Sweet Stampin' ~ Sympathy/Thinking of You

Another big block of time seems to have whizzed by since I last posted. My kiddos had a great break from school, though weather was pretty rubbish, so we just did lots of 'staycation' stuff around Auckland. They went back to school for Term 3 on Monday and we had a visit to one of the local high-schools we are considering sending Georgie to on Wednesday. It's all on now, my first babe will be a teenager in only a few months!!! They just grow SO fast!! I so wish I could slow time, just a teeny bit.


It's new challenge time at Sweet Stampin' and it's a rather sad post today, as I genuinely needed to create a card for our current theme. My lovely cousin's husband just lost his mummy, so I created a card to post to them, to send our love and support. It was a very sad time and the anniversary of my own daddy's passing was in Mid July, so I was feeling the grief quite keenly. It takes my breath away to think my daddy's been gone 17 years. He was just so young.


I had planned to watercolour the background for this card, but I happened to have a magazine paper set sitting on my desk from a recent Making Cards issue, so I decided to use this paper to create the card. Inspired by the fact that my lovely cousin loves all things lilac. So it just felt really appropriate to use this pretty paper. I used it on the inside of the card too, but turned it, so that it wasn't immediately apparent that the pattern was identical. Cool trick of the eye and actually really works! Faux watercolouring, boom!


I used two beautiful Unity Stamps sets to create this Sympathy card, called Butterflies & Sunbeams and Beautiful Life, Blessed Memories. I love the imagery of butterflies when creating a Sympathy Card, but I wanted the image to be subtle and for the words to have the foreground. So I used a very pretty sparkly embossing powder just over Versamark Ink, so it was a watermark effect stamp with sparkle. The sentiment I heat embossed in white. Lighting below was a little cold, the above pic is a truer colour representation.


The detail in the stamp is hard to see in the photos, so here is a shot that shows the detail of the image better. The first photo in this post shows the lovely sparkle when it catches the light but the following photo shows the detail of this pretty stamp. You can always click on the image to pop up my photos for a closer look.


I hope you'll come and have a play along with our challenge at Sweet Stampin' this week. If you don't have a sad occasion to craft for (and I hope you don't!) then you can choose to create a 'Thinking of You' card. I look forward to seeing what you're inspired to do. Sending love and hugs to those of you who have had recent loss, thinking especially of my lovely Kiwi crafty friend Maxine. There is never enough time people, so treasure every day. I'll be back soon with another crafty adventure. Big hugs to you all and love and healing sent your way if you're nursing a broken heart, Wends xoxo


(Sad that the pics don't do this card justice, but if you pop them up full size, you can see a little more of the detail and the pretty stamp details.)

Challenge Entries:
Crafty Catz: #381 ~ Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner: #133 ~ Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday: #488 ~ Anything Goes
Colour Crazy Challenge: #30 ~ Anything Goes
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends: #62 ~ Anything Goes
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash: #313 ~ Butterflies, Bees & Bugs
Sparkles Monthly Challenge: #94 ~ Thinking of You or A Sympathy Card
Little Red Wagon: #404 ~ Sing, Sing A Song (Angel by Sarah McLachlan)
City Crafter Challenge: #372 ~ Something Beginning with 'S' = Sympathy & Sparkle

Comments

Sympathy cards should look simple but beautiful and you have achieved that with this lovely card
Dawn T said…
such a pretty card Wendy.
Christine L said…
A beautiful card Wends - and that paper was the perfect choice for it - especially if your cousin loves lilac. I'm loving the sparkly touch on the image - but know how difficult it is to photograph to get the proper effect! If only we could all see each other's cards 'in real life'!! LOL!

I don't think we ever get over the grief at losing a parent - we just get used to it.. my Dad passed away in 1980 and my Mum in 1989 - and I still miss them lots and can't believe the years that have gone by. I'll see something and think 'my Dad would have loved to see that' etc.. and almost want to take a step towards the phone to ring them!

Glad to hear that your youngies had a good break.. I know you treasure your time with them! Mine are now 31 and 32 - EEEK I'm soooooo old!!

Big hugs
Christine x
and PS the weather here is pretty awful too considering it's OUR summer!
Chris said…
It's always difficult to create cards for sad occasions, particularly when it's for someone close to you. You have made a fantastic job of this with your beautiful card, the image and the verse are lovely. I thought the background WAS watercoloured! I agree with you that we should appreciate and spend time with our loved ones while we can...life is too short!
hugs
Chris
x
Mimi said…
This is beautiful and the image is pretty and simple-- just right for a sympathy card. Thank you for sharing at SOS.
Brenda said…
What a beautiful, thoughtful tribute. I love the song you were inspired by and can see it in your card. Thanks so much for sharing it with us over at Little Red Wagon!
Cara said…
This is beautiful and so lovely for a sympathy card. I'm sorry that you needed to use it and that you are struggling yourself at the moment. Sending hugs x
Beautiful card Wends - and so very soft and subtle in the colouring, but with a gorgeous sparkle in the embossing. Thank you for the comment, it was appreciated - it's nearly three months.....
Blessings
Maxine
Sarah said…
A perfect sympathy card Wendy, the colour is so pretty and I love the white embossed sentiment xx
Pat said…
Beautiful sympathy card Wends, gorgeous colours and lovely butterfly images, I am sure your cousin and family really appreciated such a lovely message.

Pat xx
Janette said…
This is beautiful, really stunning card and thankyou for sharing with us at CraftyCatz this week...x
MagsB said…
This is just right for a sympathy card, Wendy, so delicate. It's so sad that you needed to make it 'for real' but I'm sure your cousin's husband will find comfort from it.

love, Maggie x
Lin said…
What a lovely card for the occasion, Wendy, I really love background! Thanks for playing along with us at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge!
Marina said…
Lovely soft, monochrome look - perfect for a sad occasion. Thanks for joining in at City Crafter.
Anne said…
Sympathy cards are so hard to make and this is perfect, I imagine the pictures don't do it justice at all
My kids are 20 and 23, seems like no time since they were small and I don't know where the years went - you have to treasure every moment

Anne x
Donna said…
Lovely card, I am sure it will bring comfort to those who receive it.
Thanks for getting buggy with the crew from SHOPPING OUR STASH!!
Judy Markowitz said…
I am so sorry you have a reason to create a sympathy card, but it is a gorgeous card. And as I am a huge purple fan, this design really speaks to me. Thanks so much for joining us this week at Crafty Gals Corner, and I am so sorry.
scraphappyAnnie said…
So pretty! Thanks so much for joining us this week at Crafty Gals Corner.

Annie - DT Member
littlewingscreates.blogspot.com
Sympathy cards are always difficult to make, but this is perfect.
So beautiful and atmospheric.

Thanks for your visit to my blog and your lovely comment.
xxx
Becca Cruger said…
Simple and elegant - perfect for a sympathy card. The sentiment is so touching, too!
Cazro said…
A lovely card, an elegant touch for the sad ocassion. Thanks for joining us at Sparkles Monthly Challenges. Caz. DT

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