Stampin' Up! Lovely as a Tree Sympathy

Hi Stamping Friends!!

Even though I love to make and send cards, there is one occasion when it is always difficult to enjoy the process. It's when I need to make sympathy cards.

This past week my husband's uncle passed away. He had been fighting cancer for the past few years. He was one of the nicest men I've ever known. He always had a smile to share with everyone. My husband and his cousin are only six weeks apart so they spent numerous summer days on his uncle's dairy. He has many happy memories of those times together. And even though we know that his uncle is final pain free and one day we will rejoice again with him, it does not completely remove the sorrow felt by those left behind. He and his wife had been married for 52 years. 

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Thoughts and Prayers

Paper: Very Vanilla, Baked Brown Sugar, Early Espresso

Accessories: Arrows EF, Decos Labels Framelits, Oval Punch (retired), Brads (retired), Always Artichoke Seam Binding (retired), Sponge Daubers

Lovely as a Tree is one of the oldest Stampin' Up! sets that I own. I knew I moved it with us, but it was not with my current stash. I practically had to re-clean the entire garage to find the box that it was in. I was so glad I found it because this was the perfect image for this card. I stamped the tree image in Early Espresso ink and used sponge daubers to color the Always Artichoke parts. I colored the trunk using a Baked Brown Sugar marker. I wish we had a paper piercing template for the Deco Labels Framelits. It would have been a great extra feature.

I've forgotten what a beautiful look sponging gives. I really need to do it more often. I know gals that have a designated dauber for every color in the catalog. I only have about 10 daubers. I just try and keep the colors similar like "dark green", "light green", "light pink", "red", etc. It's worked for me so far. I don't know where I would store 48 daubers.

I made four of these cards. One for my husband's aunt and his three cousins. And even though a card cannot erase the hurt of losing someone you love, at least it will let them know that they are in our thoughts and prayers. The older I get, the more I believe that we need to let people know, while they are still with us, just how much we value them and why. Don't wait until someone's funeral to share what it is that you loved about that person. Send a card today and tell them how much you love them. :)

Thanks for stopping by!
STAMP SOMETHING! (even if it is a sad something)
Krystal

Deals and Double Challenges!

Hi Stamping Friends!

Stampin' Up! has just announced the DEAL OF THE WEEK!

Flower Burst Embosslit Die  #114515  reg. $11.95   SALE PRICE $5.99

Perfect Setting Bigz XL Die  #115961  reg. $42.95  SALE PRICE $25.99

3 Tier Cake Pop-Up Die  #116760  reg. $39.95  SALE PRICE $25.49

I'd show you some beautiful samples using these awesome products, but I don't have them... YET!  I will be ordering all three of these items, to increase the size of my Stampin' Up! Sizzix collection.  But I can show you a card I did make with other fabulous Stampin' Up! products.  Yes, it's another double challenge card.  I used the Color Challenge over at Stampin' Addicts SACC33.  And I used this sketch from Stamping 411 SSC120.

I finally got the Thoughts and Prayers set and wanted to use it.  But in order for it to work, I had to flip the sketch. 

I'm so glad I finally got this set.  I love how this card turned out.  The colors are Ruby Red, Old Olive and Apricot Appeal.  I embossed the Apricot Appeal layer with Finial Press Impressions Folder #115963.  The corners of the Whisper White layer are punched using the Ticket Corner Punch #107214. 

I'm trying to make a habit of mailing cards every Monday.  I figure if I mail 2 or 3 each week, it gives me a reason to keep stamping!  There are lots of people that could use a little smile in their mailbox.

Thoughts and Prayers  #113252  $25.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!