Even More Wildflower Sympathy

I had every intention of coming here to post a few card ideas for babies and sympathy, but blogger has decided that it doesn't want to post the baby card pictures, so today you get sympathy! ha ha! I shared cards like this a few months back but in a different colorway, so  even though they're pretty much identical, I thought you might like to see how bright and cheering they look in yellow. You can see the previous post HERE.

I've already sent 5 sympathy cards this month and I wanted to replenish my stash. As soon as I finished these, I found out that they would both be needed, too! Looks like I'll be working on even more sympathy designs and I promise I won't copy myself again! ha ha!

I cut two panels of Harvest Gold cardstock measuring 3 3/4 by 4 3/4 and embossed them using the Regency Swirls 3D Embossing Folder that was included when I got my Gemini Jr. for Christmas a few years ago. I do believe it is still included when you buy the machine. I added some More Mustard ink from SU! around each of the edges for added depth and definition. I also die cut two ovals from Rustic White cardstock using the Pierced Feature Frames: Ovals and just used the middle portion and saved the frames for another project.

I die cut two each of all of the pieces included in the Lovely Layers: Wildflower Honey Cuts and colored them using Distress Oxide inks. I glued them together using liquid glue and a few foam squares on the poppies for added dimension.

I desperately wanted to do something different with the sentiment this time, but in the end just heat embossed it in gold onto a strip of vellum and wrapped it around the focal panel.

I realized after I took the pictures that I forgot to add a touch of glitter, so I will add that before I need to mail them. The blue version that I linked above has glitter on the flowers, and I really like it. I usually don't add glitter to sympathy cards because I feel like it isn't always appropriate, but I think it works on these pretty wildflowers. Anyway, this gives you the option to see it with or without and you can decide which you like best! ha ha! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Wildflower Sympathies

****UPDATED with embossing folder information******Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments on my August release projects! I'm popping in today to share a pair of sympathy cards using a few new-to-me goodies that I recently purchased! I can't seem to keep my sympathy card stash stocked, and here I am again needing another one! I decided to make two cards so that at least I could add one to my stash and send the other out the door. I think I need to set aside one day every couple of weeks to just work on sympathy cards. 

I can't seem to stop with my same old formula for sympathy designs, so I apologize if you've grown weary of these; this is another one of those posts that is probably more for me! ha ha! I did, however, want to share with you the beautiful Lovely Layers: Wildflowers Honey Cuts! I think by now you know how much I love a good flower/leaf die collection! This particular set really spoke to me and I couldn't wait for them to arrive in my mailbox!

I also ordered the Vintage Garden stamp set specifically for the fabulous sentiments! I'm very particular with which sentiments I like and which ones I don't!  I knew that I would use the ones in this stamp set often, so I wanted to add it to my collection!

As you can see, this particular card got one of my older favorites; this one is included in the Feathered Friends 4 mini stamp set and is my usual go-to. 

I die cut all of the flowers from white cardstock and then colored them with assorted Distress Oxide inks and then glued them together using liquid glue and foam squares for the poppy flower. The two Ballet Blue background panels measure 3 3/4 by 5 and are dry embossed using the Regency Swirls embossing folder that was included with my Gemini Jr.

I arranged the three flowers as the focal point on the Love to Layer: Oval using foam squares.

I heat embossed the sentiment onto a strip of vellum and wrapped it around the focal panel and secured it on the back using scotch tape.

For this card, I really wanted to use the beautiful, large sentiment as the focal point and then arrange the flowers around the oval.

I spritzed both cards with shimmer spray for a hint of sparkle and then added glitter to this card; I usually don't use glitter on sympathy cards, but I felt like this one needed it! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

The Greetery {With Heartfelt Sympathy}

I have a really bad habit of making sympathy cards that cannot be mailed, yet I generally NEED to mail them! Even though I have a nice stash ready to go, I really needed two that could be mailed! It's been a minute since I used the Fleur Impressions stamp set from The Greetery, so I pulled it out and had some fun inking up the beautiful blooms!

I hadn't decided on a particular color scheme, so I just started adding and layering ink until I was happy with the result. These are all SU! ink pads, which I am finding myself reaching for more and more. They have been neglected for YEARS, yet they have the most prominent and accessible location on my desk, thanks to the fabulous carousel I bought back in my demonstrator days! They are still so juicy and nice, so I may as well use them, right? I still have all the coordinating cardstock as well (thank you crafty hoarder self) ha ha!

