Postcard Challenge 22

Here you can find last weeks card!

Broes was a bit nervous but in hindsight he should have known moving Emily wouldn't be troublesome.

She was perfectly packed and didn't have all that much stuff.

She loved everything about the apartment and seemed to be at ease with the horses and cows in the barn. Even his buddy King, a mixture of unknown dog breads he saved from the animal shelter six years ago liked Emily, which was quite surprising since he didn't like people overall. 

Broes felt good about the decisions he made lately but went traveling with a heavy heart, he just wanted to be with Emily... Better not to show her too much and scare her away, take it easy and let her settle in first!

This week I made a menu in paint and printed it to stick to a card.

Simple but effective! :)

I'm trying very hard to catch up...

The back reads:

No thanks at all, in the end you're helping me out too!

I hope this is the first mail in your new mailbox.

I'm inviting you for dinner. I'll have the table set and hope to see you Saturday around 7pm.

I can't wait to hear how your first week went...

I'm sorry I had to leave you alone so fast!

Broes

Thank you Darcy for another great country!

Go and check out the other travelers!!!

It's fun, I promise! :)

 

Postcard Challenge 21

Last card can be found here.

Did she take the invitation and went to an unknown destination?

Of course she did!!! :)

Broes rang the doorbell at exactly 9am and Emily was all packed and ready to go.

She had no idea where he was taking her and hoped that some of the talking involved her being almost homeless. She didn't think Broes really knew how serious her situation was but her parents gave her one more week and then she had to be out of the home she grew up in...

Broes took her to the airport and then he could no longer hide, they were flying to England, to London to be more precise!

How wonderfully romantic. Last time he visited her in Paris, so maybe next time they could go to Rome! Yay!

The weekend in London was all she hoped for and more. She learned Broes' parents wanted their boy to be independent and able to take care of himself and built him an apartment in the barn for his 16th birthday. Recently Broes had a farmhand living there but Mario married and found another job. Now the apartment was empty and he needed someone to take care of the animals and property while he was out on his travels and wondered if Emily was willing to take the job.

That meant having a roof to sleep under and a job at the same time!

But would she be able to see Broes as her new boss?
She had only one week to think about it...

Emily in London, behind her is the English Flag

Drawing with the help of the Cotton Candy Girls class by Natasha May  

Colored with Derwent Colorsoft pencils

The back reads:

Thank you for an amazing weekend!

And the even more magnificent offer to provide me with a house and job!

I've been thinking about it a lot...

I have to say YES! and grab this chance with both hands but I'm still not sure what this will do to our relationship... Time will tell, I guess...

I can't believe you will also help me with the move with your car and trailer.

It feels like winning the lottery!

XO Emily

Thank you Darcy for another great country!

Go and check out the other travelers!!!

It's fun, I promise! :)

Postcard Challenge 20

I'm getting there!

Here's the card for week 19!

This time we're supposed to pick a country in West Africa.

I'm not traveling, but making them send inspirational cards to each other! :)

Broes was happy to see another fun and bright card between his mail.

Too bad the message wasn't all that happy... 

Right there he decided to take Emily out for the weekend, whether she wanted to go or not, they had to talk! He had the best idea for her to rent, he just wasn't sure how to bring it to her.

His proposal could be taken in two ways, of course he hoped she would be thankful and take the offer without thinking about it!

But he knew Emily a little and knew he had to tell a good story to make her buy it...

Photo of a beach in Cape Verde

Colored bright and tropical with Derwent colorsoft pencils

and it has a lovely blue distressed edge (that went a bit missing with scanning... *sigh*)

The back reads:

How about a small wooden house on this lovely beach in Cape Verde?

I want to invite you to go with me next weekend.

I think you can use a change of scenery, and your parents can use a break too...

Be ready Friday at 9am, I'll have you home on Sunday before 10pm 

and in between we have a lot to talk about!

See you Friday!

Broes

Postcard Challenge 19

Okay, it took me a couple weeks but I finally found some time to make my next card for the Postcard Challenge over at Art and Sole!

