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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Sympathy cards

Greetings to all my cyber visitors.

The cards that I am sharing today were not easy for me to make as they are for members of a family with whom we have shared a lot of life with. My (adult) children grew up with their children, and we are all grieving the loss of their husband/father in an accident.

I took the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge as the starting point for this first card, and the fact that I found some gold trimmings that would 'work' for the end pieces was the next step.  

The image (from Our Daily Bread Designs) was stamped on water colour paper using aqua-crayons direct to stamp, and the same crayons were used for the background.
The sentiment was stamped and embossed - not the best embossing, partially due to the paper I was working on.

I was glad to be able to use the pearls and the bow to soften the look of the card, as without them it looked rather stark.
The double ric rak was the final detail.  
The panel that the main image is mounted on is a lovely paper that came in a pack I was given as a gift, and has a beautiful sheen on it.



Then came a second card, and again I was having difficulty trying to plan the card, so I ended up CASE-ING one from 'Lovely Linda'.

I started with a green card, and found some (Warehouse) design paper to layer onto it and sponged the edges to soften the 'join'.  It still looked very harsh, so I sprayed it with some Twinkling H2O's Radiant Rain aka Luminarte Shimmering Mist in Lemon Drop (which I know turns green on green paper - I don't know why it changes colour, but it is very useful at times)


I then stamped the the Victorian Frame from Layers of Color onto a lighter green card, and coloured it with chalks,  gold embossed the sentiment from Our Daily Bread Designs into the centre of that panel, then cut and embossed it using a Spellbinders Labels 14 die.


After assembling the card I then added the two pearls at either end of the panel. The flowers in the corners were white, but I touched them onto a Cantaloupe Memento ink pad, and then sprayed them with the same spray I used on the dp.  (this will give you an idea of the true colour of the paint!)


The green pearls in the middle of the flowers were the final touch.

Thank you for the inspiration Linda - I hope my CASE is acceptable.

I am linking these to

Thank you for visiting, and the comments you leave are very much appreciated - as some one said recently, we bloggers become comment 'junkies' :-)

May your day be blessed.

18 comments:

Priscilla said...

What a beautiful and very special card. So sorry for your loss. I also really love the cased card that your did from Linda. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. I want to wish you and your family a Happy New Year. Thanks so much for joining in the fun at the Midnight Madness sketch challenges.
Priscilla
MMSC Hostess

Renee Matarese said...

Your cattail image is wonderful with the colors you've used. I also love the gold flourish with the gold paper. Very nicely done!
Thanks for playing along with the MMSC. Hope to see you around next week as well!

Happy New Year,
ReneƩ
Midnight Madness Design Team

Lovely Linda said...

Hello Maxine - I love your sympathy card - it is gorgeous! It is so hard to create these cards at the best of time, even harder when it is someone you are close to! You have used the sketch beautifully - I got a BIG surprise to see my card show up here - I am honoured that you would CASE me - I love the result! Thank you for joining us at the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - we love to have you as part of our MMSC family! {{{hugs}}}
Linda MMSC Design Team

Elizabeth said...

Hey Mum - please give Sarah, Colleen and everyone else BIG HUGS from us also, esp. Sarah. I SO wish we could make it work so we be down there for them, it breaks my heart that I can't. Please explain it is just not possible with baby to do such a long trip - she just wouldn't cope, as you well know.

Amy said...

They are beautiful cards, Maxine, even if for such a sad time.
Amy

Guro said...

Wow, what beautiful set of cards! They are spescial all three of them.
I love the simpel elegance of the first one, and the pearls are perfect.
My deepst sympathy goes to you and your near ones in this situation. I am sure your card will be highly appreciated!
Thank you so much for sharing at Midnight Madness. Hope to see you next week to!
Hugs Guro

Denise @ kc242 said...

Hello, what pretty cards you have created! Simply divine. Thanks so much for joining us this week at Midnight Madness!
Denise
MMDT

Jennie said...

Beautiful designs Maxine...love your CASE of Linda, you did a wonderful job!!

MariLynn said...

Maxine, these cards are so pretty. I love the case of Linda's card. I will be praying for you and for your friends family. HUGS!

Valerie said...

Great card! I just love the watercoloring. You've done a wonderful job!

Jen Leeflang said...

What a gorgeous card, Maxine, and I loved reading through your post on how you put it together. Thanks for joining us on the MMSC this week.
JenLee
MMSC DT

Jill said...

2 very beautiful and elegant cards thanks for joining us at PTW hugs Jill xx

Melisa Waldorf said...

Hello Maxine. I'm so sorry for your loss. I know both the families will appreciate the love you have put into these cards for them.

I hope you have a great weekend. We bought a house this week, so we are very excited. We go for inspections tomorrow and then if all looks well, we will close on Feb 7!!

Gunn (MsPlum) said...

Hi Maxine!
I am so sorry about your loss! You have had quite a lot going on lately and no this?
Those sympathy cards are so hard to make, but you did a great job! The image is very pretty and the coloring so soft and caring. I like the simplicity of the card, jet there is so much interest to it.


LOVE your casing of Lindas card! Wowo that looks so soft and beautiful - GORGEOUS!

Take care!

Thank you for sharing with us at Midnight Madness. I wish you the best for 2011 and hope you will play with us again next week!

Hugs
Gunn
Midnight Madness Design Team

sammi said...

Great cards! Love the watercolor look! Thanks so much for joining us at Craft Your passion, in our "anything Goes" challenge, and Good Luck!

Amy said...

Lovely cards again, although I am sorry you have had to make them under such circumstances.
These cards show your ever-present attention to detail, Maxine and are so beautiful, but I know it will the messages you wrote inside and the love that went into making them that will mean so much to their receivers.
Amy

Melisa Waldorf said...

Hello my friend. I see you have not posted in a while. I hope all is well. I think you need some crafty time as well!
hugs,
Melisa

Laura Kirste Campbell said...

Oh, Maxine, I'm so sorry for your loss. Giving back through creating special loving cards is so special. Your cards are very lovely and I'm sure they will bless the family.

You are on my heart and I pray for you often.