Sympathy Card

I made a sympathy card for a dear friend of mine. Unfortunately his grandfather passed away. But I told him that it sounded like his grandfather lived a long, full life and that he should be happy that he got to see him recently. I know that doesn't always make it easier to deal with, but I hope it brings even just a little comfort that his granddad was happy in life.

I always find sympathy cards difficult for many reasons. I never know if it's appropriate to even make anything that serves as a reminder, but at the same time I feel if properly expressed I would hope that there is a larger message to be understood... that even during a difficult time people want to be there to listen and to help with healing.

Death is a difficult thing though. I have known people who have died, but no one who has been extremely close to me. I am sure it would be absolutely devastating though if it were to happen. And I guess the sadder part is not so much the if it happens... but the when it happens. My father has always been preoccupied with death, I think it was largely in part due to him fighting in the Vietnam war. He's been saying for the last 20 years that he doesn't think he'll live much longer, but as I get older the words become scarier and scarier.

Making the card for my friend really forced me to be a bit more reflective about what is going on around me. Things like would I know what to do if something happened to the people I care about most, or even if I were to go, did I feel that I did my best? I find that the more you count your blessings, the more blessed you'll realize you are. So with this uber comtemplative mood I've been in, I have been choosing to make more thank you cards. I urge you today or any ol' day, to let people know they mean alot to you.


For this card I used:
Card stock - Kraft (base), Bermuda Bay, White
Stamps - Thoughts & Prayers (SU!)

Gothy Goodness Swap

It's been awhile since I did one, but I joined a swap many months ago with a gothic theme. It was due on my birthday (09-09-09! And by the way I turned 27 and 2+7=9... crazy o_O)

So anyway the theme revolved around goth girls. It's basis requires a little bit of the pop subculture of Japan, but there is a style called "Goth-Lolli" (a combination of Gothic Lolita) where girls dress up in these really decadent porcelain doll kind of outfits (I guess Victorian?) and it adds other gothic elements to it (dark colors, dramatic eye makeup, etc.)

Well I decided that based on alot of the imagery I've found of this Lolita

fashion, that I had to do a card with butterflies and lace.

So I started with a piece of photo paper and used Melon Mambo with my brayer.

Then I stamped this image onto it using Jet Black StazOn. The stamp was from a set called Friendship, but I don't know what company it's from. Isn't she pretty?


I then used a white paint pen to color in the whites of her eyes and adhered it to a piece of black cardstock.


Then I put it on the gray base cardstock and silver embossed a butterfly (from the same stamp set) on top of the ribbon.

I kind of like how it turned out, though I don't really know what it could be used for. Thinking of you? Or maybe some kind of dark valentine sentiment?

Speaking of sentiments -- I found a great book in the bargain section at Borders. It's called Finding the Right Words by J. Beverly Daniel. It's got phrases to personalize your greeting cards. While I am a big proponent of say what you want however you want to, it's certainly not bad to have a little help sometimes when you're just stumped.