Grote nachtpauwoog ~ CSI case #85

After being absent for a while (busy with the end of the schoolyear and then a few weeks to France), I'm back again with case #85 from CSI.

This is case #85. Don't you love those colors?
Here is my take on the case:

On the last day of our stay in Castellane (Provence, France) I found this caterpillar. Of course I took pics of it. The colors are great for this case file!

EVIDENCE (USE AT LEAST 2 CLUES)

• labels, tags
• numbers
• decorative brads or buttons
• string

TESTIMONY (USE AT LEAST 1 CLUE)

• Make a numbered list of five interesting/ important things about your topic.
• Write your journaling on a tag.
• Hand-write your journaling in cursive.

Love, Miranda

CSI case #71

Areyou ready to solve case #71 at CSI?

Here is how I solved this case:

 THE SCHEME (USE ALL 5 COLORS)

• Summer Sun- buttery golden yellow, taken from the building - 241.225.140
• Cheery Cherry - bright red, taken from the bike  - 237.28.33
• White Whistle - white, taken from the speech bubble - 255.255.255
• Blue Birds of Happiness - pale turquoise, taken from the top of the cloud - 211.240.236
• Concrete  - medium gray, taken from the sidewalk/street  - 116.116.118

 

EVIDENCE (CHOOSE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS)

• bicycle accent
• circles
• birds
• hearts
• ink/paint splatters

TESTIMONY (CHOOSE AT LEAST 1 ELEMENT)

• Use a song title or lyrics as a jumping off point: Bicycle

My journaling:
For my third birthday, I got a bike. When I went down the stairs, after Mom and Dad on bed had sung for me, in the hallway was my new bike.
The joy shines from my face. I just got a bike!
It was a wonderful birthday gift.

Love, Miranda

25 years of marriage

I can hardly believe it myself, but Hans and me were married for 25 years on April 28.
And we went on a suprise trip. A suprise for me it is, cause Hans has taken care of everything!

We went with a little private plane on Saturday 27th April. André (our brother in law)  did fly us to Balen in Belgium. To my surprise our 2 best friends were there. They had come with our convertible. So we went further with our car and ended up at this little castle in Wittem (Zuid-Limburg in the Netherlands).
I was totally astonished!
We had a few great days, driving to the beautiful surroundings that we know so well, eating a lot and enjoying the castle and each other.

Thanks my love, for a great unforgetable weekend!

Love, Miranda

Srping 2013 ~CSI case #70

 Wahoo, here is my first reveal as part of the DT of CSI (Color, Stories, Inspiration). I'm so proud to be part of this amazing team!

SCHEME (USE ALL 5 COLORS)

• Prettiest Pink - carnation pink, taken from the bike - 233.129.152
• Palest Pink - light pink, taken from the highlights on the bike - 252.230.233
• White Picket Fence - white, taken from the white tulips  - 254.253.249
• Leaf Green - medium grass green, taken from the leaves - 169.203.129
• Handlebars - black, taken from the handlebars - 2.1.6

 

EVIDENCE (USE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS)

• circles
• label
• paint
• distressing

TESTIMONY (USE AT LEAST 1 ELEMENT)

• document something about spring
• tuck your journaling inside something (like the flowers in the basket)

My journaling (on the label, tucked behind the pink paper):
It took such a long time for spring to begin this year! It was a long winter, both literally and figuratively. 
My need for sun was getting bigger and kept being cold. 
Until the end of April, then slowly it became spring and I didn't have to wear my wintercoat anymore, although it remains close by on the coat rack. The weather is very changeable.
Now that spring has started again, I can recharge my energy and try to shake off this winter fatigue.
 

Love, Miranda

Sketchabilities sketch #90

And here is sketch #90 at Sketchabilities! Come join us and play along.
And this is my take on it:

 

The pictures I used are from my trip to Barcelona in 2010. 

With my collegue Pauline I went up on the Sagrada Familia. It was so perfect.

We had a perfect time.

Love, Miranda

CSI case #69 ~Don't open till July 2017

Case file #69 is open for investigation:

My last one as Special Investigator (guest DT). Next week is my first reveal as part of the DT.

THE EVIDENCE (USE AT LEAST 2 CLUES)

• flowers
• number accents
• circles
• metal

THE TESTIMONY (USE AT LEAST 1 CLUE)

• Be inspired by this prompt or explore other prompts by clicking on the random or archive buttons.

 

 I wrote a letter to my future self. It's in the envelope, that's partly hidden under the papers and photo's.
I can open it after my 50th birthday, that will be in July 2017.

Hope you'll play along!

Love, Miranda

CSI casefile #68 ~ Defining moment

It's that time again: a new casefile at CSI.

And here is my take on this case:

EVIDENCE (USE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS)

• circles
• polka dots
• flowers
• paint

TESTIMONY (USE AT LEAST 1 ELEMENT)

• Choose a prompt from here that contains either a 3 or a 5 in the number. 

This is the one I choose:

MY JOURNALING (behind the pictures):
October 1969:
As a two year old, my life changed, even though I was unaware of it for a long time.

