Those Whom We Have Loved

The mother of one of my best friends from high school and college has passed away.  She had Alzheimer's and has been slowly slipping away over the past six years.  It's such a cruel disease and so hard on the person's family and friends.  So this weekend I've been making sympathy cards to send to my friend, his brother, and his mom's best friend and long-time neighbor.

Because it's easier to make sympathy cards for women, I started with this one for his mom's friend.  I think she will like the soft colors.  The stamps are all from Stampin' Up.  I stamped the large flower twice and trimmed away the outer petals from one of them in order to create a layered effect.  The Anna Griffin embossing folder used for the white layer is called Rosa.

Thanks for popping in.

Supplies:
Purple and lavender cardstock; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; rubber stamps from Stampin' Up; mowed lawn and seedless preserves distress ink; Ranger Archival black ink; clear embossing powder; Anna Griffin embossing folder; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; corner rounder punch; pop-dot.

Simply Wonderful Mother's Day

We've been so busy around here that the word for Mother's Day was "simple."  We had a simple dinner of roast turkey breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and vegetables.  I made a clean and simple card using patterned papers by Simple Stories and a "simply wonderful" stamp from Stampin' Up.

All in all, it was a simply wonderful day.  I hope yours was, too! Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Yellow Swiss dot cardstock by Bazzill; naturals white cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers  by Simple Stories; sentiment from Stampin' Up; Versamark ink; black detail embossing powder; oval, scalloped oval, and label Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Martha Stewart butterfly and border punch; corner rounder punch; rhinestone stickers; pop-dots.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

I created this card for a friend who is turning the big 4-0.  We had a great time celebrating the occasion and I'm happy to say that she can still party like a rock star.

Since she's the baby of the family I decided to make her a sweet card using one of my favorite Tim Holtz images.  I combined it with pretty papers by My Mind's Eye and used four different Nestabilities to create some lovely layers.   The large ribbon flower from Michaels was jazzed up with a little glitter glue.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a grand day.

Supplies:
Dark pink and light pink cardstock; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; focal image by Tim Holtz; Ranger Archival jet black ink; oval and lacy oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; banner die-cut by Spellbinders; birthday sentiment from Stampin' Up; pumice stone distress ink; flower from Michaels; Stickles glitter glue.

Happy Mother's Day

Hello and Happy Mother's Day !  Today I'm going all girly-girl on you with the card I made for my mom.  Thanks to some pretty patterned papers, I was able to create a very sweet card in colors that evoke these lovely days of spring.  And since this card doesn't have to be mailed, I can go all out with texture and embellishments.  (And size!  This card is a whopping 6x8 inches.)

I used several dies by Spellbinders.  The flower petals are from the peony set.  I used my hands and ordinary objects, like the rounded end of a paintbrush handle, to shape the petals.  (Hint:  if you want to sponge any ink around the edges, it's easier if you do that before you shape the petals.)  Each petal was glued to the one below it using Glossy Accents, and a dew drop was added to the middle.  The green leaves and ivory foliage are also Spellbinders dies, as is the green border near the bottom of the card.

The patterned papers are all from a collection by My Mind's Eye.  I selected the papers for the flowers first, then chose the papers for the background.  I just love how the little bird in the top right corner and the bird cage on the left work with my design.  The sentiment was stamped on a paper from the same MME collection and die-cut with a Spellbinders banner.  It was adhered using foam tape.  The flowers and leaves were adhered with Glossy Accents, so they're not going anywhere. 

Thanks for popping in!  Whether you're celebrating your mom or being celebrated yourself, I hope you're having a glorious day.

Supplies:
Dark pink cardstock from Stampin' Up (I think; if not it's Bazzill); ivory cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; Nestabilities by Spellbinders: peony, leaves, foliage, border, banner; antique linen distress ink; sentiment from Stampin' Up; watering can Ranger Archival ink; border punch by EK Success; Dew Drops; Glossy Accents; Scotch foam tape.

Love Heart Trio - Valentine Postcard

I sent several Valentine postcards like this one this year.  I started by creating the hearts. I used three different distress inks and the wrinkle-free distress technique on watercolor paper, then cut out the hearts.

