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Bloomer talk with Manous

Every now and then, in addition to portraying, I also enjoy talking to my Bloomers. Today a nice conversation with...

and.bloom

Creative content creator
All women are beautiful 🌸
Photographer & author of
“The Art of Aging Unapologetically”
#andbloom

I’m Danielle — a late bloomer. It wasn’t unt

I’m Danielle — a late bloomer.
It wasn’t until I turned 40 that I truly began following my passions and investing in my personal growth. And even now, at 50, that journey is still in full swing.

First and foremost, I am a proud mother of two sons. Watching them grow into their own people and being able to guide them along the way brings me so much joy. After my divorce, I was lucky enough to find love again — and it’s extraordinary how a deep connection can grow even stronger with time. In Dutch, we call it being a zondagskind — someone blessed with good fortune. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced over the years, life has an incredible way of turning itself around.

The things I struggled with as a young child are still part of me. The difference is that now I recognize them and know how to live with them: fear, worrying about others’ opinions, uncertainty — all so unnecessary!
If I could give advice to my younger self, it would be: You don’t have to be liked by the whole world.

The only thing I dislike about getting older is realizing there’s less time left to do everything I dream of — I could easily live ten different lives!

That said, aging also feels like a tremendous liberation, as long as I can stay independent. I’m not afraid of dying; in fact, I’m genuinely curious about what lies beyond this life.

@joy2woman #andbloom #portraitphotography #womencommunity #styling @dayennebekker

You only live once — make it count. ✨ Life is

You only live once — make it count. ✨

Life is far too short to play it safe or to stay in your comfort zone. Every day is a new chance to create memories, chase dreams, and build a life you’re proud of.
Start the adventure you’ve been dreaming about. Book the ticket. Take the class. Launch the project. Say yes to the opportunities that scare you a little — they’re the ones that help you grow the most.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Every stumble is a lesson, every setback a stepping stone.
It’s better to try and fail than to spend your life wondering, what if...?
At the end of the day, the real regret isn’t in falling — it’s in never daring to fly.

So take the leap. Trust yourself. Live boldly, love deeply, and never forget: the best stories are written by those who dared to begin.

#holidaytime #andbloom

Walking trough a cactus field — it perfectly mat

Walking trough a cactus field — it perfectly matches my occasional moods: prickly, dramatic... honestly, I felt right at home. 🌵

LoL.

I’m currently on vacation, so to be fair, I couldn’t feel better right now. Warm, chill vibes, no reason to stab anyone with my cactus.

But let’s be honest: that’s not always the case.
Irritability is apparently a charming little gift from perimenopause — although if you ask Martin, he’s convinced I’ve been this way since, like, forever.

Personally? I think I’m doing just fine. Some might even say I’m a joy. (Those some might just be me, but still.) 🤣

That being said, the cactus forest was absolutely photogenic. Honestly, it was a beautiful day — and so was my mood (most of the day).

#andbloom #perimenopause #jumpsuit limited availability in my shop 🌴

Who wants to join me at the beach? 🏖️ I wish

Who wants to join me at the beach? 🏖️

I wish I could bring you all along to enjoy a beautiful day together and show you around this stunning island. So far, Bonaire has been exactly as everyone promised: wonderfully peaceful.

It’s an incredibly quiet place, and after a little road trip around the island this morning, that sense of calm was only reaffirmed. We ended up at Sorobon Beach for some beach fun and a laid-back lunch.

Bonaire, part of the Dutch Caribbean, is home to just a small number of residents. It’s much quieter than Curaçao, and honestly, I’m so grateful there aren’t endless temptations or activities pulling us in every direction. It allows us to truly unwind.

Every night we head to bed early and wake up with the sunrise. Evenings are spent enjoying simple meals at home – our home away from home, as someone beautifully said to me yesterday. I drink lots of water, wear hardly any makeup, and try to eat as clean as possible.
The only thing I really miss here is my gym.