Anyway, I'm rambling....once I had the first, larger bloom inked, I decided to go for warm oranges, ruby, and blush hues for the blooms, but then switched gears for the Bordering Blue tall cluster of flowers. Since these two colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel, you are pretty much guaranteed success!

Both cards feature the same embossed background; I cut two pieces of Bordering Blue cardstock measuring 5 by 3 3/4 inches and embossed them with the Regency Swirls embossing folder; this was included with my Gemini Jr. when I got if for Christmas a few years ago. Because it is so deeply detailed, it made the cardstock very floppy so I adhered each panel to a white piece of card stock that is cut to the same size.

I went rummaging in my "leftover" pile and found this beautiful, yet wonkily cut, watering can! I thought with some strategic flower placement I could make it appear less wonky! ha ha! The recipient of this card is old and doesn't have the best eyesight, so I felt I'd be safe! Now I just need you all to be forgiving, too! LOL!

I used my favorite sympathy stamp set and tucked it up top! I added a trio of sequins and skipped glitter, like I normally would use on a floral design like this.

I also found this die cut circle in my leftover pile so I figured I'd use it as well. I simply clustered the flowers and leaves together and placed the sentiment over the top.

Both focal panels are added to white cardbases using foam squares. I tried hard not to use too much dimension, so hopefully these can still be mailed after all that! ha ha! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Heartfelt Sympathy

****this post was written prior to the recent PTI release that included a BUNCH of Sympathy cards 🤣***My sympathy stash has dwindled to a few non-mailable cards that I'll save for times when I deliver a basket or a dinner, or something. I needed one desperately, so I sat down and created this CAS card; just what I was hoping for. I dug around in my "new product" basket that I mentioned in a previous post to find these beautiful crocus dies that were part of the Simon Says Stamp "Stamptember" event. I die cut then from white cardstock and then colored them using finger daubers and Distres Oxide ink.

I used foam squares and liquid glue to adhere them together. I've found that foam squares don't like to stick to die cuts that are colored with this particular ink, so I've found that adding a dot of liquid glue to the foam square fixes that problem.

I used the embossing folder that was included with my Gemini Jr. when I received it for Christmas in 2020. It still shows that it is included with the purchase of the machine. This is the first time I have used it and I absolutely LOVE it! I cut a panel of Soft Stone cardstock measuring 3 3/4 by 5 inches and ran it through my machine in the folder.

The sentiment, which is one of my favorites, is from the Feathered Friends 4 mini stamp set and is heat embossed in gold onto a strip of vellum. I added the crocuses to the embossed panel using foam squares and then wrapped the vellum strip around the panel and secured it with adhesive on the back.

Once that was done, I added it to a top folding A2 Soft Stone card base using liquid glue. I resisted and didn't add glitter or sequins because it felt too flashy or something on this sympathy design. Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Wintertime Welcome

The cutest new couple moved into the neighborhood along with their super-precious twin baby girls! I couldn't wait to deliver a "welcome to the neighborhood" gift basket and card! I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but I have a tendency of buying all of the stamps/dies/stencils/etc. that I fall in love with and they get sent to a specific "new product" basket that I have next to my desk. Unfortunately, this basket is bursting at the seams since I rarely get a chance to do "just for fun" creating! I decided to put a dent in the basket with today's card. I don't want to put the items away in their designated bins until I've actually USED them, otherwise they will be forgotten. Once I've created, photographed, and posted the project, the chances of me forgetting about a product are greatly reduced! Does this sound familiar to anyone? ha ha!

To begin, I used a beautiful embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp, which appears to be discontinued or out of stock. It was part of their holiday release; I snagged two others in addition to this one, so hopefully I'll get a chance to use those as well! ha ha! I used Stormy Sea cardstock which looks absolutely beautiful with this deep embossing! I added some white paint splatter for a snowy look.

I die cut the houses from Soft Stone cardstock using the My Neighborhood Dienamics. I glued the corresponding roofs to each house using liquid glue and then added them to the embossed panel using foam squares. I probably should have waited until I added the sentiment strip, because after I edited these photos, I noticed they were wonky! oh well! ha ha! I gave the rooftops some glittery snow for some added detail and sparkle.