The base of the postcard is bristol vellum paper covered with vintage sheet music and book text.  After stamping the sentiment on white tissue paper, I adhered it to the background and sponged distress ink around the edges.  The hearts were adhered with gel medium and outlined with Gelatos and a black Stabilo All Pencil.

The final step was to spatter on some white acrylic paint.  Some pieces just need that extra little touch of white all over to pull everything together.  On this last one, I also sponged on additional distress ink through a piece of punchinella.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Thanks for dropping in.

Sweet Sympathy Card

When my parents first got married, my dad was working at a meatpacking plant, delivering meat products to grocery stores and restaurants all around the area.  He became good friends with one of the other drivers, Clarence, whose wife Marge also worked at the plant.  Clarence and Marge were some of the first friends my parents had as a married couple, and I would say that Clarence was my dad's best friend.  We spent a lot of time with their family when we were kids.  When Clarence died of cancer, that was the first time I remember seeing my dad cry.

Now Marge has passed, and it feels like the end of an era for us.  My parents are in Arizona for the winter, but my brother and I were able to attend the funeral.  In spite of the somber occasion, we enjoyed spending time with Marge and Clarence's sons and reminiscing about the good old days.  Family is important, but the friends who become family make the stories of our lives.

Have a wonderful day. 

Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; floral and sentiment stamps from Stampin' Up; green and purple markers; Ranger Archival black ink; Anna Griffin embossing folder; round and lacy round Nestabilities by Spellbinders; corner rounder punch; pop dots.

Those Whom We Have Loved

My favorite uncle on my dad's side of the family has passed away.  The funeral service is not for a couple of weeks so I planned to mail sympathy cards to my cousins, even though I know I will be seeing them at a family reunion before the service.  I still plan to do that, but in the meantime my mom asked me to make a sympathy card that she can give to them in person.

I used my favorite sympathy stamp set from Stampin' Up for the front.  The flowers were colored with Tombow and Marvy markers and stamped without reinking.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a wonderful day.

Supplies:
Fuchsia and pink cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock and rubber stamps from Stampin' Up; Marvy and Tombow markers; Ranger Archival black ink; Cuttlebug embossing folder (scrollwork) by Provo Craft; Stickles; Nestabilities die cut by Spellbinders; pop-dots.

Be Silly - Scrap Card

As a stamper and card maker I always end up with a variety of paper scraps.  Cardstock, patterned paper, old book pages and sheet music, you name it.  If I were smart I'd use those scraps right away to make another card or something.  But I'm not, so I don't, and I've just decided to accept this fact about myself.  On the bright side, when I come across these scraps during one of my cleaning and decluttering phases, I'm inspired to create something.

I bought these patterned papers by Prima Marketing because of the education theme and the fun black and white photos.  I added the "be silly" sentiment from Artistic Outpost for a quick and cute card for a friend of mine who teaches first grade.  I decorated the envelope with another photo and an envelope wrap that was a gift from my friend.

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a fantastic day and don't let anyone play an April Fool's joke on you!

Supplies:
Gray cardstock by Bazzill; patterned paper by Prima Marketing; sentiment from Artistic Outpost; Ranger Archival black ink; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; pop-dots; envelope wrap by We R Memory Keepers.

It's Hard to Say Good-bye

I sent this card to a dear friend who recently lost her father to cancer.  Cancer sucks.

Supplies:
Red and tan cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; floral and sympathy sentiment from Stampin' Up; Marvy markers; Ranger Archival black ink; Pitt black artist pen; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Anna Griffin embossing folder; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Clean and Crisp Sympathy

Just ten days ago I could boast that my mom still had three uncles living.  Now within one week we have lost two of them.  Both have been in declining health and lived very full lives, but it's still difficult to say good-bye.  My heart goes out to my aunt and cousins who have to deal with such sadness right before the holidays.

So among my Christmas cards I had to make another sympathy card.  I've used this sentiment numerous times because I think it's absolutely lovely and very comforting.  The floral image was colored with markers and stamped twice without reinking.

