Not Your Typical Sympathy Card

Hello everyone. I have to tell you, I have really debated with myself about posting this card. I really like how the card turned out, but I made this sympathy card for a friend and I did not want her to think I was exploiting her card or loss.
My friend Toby is an amazing woman, mother, teacher, wife, friend, and an incredible daughter. Toby's mother became ill and Toby refused to put her into a nursing home, but instead turned her own life upside down in order to care for her beloved mother. Her mother had been a pillar in Toby's life and Toby became a pillar for her mother. Toby is an example of what we should all aspire to become - completely devoted to those whom we love. I know that I have learned greatly from her example.

Toby's mother recently passed on to her eternal life and I wanted a pretty card for Toby. Toby loves dimension on cards - she is very tactile and likes touching the layers. I chose this card cut from the Cricut Circle exclusive French Manor cartridge especially for Toby. I knew she would be able to touch the flower cut over and over again. I cut the base card, then resized and cut the top layer to add dimension. I added foldered flowers over the cut flower, again for dimension as well as for additional color.

Inside the card I used an old-school wooden stamp to add a verse of scripture..... Toby lives her faith better than anyone I know so I thought she might I appreciate this reminder from Isaiah.

I know that most sympathy cards are not rosy pink with flowers and a bow, but for this lovely friend, "pretty" was perfect.

My Family Grew By One Today

Yes, it's true - my family grew by one today, but gained four legs!! My husband and I made a little road trip (nearly 6 hours of driving) and adopted a one year old male Pomeranian!!! He is so lovable, but he seems to be trying to become a daddy's boy!!! Anyway, isn't he cute?



Since I spent a big part of the day in the car and trying to get the dog settled into a new home I did absolutely NO crafting today. But guess what??? I think I can safely post a preview of the cards I made for the stamp club swap!

I made sympathy cards; morose but true. I was trying for uplifting sympathy cards... if you can imagine. I found a nice stamp (half price sale) last week at Hobby Lobby and thought I would give it a try.


I used white cards, DCWV SWEET paper, teal card stock, and Stampin' Up ink. Oh yes - and butterflies cut last night with my new Home Decor cartridge
and embossed with the Swiss Dot folder.


I hope the club likes them... I think they came out nicely.

Sympathy Card

This week's challenge at Bitten by the Bug was to use the Heart cut from the Wedding Solutions cartridge. With Valentine's Day just a few weeks away, there was a lot of love in the air (or on the Internet) at BBTB. I decided to take a different approach. A few weeks ago I made my first sympathy card. It ended up being a case of "it's the thought that counts" because it truly was not my best card. The more I looked at the Wedding Solutions Heart, the more I thought of using it for something other than romance. So I did the heart in black and white, matted on white vellum, and attached to a black card with a white lace edge. I embellished with black, white, and gray ribbon, white flowers, and a little bird rub-on. Inside I inserted a white square for the stamped sympathy message and personal note. It may seem a bit morbid, but I like my love filled sympathy card!