Hello crafty friends!! Please join me for a new challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge. This week the challenge is
No Stamps Allowed
We are showcasing Simon Says Stamp Exclusive Products this week. If you have any of these products, we’d love to see them used, but it’s certainly not a requirement to join the challenge.
As always, the generous folks at Simon Says Stamp will be giving away a $50 voucher to one randomly selected winner to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store.
Ok, this is the closest I’ve gotten to making a sympathy card. How do you make a card that’s not too cheery, but not too dark? Do you add embellishments or keep it simple? Do you use bright colors or keep it muted? The thought of making a sympathy card is a struggle for me. I don’t handle death very well at all. I never know what to say to a person. So unfortunately, a lot of the time I just don’t say anything at all and I hate that about myself. Death has always made me really uncomfortable. I know some people that have just been overwhelmed with people stopping them in the grocery store or at the Post Office just to give them their condolences and then that person doesn’t even want to leave their house anymore! So I convince myself that it’s best to just not say anything at all. I know, I know. It’s a horrible way for me to think so I’m hoping to change that about myself. There you have it. I just shared one of my most unpleasant qualities with you.
Anyway, these cards are about as close as I’ve gotten so far. And I don’t think I would use them as a sympathy card anyway because they feel too cheery to me. So they’d be great for someone that is maybe sick or just dealing with a lot in their life.
I started this off on some Bristol Smooth cardstock and a stencil by Simon Says Stamp called Leafy Frame stencil. I ink blended Blueprint Sketch, Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide inks. I wasn’t happy with my first take so I made this background 2 more times. Once I realized they were all turning out the same, I had to change my vision of this card a little. But it left me with 2 additional backgrounds. I only had time to make two cards, but now I have a background ready to go. All I need to do is add a sentiment.
To help loosen my vision up a bit, I added some water droplets using a Distress Sprayer and that simple little step helped me realize that my background did not need to be perfect. In fact, I love it even more imperfect. Check out my video below if you want the full story.
I used Mint card stock by SSS for the background layer. For the second card I used Blue Violet. I popped both card fronts up on some craft foam using 1/4″ Scor Tape.
This Thinking of You die by SSS is the perfect size to fill a card front. It’s just big enough to be the focal point. I cut the Thinking of You sentiment out 3 times using Neenah Solar White 110 lb. card stock and used a spray adhesive to glue them all together. Then I cut one of my most used frame dies from SSS (from the Frames die set) 3 times as well but one of those layers I used Silver Glitter paper by SSS so my top layer would stand out a bit. Then I used a clear Wink of Stella pen and went over the entire sentiment. Once I glued the words in place, I added a couple Metallic Silver Jewels by Pretty Pink Posh to finish it off. For my second card I used Morning Dew Nuvo Crystal Drops.
So now it’s YOUR turn, Happy Crafting!!
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Happy Ink Designs 
Hi Misty, forgive me for not commenting for so long. I visit, just don’t comment as I can’t seem to keep up with everyone anymore. Old age and health has slowed me down considerably! I think the card with the white sentiment would be great for a sympathy card. The colors are nice but not to “happy” if that makes sense. The one with the glittered sentiment I would use for one of the other things you said. It is hard to know what to say and because everyone deals with loss in their own way you never know how someone is going to react. But it is always good to just say that you are sorry for their loss. I appreciated that when my husband passed. That is all you really need to say, death is uncomfortable for everyone and we all struggle with it. Sympathy cards are always hard to make too, just keep them serene and you are good to go. Your first card is serene with the colors and the die cuts. I love them both and now you have one for the sympathy stash and the other one for another occasion. Sorry I was so long winded!!!! Hugs, Brenda
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Hi Brenda!! No worries at all. I completely understand. It’s a huge struggle for me too to keep up with comments. There just never seems to be enough time in the day!! Well thank you Brenda for your sweet words and feedback. I appreciate you AND your time. 🙂 Hugs, my friend.
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Hi Brenda!! It’s totally ok. I struggle to keep up too so I will never judge. I hope you are doing well. Thank you for the advice. As uncomfortable as death may make us, I need to remember that someone is hurting and a simple card or saying, “sorry for your loss” is all I can do sometimes. Well thank you for stopping by to say hello. And take care, Brenda. ❤
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Love your cards, very elegant yet sparkly and bright. Love them x
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Misty, your cards are lovely. They are not too cheerful in my opinion for a sympathy card. Bringing a smile to the face of a mourner is not a bad thing. As long as the cards are respectful and caring, I think they make good sympathy cards. I love using botanical elements for sympathy cards, a soft leaf…a pastel flower…a monochromatic design and oftentimes CAS. I’m with you on never knowing what to say…but having grieved my mother’s passing several years ago…I remember the comfort I got from a simple thinking of you…because no one really knows what the mourner is going through truly. Its all dependent on the relationship they had with the person who passed.
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Thank you for sharing that, Cat. It’s really great to hear a positive opinion on letting someone know that you’re thinking of them while they’re grieving.
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