Insta – Natasja Sadi

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Apr 11

Happy sunday from my home to yours. I will never say no to colour. It is impossible for me to reject colour. Any kind of colour. Happiness of spring in our home with all the colours of the rainbow. I feel like having a pot of gold.
Have a lovely Sunday and bright colourful new week everyone. Sometimes that pot of gold is right in front of us.
#colorlove #coloralways #flowersalways #currentmood

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Apr 9

Sugar flowers for Friday flowerday. I had been given the honour of being invited for a chat with the @the.restlesscreatives Three brilliant floral designers @fionapicklesfloral @mossandstonefloraldesign and @lucytheflowerhunter got together and started documenting their fabulous chats when the world shut down, inviting inspiring artists along the way. It has been such an honour for me to be their guest. I’ve put the link in my bio, you can view on YouTube or listen as a podcast. I could not have asked for kinder hosts, thank you so much for having me.
Ofcourse I will always prefer that warm hug upon greeting someone (now anyone!) in person, sitting down with a cup of tea or glass of wine. But connecting with friends around the world with Zoom or otherwise has truly been a savior. Don’t hesitate to ask that person you miss for a virtual date. Heaven knows we all need it. Have a lovely Friday and beautiful weekend everyone. Hope you get to recharge and enjoy great conversations.
#followfriday @the.restlesscreatives
#happyfriday #flowerfriday #sugarflowers #littlestoriesofmylife #currentmood

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Apr 4

Happy sunday from my home to yours. It’s Easter and finally spring has arrived with an abundance of flowers. Roses, tulips, poppies and plenty of ranunculus. If only spring could last forever. These times bring out the best and the worst in me. The best because these flowers truly are my savior in these turbulent times, the worst because how do you say no to the best offerings? Choosing between what each vendor has to offer an impossible task. Nature always giving us plenty. Wishing you a beautiful Sunday and bright new week filled with abundance.
#flowersalways #lifesaving #colorlove #currentmood

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Apr 4

Try and catch him if you can when in Amsterdam. Swipe to see. ‘... fresh oysters...!.... fresh oysters..!’ from the top of his lungs. The fishman and his boat. He sails the canals of Amsterdam and rings his bell, while announcing his catch of the day. Usually I’m too late for a capture but yesterday coming back from the market, I was lucky to find him. This way of doing business just like the old days. These canal waters giving us so much. I hope some things never change in my city. There are so many things I love in my town. Small things I will never take for granted. Sending you a postcard, signing it from Amsterdam with love. Hope you had a lovely Easter, wishing you a beautiful new week everyone.
#amsterdam #justlikeoldtimes #springishere #currentmood

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Apr 3

Sugar Helleborus
Happy Saturday and happy Easter. Recreating helleborus before the season is over. Nature will always win but playing with sugar, trying to get as close as I can a second best. The repetition of petals and tiny stamen keeping me grounded. Hopefully soon cheerful Saturday night dinners until then flowers keeping me alive. I bought more chocolate eggs for this holiday weekend than needed. Food, flowers, whatever gives us comfort these days.
Wishing you a wonderful Easter Everyone.
#helleborus #sugarflowers #botanicalart #currentmood

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Mar 28

Happy sunday from my home to yours. How many of us often think if only we could look into the future to know how things would go. How wonderful it would be if we would be able to predict time ahead. It has been a year now since all our lives changed. I can’t help but feel that it is a good thing no one really knew what was in store for us 12 months ago. It is as if we are entering another year. With vaccines around the corner this one most certainly more hopeful. Hanging in there just a little bit longer. We can’t predict time but that doesn’t mean we should stop dreaming. Dreaming of better days filled with, hugs, kisses, laughter, sharing meals, great conversations and dancing together without a care in the world. We are so close, I know I’m right. Flowers for hope. Roses and ranunculus, tulips and carnations, frittilaria and scabiosa, helleborus and....forget me nots. The last one symbolizing connections that endure all challenges and measure of time.
Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. Don’t stop dreaming, some things are only a matter of time.
#flowersalways #colourlove #springishere #currentmood