Speaking of the sentiment, I heat embossed the "welcome" sentiment from the Right at Home  stamp set onto a strip of Smokey Shadow cardstock using silver powder. I adhered it to the embossed panel using foam squares.  I almost left the card just like that; clean and simple, but then I remembered that I had an extra pine bough and pinecone left over from THIS card, so I added it to the top!

I'm really glad I remembered it because it enhanced the images from the embossed background so nicely!

Since I had so many die cut houses left over, I decided to gussy up the inside by adding another sentiment and a cute little house! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Ink to Paper February Release Countdown Day 3

Hello and welcome to day 3 of the Ink to Paper February release countdown! I'm sharing two projects with you today and up first is a feminine card using the new Framed in Florals stamp/die set! It comes with two beautiful floral images that I've used on this card as well as two sentiments; thank you and with love.

I die cut both of the floral images and stamped the outline portion using black ink. I left the images in my MISTI so that I could go back over the outline, but this time using Versamark ink so I could heat emboss the gold after I was done coloring.

Now, this set DOES come with solid images so you don't need to color it, but I wanted to use Copic markers for today's card. I just love how it looks with the gold embossing!

I really wanted a frilly floral card, so I used the On the Border: Floral Bliss die to create the pink portion on the top and bottom. I die cut them from Lovely Lady cardstock, which is one of the neglected colors from my stash, but it worked perfectly with the Copic coloring.

I added some black paint splatter making sure to cover up the parts of the card that I didn't want to get splatter on them. 

My second and final card for today uses the latest installment in the Feathered Friends series! We've made it all the way up to number 8 and this little guy/gal is just the sweetest! Our tree out front has matured to where it started producing  berries this fall and the birds have been flocking to that tree all winter so I've been having fun watching them. I can envision this little birdie enjoying a winter treat!

The background is dry embossed with the new Cover Plate: Vines for a subtle detail and added texture.

I used the previously released Just Sentiments: Get Well stamp set for the greeting!

I really like that this particular Feathered Friends set has a little branch for the bird to attach its feet to. 

Join me tomorrow for the 4th and final day of the countdown! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Ink to Paper August Release Countdown Day 2

I'm back for day 2 of the Ink to Paper August release countdown! First up is the new Feathered Friends Die 3 that I combined with the nest/grapevine wreath that is part of the Hello Pumpkin stamp set that was showcased yesterday. I also used a few other favorites to bring this design to life!

To begin this design, I used Distress Oxide Inks to color all of the pieces of the bird die cuts. I used the sample that was included for us to reference. I've been taking quite a bit of creative liberties with these birds , but for today I tried to keep it the way it is supposed to look!  ha ha!

I had the nest left over from my day 1 projects and the bird looks so cute perched on the edge. One of my favorite stamp sets from last year is the Lovely Leaves stamp set and I used it in a little bit of a different way on today's card. I chose to stamp just the outline portion in black onto Honey Nut cardstock for a more graphic look. 

I also created two flowers using the Into the Blooms dies to tuck behind the sentiment. I heat embossed the sentiment in gold onto black cardstock. This particular sentiment is from the Floral Delicacies Stamp Set and it happens to be one of my favorites.

The background was created using the new Border Bling: Grateful Vine, which I dry embossed. I also added some black paint splatter over the top using a fine point paint brush.

The sentiment is wrapped around the background piece and secured in the back using clear tape. Once that was done, I was able to adhere it to a top folding A2 card base using ScorTape.

I placed a trio of sparkling clear sequins here and there for sparkle and shine. This is one of my favorite color combinations for fall. I don't know why I don't use Honey Nut cardstock and ink more!

Next up is colorful design using a new set called Framing Fall and the companion Framing Fall Sentiments stamp set. I had so much fun creating the blended panel for my Halloween card yesterday, so I did some more blending using Distress Oxide inks.

Once the panel was finished, I stamped the two images using black ink and then die cut them using the coordinating Framing Fall dies. I stamped the portion on the top opposite as the portion on the bottom to give the design more visual movement.

I die cut the Grateful sentiment and then heat embossed it in gold using the Framing Fall sentiment set. I kept the remaining portion of the blended panel and used it to anchor the sentiment with foam squares.

I added the "Begin each day with a grateful heart" sentiment, which is from last year's Just Sentiments: Grateful Heart stamp set. It is one of my favorites and worked perfectly on this card.

A little bit more paint splatter for this card as well as some sequins finish it off! Join me tomorrow for day 3 of the countdown! Thanks for fluttering by!