My parents were expecting a baby, their second child.
It was almost there, my mom was 9 months pregnant.
The nursery was decorated, everything was ready for the baby that was so welcome.

Every morning when I woke up, I first went to the nursery and I looked in the crib.
I was so looking forward to the new baby, a brother or a sister to me.

But on 15 October it all went wrong.
The delivery took off, but my brother was stillborn. The child which was awaited, was dead. My parents were extremely sad.
My brother was placed in his crib in his room, but mom was not allowed to see him. It was better if she did not see him, because that would not be good for her. I doubt that very much....
The rest of the family (mom, grandparents, uncles and aunts) have seen him and say it was the most beautiful baby of us three.

I was brought to the neighbors when labor began. The next morning I didn't went into the nursery as usual, where my brother was still in his crib. I probably felt that I should not do that, even though they had not told me anything.

Dad buried my brother, together with his father, .
From then on my life was different. Of course there was sadness in the house. Sorrow for the child that was not there. Sadness that I tried to compensate. Unconsciously, for the rest of my life .... Until I became aware that I did, many years later, when I was already a grown-up.

My whole life my brother was there, but he never really got his own place in our lives.
Mom and Dad wanted to protect us and therefore had not told us his name.
They did not want us to feel obliged to, when we would have kids of our own, name it after the baby.
So they always talk about 'the boy' and his name was known to no one. On his grave wasn't a stone. Only a number.

And that has made my life  difficult. My brother was there, but there seemed to be no place for him. He had no name by which he could be remembered and his grave was no homage.
Fortunately I could talk about that with momwhen I got older. She was also suffering from that.

In 2009 I decided that this had gone on long enough. I wish my brother would get his own place in our lives.
By then I knew that my brother was called Alex and I wanted to make something for his grave.
The conversations with mom made it clear to me that it had to be a dragonfly, because that had an emotional value for her.

I have been working with an artist to make a large dragonfly from stainless steel a  whole day long.  
That was a healing process. And I was so proud of the result.

Eventually, until October 2012 the dragonfly stood in the garden of mom and dad, in the middle of their pond. My brother had finally come home.

When mom died, so soon after daddy, we decided that Alex was reburied together with them.
The dragonfly is on their graves and has become the monument of their love for each other. Finally joined together in death. And that is comforting.  
 

Love, Miranda

Sketchabilities #89

Hi,
On the site of Sketchabilities is the reveal of sketch #89.
This is the new sketch, awesome as always!

And this is my take on it:

 

On the pic you see the decoratiosn I made for easter. Egg shells, filled with water and anemones. The eggs are placed on a saucer.

Love, Miranda

CSI case #67

It's time for another case at CSI. Are you going to investigate this case too?
I have as a Special Investigator for the month April.

This is the case:

And here is how I solved it::

EVIDENCE (USE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS)

• stars
• outline elements with pen
• use plain cardstock

 

 TESTIMONY (USE AT LEAST 1 ELEMENT)

• Handwrite your journaling
• Inspiration Words: think, chaos, question-- use these as inspiration for your journaling, not just as a title

SKETCH: Feel free to rotate, substitute elements, etc., but use as inspiration for your page.

My journaling:

If I'm busy and chaotic, if my head is full of worries and questions, there is only one solution that always works: ride in the convertible.  
The hood open, the wind in my hair, and just not thinking.  
No more thinking, but enjoying the beautiful scenery, the smells that drift by, and enjoying the scalp massage that's included. Fortunately, we both love it and as soon as the weather permits, we are in the convertible many hours.

Love, Miranda

Guestdesigner at CSI this month!

I'm so honored and excited! I'm guest designing at CSI this month.

This is the first case of April: #66.

And here is my take on this case:

EVIDENCE (USE AT LEAST TWO ELEMENTS)

• arrows
• plaid or check pattern
• bow/ribbon
• pocket
• plain white background

TESTIMONY (USE AT LEAST ONE ELEMENT)

• "Anatomy of..." Use the format of The Scene for your topic
• Handwrite your journaling
• Put your journaling in a pocket

Journaling (hidden  behind the pic on the striped card):

May 2007
 
In the woods of Zonnestraal I have discovered woodpeckers.  
So armed with camera, lenses and tripod I go on the hunt, to shoot that perfect picture.  
Hours I'm busy with it and I make hundreds of photos.  
But that perfect picture, I have Photoshopped.

Love, Miranda

Different sides of me ~ CSI case #65

  
EVIDENCE (CHOOSE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS)

• stripes
• ribbon
• circles
• mini brads
• white space

TESTIMONY (CHOOSE AT LEAST 1 ELEMENT)

• Three sides of me--document three distinct parts of you--interpret as you wish!

Journaling:
Home: quiet, myself, a bit lazy, sensitive, vulnerable, creative, caring.
School: take the lead, stimulating, motivating, active, strict, strong.
In company: find it hard to start talks, in the background, quietly.

So many different sides that still all really belong to me. But the time I am myself the most, is when I'm at home.....

Love, Miranda