Sunday Share ~ In Memory of Andy

When it comes to making sympathy cards I usually do them on an as-needed basis.  It can be nice to have a few on hand that I can send when it is too difficult to make them, but as I rule I make them for the family as they are grieving the loss of their loved one.  It gives me time to process the grief.   If I did not know the person, then I spend that time praying for the people they left behind.  If I did know the person I also think about them and what they meant to me.  I remember the good moments and try to smile at the funny ones.  Grief is a difficult thing to deal with and we all go through it in different ways.  Making cards is one thing I do to help me through that process.  Unfortunately I have been making cards this week for my friend, my son's friend & his brother who lost their husband/dad early this week.

CTS 154

Even though making these cards is part of the process, I always head to the stamp room and stare at my table not knowing where to start.  Thankfully I had seen the Facebook post from CAS(E) this sketch and thought it was a perfect sketch for my needs.

The background was sponged with distress inks and then stamped with a scripty stamp.  I tried to match the colors, but wasn't concerned if they overlapped.   The mat behind my sponged piece was colored with the direct to paper technique.  It gave it a darker shade than sponging does so that the piece has a noticeable frame.  The stamp I used has been retired, but any script stamp, like Defining Words from Wplus9, will work


Next I stamped the sentiment and heat set it to avoid smearing.  This also helps the sentiment to stand out from the background sponging.  My last step was to add the vellum die cut to represent the butterflies in the sketch and some enamel dots.  I had planned on using butterflies when I started, but the vine called to me.


Stamps: French Foliage (Stampin' Up!) Forever In Our Hearts (Verve)
Ink: Dried Marigold, Squeezed Lemonade, Wilted Violet (Distress) Onyx Black (Versafine)
Paper: Solar White (Neenah)
Accessories: Geneva Vine (Memory Box) Now & Then Enamel Dots (MME) Blueprints 20, Blueprints 24 (My Favorite Things)

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blueprints 20

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blueprints 24

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Dried Marigold

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Squeezed Lemonade

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Wilted Violet

VersaFine Ink Pad, Onyx Black

Neenah Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pk

Poppystamps Dies, Beverly Vine

WPlus9 Design Studio Clear Stamps, Defining Words

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada

I want to wish all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving!  

Did you know that Saturday was World Card Making Day.  In honor of that I spent the weekend making cards and entering challenges.  One of the challenges was to make a card based on Canada's Maple leaf.  As you can see, I did use a maple leaf.  I was sure I had that leaf in a large stamp.  Apparently not.  :)  I hope my Canadian friends can forgive me and know that I was thinking of them when I designed this card.

It does sport the Cherry Cobbler Red and Whisper White of the Canadian flag.   I used the French Foliage stamp set for this card.  Isn't it pretty, even if it isn't the "right" leaf for the Canadian flag? 

Over the weekend I used my Heat Gun and Embossing powder more than I ever have.  It seemed like almost every card could use a little embossing or quick drying.  :)  I'll be showing you more of the cards I made over the next couple of weeks.

In case you missed Saturday's post, you might want to CLICK HERE.  I'm giving away some Blog Candy.  What's blog candy?  In this case it is a free stamp set (OR a set of cards made with that stamp set if you are outside of the US.)  It's pretty easy to enter to win.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

French Foliage

Curly Cute