1. The Messy Parade
Meet this beach beauty.
I made her for the illustrated poetry book Eilandgedichten – Island Poems, which I had the joy of creating together with Ian MacMenamin.
For this project, I spent a few days on Ameland, collecting and photographing things I found along the way. Anything I could use in an illustration. The beaches felt surprisingly clean. Or maybe they just seemed that way, compared to what I’m used to.
A few days ago, I heard a discussion on the radio about banning smoking on Dutch beaches. Not just for health reasons, though that too. A study in Scheveningen found that thousands of cigarette butts end up in the sand every single day. Just one butt can pollute up to 1,000 liters of seawater, according to the Trimbos Institute.
And of course… there’s the ongoing plastic soup crisis.
Yes, even in my own little “suitcase of souvenirs,” along with razor clam shells and barnacled driftwood, I found plastic trash.
So I gave this lady a kind of washed-up glamour: her bathing cap is made of flowing plastic.
And today I wanted to show a beach scene because I’m almost off to a beachy holiday myself.
Found: Ameland beach
Material: blue plastic bag
More Messy Parade: you can find the team here.
2. The marvelous
This Happened & It’s Good
Last week, I met Geertje van Rossum — she used to be a schoolteacher. These days, she’s a happiness coach, living on a zeilklipper and full of quietly brilliant ideas. One of them: a book pharmacy.
On her website ‘een boekje opendoen’, you’ll find book suggestions for all kinds of life struggles: loneliness, anger, and feeling lost. Each book comes with a little something extra: a fragment, a read-aloud excerpt, or a link to order it yourself.
You can also request a prescription by post: write Geertje a letter about what you’re going through, and she’ll reply with a book from her personal library; chosen just for you.
Often fiction. But Geertje? Entirely real.
(P.S. Her book tips are in Dutch.)
Place: A real book pharmacy on a zeilklipper (sailing boat)
Why: Because receiving the right book in the mail feels a little like magic
More: Dive into Geertje’s website and you’ll instantly see why she made it into the marvellous section
3. For the makers
A Tip for Creatives
Summer Sketching – Bugs, Books & Just Three Materials
Like many others, I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram.
But there’s one thing that always gets me excited: sketch challenges.
I actually started my account because I wanted to join the 100 Days Project.
What I love about challenges is the focus on process — not perfection.
Trying new materials, testing out colour combos, drawing without overthinking.
The community is kind, and it’s so inspiring to see what others create from the same prompt.
Do I always share what I make?
Not really.
Sometimes the joy is in making, not showing. And that’s fine too.
If you’re looking for a creative nudge this summer, here are three fun challenges worth checking out:
1. July Bug Week
Already started, but no worries, just jump in.
Draw insects, real or imagined, winged or rhyming. (like the prompt list)
Host: @k0.za
2. Three Materials Challenge
Limit yourself to three tools, 30 minutes, and some life drawing.
Perfect for travel, sketchbooks, and summer afternoons.
Try: a pencil, that too expensive marker, and a highlighter. Or: a brush pen, collage scraps, and that weird marker at the bottom of your bag.
Starts: August
Hosts:
@kathryn_boyt
@charlotte.durance
@naomipitting
3. Book Series Challenge – Mary Poppins
This one gives you time to prepare, and the prompt list is full of playful surprises. A magical theme and a wonderful group of hosts.
Hosts:
@mosokje
@sudden.strangeness
@sybandme
@so_so_bloger
@raczeszteranna
@jessicacorkran
@m.smith.j
@zeynebihteryildiz
@laura.0rsolini
I already started the Bug Week Challenge — hope you’ll join me!
About Three Nice Things
A short blog with three nice things: one messy, one marvellous, one for the makers.
messy – some sketchbook pages or a new character for my messy parade
marvelous – a spotlight on a good thing that happened or happens
one for the makers – a tip from me to you
Published irregularly — I aim for bi-weekly, but I’ll be skipping the next Three Nice Things post because of the summer holidays. I’ll be back in September with more messy parade members, tmarvelous little things, and creative sparks