Hopefully I can make a couple more and be all up-to-date in the challenge soon...

Here you can find the last card!

Emily is all surprised to receive a card from New Zealand and the skeins of Possum Merino feel so soft. She knows they have to transform into a beautiful shawl soon!

For now she has her hands full searching for a place to rent. She tried the official way through an organization and found out there's a waiting list of about 13 years!

Seriously? 

The way it's going with her parents right now she's glad if they let her stay for 13 more days...

Snail House - Sofia - Bulgaria

The back reads:

I really don't feel like traveling right now. 

My parents have been giving me a hard time and I decided it's time for me to move to my own place.

Unbelievable how some people can take the joy out of living!

I really like this snail house in Sofia.

Do you think they have a room to rent me???

XO Emily

Oh, did you notice she's so troubled she forgets to thank him for the yarn?!

Postcard Challenge 18

Yikes, Friday again!

Last weeks card can be found here.

Come and travel with me...

Broes was ready to go back to work after two weeks of hanging around, walking the dog and making small repairs on his property.

He was happy when the phone rang but a little shaken when he found out he had to go all the way to Hamilton... 

New Zealand!

That's at least 38 hours on the plane! What a way to start work again...

The province Waikato has the highest rate of dairy farming, there are about 1,415.000 dairy cows and they provide 29 - 35% of all milk products for export.

If he can sell those farmers on his device he might be able to quit working at 40!

This week I tried to paint an original Red Barn which you'll see all over the New Zealand country side.

It's a pencil drawing with watercolor.

And yes, I was a bit too quick here and there,

blame it on the children who have a break this week! ;)

The back reads:

Emily, you're not a wimp! You've grown up while they stayed teenagers!

I'm in Waikato at work this week and stumbled upon Knitsworld where they sell Possum-Merino.

I had to buy you two skeins to support the people here to decrease the population of Possums.

They eat too much native trees, plants and bird-life and are responsible for spreading diseases under sheep and cows.

I hope you will knit something nice and warm with it!

Where are you planning to travel next? It would be nice if we could hang out together again...

Broes

Don't forget to check out the other world travelers at Art and Sole!!!

I love your comments and will come by all of you to leave some love this week! :)

 

Postcard Challenge 17

Hi again!

Ready for this weeks card?

Here you can find last weeks card! 

Now Emily was home for a while she had time to look up some old acquaintances.

She used to hang out with a lovely bunch of activists, 

who just liked to protest more than really seriously having something to say.

When she finds out they are going to Norway to visit the criminal trial of Anders Behring Breivik in the Oslo courtroom it seems a great idea to go with them.

For the good old times...

This weeks postcard is made from a watercolor painting I made this week

I looked at Utøya from different angles but the coastline like we saw them the first days on the news made the biggest impression and so I painted a couple trees reflected in the water.

Here's my complete painting:

And the back of my card:

 

 And it reads:

God Dag from Norway!

I met some old friends from high-school and they talked me into protesting in Oslo, to make sure Breivik gets the death penalty...

When talking here to some relatives I learned it might be better to have him behind bars forever, living a lousy life and being remembered of his horrific deeds on daily bases...

My 'friends' made fun of me and called me a wimp.

I guess the traveling changed me a lot...

XO Emily

Don't forget to check out the other cards from Norway!!!!

I'm ready to visit the other blogs and leave some love all over! :)

Postcard Challenge 16

Sooo... Friday again...

Time to travel to Romania...

But I gave Broes a break, remember?

He's sending his card from home but it was inspired by the looks of slavic girls.

Broes just found a card from Emily in his mailbox again. A card all the way from Iceland!

He had never been there before and he would've loved to be with her, visiting the 25 waterfalls...

Oh well, being home for a while was very good too.

After 10 days he felt ready to go back to work and he was looking forward to whatever place he would be sent to next...

But first to pick out a lovely card to send to Emily and some calling around to see what was open to rent. He was determined to help her, although she came across quite happy living with her parents for a while. Reading her cards he didn't feel much of her darker moods lately.

