Sympathy Cards: Simple, Easy - Before & After

Hello friends!  I've got a handful of sympathy cards to share today.  My customer had asked for cards that would require only one first class postage stamp.  Many of my cards are bumpy and bulky (and I love it that way!), but that requires an 'additional ounce' stamp too.  So, I needed to go with flat cards for my customer.  While I made the flatties, I also whipped up some others that do have gems for my own stash.

Here are some before and afters, plus a couple of flatties at the end of the post:

Inkadinkado Floral Damask; EK Success Botanical border punch; Papertrey Ink Garden Garland flower dies; Stampin' Up! Rose Wonder sentiment

Inkadinkado Floral Damask; EK Success Botanical border punch; Stampin' Up! Rose Wonder sentiment, Itty Bitty Accents flower punch; pearls; Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch; Hero Arts With Sympathy sentiment, solid flower stamps

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch; Stampin' Up! Itty Bitty Accents flower punch; Hero Arts With Sympathy sentiment, solid flower stamps; pearls; gold cardstock

Hero Arts With Sympathy sentiment, solid flower stamps; lace; gold cardstock; pearls; Stampin' Up! Itty Bitty Accents flower punch

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch; Hero Arts With Sympathy sentiment, solid flower stamps; My Favorite Things Dizzy Border die

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch, Monarch Butterfly punch; La Blanche Spray Flower; Papertrey Ink Birds of a Feather sentiment; Nuvo drops iridescent

Hope you're doing well in your little corner of the world.  Sending hugs!

God bless,

Freesias for you

I'm fairly sure these pretty flowers - a stamp by La Blanche called simply "Spray Flower" - are freesias. Not quite sure...anyone have any other guesses?

I stamped them on a rounded rectangle diecut (Wplus9), and colored the image with Copic markers. And then, oh so carefully, I added a pale yellow background with the help from a Copic, and then Antique Linen distress ink was sponged around the edges while the die was still in place.

I set the panel over top of a Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three die cut, and topped it with a Tiny Tag die cut (Papertrey Ink). A little vintage thread bow was threaded through the hole at the top.

I've added some pearls, and a tied on a Colleen Bow using Hug Snug seam binding in Danish Blue.

By the way, I hang all of my Hug Snug seam binding rolls (plus a few smaller American Crafts ribbon rolls) on one of these pant hangers from The Container Store:

This hanger happens to be on sale right now, too! 

Guest Designing at Do More With Less

Hello!  I have the pleasure of being a Guest Designer this week at Do More With Less, a blog by crafter Yvonne Yam.  Yvonne asked me to showcase a project in my particular style, and break down 'how I do what I do'.

Head over to Yvonne's blog to see my card in its entirety, and lots of close up pics too.  Play along with my challenge at Yvonne's and you could win a prize package I've put together!  My thanks to Yvonne for letting me host a challenge with her and allowing me to be her guest.  :o)

Hope to see you there!



Details for my Card (at Yvonne's blog)
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Spray Flower - LaBlanche; ruler - Paper Girl - Girls' Paperie
Paper: white - PTI; Very Vanilla - SU; green pattern - Pretty Patterns - Carol Wilson Fine Arts, Inc.; cream pattern - Elegance - K & Co.; lavender pattern - Chateau Lavender - DCWV; beige pattern - Lost & Found Union Square - My Mind's Eye
Ink: Antique Linen, Walnut Stain - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white seam binding - Zipper Stop; lace - Offray; white twine - SU
Other: pearl; butterfly sticker - K & Co.; Deckled Frame, circle die - Spellbinders; Copic markers; button; Dotted Scallop punch - EK Success