This May school holiday always feels like a reset, as if my body finally gets a chance to reboot after a long winter. I’m letting it soak up the warmth and fully recharge.

The yellow blouse I’m wearing was a lucky sale find at @andotherstories and the blue shorts are from a set I sell in my own shop.

#bonair #bliss #andbloom #familyholiday 🌴 @boutique.bonaire

Shiny happy people over here! And if you’ve seen

Shiny happy people over here! And if you’ve seen this reel, you’ll know exactly why… We’ve landed in beautiful Bonaire! 🏝️

We flew here with @corendon.nl — our first time ever flying with them, and it was a great experience. Boarded in Amsterdam, stepped off in sunny Bonaire. With lovely service on board it felt like a perfect way to go.

The weather? Warm, partly cloudy, with that classic Caribbean breeze. 💨

We’re staying in an amazing penthouse from @boutique.bonaire complete with a fabulous rooftop terrace overlooking the ocean, a little pool, and a rental car to explore the island.

Day one was all about settling in (at least for me), but from now on it’s: Hello, Bonaire!
We’re excited to see what this island has in store, especially since it’s our first time here. And so far? It’s making a great first impression.

Fun fact: there’s even a Dutch supermarket here — not surprising since the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) are still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We even saw a flyer today about a local King’s Day celebration! 🇳🇱 I think we’ll be snorkeling. 🤿 🐠

#bonaire #travelgram #andbloom

This trip was made possible by Corendon and Boutique Bonaire ❤️

Be your own kind of beautiful. Wear what you love.

Sharing a bunch of snapshots today from everyday l

Sharing a bunch of snapshots today from everyday life.

Lately, I’ve noticed I don’t take as many photos in and around the house. I tend to feel much more inspired when I’m away — on location, on a trip, somewhere new. I know why, too. The lines between work and home have become increasingly blurred, and as a result, home doesn’t quite feel like the calm, creative space it once was. Instead, it often feels more like… a workspace.

Which is kind of ironic, because I actually do so much from home — I photograph here, I write and edit here, and I’m still packing and shipping out all the shop orders straight from the living room.

But still, the past few weeks brought some beautiful little highlights.

Like celebrating Easter with grandma and grandpa. 🐣

Like that unexpected moment in the museum where we met a dead person. I can’t help but wonder every time I look at that photo: did that person know, when they donated their body to science, that it would one day be part of an exhibit? And be photographed — often? Such a cool way of recycling. 💀

We also visited the stunning exhibition by Pien, which left me feeling deeply inspired again (so grateful for artists like hers). And right now, we’re soaking up every bit of the spring break — capital E for Enjoying. Just one more day and we’re off to Bonaire. Suitcases are packed, and I already know that once I’m there, the urge to document everything will come rushing back.

Oh, and Finn had his King’s Day celebrations at school — hence the little Dutch flags painted on his cheeks (and his BFF’s too). The rest of the photos? Just everyday magic: the most stunning spring flowers from Tof, and my latest, slightly mysterious project 😎 — more on that soon.

Wishing you a beautiful day, wherever you are.

#tuesdaythoughts #andbloom

I don’t want to anti-age. I want to live. To gro

I don’t want to anti-age.
I want to live.
To grow gloriously old—
with a face and body full of wrinkles,
grey hair wild and free,
and a never-dying sparkle in my eyes
each time I think about the adventures I’ve lived.

I don’t want to look back and remember all the times I worried
about looking older, getting wrinkly,
or wondering if I should have had my face done.

I want to look back with pride—
knowing I lived fully, felt deeply,
and aged without apology.

Because beauty doesn’t fade.
It evolves.

Let’s change the narrative.
Let’s stop fearing what’s real and start celebrating it.

And for heaven’s sake—come up with a different term than anti-aging!

#organicunderwear @elliot.organics

#ProAging #EveryLineCounts #LiveFully #RewriteTheNarrative #agingispower #AndBloom

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