Hi Ilse, it’s great to talk to you! First of all, could you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you, where do you come from, where do you live now? Tell us a little bit about your personal background!
Hello, I would like to introduce myself to all of you. My name is Ilse, I live in Belgium not far from Ghent. I am happily married and our 2 children are my most precious gift in life. Lucas, our son will turn 18 next year and our daughter Eva is almost 16 years old. I am born in South-Africa: my parents emigrated in the seventies and they lived there for more than 8 years. My twin sister and I have spent 5 years in this magnificent country, our youngest sister 2 years. Unfortunately, we don’t have many memories because we were very little when we returned to Belgium.
Is photography just a hobby or maybe even a profession of yours?
Photography is just a hobby. My profession I would describe as rather dull: bookkeeping. My boss has too many customers and very few technicians so it’s quite challenging to do the bookkeeping when the telephone never stops ringing.
Your IG Feed is filled with beautiful compilations of flowers and other heartwarming accessories! How do you come up with your ideas?
I like shopping in a second hand shop. When I see a beautiful cup or saucer, I buy it for my new creation.
I can imagine that your home must be decorated with different flowers all around the year! Do you have a special connection to flowers and maybe even a favourite type of flower?
Despite of what you would think, I don’t have many flowers in my garden because it’s not really a garden. It’s a small courtyard with an old barn. This year, my husband removed some of the terraces to make a little vegetable garden and he planted some flowers. Finally, cosmos flowers in different colors brighten up the place. I love them.
What inspires you and why?
Small things inspire me: little flowers, beautiful leaves, weathered wood, blue skies, small clouds. Nature has so much to offer.
Tell us a bit about your creation process! Do you arrange your pictures spontaneously or do you already have the picture in your head before you start?
My creation process goes spontaneously. I pick flowers along the way or in our little garden. Sometimes I have an idea in my head but the result turns out completely different (laughs).
When and why did you start sharing your work on Instagram?
I’ve started IG in 2018. Initially I just wanted to share some pictures but then I found it a great way to use my creativity and to have some small quite moments for myself.
Do you have a favourite picture you have created? Can you tell us the story behind it?
My favorite picture is the flower heart I’ve posted in 2020 on April 25th. Every year my twin and I celebrate our birthday together (we have not missed a single one in 49 years). The day before that specific birthday, my sister wondered which photo I was going to post. When I told her, that I made something especially for her, she was a little bit disappointed (why don’t you share a picture of the 2 of us?) That day we did not only receive twice the kisses and the wishes, the flower heart was liked a lot and Pickmotion made a wonderful card of it.
What moments in life make you the happiest?
Small moments of joy make me the happiest: family time, a good glass of wine, reading a book in the sun, a good meal, a little walk with a family member or friend.
How do you feel about your Instagram community? Do you communicate a lot with them?
I am so happy with my followers: they always appreciate my little creations. They send me heartwarming compliments and beautiful comments which I truly appreciate. With some of them, I really feel connected: it feels as if we know each other in person. We often chat in private. We talk about our real live in Dutch, French or English. I adore speaking languages, but I don’t have the opportunity in real life: some of my IG friends sent me spoken messages: I ♡ it and I always write back in their native language.
Can you name some of your favourite Instagrammers that inspire you?
One of the Instagrammers that inspired me in the beginning was @nico_louis1 but he isn’t active anymore. I also like the work of @alexandrahaelters. Her pictures are so clean and beautiful and her creation style is similar to mine.
When was the last time you wrote a postcard? Do you have a favourite postcard you have ever received?
I wrote a postcard a few weeks ago to my beloved godmother of 85. She is still in very good health and we love being in each other’s company. Together with the postcard I’ve added some photos of a family party in August. She is always so happy and thankful to receive post from me. My favorite postcard is one my daughter drew for me.
Finally, would you like to share a little story or anecdote with us? Feel free to tell us anything!
As I told you in the beginning of the interview, I am born in South-Africa. When we returned to Belgium at the age of 5, it was winter and we had never seen snow before in our childhood. When we arrived at our Grannies home, we were so surprised to see a white carpet full of « ice-cream ». Our mom told us that the first thing we asked our grandma was a spoon to eat from the ground.
MM-1035-EN, MM-1035-FR, MM-1240-DE, ZG-0982-DE
Thanks again to @i.l.s.e._dp for this lovely little talk! Make sure to follow her on Instagram to see more of her beautiful creations and keep your eyes peeled for these and even more PICKMOTION products with her pictures!