Maybe he shouldn't rush things...

New stamp from Gorjuss, stitched by hand and machine, 

made the paper roses with a die, English Rose by Marianne Design.

The back reads:

The house I live in, is the house I was born in!

When my parents where no longer able to live here and take card of the animals and fields it felt only natural to by all this and move 'back home'.

I never really thought about what I wanted or needed and I really like it here, kind of in the middle of nowhere but still only half an hour from the airport.

Sometimes I do think it would be nice to have a family waiting to come home to...

Broes

Don't forget to check out all the other travel stories!

Thanks for all the comments, I really love reading them!!! :)

Postcard Challenge 15

Wow, this week was short...

On Wednesday I went out with the flu

today is the first day I feel a bit better!
And so we're off on our travels again with Emily!

This week Emily is off with her parents and sister Daphne.

Her parents celebrate their 25th anniversary and to top off their before holidays of hiking in Austria her dad decided on a tour through Iceland to visit 25 waterfalls!

Emily wonders what's wrong with a good party with the entire family, some neighbors and friends?

But she decides to play the good girl, after all she loves to travel and she hasn't been to this island before...

Broes last card was nice as always. He even wants to help her find her own place!
Maybe she should carefully prepare her parents first...

She didn't think her father would like it very much and wondered if he was willing to help her buy a place. She never really thought about a place of her own, what she thought she needed, where she wanted to live...

Maybe she should take this week to figure out what exactly she wanted, with all the traveling she never had to make serious decisions, the question didn't get harder than to stay or not to stay!

This week I made a collage of a couple of the waterfalls.

I love waterfalls!!! :)

The back reads:

Hello Broes,

It's around 5C here and mostly pretty wet...

My parents are celebrating their 25th anniversary here with a tour along 25 waterfalls.

I think I've seen enough water for a while...

For now I must choose a place to rent,

when I buy it should be for a longer period and for now I'm not really sure about my long term Goals for Life...

Any advice is appreciated, how did you come to live where you are today?

XO Emily

Don't forget to check out the other wonderful stories with Darcy!!!

Postcard Challenge 14

Week 14, and off we are!!!

Here you can find last weeks card...

Broes walks barefoot from his kitchen to his computer, with a big mug of tea in his hand.

He's getting ready for two weeks of nothing and is so ready for it!

He opens the mail and sees one from his buddy Andrew, if he wants to help out being a caddy at a golf tournament. He can do that! It will be fun to hang out with Andrew!

He calls and catches Andrew at dinner.

How's this possible??? 

Soon all is explained, Andrew is in ....

Singapore!!!!

And that's where the tournament is too!

So, there he goes again, up the stairs to pack his bags and run off to the airport

for a week of fun in a luxurious Country Club.

How unpredictable and wonderful can life be?

 This is a drawing of the Orchid Country Club in Singapore where the golf tournament is held this weekend for the third time in a row.

I used my Lyra Aquacolors for this drawing.

The back reads:

I'm at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic 2012 Golf Tournament this week as a caddy.

Thought it would be fun and give me time to think some while walking around but it's so freaking hot... 30C and thunder! 

Thankfully my room at the Orchid Country Club has A/C!

If you're really serious about getting your own place I might know of a couple great spots.

Just let me know if you're looking to buy or rent, okay?

I have some connections (that's how I ended up here too!) and I love to help you out.

I'm not really charmed to meet dads in the middle of the night either. ;)

Broes

Thanks for stopping by, I love reading all your wonderful comments on my cards and story!

Don't forget to leave your love with all the other world-travellers!!!

Postcard Challenge 13

Ah, Friday again!

Can you believe we made it to week 13???

And as far as I can see my story isn't ending just yet... :)

Here you can find last weeks card! 

 

Emily had no idea how to contact Broes before Saturday so she went to the Israeli restaurant on her own but gave Broes a chance to bring her home after a wonderful evening.

As expected her dad was waiting up with the lights on so there wasn’t much space for a thorough goodbye and she definitely wasn’t ready to invite Broes in to meet her dad.

