óók nog in het Engels doet!!
    Voor je prachtige kaarten.
    Voor je mooie Haiku inclusief schitterende foto!
    Voor het feit dat je iedere week weer in je Chronicles schrijft. Héél veel bewondering, ik zou het na de eerste weken al opgeven… 🙁
    Voor je wandeling van 2,5 uur!!!
    Voor jou!

    XXXJenneke

    Reply
  26. blankdeb christensen says

    August 12, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    that was a wonderful peek into your home/life! i would love to walk down that street! it’s a great thing to have those strong roots.
    your pages are brilliant!
    have a fantastic week marit!
    we are foggy and damp, autumn is coming…

    Reply
  27. blankJocelyn says

    August 12, 2012 at 11:45 pm

    What a wonderful posts….I adore the pics!!! So glad to hear from you…I have missed you so much sweet friend…Have a great weekend!!!

    Reply
  28. blankKim Mailhot says

    August 13, 2012 at 12:32 am

    There are certain places on this earth that are home and always feel like that. Thank you for sharing your colorful pictures of home for you, Beautiful !
    I love that Spadoman came a visiting in your pages and that you are an Ab Fab fan too ! Too funny !
    Big light and love to you, my Friend !

    Reply
  29. blankCrafty Dawn says

    August 31, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Loving this post so MUCH! and you’re the spit of your grandmother ;0) the journal pages are YUM yhou should join in my journal challenge sometime would be fab to see you xx

    Reply

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My art can be found in galleries on my website. Unless otherwise stated, all photos, images, thoughts and stories on the website as well as on this blog are my own (Marit Barentsen aka Marit’s Paper World.) If you see something you want to share, please link back to my site to give credit where credit is due. I sometimes use photo’s that are not my own to illustrate my stories. If so, I try to give credit to the original photographer or maker. If you have any reason to complain about the use of an image, contact me and I will remove it without discussion.

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