News from the studio · Soest

Everything I made (part 9)

By Martine de Jong · 16 August 2026

A newsletter on my birthday - what a celebration!

Pink studio with a desk, art supplies, bookshelves and two desk chairs.

Greetings from my studio! What did I make this week? Well, an awful lot! We have started preparations for LUBACH again, and especially during the preparation weeks I make a great many things. I make them together with Tom and Oscar; sooner or later you will see them appear on television. Although making TV also means cutting things, lots of cutting, so just imagine how much we make!

Apple pie with candles for Martine's 51st birthday.

The loveliest thing this week was that it was my birthday! In fact, it is my birthday TODAY (Sunday 16 August), can you believe it? I made this apple pie.

Martine picking apples from her own apple tree.

In the morning I picked apples from my own apple tree, an unbelievable luxury. The apples on the ground had already been mostly eaten by animals. We often see a little deer (a roe deer) standing there that is very fond of apples.

This was the harvest before it became the apple pie.

Mixed-media portrait on paper with a blue-green background, red striped hair and a blue-green sweater.

I also had some time to paint this week and made someone in a winter sweater, getting an early start because I always feel like winter sooner than other people do.

Mixed-media portrait on paper with a peach-pink background, blue-yellow face and a striped sweater.

The following evening I made another winter sweater, an even warmer one!

Partial solar eclipse above dark trees, with power lines in view.

On the evening of the solar eclipse I took this photo. Funny how the lens flare gave a better view of the eclipse than the sun itself did.

Open sketchbook with purple trees and figures on a desk.

I made some trees and little figures in my sketchbook. I notice that I am looking for something new again, especially after all those landscapes I made for the exhibition.

Mixed-media portrait with a purple face, black striped hair and a blue striped jacket.

That is how I made this person, in a colourful shirt. Drawing the hair was calming. I always enjoy it when they suddenly turn out to have a personality. This person certainly has an opinion about something, you can tell!

Mixed-media portrait with a blue-pink face, black-and-white striped hair and a dark background.

A person with a hysterical collar but a friendly character.

Mixed-media portrait with a purple-pink face and closed eyes.

And a calm person. All the little paintings are for sale too, by the way!

I took a photo of a grass snake in the pond.

Miniature watercolour set with paints, palette, brushes and paper.

I received this wonderful miniature watercolour set for my birthday.

Preserving supplies and a large electric WECK preserving cooker.

And this fantastic gift from Arjen: now I can save the rest of the apples too! What else can I make with that large unit? All tips are welcome. See you next week!

Comments