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Mar 26

Happy Friday everyone. Cake and florals for flowerfriday. Another week almost done, we made it. It is so important to celebrate even the smallest of victories. I don’t know about you but I have been following the news about the container ship ever since it got stuck in the Suez Canal. The facts are totally mind boggling, this ship in length is larger than the Eiffel Tower and almost as large as the Empire State Building. This is the most expensive traffic jam. But this story shows how connected we all are. I read that this essential canal handles 12 percent of the seaborne trade. This blockage disrupting more than 9billion worth of goods each day (!). Oil, goods and groceries... The best quality Madagascar Vanilla I always use that is also in this cake, now problaby waiting to sail through.
The Netherlands and water is a continues dance. Large parts of my country are below sealevel. Ever since the heartbreaking flood of 1953 in Holland we have made it our mission to educate, dedicate and fight against the water and also climate change. Dikes, dredging, the Delta works, it came as no surprise the Dutch have been chosen to help resolve the issue with the container ship in the Suez Canal. The Dutch engineers have warned it can take weeks but let’s hope this blockage will be resolved in a few days and we will hardly notice the effects in our everyday life.
Another Friday still in lockdown. Especially when it seems there are no reasons, we have to celebrate. We are all connected, we are all in the same boat, we can do this. Have a lovely weekend everyone.
#flowerfriday #celebratelife #fridayfeels #botanicalart #currentmood

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Mar 21

Happy sunday from my home to yours and....it’s quiet. My kitchen where I spent most of my days looks out on a small garden courtyard from my neighbours. Our old Canalhouses are high maintenance. Restoration paintwork is taking place as we speak commissioned by these same neighbours. They hired two men for the work. They talk in an East European language that is unfortunately impossible for me to understand. Here is something I have never experienced before. These men won’t stop talking. When I say won’t stop, I mean non stop. Literally. No pauses, no moments of silence. None. Just from what it sounds like continues blathering. Whether standing on the ground or high up on the scaffolding they continue to speak. No loud music coming from a radio, just these two having conversation while doing their work. At first I was annoyed, asking myself how?? How is this even humanly possible?! How can anyone keep a conversation going on like that while working. Pulling my hair, it drove. Me. Mad. The next day same story. I tried to listen more carefully, still no luck understanding a word they were saying but I noticed they actually had fun. And then I realized the beauty of it all. Imagine doing your job and you and your coworker get along so well that you can’t stop chatting. Having the time of your life while doing the job! That you would never run out of stories or subjects to talk about. How amazing would that be. I wonder about what they are saying. Stories from home? Families that they miss? They will be back on Monday and I’m actually looking forward to hearing them again. The monotone sound of joyous continues chatter in the background.
Have a lovely Sunday everyone. Spring is finally here. Hope you have fun and great conversations in the week ahead.
#flowersalways #joy #colorlove #currentmood

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Mar 18

The day after general election in the Netherlands. Every 4yrs we choose a new parliament. There were some losses and some gains but overal our political climate stays relatively the same. An unexpected big win yesterday by the progressive social liberals with a female leader. They are in favor of fighting climate change, funding education and healthcare and pro European allegiance. The liberal party leaning right remains the largest in NL. They respectively won 23 and 35 seats. Our parliament is 150 seats. Together (23 +35) they have to find smaller parties to form a coalition for a 76 seat majority threshold to govern. Far right gained 28 seats combined. It’s fair to say that in the Netherlands barely a fifth of voters favors Nationalism. There were significant losses on the far left but those votes were (re)distributed among other parties including a newcomer in favor of the European Union gaining 4 seats. Some in the world would consider us ‘socialist’ but overall Holland remains a country with moderate liberal progressives, willing to work with both left and right. Anyone in the Netherlands can start a political party. Mobilizing 1000 members paying a contribution of € 12 annually, you can apply for subsidies from the Dutch government. Anyone in NL reaching 18 and plus, subsequently receives their ballot in the mail. Voter turnout this year 82.6 percent. The pandemic as it seems hasn’t been the single motivating factor in voting. Covid denier Mr. Engels didn’t win a single seat. He demands a recount and said the Dutch election was fraudulent.
My son (11) came home from school today. They reviewed the election with their teacher and discussed the groups in class that organized their own political party. My son’s group named PNDK (party of nature sustainability and climate) They had to explain and defend their ideals and hopes for the future. My life is about flowers but I thought sharing with you what is on my mind and in my heart might be of interest. Every country is different, just some reflections here on news in the Netherlands. Elections matter. What we decide affects us, our children and generations after. Decency and democracy matter.

