Hello Fellow Stampers ~
Happy Monday! I'm finding it so hard to believe that it is August! Everywhere I look around me, I'm realizing that there are hints that Summer is starting to wind down, and I'm freaking out just a little bit!! LOL
In 3 short weeks, my mother and I will heading off for a long-planned week together in Vail, Colorado. I just cannot believe it!! We got together this past Saturday afternoon to start working our plans, and sorting items that we needed as we plan to spend a good part of our week together on the Heirloom Album we've been working our way through for the past several years. We want to make some serious headway during this time together and try to get through the very "early" photos we've been struggling with which cover her parent's siblings and the extended family, and go as far back as the great-great grandparents who migrated to America in the 1880's. So wish us luck!! LOL We also want to enjoy the hot tub / pool and other amenities, and take some day site-seeing trips in the area. It is truly beautiful around the Vail and Beaver Creek areas and beyond.
But before I can get serious about menu planning, packing, making lists, etc., . . . I have a BIG stamp-a-stack gathering coming up this next weekend! Our first ever "All Occasions" stamp-a-stack. This was a customer requested class, and I'm very happy to oblige, and am really quite excited about this idea. I think some of the most difficult cards to design are for sympathy, get well soon/thinking of you; and then we'll cover baby, and anniversary/wedding, and thank you's as well. It's some of the most requested cards I get as I think everyone needs these in their stash to reach for on short notice.
I'm going to share some of our fun with all of you who cannot be here to join us; and maybe you can take some inspiration to create your own "stash" at home along with us this week!! We're kicking things off this week with a Sympathy card design - some inspiration I took from Pinterest; but am changing things up quite a bit as I have an image in my mind of how I wanted this card to look and feel.
I think Sympathy cards can be as difficult to design as masculine cards. Maybe it's the subject matter, I'm not sure. I feel like you want a Sympathy card to be appropriate; yet sometimes I wonder, can a Sympathy card be "pretty"?? Especially if the gender of the deceased is male. I originally thought I'd create this card using the Rooted In Nature set, which really has some beautiful images - both with the stamp set, as well as the coordinated designer series paper - that would be perfect for a Sympathy card. In the end, I changed my mind and went with the "newer" Southern Serenade stamp set - introduced to us during the 2018 Spring Occasions catalog release, and carried forward to our Annual Catalog. The direction I chose for today's design I think could be created in almost any colorway, and is clean and simple enough to make quickly and easily, and still have impact on the recipient. I also think it works for a female or a male.
Design Colorology
I'm sticking to a simple 3-color colorway today. Sometimes keeping your color choices simple is easier on the design. I also chose Gray Granite over a Black because it is "softer" (less harsh), and has a gentler impact on the overall design. Black is great for "popping" color or making a statement. We don't want that on a Sympathy card.
This card is cut from our "thick" Whisper White cardstock, 4-1/4" x 11", scored at 5-1/2". I then chose a narrow matting scheme to draw the eye up and down, rather than side-to-side.
The matting measurements from cardbase to top layer are as follows:
Layer 1: 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" (Gray Granite)
Layer 2: 3-1/4" x 5-1/2" (Blueberry Bushel)
Layer 3: 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" (Gray Granite)
Layer 4: 2-3/8" x 5-1/2" (Blueberry Bushel)
Layer 5: 2-1/4" x 5-1/2" (Whisper White
The "lace" image in the Southern Serenade stamp is stamped in Gray Granite (stamp off once first) for the background; and then the floral image stamped over it in Blueberry Bushel.
Once I layered the top 3 layers, I wrapped them with BlueBerry Bushel 1/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, and aligned it so it would tie a bow right at the base of the flower stem.
The "sympathy" sentiment for this card was sourced from the Flourishing Phrases stamp set - and fits PERFECTLY in the Pretty Label Punch. I punched a Gray Granite piece to offset this before popping it with dimensionals on the front of the card.
And of course (LOL), I finished everything off with some pretty seed pearls.
The majority of your time on this card is spent on cutting your cardstock pieces. The rest of it is quick and easy, which is perfect when you want to make 5 or 10 to have on hand. Try them in other colorways!! This design is perfect for a number of occasions as well!!
Have a wonderful rest of your day everyone!!
Until Next Time . . . Puppy Hugs!