Her excuse was she had to get up early the next morning to go to the airport with her sister Daphne.

Daphne is always working hard and saving up her money to start her own hair-salon one day and Emily warns her she forgets to have fun while she’s still young enough to enjoy it all. Daphne is way too serious!

Emily is still surprised her sister agreed on this trip together under just one condition, something with a spa, manicure, pedicure, massages and so on…

Where better to go than an all-inclusive resort with a real Hammam in Turkey?

 It's a photo this week because I've been sewing lots! 

If you're curious just read the messages below from past week... :)

The back reads:

Thank you again for the wonderful evening at Ha'Carmel! I really had a great time. Hope we can do it again one day soon!

As you know I'm being pampered in Turkey now. It's so good to catch up with Daphne!

I'm thinking about travelling less and save up some money so I can get my own place.

It's really lousy to have your dad wait up when you're 23...

Hugs,

Emily

PS Please keep mailing to my PO Box.

Parents don't need to know everything... :) 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, I love reading all your wonderful comments on my cards and story!

Don't forget to leave your love at all the other world-travellers!!!

Postcard Challenge 12

This week Darcy decided to send us to Israel.

The first thing I thought of was when Dana won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998

She was born a boy... Pretty smashing, right?

~click and play~

But that didn't help me a bit on how to let Broes go to Israel...

The guy sells milking devices to cow farms. How hard could I make it for myself?

And so I decided to stay home, in the Netherlands for another week! :)

 

Another week went by and another card arrived. Broes is so happy with Emily’s last card. 

She wants to meet again!

Well, he’s not going to let her have second thoughts about it and decides they need to go to dinner together so they can talk for a while.

But where to go? He doesn’t really like to eat meat himself, not that he’s a vegetarian but he just likes the cows and horses walking in the fields much better…

And what does Emily like to eat besides chocolate?

Looking at all the postcards from Emily and the places where he’s been in the past months he notices they haven’t been to the Middle East. It’s been a mess up there for years and he wouldn’t visit there soon without a very good reason so why not go to an Israeli restaurant. It’s not a place where he comes a lot but the idea of ‘glatt kosher’ seems nice.

Broes almost skips to the Post Office to mail his invitation. If only he knew where she was staying, he would just go there and take her somewhere by surprise…

 I know, I should do something about my terrible photographs or stop giving my cards 3D-elements so my scanner can handle them... (Any advice? Feel free to throw it in!!! :))

This card really has the most wonderful purple color!

The inside reads:

Dear Emily,

I would never leave you alone just like that!

Like I said before I'm truely interested and I can't wait to see your new hair-do. It sounds like a lot of fun!

I took the liberty to book a table for us next Saturday at a lovely Israeli restaurant where they play live music and serve delicious food.

I really hope you can let me know where you're staying now you're in the Netherlands for a while.

I only have your P.O.Box and I would love to pick you up this Saturday!

Otherwise I'll just have to wait patiently and hope you will show up...

Looking forward to see you again,

Broes

Restaurant Ha'Carmel, Amstelveenseweg 124 ~ 20.00h ~ March 24, 2012

Thanks for stopping by, I love reading all your wonderful comments on my cards and story!

Don't forget to leave your love at all the other world-travellers!!! 

Edit:
Look what Picasa can do to my photo!!! Thanks Margaret!!!

 

Weer thuis...

Ik heb het weer overleefd! :)

Het was weer ontzettend gezellig, vreselijk gelachen en zowaar ook nog wat gedaan!

Home again...

I survived my crafty weekend! :)

It was so much fun, laughed so much and even made some stuff!

'Ons' hoekje!

Ik kom net weer aanlopen...

'Our' corner!

I'm just walking in... 

De hele groep dames...

Bedankt voor de gezelligheid!!!

The entire group of ladies...

Thanks, I had heaps of fun!!!

 En de onthulling... Dit is de kaft van mijn boekje voor de Postcard Challenge!

Ik vind de titel helemaal geweldig, Imagine... Stel je voor...