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Mar 14

Happy sunday from my home to yours. We are still mostly confined to our homes. These roses don’t make it look so bad. Fritillaria persica one of my favorites together with a few ranunculus tulips and carnations. Flowers truly are one of the most joyful, abundant things to have around the house when all else feels limited. So happy to share this seasons offerings. Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. Don’t hesitate to surround yourself with the things that give you joy.
#flowersalways #colorlove #currentmood

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Mar 14

Evening stroll before dusk. My favorite hour. Because of lockdown and evening curfew the streets are left abandoned. It is that perfect hour for opening a bottle of wine. The Dutch rarely close their curtains. Call me nosy but taking peeks inside an unavoidable habit. The Dutch word ‘gezellig’ goes beyond coziness. A word so difficult to translate, maybe a picture can explain. A Canalhouse or houseboat both just as warm and cozy. ‘Gezellig’ is the heart of Dutch culture. It roughly defines as togetherness, warm feelings, convivial, a sense of belonging, positive atmosphere all together and more. Never before has this word meant so much to me. How I miss the old days.
I truly wish for lockdown to be over but at the same time I wonder how I will look back on these quiet, extraodinary times where I have the city almost to myself.
Sending you a postcard from Amsterdam, signing it with love, have a lovely Sunday and ‘gezellig’ new week everyone. #amsterdam #almostspring #currentmood

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Mar 7

Happy sunday from my home to yours. Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. Flower prices in the Netherlands sky rocketed just before the weekend. Not widely celebrated in the Netherlands but much honoured in the rest of the world. It was difficult for my vendors to get flowers at a reasonable price. Loads of flowers were snatched before their eyes at auction, off to be sent abroad. A few flowers from last week still going strong mixed with some new. One of the benefits of living in Holland, I will never pay the prices in the rest of the world for flowers. But even I have a budget/ limit each for each week. Roses and tulips from last week. Affordable Helleborus, delphiniums, snowballs and more from this week.
Have a lovely Sunday and happy International Women’s Day. Here’s to strong, soft, beautiful, funny, smart, kind, vulnerable, women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.
#internationalwomensday #flowersalways #colorlove #currentmood

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Mar 7

Sugar tulip ‘La Belle Époque’ and peony. This week last year was one of the last days before everything changed and all our lives were different from one moment to the next. I was on my way home from a lecture @stlartmuseum in Saint Louis, Missouri. In that previous year I had been traveling quite a few times. I remember while waiting at the airport thoughts were crossing my mind that I wanted to travel less and spent more time with my family. Little did I know... be careful what you wish for they say.
I cherish this time with my family but what I wouldn’t give to return, if only a bit, to life as we once knew. I can’t wait to teach again. I can’t wait to travel again. I long to see friends again. Spring is around the corner and so are normal times. We just have to hang in there and make the most with what we have.
Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. Up next my Sunday flowers. Some things don’t change.
#sugarflowers #botanicalart #tulip #peony #currentmood

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Feb 28

Happy sunday from my home to yours. Roses with tulips and spring blossoms. The Flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) almost like wallpaper. They are one of my favorites because they are proof that spring is around the corner. A new week, a new month and a new year for me. Today is my birthday. Thank you for being here with me. I could not ask for a better more beautiful gift in these times where everything feels up side down. An afternoon spent at the beach with my family. An old friend stopping by (safely social distancing) and cake to celebrate. Happy March everyone. Life will not always be this way. Spring is just around the corner.
#springlove #flowersalways #colorlove #currentmood