I hope I don't have to make another sympathy card for quite a while!

Supplies:
Textured white cardstock by Bazzill; green and whisper white cardstock by Stampin' Up; flower and sentiment by Stampin' Up; markers; Anna Griffin embossing folder; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Stickles; corner rounded punch; foam tape.

Big Oak Sympathy

I took a break from Christmas cards to make this sympathy card.  Until a few days ago my mom still had three uncles living (my grandma's three youngest brothers), now there are only two.  I'm sending this card to my aunt and cousins to express my sympathies.

This oak tree is from an older set by Stampin' Up called Lovely as a Tree.  It must be one of SU's most popular sets ever and for good reason: the images work on a variety of cards from autumn-themed to Christmas, from birthday to sympathy.  For my card, I stamped the oak on very vanilla cardstock and colored it with Prismas.  That bit of blue under the tree was an experiment at first, but the more I played with it (with odorless mineral spirits and a blending stump) the more I liked it.  It almost looks like there's a range of misty mountains in the distance.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Have a great weekend!

Supplies:
All cardstocks by Stampin' Up; tree from Stampin' Up; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; circle and scalloped circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Sizzix embossing folder; Provo embossing folder; Cuttlebug; Martha Stewart border punch; Scotch foam tape.

Pink and White Sympathy

The second job I ever had was at a Dairy Queen, and I have to say it was probably one of the best jobs I ever had (and not just because of the treats!).  The original owners, a husband and wife, ran a quality business and treated me very well.   I worked there my last two years of high school and when I came home from college for spring break and the summer, they gave me my job back so I could earn money for school.  All together I worked four years there and have a lot of fond memories of the place and the people I worked with.

I created this sympathy card to send to my former DQ boss June, whose sister recently passed away.  Dorothy had worked at the Dairy Queen when they needed extra help and even though she was old enough to be my grandmother, she was just about the liveliest and funniest person around.  I know that June will miss her terribly so I hope my card and letter will bring her some comfort.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies:
White and pink cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock by Stampin' Up; stamps by Stampin' Up; Marvy brush markers; Ranger Archival black ink; round and lacy round Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Anna Griffin poppy embossing folder; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Red and Green Cute as a Button

Here's another little card using the Cute as a Button stamp set from Red Lead Paperworks.  I'm going to use this one as a birthday card, since I happen to need one at the moment.

Have a great day!

Supplies:
Red cardstock by Bazzill; naturals ivory cardstock by Stampin' Up; patterned paper by My Mind's Eye; stamps by Red Lead Paperworks; Ranger Archival jet black ink; narrow oval and narrow scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; small oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; Karen Foster scrapper's floss; corner rounder punch; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

Happy Napa Wedding

My friends Marylee and Chris recently got married in Napa, California.  It was a destination "wedding/honeymoon" just for the two of them.  (They previously threw an engagement party for family and friends, before relocating out of state due to Chris's job.)  After seeing their trip photos, I created this card with images reminiscent of their trip which included a hot air balloon ride, a day on the Napa Valley Wine Train, and of course, wine tasting!  And since she posted a wedding photo on social media, I was able to download and print a copy of them on their special day to add to the mix.

I had to scan this card in order to get the colors somewhat close to the original.  Her color scheme for both the engagement party and the wedding was purple, so I used purple for the cardstock base and mat.  The train and hot air balloon images are by Artistic Outpost, and the wine image is from Stampin' Up.  I computer-generated the word Napa in a pretty font to coordinate with the Congratulations stamp I used on the inside of the card.

I just love being able to personalize a card in this way.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Purple cardstocks by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Ranger Archival jet black ink; train and hot air balloon images by Artistic Outpost; wine image from Stampin' Up; border flourish stamp by Inkadinkado; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; pumice stone and dusty concord distress inks; round and scalloped round Nestabilities by Spellbinders; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; corner rounder punch.

Happy Birthday!

This birthday card features some lovely patterned papers by My Mind's Eye, die-cut with the Spellbinders peony set.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up.