Dan kan mijn verhaal gewoon nog lekker alle kanten op want we hebben nog ruim 40 weken te gaan en ik heb werkelijk geen idee waar het gaat eindigen! :)

Tadaaaa.... This is the front of my book for the Postcard Challenge!

I'm completely in love with my title, Imagine...

Since I have no clue where my story is going to end, which countries are coming and there are still 40 weeks left to let Emily and Broes fight, kiss, meet and mail I can't imagine a better title! :)

Dit is helemaal niet mijn normale stijl, 5 of 6 lagen papier over elkaar, 3D-roosjes, distressen enz. 

maar jee, wat heb ik genoten van het maken!

This is not my usual style, 5 to 6 layers of paper, 3D-roses, distressing and so on

but gee, I had so much fun creating this! 

Hier zie je nog wat pagina's uit mijn boek. 

Ze zijn helaas nog niet af maar het weekend was gewoon te kort! :)

De rechterpagina heeft een landkaart van het land waar we zitten en daar wil ik nog een uithangbordje op maken met de naam van het land.

En een gleuf om de kaarten in te stoppen.

Op de linkerpagina's gaat het verhaal verder zoals ik het voor de kaart op mijn blog zet.

Here some sampler of pages from the book.

I haven't finished them, the weekend was way too short! :)

The left page is the story as written in my blog before I show my card.

The right page is a map of the country of that week with an opening to slide the cards in. 

I still want to add a sign with the name.

Ik heb ook nog een ATC-tje en een kerstkaartje gemaakt maar vergeten foto's te maken...

Ik ben nog nooit zo moe geweest na een weekendje weg!

Het waren hier twee heel chaotisch en hectische weken met als afsluiter dat ik vrijdagavond onze pleegzoon voor altijd terug naar zijn moeder bracht. 

Het is goed zo, maar je hecht je toch aan zo'n mannetje en het is emotioneel wel even zwaar...

I also made an ATC and a Christmas-card but forgot to take a photo of these...

I haven't felt this tired before after such a weekend!

We had two crazy and hectic weeks which ended in me taking our fosterson to live with his mom from now on on Fridaynight.

It's okay, it's just emotionally hard to detach now...

No matter how hard we say we won't attach since it's a foster-child, they still manage to take a place in our hearts!

Postcard Challenge 11

And once again it's Friday...

 Welcome to my humble country!!! :)

I can't wait to see what you all come up with and I'm pretty sad I have to wait until Monday because I'm off this weekend doing nothing more than being crafty and chatty with 30+ other lovely ladies! 

Yay!!! :)

Emily is once again on a train, back home for a while!

The handsome German guy wanted way more in return for his snowboard lessons than she was willing to give and as usual she ended up running away...

Honestly she's a bit tired of running around and wonders if it really was so bad at home. She knows it's time to visit her family, to really feel what they taught her about standards and values!

She picks up her mail at the Post Office and is surprised to find the beautiful card from Broes.

The message brings tears to her eyes.

He could have died in Canada!!!

And she would never have known and that's what makes her feel... terrible!

In doubt if she could just visit him she decides to buy one of those terrible tourist-y postcards and send it to let him know she really does care about him.

The question is how much?

I used an old rubber stamp sheet... I guess it's name was Ready2Stamp.

Colored with my Derwent Coloursoft pencils.

 

The back reads:

Oh broes, did you really almost die in Canada?

I can hardly belive your message. If that happened I would heva thought you were done with my mood-swings.... (don't worry, I'm used to it!)

And I would never have known the truth...

Isn't that sad?

I'm home for a while, can we meet?

-XO- Emily

PS My hair is black with orange bangs this week! :)

Don't forget to leave your love at the other lovely participants in this challenge!!!

Postcard Challenge 10

Here you can find last weeks card!

I'm sorry I haven't found the time to comment on all your cards... It's partially because of the weird words that appear when I want to place my comment. I have a very hard time reading them...

Besides this was a crazy week! I have started my card just yesterday and spend this morning finishing it... Oh, how wonderful life is, right? :)

Broes jumps in his car and rushes off to the airport again and hits the brakes at the last moment to check his mailbox. Again...

