I had to make three sympathy cards this week. There are a lot of sympathy cards on my blog, but virtually all of them were made for my church. While I tried to make each and every one of them special, I did not have any emotion invested in them. It's so much harder when you know the people involved.
I love the Fog cardstock from Simon Says Stamp. I use it on all kinds of cards - I've even been using it as a base for rich fall-colored cards and bright, cheerful birthday cards. I love the way it sets off the colors. For this card, I happened to have my package of Fog out and my package of Stampin' Up So Saffron and I loved the soft and gentle look. To stay with the idea of gentleness, I pulled out this beautiful feather from Clearly Besotted Stamps.
Just a month or so ago, I was looking through my word dies and realized that I had nothing that said "Thinking of You" or "Sympathy". I remedied that situation immediately. I love how a sentiment is highlighted when it can be layered on top of other parts of the card such as the feather.
My second sympathy card is for the family of a man that I wrote about on this recent post when he and his wife were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. After fighting cancer for over a decade, it seemed clear at their anniversary party that he was starting to lose the battle, but he still lived life. Only a month ago, he got himself to church (which was not an easy task) just to see the small praise group that had played at his party. It meant the world to us to see him there and, hopefully, we touched him with our music.
This particular card is for his daughter and her family. The grandchildren are my children's ages and they have grown up in the church together. I stuck with a gray/yellow color scheme. I used the flower from Clearly Besotted's Brushed Poppies which I purchased knowing that it would be quite perfect for sympathy cards.
I used the sketch at Pals Paper Arts but I flipped it vertically. I had started with a one-layer card with the flower in the bottom corner. This flower is gorgeous on its own, but I liked the idea of just a little texture or pattern below the sentiment.
My final card is for the husband of a friend who lost her battle to cancer two years ago. We are far away and I have not seen him since her death, but I always want to let him know that I remember. This card most definitely had to be clean, masculine and no bling. Jeff is a firefighter, he helps with his father's cattle, and he lives on a tiny square of private property in the middle of the Black Hills National Forest where he rock climbs and rides his quad.
FEATHER SYMPATHY
GOLDEN POPPY SYMPATHY
WITH SYMPATHY - The wheat stamp is Hero Arts Tall Wheat which I could only find on EBay.
Kim, these are all gorgeous sympathy cards. Definitely the hardest to make. I love these colors together. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteAll three of these are beautiful. Thank you for sharing your talent and inspiring. Thank you too for linking the products you used.
ReplyDeletegorgeous colors for sympathy cards...lovely work. They are definitely the most challenging to design.
ReplyDeleteKim these are all three lovely and peaceful. Hard to make, but you did a wonderful job.
ReplyDeleteThree fabulous cards, Kim, all sure to bring comfort to those who receive them. Wonderfully personalized and blessings to you for remembering the husband of your friend each year during this difficult anniversary.
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely heartfelt sympathy cards! I love all three of these. Thanks for posting to the PPA sketch challenge this week... hope to see you back often!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sympathy cards, Kim. I love Fog - I think it is my favorite gray color but I'd never thought to pair it with So Saffron. These two colors look so good together.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful designs, Kim... the gray and yellow is perfect.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, I came over to say hello, and thank you for your lovely comments on my blog. These sympathy/thinking of you cards are so beautiful, and the colors are indeed soft and soothing. I am going to have to make a few purchases after seeing these beauties. I am sure all the the recipients will be lifted by your artful thoughtfulness.... Have a beautiful Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, I came over to say hello, and thank you for your lovely comments on my blog. These sympathy/thinking of you cards are so beautiful, and the colors are indeed soft and soothing. I am going to have to make a few purchases after seeing these beauties. I am sure all the the recipients will be lifted by your artful thoughtfulness.... Have a beautiful Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteWow these are so beautiful....they are elegant and heartfelt....
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh...so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThese are truly touching and made so much more special by the emotional attachment you have to their recipients. I'm sure each and every one will be cherished.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful set of cards Kim! Surely they will be greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not a cheery post - sorry for you having to make these all at one time. But you've done a wonderful job and your thoughtfulness for each recipient is certain to be evident. I did not realize SSS had that sympathy die. TFS.
ReplyDeleteSorry you need so many,Kim. Each personal card is truly elegant and uplifting. I love the feather with the word dies,I might need to get that die to have on hand. Thanks for all the links.
ReplyDeleteI did mess up on my plaid that's why its a tag:)
wow these cards are gorgeous.. fabulous designing..
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving.. :)
Beautiful cards, Kim!!!! They will surely be appreciated!!!
ReplyDeleteThree classy sympathy card, Kim! The gray and soft yellow are soft and soothing. I'm so sorry you had need of them but I'm sure they will bring love and a bit of piece to the recipients.
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful sympathy cards! Thanks for sharing with us at Pals Paper Arts!
ReplyDeleteSuch stunning sympathy cards! They're so soft and pretty. Congrats on being picked on the Pals,
ReplyDeleteStunning seems to be less of an adjective to describe the beauty of these :) love love love these designs
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that you needed to create these cards, but you've done so with elegance and class, personalizing each one with special details that will touch the recipients' hearts deeply. They are infused with love; that is what makes them extraordinarily special.
ReplyDelete~c
I am so sorry for all the losses in your life. Each card is simply stunning. I really like the colors and the small touches that you used on each.
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