Thinking of You This Season!

On to my seventh Totally Lovin' Christmas card kit.  I loved the Crumb Cake with the white embossing and layout of this sweet card, but I, of course, wanted it larger, and thought a bit more color, dimension, and texture would be good as well.

I checked out several Splitcoaststamper challenges to see what I could do to enter some of the challenges in trying to play challenge catch-up.  One Featured Stamper challenge card confirmed more brown tones would probably work well.  I added a Soft Suede cardbase and enlarged my card layers.  I changed my sentiment layer ink to a darker brown shade and left off the tree panel's corner ribbon...I thought it was too much and liked it more simple!  

I wasn't sure how Liz accomplished the snowfall, but I used a sponged-tipped make-up pen in Versamark w/ white embossing, a white gel pen for smaller snow, and added a bit of fine glitter to tree surface.  I also thought the tree would be extra pretty if it was layered.  I stamped and white embossed two additional trees, fussy cut them (lots of detailed cutting), and popped each layer up, one over the other, using large thick glue dots as I wanted the popping up to be more subtle than using dimensionals.

I was really happy with the layered tree popping...it added so much depth, plus I like the white gel pen and bit of glitter for more texture and sparkle.  This was the perfect card to send to my niece in Bend, Oregon where they are sure to see a white Christmas.  Take a peek below at my card finished inside and out.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products--  Cardstock/ Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla.  Stamps--Winter Wood (sentiment/ tree) (2019-20 Annual).  Dies--Stitched Brightly (embossed boughs-2019 Holiday.  Ink/ Soft Suede; Versamark Watermark.  Embossing Powder/ White (tree + snow drops).  White Gel pen.  Punch/ Curvy Corners (retired).  Other:  Recollections Fine white glitter.  Fussy-cutting.  1/2" glue dots (popping tree).  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Remembering a Warm and Wonderful Lady!

My daughter-in-law lost her grandmother several months ago and her memorial service was held later in September, all when I was unable to make sympathy cards while recovering from hand surgeries.  Her grandma was a warm and delightful lady, who always had a big smile and never failed to stop and chat after church each Sunday.  She was always willing to lift and hand and do anything and everything to help.  She was part of the women's ministry who made and served our church's monthly breakfast, and she was an avid cake maker, as well...such beautiful creations!

I really wanted to acknowledge her memory and loss with a handmade sympathy card for my daughter-in -law and her mother.  Also, to let them know how thankful I was to have been able to get to know her even better after her granddaughter was engaged and married to my son!  Using the basic design from my October 28th post, I modified it once again with a change-up of colors, embossing folders, and the window creation using white heat embossing with the Flowering Flourish stamp, and for a more subtle effect, I used the reverse side.  I made the purple for my daughter-in-law and the pink for her mother.  Take a peek below at the finished cards inside and out!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Highland Heather, Pretty in Pink, Vellum-Translucent.  Stamps--Serene Garden (dove), Flourishing Phrases (oval window white embossed design).  Dies--Crosses of Hope (cross), Layering Ovals.  Ink--Sahara Sand (dove), Highland Heather & Pretty in Pink (oval window brayered coloring).  Embossing Powder--White.  Embossing Folder--Tufted Dynamic.  Other:  Colorbox--Snow Frost Glitter paper.  Dies--Spellbinders Grommet Tags w/modified ends using Spellbinders Classic Triple Scallop Edges. Ribbon--Offray 5/8" Sheer Stripe, 5/8" Sheer Ruffle.  Punch: EK Victorian Corners.  Copic coloring--doves.  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse.  Size:  4-3/4 x 6 inches.  (My card design was inspire by an Easter card by Dar Peterson.)

I've been on a mission to catch-up on back challenges that I was not able to enter for one reason or another; therefore, I checked my Splitcoaststamper Challenge List before beginning, I had lots of inspirations to be able to enter my finished cards into several challenges. 

Sympathy for the Loss of a Son!

A kind and thoughtful lady that I met, probably, ten years ago, who is my Mom's Stampin' Up demonstrator, lost her 16-year old son due to a car accident a few months ago.  I was unable to make a sympathy card for her son due to recovering from hand surgeries.  So, I had to be satisfied with sending thoughts and prayers to her and her family, as well as joining a Facebook condolence post on her behalf, but I made a note that I really wanted to make her a card in the future as soon as I was able.

Meanwhile, I had a card idea started "brewing" in my head based an Easter card made by my Stampin' Up demonstrator, Dar Peterson, several years ago.  I loved her idea of the pretty oval floral-printed vellum oval, which reminded me of a church stained glass window, that she used as the backdrop for the cross on her card.  I thought it would make a lovely feature for a sympathy card.  At the same time, I was reading up a little on the Splitcoaststamper challenges available at the time, especially the Inspiration Challenge, which I always like to enter.  I found a metal scroll, rustic cross and a light blue cross ornament, which reminded me of a scrolled lattice background stamp that in blue might make a lovely oval vellum "window" for my masculine sympathy card.  I searched through my background stamps and found the lattice-style stamp that I was thinking of and place it on my craft table as a reminder for the future when my hands were better.

My hand recovery came about just before my four-week visit to my Mom in California in October and November.  Before I left, I tried out my vellum oval "window" idea and made several ovals to take with me.  Space was limited as I was flying.  While there, Mom and I got busy making cards to try and catch-up on missed occasions and also to build our Christmas card stashes.  I specifically worked on my three needed sympathy cards...the first being the one for this lovely Stampin' Up friend's sorrowful loss.   

Using Dar's original design as an idea base, I made several modifications to her card to make it fit for a sympathy card, plus make it a "more me" card.  I enlarged my card by adding more color layers with a different embossing folder pattern, plus a different color treatment, ribbon style, and sentiment layering dies.  I also added Copic color to my dove, stamped my lattice-patterned oval vellum "window" using a background stamp in Baja Breeze ink, added a scallop mat layer, and composed my own sentiment and interior verse.  Take a peek below at the finished card inside and out!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Dapper Denim, Vellum-Translucent.  Stamps--Serene Garden (dove).  Dies--Crosses of Hope (cross), Layering Ovals.  Ink--Baja Breeze (oval window), Sahara Sand (dove)  Embossing Folder--Stripes.  Other:  Stamps--Just Rite Modern Lattice Background stamp (oval window).  Dies--Spellbinders Grommet Tags w/modified ends using Spellbinders Classic Triple Scallop Edges. Ribbon--Offray 5/8" Stitched.  Punch: EK Victorian Corners.  Copic coloring--dove.  Wink of Stella-Clear (dove wings).  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse.  Size:  4-3/4 x 6 inches.  (Thank you Dar Peterson for the wonderful card design from which my card evolved).