He was afraid Emily has stopped writing and he has no idea where he could find her.

The sun just pops up over the horizon and he is very surprised to find a card in his box.

Emily!

And she didn't sound all that bad...

Oh, how he wishes his next job is in Switzerland, too bad he is on his way to Canada!

Broes picks up a rental car at Toronto-airport and is on his way to a farm in Neverland or something.

He hasn't seen a soul in hours and is wondering if he ever arrives. Looking at the navigation system he sees he has another three hours to drive and he really doesn't like to see the sun go down.

He hates to drive in the dark, especially in unknown surroundings.

By the time he's off the highway and really in the middle of nowhere the car sputters and dies just like that... He's no mechanic and doesn't want to meet the wild-life and stays in the car.

He puts on all his clothes and starts praying he will make it through the night. It's around -20C and the snow softly falls. He doesn't recall a moment in time where it has been this quiet and dark.

Somehow he manages to fall asleep, thinking of Emily...

When he opens his eyes he looks into worried dark eyes in a weathered face. Not sure if this is saviour or the end, actually he doesn't even care anymore, he's so cold and stiff, anyway out is okay!

The man is part of an Indian tribe living nearby and they take care of him while they arrange to get his car fixed so he can go on to his final destination.

The young ladies are embroidering cards to sell on a market where they go once a week and Broes decides to buy one for Emily and tell her all about his latest adventure.

The Indian girl tells him it represents the Candian lakes, they have estimated there are 31,752 lakes bigger than 3km² in Canada.

This weeks card is a mini-quilt with couched DMC, satin ribbon and funny fiber.

Decorative machine stitching, handsewn lines and french knots and hotfix crystals.

  The back reads:

What a marvelous view. I truely hope you are able to enjoy it!

I'm on my way to a remote farm in Ontario, Canada but my rental car broke down and I ended up with an Indian tribe. They are very helpfull and I really think I would have frozen to death if they hadn't found me that night.

This card is made by the young ladies here and reminds me of your hair in Paris. I wonder what color it is nowadays.

Really hope you find your Mojo back soon...

Broes

Once upon a time, like February 22nd, 1999

a crazy couple from the Netherlands

went all the way to the Niagara Falls 

to fulfil their dream of a lovely little Winter wedding.

Temperatures were around -18C, during the day so it all was a dream come true!

Yes, that's us! 

And we're still very happy together and very  much in love with Canada.

We tried to emigrate but lots of things and children came in between...

I had a lovely week thinking about what to make to show my love for this beautiful country that carries a piece of my heart.

Hope you all had a wonderful week too!!!

Don't forget to check out the other participants at Art and Sole!!!

Postcard Challenge 9

It's Friday! Again!

Is it me or is 2012 in a hurry?

Here you can find last weeks card!

Wales is good to think but soon enough Emily feels bored again, besides she has enough of the grey hills and the soft rain that falls most of the time.

She jumps on a train and it takes her all the way to Switzerland were she finds a job at a little stall renting ski-necessaries with a very handsome German guy. Will her life change for the good again?

It has a little balcony in the back with this breathtaking view and Emily decides she will take a photo and send it to Broes.

After all, he had send her one of the sweetest messages ever, telling her he's truely interested. Not sure how to take that message but he does make getting the mail so much more fun!

Photo borrowed from here!

We had a schoolbreak this week so I took the easy way out, printed it and taped it to a card so it has a nice white edge around which of course will not be seen by my scanner...

I don't want to fall behind, too scared I won't be able to catch up!

Besides Emily is feeling so-so and I didn't want to use lots of colors, the cards have to fit with her moods! :)

The back reads:

Want to know how I'm feeling?
Good, me too!

Confused? Shaken? I don't know how I feel but for now I don't really like walking in my shoes...

At least I do enjoy this marvelous view all day!

Railroad in Switzerland is the best!

So, what have you been up to?

Emily

Don't forget to take a look at all the other cards to be found on Darcy's blog!!! :)