TGIF!  Thanks for dropping by.

Supplies:
Blue cardstock by Bazzill; naturals white cardstock and sentiment from Stampin' Up; Ranger archival black ink; peony, foliage, and banner die cuts by Spellbinders; Martha Stewart border punch; dew drops; corner rounder punch.

Leafy Pear - Moo

I decided to make a third vintage botanical moo for the swap I'm in.  I like to create series of themed cards, even though I know the cards will get split up by the hostess.

I bought this pear stamp (by Stampin' Up) on Ebay to use on greeting cards, but the pear ended up being much smaller than I thought so I haven't used it much.  But I hung onto it and lo and behold, it's the perfect size for a mini card!  I stamped it on smooth cardstock, colored it with Prismacolor pencils, then carefully, care...ful...ly... fussy-cut around the entire image, even between all the leaves and the fragile stems.
 

 Here are the three vintage botanical moos together. 

 Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
140 lb watercolor paper; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye and The Paper Studio; very vanilla cardstock and pear image from Stampin' Up; Stazon black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; antique linen and vintage photo distress ink; peat and white charcoal pencils; Adirondack gold and espresso acrylic paint dabbers.

Sending Love and Sympathy

One of my aunts passed away this week, so I created this clean and simple sympathy card to send to my cousins.







Supplies:
Poppy red and whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; sentiment from Stampin' Up; green cardstock by Bazzill; black Stazon ink; Marvy makers; oval, scalloped oval, and label Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Cuttlebug embossing folder; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Fancy 50th

I created this card for some friends of my parents who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this month.  My mom originally requested a different color scheme (based on the couple's favorite team's colors), but it just wasn't coming together for me and it was simply too dark for such a joyous occasion.  Once I switched to a lighter color combination (AND changed the sketch, AND made the card larger, AND went with different flowers), the card started to come together.

I bought the flourish and banner Nestibilities just this week at Tuesday Morning for the mere price of $6.99 per set.  The anniversary sentiment by Stampin' Up is the perfect size for the small banner.

Have a great weekend!  Thanks for dropping by.

Supplies:
Green and shimmery white cardstock from Stampin' Up; gold stationery from Target; sentiment from Stampin'  Up; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; Nestibilities: circle, scalloped circle, lacy circle, flourish, and banner; die-cut numbers by Provocraft (cut on the Cuttlebug); border punch by EK Success; paper flowers by Recollections (Michaels); Anna Griffin embossing folder; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Pitcher and Pears

This lovely stamp is part of Stampin' Up's Studio Sketches set (which I think is retired now).  I bought the set because the images would be fun to color and they make cute, everyday cards. 

I'm sending this to my favorite cousin who has been ill.  She appreciates my cards and I know that receiving one brightens her day.  I included a long letter for her to pore over while she's resting.  Sometimes, "old school" is best!

Thanks for dropping by!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Purple cardstocks from Hobby Lobby and Bazzill; whisper white cardstock and stamp from Stampin' Up; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; round and scalloped round Nestabilities by Spellbinders; EK Success border punch; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Elegant Embossed Sympathy Card

Between my mom and I we've needed several sympathy cards in the last month.  I have only one sentiment that I really like (by that I mean a sympathy-appropriate sentiment other than the generic "with deepest sympathy").  Since it's my go-to stamp, I've used it on almost every sympathy card since I got it about a year ago.  It's a set from Stampin' Up called Love and Sympathy, and you can see it here.  To keep it fresh for myself, I simply change other aspects of the card such as the size, color, or embellishments.

For this card, I used a beautiful embossing folder designed by Anna Griffin.  It includes a coordinating border and personifies elegance.  I'm so glad that companies are now making larger embossing folders.  They make it so much easier to make larger cards.

I've been searching for another sympathy stamp so if you have a favorite (non-religious) sentiment that you use, please leave a comment and tell me about it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; naturals ivory cardstock from Stampin' Up; stamps from Stampin' Up; Marvy markers; black Stazon ink; Poppy embossing folder and border folder by Cricut; EK success border punch; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.