CSI - Color, Stories, Inspiration Case File #9 -My Oldest Bird in the Nest

This was created for CSI - Color Stories, Inspiration Case File #9

This is a layout that features my oldest son.

I took this photo as part of his senior photos summer 2010.  He needed to smile because this was our 3rd time out trying to get some decent photos for his senior year book.  What a chore doing your own child's photos.  UGH!  There was no incentive for him to smile other than the threat of us doing this yet a fourth and fifth time.  Guess the threat worked.

We actually had a nice day and even chatted about his plans for the future.
Soon enough, this bird would fly.

In March 2011, my son decided to edit his journey a bit from what I expected he would do.  I guess that was my problem.  They were my expectations and not his.

Shortly after his 18th birthday, he chose to move 1000 miles away and not finish his senior year at home.    At that point, he was not finishing his senior year at all - he was dropping out of school.   Shock, sadness and a mother's utter heart break overcame me, but once again this was not my journey but his.

He did pack up and in 3 days notice, he was gone.  Hopped on a plane and was 1000 miles away. He also told me not to call, that he would contact me when he needed me.   More heartbreak for me.

In July, almost 5 months of being gone, he called and asked to come home.  He had made a bad choice and regretted his move.  Jubilant shouts of "yes, yes, yes come home."

He has come home with a new attitude, a new respect for home, a new person.  I guess he had to find himself and it worked.

Here are the colors for the case file:

Here are the particulars:

COLOR DETAILS & RGB CODES

You must use all 5 colors:

• Arose - (dark pink) lighter part of balloon stripe - 147.24.28
• Cloudy Skies - (a beige that's got a pale, pale olive green tint to it) dictionary page - 224.78.111
• Blue Birds of Happiness - (cyan blue) birds - 143.139.94
• True Blue - (a true blue with a tiny tint of teal) outline of the birds - 216.218.187
• Midnight Blue - (dark navy) basket of balloon - 235.233.219

EVIDENCE DETAILS ( I picked the highlighted ones)

Choose two (or more)of the following elements to include on your layout:

• text pattern (patterned paper or some other element, e.g., letter stickers, with a text print)
• striped pattern (patterned paper or other element that contains stripes)
• dictionary page (yep--tear a page out of an old dictionary)
• definition stickers (stickers that have words with definitions--these used to be really popular a while back--Making Memories had them)
• bird accent
• hot-air balloon accent
• mesh
• Use something translucent so that the background can show through

JOURNALING DETAILS (TESTIMONY)

Choose one (or more)of the following to inspire your journaling:

• Journal as a definition.
• Document a journey.
• Write a six-word memoir (see http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/ for examples)--This is really fun!
• Use a line or phrase from the song Wind Beneath My Wings and use that as a jumping-off point for your journaling - lyrics here:http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bettemidler/windbeneathmywings.html
• Inspiration Words: wing, roam, surround -- Inspiration Words are meant as jumping off points for your journaling--not just titles 

Thanks for looking