More Sympathy Cards

I'm sharing some encouraging sympathy cards that I made using my Concord and 9th You Are Enough bloom and my Year of Psalms stamps.  I stamped the flower image in Distress Ink (Peeled Paint and Wilted Violet) and then used the ink to watercolor in the image.  The sentiments are all stamped in Archival black ink.

I also used a glitter pen to add some sparkle to the flower.  In person, this sparkle is very subtle.  I meant these cards to encourage while the family is suffering and also as a sympathy card.  I think this technique provides a nice, subtle finish for both occasions.

The inside sentiments come from various sets, mixed and match to send a variety of sentiments.  My grandma has already used one of these cards.  I'm hoping the rest stay in the stash for a while as well.

Today marks the end of May.  I'm right in the middle of a site audit at work - long days with lots of brainpower being expended.  I pre-wrote this post last weekend so I didn't have a lapse in posts.  Proof that crafting is a stress reliever - I was lost in posting instead of working.  Here's hoping your May was colorful and your June is delightful.

Sympathy Cards

We've had our share of losses this past month.  This makes for an unusual time of support and encouragement to others.  It is one of the reasons why my blog posts have slowed so considerably.  With more than one reason to make them, I'll be sharing a few sympathy card designs with you.  This set was made using my Concord & 9th You are Enough stamp set on Bristol paper so that I could color with the Zig Clean Color watercolor markers.

The Zig markers make coloring easy and the final product very pleasing - a small mercy that I can send to let loved ones know I care during their time of grief.

I kept the background of these cards simple - letting the flower be the focal point and a simple, heartfelt sentiment on the front.  The flower is heat embossed with some aged gold powder - softening the edges and yet adding some definition to the card.

I'm sorry to say these are all used up and I had to make more.  Yet, in our fast paced world where things move pretty fast it is one way to demonstrate care across the miles to spend time making something to express your love.  That's what I can do now...

I'm entering these cards in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge : Handmade Flowers
Word Art Wednesday's Challenge Weeks 274/275: Anything Goes

A Birthday Set of Cards

I'm back today to share some more pictures of cards made with my friend Kyle for her Christmas gift exchange.  I'd apologize for the volume of photos, but that is the reason for my delay in posting and so I'll just say that this has taken me a while.

This card set was made with my Concord and 9th You are Enough stamp onto Bristol paper using black Archival Ink  and Prima Oil Pastel crayons .  The crayons made it easy to make multiple colors of card fronts pretty rapidly.  We scribbled the solid stamps with the crayon and then mopped the stamp with water and a brush to activate the oil pastel.  This made stamping with some variation in color easy to do.

After the flower was stamped, I die cut the card front with my W Plus 9 Sunshine Layers die and a sentiment using my Penny Black Sprinkles and Smiles stamp set.  The splatters were added by flicking watered down oil pastels onto the card fronts.  A very nice effect.

It has been a while since using my Prima Oil Pastels. A great tool though with wonderful effect and a very easy card to make multiples.  In the end, we made more than 20 of these.  I gave most away all ready, but hope to use this technique again.

A Concord and 9th Card Set

I'm back to share the results of my creative endeavor this weekend.  Recovering from travel for work, I threw myself into some watercoloring and this is the result!

I'll remind you that I used my new (to me) Concord and 9th You Are Enough stamp set and my Mission Gold watercolors to create the focal image on these cards.  Producing a small set is easy - it lets the images dry a bit and I can go back, fixing mistakes and enhancing color where I desire.  I probably watercolored all of these within a 2 hour period - taking my time letting the work act as therapy!

I stamped each image in black archival ink using my MISTI in order to get a very crisp edge.  I kept the simple image from my test case and decided not to add glimmer or sequins, instead die cutting the image out using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers Die and layering over coordinating pinky, red solid cardstock.  The sentiment was stamped in black Archival Ink and clear embossed to make it stand out.

I'm just so please with this entire set - a ton of fun to make and a joy to gift to someone on their special day.  Which one is your favorite?

You Are Loved - A Concord and 9th Stamped Card

All that fall coloring and I just couldn't resist going back to more bright, summery colors.  Mainly this is because I wanted to use my new (to me) Concord and 9th You Are Enough stamp set.  The Mission Gold watercolors are never very far from my crafty table anymore and I wanted to spend a little time last weekend before traveling out of town for work.  The creative activities distract me from the stress about work.  Can you see it - my wonderful distraction?

Here I stamped in black archival ink using my MISTI in order to get a very crisp edge.  I then colored the image with watercolors rather than the provided layering stamps.   The colors are so pretty - even more so in person.  I thought to add glimmer or sequins and decided to stick with simple - die cutting the image out using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers Die and layering over coordinating pinky, red solid cardstock.  The sentiment was stamped in black Archival Ink and clear embossed to make it stand out.  This picture doesn't do it justice, but it is a strong sentiment.

I've stamped a few more images and plan to color them when I return home this weekend - almost there folks, and a creative release is coming my way. Hope your crafting is just as productive and rejuvenating.