Pastel Sympathy Card

One of my higher up co-workers recently lost his mother. I wanted to make a card a bit larger than the standard so all my office mates would have space to sign. Our company is donating a tree to be planted in his yard in her memory. It was just the 6 month anniversary of my mother’s passing and I know all too well the struggles one can face. I apologize in advance for the photos. I had a difficult time getting true colors with the shimmer pieces.

With Easter approaching and the promise of new life in our hearts, I opted for soft, ‘hopeful’ colors (if there can be any). The butterflies were a last minute addition. As I’ve mentioned they are HUGE in my life as signs from my loved ones in heaven and I always associated them with rebirth. The reason they were last minute, was that I had a HECK of a time adhering the pearl ‘twigs’. Glue dots were too big (even when I tried the roll ‘em up trick) and just didn’t want to stick to the metallic or pearl. I used a thin line of Stickles behind the lower branch hoping the bit of glitter that would show would add to the card. Well, it didn’t stick to the metal either. What the heck is this twig made of? As a last resort I used Diamond Glaze. It worked to adhere the twig, but it spread into a horrible looking blob on the ribbon. In addition the layer I’d added to the cross, bled outside the lines overnight. I awoke this morning to realize I had to try and ‘fix’ the card or start over.

I restamped the cross and added Stickles to a few points. The Diamond Glaze worked the way I’d wanted on the cross (it looked really cool with the Stickle ‘gems’ layered below), but the edges were far from crisp and the big drip really ruined it. I opted to leave the glaze off the cross this time. I was stumped on how to fix the blobby spots on the ribbon and thought I’d have to rip it all apart to replace the ribbon and then start the ‘how do I stick the twigs down without making a mess’ again. I was already late for work and needed a cup of coffee. I found the butterflies in a corner of my desk and gave them a try. They covered up the blobs pretty well and added a bit more hope to the overall theme.

Now that you know the back story, let's get on to the card!

Sketch Inspiration ~ Mojo Monday #131

Color Inspiration

Creative Inspirations #52 ~ White, Yellow, Green

Simon Says Challenge ~ Splash of Green

Flutter By Wednesday #101 ~ Green

Inspiration

Jacksonbelle Embellishments Challenge ~ Easter/Spring I used spring colors.

A Passion for PaperTrey Challenge ~ Spring My theme isn't spring, but I was inspired by spring colors.

365 Cards Day 2 ~ Tuesday’s Trio: Circle, Silver, Pearl I'm a bit of a rebel as the only real circles are the pearls themselves, but they are there!

Hand Full of Stamps #20 ~ Remove the Dust (Use your old supplies) The pearl picks have been in my stash for quite awhile. I found them in the clearance bin at Hobby Lobby in the wedding supplies aisle.

One Stop Craft Challenge #72 ~ Let it Shine I used shimmer white for the image, a few dots of stickles on the cross and the butterflies are all sparkly.

My Creation

Image Detail

INS AND OUTS ~ Pastel Sympathy Card
Stamps: PaperTrey Ink (Everyday Blessings & With Sympathy)
Paper: PTI Shimmer White, SU Designer Paper
Ink: Memento (Bamboo Leaves, Cantaloupe)
Accessories: Diamond Glaze, Pearl Wedding Picks, Nesties, SU Ribbon, Vellum Butterflies (Wedding Supplies)