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Feb 28

Sugar peony from last spring. Second photo behind the scenes, keeping things real in my kitchen studio. Same sugar peony together with a real peony ‘Etched salmon’. Working with real flowers always the best prototype. I will never beat nature but trying to get close remains the most fun. Up next my Sunday real flowers. Real or sugar... working with flowers is a very sweet life. Happy sunday and a wonderful new week everyone.
#sugarflowers #botanicalart #peony #currentmood

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Feb 21

Happy sunday from my home to yours. First Anemones of this year from Saturday’s market. With temperatures rising flowers are readily available again. Thank you for all your lovely comments on my instastories last week. All the ice and snow is gone but the energy and fun from last week still with us. It was exactly what so many of us needed in this time of lockdown. It isn’t often that I received so many questions so I would love to explain a few things. Because it is so rare, from the moment we hear that frost might be on the way, most in the Netherlands will start to fantasize. Will we? Or won’t we? Skating in NL is that/dead serious. My children get skating lessons at the age of 8/9 in school. During school hours the whole class will take a trip by bus one morning of the week in winter to practise at an indoor ice skating hall. Lots of people have skates stored in the attics so frantic WhatsApp messages from friends borrowing and pleading for different shoe sizes are no exception. To say we love it is an understatement. Ice skating is in our Dutch DNA. You can’t escape but when the days are here you don’t to want to either. With water everywhere, each canal, pon, lake, river will be a place to practise and enjoy. Ofcourse there is always a risk but mostly skating is always done safely. There are some video’s with much hilarity where things went wrong. No one in the end was harmed. There is always a rope to pull someone out of the water.
Last weeks ice and snow now a memory. Spring has sprung today. Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone sending all my love always from Amsterdam.
#anemone #roses #scabiosa #carnations #flowersalways #currentmood

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Feb 21

Sugar Anemones
We went from skating the canals and lakes last Sunday, to the warmest Sunday in February ever recorded in little over a week today. I would have loved to have the snow and ice for one more week but feeling the warmth of the sun again was, I must admit, was a very pleasant surprise.
Anemones in our home this week so this flower taking center stage. I know, I know I’m late to the party but 15 sec of Reals in my instastories. I really need to practise some more but hopefully more coming soon.
It was lovely after last week’s absence, because of the extraordinary cold, to see my flower friends at the market again. Skating was all we talked about. Happy to be back to all things floral. My Sunday flowers up next. Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. It is never too late to learn something new.
#sugarflowers #botanicalart #anemone
#currentmood

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Feb 14

Happy sunday from my home to yours. Lilacs and roses for Valentine’s Day. It has been below zero this past week. Unfortunately because of the cold there weren’t any flowers on Saturday’s market. So happy to still have these in our home. We waited with much anticipation for the canals to freeze. Mother Nature didn’t let us down. Magical scenes on our waters that have turned to ice, made everyone stop and enjoy the day. Even a snowday from school, it was time to enjoy the moment and have some fun. I’ll get back to work shortly but for now I’m going to enjoy all the beauty (instastory) we were able to experience. Spring temps expected for next Sunday. Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. We only have now, always try and seize the moment whenever you can.
#roses #lilacs #happyvalentinesday #flowersalways #colorlove #currentmood

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Feb 14

It has been 10 years since we could skate the canals of Amsterdam. What we all wished for all week long, a dream come true. A weekend of fun after days of frost. Please swipe for a beautiful Valentine’s Day moment today. A couple dancing and celebrating with a bottle of champagne, totally in love. I just adore how they savored the moment earlier today.
We enjoyed the city in the morning and took a drive to the countryside after lunch. Skating the lake with our children, I could not think of a better way to spent Valentine’s Day. Frozen Amsterdam canals, my children skating, Dutch winter scenes and even a bicycle on ice..(...) more in my instastories. Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. Cheers to love and dreams coming true.
#winterwonderland #amsterdam #winterishere #currentmood

