A Really Small Gang

Our favorite annual stamp trade show is coming up this weekend and my stamping buddy Carol and I are hot to trot!  The sentiment on this card expresses our Mission Statement perfectly . . .

We attack that showroom floor with engines running, barely stop for lunch, and have the time of our lives during the whole exhaustingly exhilarating day!  And then we go back home, chortle over our new loot, and start saving up for next year’s event.

Cardstock:                          Marcos Jute, Burgundy/Rust scraps from

                                              my Scrap Stash
Stamps:                                Prima Stitches, Riley & Co “Really Small
                                              Gang”, The Artful Stamper Tiny Leaf
                                               Flourish
Inks:                                      ColorBox Cream White
Emb Powder:                      Stampendous Ivory Pearl
Emb Folder:                         Darice Crackle
Dies:                                      DieNamics Traditional Tags Stax
Doo Dads:                            Jute cord, deckle edge scissors

Butterfly Thank You

My fantastic niece Rebecca always gifts me with stamps I absolutely love, and last year’s Christmas gift was no exception.  In addition to a wonderful floral bird, she gave me this woodgrain border and the lovely butterfly . . .

 

Nothing would do but to put them to work immediately on her Thank You note.  The sketchy style of the butterfly seemed to call for the always interesting Rock and Roll technique:  I inked the stamp first with the Aged Mahogany and then rolled and tapped the Pine Needles pad just around the edges.  No need to try for precise placement:  the charm lies in the artless and casual results.  You never know exactly how it’s going to turn out and this is part of the fun!  It’s also good therapy for anal types like myself . . .

Cardstock:            Generic textured Cream, Marcos Jute

Stamps:                Impress Woodgrain Border, Savvy Butterfly Print,
                                   Love You to Bits Texture Background, Ladder Stitch
                                   from Starving Artistamps Altered Stitches,
                                   Hero “Thank you very much”
Inks:                     Papertrey Ink Fresh Snow, Hero Soft Brown,
                                   Ancient Page Chocolate, Distress Aged
                                  Mahogany, Pine Needles
Emb Powder:         VIP Transcendence
Dies:                      Verve Banner Bundle
Doo Dads:              Burgundy ribbon in 2 widths

Etched Flower

It’s been a long time since I’ve made a card without text on the card front, and I’m not so sure that this card front couldn’t use some . . .

. . . but it’s good to shake things up once in awhile, right?  So after much pondering and frequent back-and-forthing, I’ve decided that it’s quite complete and needs to be sent on its way.  With "Deepest sympathy" stamped on the inside, I think this card is complete.

Cardstock:   Unknown Textured Teal, Watercolor paper 
Stamps:       Hero’s Etched Flower with Stems, Starving

                           Artistamps Altered Stitches, Verve
                           Deepest Sympathy
Inks:            ColorBox Frost White, Distress Stains Pine
                           Needles, Weathered Wood
Emb Powder:  Stampendous Ivory Pearl
Dies:               Die-Namics Chalkboard Frame Builder
Doo Dads:       Perfect Pearl mist, Teal & White pearls

Journey

As this card looks better open than closed, I decided to photograph it that way.  If the perspective is off, it may help to know that I cut about an inch off the right side of the card front so that the plant border on the inside would show. . .

 . . . the problem was that the border’s all-white ink overpowered the feathers. But not to worry:  Copics to the rescue!  A few dabs with a couple of brown and tan shades and things calmed down and got a little more subtle.  While I’m still not sure the card really works, at least the Copics were an improvement . . .

The “Journey” theme ties in with the clock faces embossed on the card front, while the message inside – “A day at a time” – is a good reminder that Life takes time to unfold . . .

Cardstock:            Bazzill Pinecone, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:                Stacy Borders, VAP “Journey”, Unknown “One Day
                                     at a Time”
Inks:                     ColorBox Cream White, VersaMark, Copic E89 Pecan,
                                     E84 Khaki
Emb Powder:         Stampendous Ivory Pearl, B’Muse Devil’s Food Delight
Emb Folder:           Darice Clock Background
Dies:                      Feathers from Die-Namics Feathers & Arrow Set  
Doo Dads:              Deckled scissors, May Arts Jute twine

With Sympathy

I thought the only annoying thing about my camera was the fact that sparkle and shine rarely show up in my photos.  Now, I’ve another annoyance to add to the list:  Color Corruption!  The phlox are actually purple – not the blue that is pictured . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 . . . OK, I guess this is a good time to use your imagination.  Think a rich dark purple with a few mauve accents to match the butterfly . . . whose color reproduction is accurate.  Go figure . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rope Swing, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:       Inkadinkado Tall Phlox
Inks:            Marvy Wet Looks Markers #8, 11, 72, Copic G24
                          Willow, V15 Mallow, Distress Stain Dusty Concord,
                          Distress Old Paper
Emb Powder: Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Ovals, Grommet tags,
                           McGill Butterfly punch
Doo Dads:      Gelly Roll Clear Star, Light Green grosgrain ribbon

With Deepest Sympathy

Here’s another sympathy card that takes very little time to get together . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 . . . rounded corners, deckled edges, and a pearl-centered flower all add to the gentle feeling of this layout.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Splash, Raven, Beckett Iceberg

Stamps:       Inkadinkado “May you find comfort”, “With deepest
                          sympathy”, Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds,
                          Impress Large Branch
Inks:            ColorBox Black, Distress Weathered Wood       
Emb Powder: Judikins Detail Black       
Dies:            Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles
Doo Dads:    Black & White 1/8” gingham ribbon, fabric flowers,
                         pearl gem, 1/8” corner rounder

With Sympathy

It’s well into February now and perhaps your New Year’s Resolution to build up your stash of cards to have at the ready has begun to tank.  So I’ll be blogging some more sympathy cards in hopes of giving you some usable inspiration for this sensitive event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As previously noted, I do exercise more restraint for these sad occasions than is my usual habit.  I think the emphasis should be on the event rather than on my artwork, so I keep the layout subtle and the embellishments to a minimum.  My aim is to arrive at something that is soft, quiet, and showing as much loving kindness as I can manage.

Cardstock:            Bazzill Leapfrog, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:                My Sentiments Exactly With Sympathy
Inks:                     Ancient Page Leaf Green
Dies:                      Spellbinders Classic Squares, Memory Box
                                    Prim Poppy
Doo Dads:              Green gingham ribbon, Gelly Roll Clear Star