In Time

Last night we learned that my mom's sole surviving uncle had a fall at home, broke his leg, and is rehabbing at a local care center.  We don't know how long he'll be there, so I made a card to go into the mail ASAP.

For this card, I used an image by Paperbag Studios that was one of the early stamps I bought when I started to make my own greeting cards.  I stamped it on a Daisy D patterned paper from my stash and set it aside until I chose my overall color scheme.

I used two patterned papers by DCWV for the bottom layer, but of course had to doctor them up a bit.  I stenciled distress ink through a piece of punchinella, then added coarse molding paste through a measuring tape stencil.  Once the paste dried, I tinted it with stormy sky distress ink.  I added more stenciling using just the ink.  Then I went back to my focal image and sponged on coordinating inks to tie everything together.

Making my own cards brings me such joy, and I don't know anyone that doesn't appreciate receiving a card or letter in the mail.  I think this is especially true of my generation and my elders, who grew up without email, texting or Facebook (or even cheap phone calls!  Remember how expensive it used to be to call long distance?).  For past generations, the mail was the method used to keep in contact with friends and family, both near and far.  It feels good to carry on that tradition.

Thank you for stopping by my blog.  Have a great day!

Supplies:
Dark gray cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by DCWV and Daisy D; In Time stamp by Paperbag Studios; splatter background stamp by All Night Media; Ranger Archival ink jet black; punchinella; Tim Holtz measuring tape stencil; Golden coarse molding paste; bundled sage, stormy sky, brushed corduroy distress ink; Ranger Archival ink watering can; oval and lacy oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; EK Success border punch; pop-dots.

He Left Us Too Soon

I created this artist trading card for today's Think Monday - Think ATC challenge, which is to use a diamond pattern. I made my own background paper using a diamond-shaped rubber stamp and the embossing resist technique on a scrap of old German text. I colored the paper with crushed olive and vintage photo distress ink.

The handsome young man is my friend Kathy's father, Raymond, in the early 1920s. I think he looks a lot like the silent movie star, Rudolph Valentino. Indeed, Ray was a contemporary of Valentino's (but not an actor), and like Valentino, he died at a relatively young age.


Here is an undated picture of Rudolph Valentino for comparison. Look how similar their hairstyles are. In some ways I actually think Raymond is better looking! I can't wait to tell Kathy that.



I hope you have a great Monday. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Diamond stamp by Paperbag Studios; old German book text; Versamark ink; clear embossing powder; crushed olive, vintage photo, and walnut stain distress ink; Basic Grey rub-on flourish; vellum round mirror image from my stash; copy of family photograph.