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Feb 7

Happy sunday from my home to yours. Code red because of the weather and strict lockdown. Staying home has never been more serious. Quarantine has been hard but the beautiful snow all around, has given us so much joy.
Flowers from Saturday’s market. It will continue to freeze this next week. Chatting with my market vendors they couldn’t promise me to be there next Saturday. If it is too cold, flowers simply won’t survive the outside temperatures. But this is Holland, there will ALWAYS be flowers. Some of my favorite winter Dutch yellow roses keeping me warm.
Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. Stay safe and warm.
#roselove #flowersalways #colorlove #currentmood

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Feb 7

Amsterdam in wintertime. First serious snow, it has been a while. Same street from two sides. Now imagine this... walking out of your door here and being able to skate the canals.... this is what we all dream about at the moment. They closed the locks and below zero temps expected throughout the week. Let’s hope these waters will turn into the thickest ice.
It has been so long, I’m truly hoping this will happen. More of Amsterdam in my instastories.
Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. Never give up hope.
#winterwonderland #amsterdam #winterishere #letitsnow #currentmood

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Feb 6

A sugar peony from the past. All fluffed up and nowhere to go the caption a couple of months ago. A curfew because of lockdown, this remains my Saturday mood. I planned on posting my sugar version of peony A. Fleming from earlier this week. Unfortunately because of this weeks schedule and early darkness I didn’t make it on time to finish and capture. Overwhelmed by your lovely responses on my stories just now.
I can hear the wind howling. Code red given by authorities, the Netherlands is bracing itself for extreme winter weather. Snow and lots of it, expected. The locks in Amsterdam have closed, making way for the canals to freeze. It has been 10 years since this happened. I have no idea what my city is going to look like when I wake up, but the excitement is felt by all of us.
My son celebrated his birthday last week.
We were lucky to plan something outdoors before the weather started to change. A dozen friends invited to play soccer (his favorite) and eat cake. We brought a ball for everyone attending as giveaway. Normally each and every year we (as most parents) go out of our way to come up with the next best, most exciting way to celebrate. Lockdown forces you to keep things simple. All it took was a couple of balls, our beautiful park, a chocolate cake and his friends to make my son happy. When we put him to bed, I was so happy and relieved he told us that he had the most amazing day. After almost two months of online learning, my children will go to school again on Monday. Only elementary schools will open safely again. Shops, restaurants etc will stay closed. Lighting the fireplace, with a glass of wine, all fluffed up and nowhere to go remains.
Have a lovely Saturday and great weekend everyone.
#sugarflowers #botanicalart #peony #currentmood

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Jan 31

Happy sunday from my home to yours. Would you say no to bright pink peonies in the middle of winter? I texted one of favorite flowervendors if she could provide me with some poppies again. Trying to buy some extra time with new fresh poppies (previous post). She texted me back that unfortunately she wasn’t able to buy them at auction but she did manage to get some A. Fleming peonies. If I would be interested... oh yes please!!
I went to the market early. Just to be sure. Suffering from pandemic fatigue occasionally because I really miss going places and doing things, these are the moments of joy in strange times. Last poppies with peonies. Flowers to the rescue always.
Wishing you a lovely Sunday and bright, beautiful new week everyone.
#peonylove #flowersalways #colorlove #currentmood

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Jan 31

Sugar poppies
To tell you the truth... I have no idea how these came about. Recreated from last weeks real poppies we had in our home. I managed to make them in between breakfast, homeschooling, preparing lunch, homeschooling, more homeschooling and dinner. A race against time before the real ones as perfect prototype, started to wilt. Just like so many other parents trying to work in the hours and minutes allowed during lockdown. Not the best photograph because there was literally not enough light at the end of each day. After so many weeks of doing the best I can, these flowers do make me feel good.
Real poppies almost gone, these sugar poppies here to stay forever.
Up next my Sunday flowers. Have a lovely Sunday and beautiful new week everyone. No matter the circumstances I hope you are able to do what makes you feel good.
#sugarflowers #poppies #familylife #currentmood

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