Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A Sympathy Card

Happy Hump Day, friends! Three days down. Two to go until the weekend. I'm OK with that!

While my photo is a bit unconventional tonight, it is the one that will best show you what this card really looks like. I was inspired by this post on the Jennifer McGuire Ink blog. The video demonstrating how to embossing using three different powders is located here in the Designer Bucket at Two Peas in a Bucket.

For my card, I used Olive Green and Silver embossing powders from Close To My Heart and some copper powder that is in an unmarked container. While I rarely use anything metallic on sympathy cards, this one isn't shiny per se, and the overall look is quite peaceful. My order of embossing powders was green, copper, and silver. After embossing the leaves on Kraft cardstock, I used a round sponge and Bamboo ink to highlight the images and distress the edges. Stamping additional leaves with Bamboo ink was an afterthought, which, I think, added dimension and softened the overall look a bit more. The embossed "stripe" down the side of the sentiment was created using a metal ruler and embossing pen. The matte silver cardstock from my stash that I used to mat the card front and sentiment tied all of the colors together. While I considered adding some ribbon or brads as an embellishment, I deemed the card really didn't need anything more and left it as is.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, matte silver, and Stampin' Up Kraft cardstock; VersaMark and Bamboo ink pads; Close To My Heart Promise of Spring (retired) and Wordsworth Comforting Thoughts stamp sets; Olive green, silver, and copper embossing powders; Embossing pen; Metal ruler; Round sponge, Sponge dauber; Embossing heat tool.

I hope your day was a good one. Mine was fine albeit I stayed up a little too late last night and was a bit tired. Tonight, I need to go get supplies ready for my stamp club, which meets tomorrow evening. I'm giving a little "lesson" on how to color with Prismacolor colored pencils and odorless mineral spirits, and thus, I'd best locate a tutorial or something just to make certain I'm doing it right myself!

Thanks for all your sweet comments about Mathias's latest stamping adventure. I think he's going to be the artsy one of the pair, and he sure loves my "Cranker Thing" aka Cuttlebug. And now that he's graduated from embossing folders to Nestabilities, he really thinks he's hot stuff. LOL. No, I'm just jabbering, which, with stuff to do, probably isn't such a great idea. Enjoy what is left of the evening, and have a great Thursday. I'll "see" you again then!

10 comments:

Deborah Young said...

Dearest Kathi - your card is over the top gorgeous! Copper is my metal of choice - I love it on anything and everything....especially this card. So beautiful!
So the little guy has graduated to Nesties - wow, I just started using those myself...I'm impressed!!!

Sylvia said...

Very soothing card. I'd love to be able to go to your stamp club and learn how to color with Prisma color pencils and odorless spirits.

Sharli Schaitberger said...

Kathi, your card is stunning - and I'm going to follow your link and see if I can't figure out how you did that!!!! This is really pretty. I agree that the tonal bamboo images on the background are softening - and I LOVE the stripe of copper on the sentiment.

I will keep this in my stash of "Kathi" ideas - unfortunately you never know when you'll need a sympathy card. Fortunately, I think the technique could be good for happier uses as well.

Laurel said...

Oh my gosh this is gorgeous!

Sarah said...

First before I forget...'Cranker Thing' ..LOLOLOL I am in tears here!!! My kid's LOVE my Cuttlebug.. they were all looking at me strangely laughing OUT LOUD at your post...until I told them about the cranker thing! They LOVED it. My hubby was in the dark.
TRUST ME you are 'doing it right' with your coloring...you are the master!
Your card...wow...what a winner. That sentiment is absolutely brilliant. The embossing is spectacular...the perfect touch is that bamboo ink stamping of the same image.
I have something called an 'embossing pen'....I haven't figured out how you use it...I thought it was actually useless LOL...I need a tutorial :-)
OK I will stoop commenting....I LOVE this card.
Night Trixie hee hee

Sparkplug17 said...

Very pretty! I love the different colors.

Kim said...

I love the embossing! Gorgeous card.

scrappernic said...

Absolutely stunning, Kathi!! THe detail and colors are perfect!

Atreeinstead said...

Nice card; check out www.atreeinstead.com for our sympathy cards

Jeanne said...

Kathi, you manage to do this time and time again...absolutely AWE me with your fabulous creations. I haven't checked out the videos yet, but I see I must. This is flat out gorgeous!

Thank you for sharing...love the term cranker thing. Classic! You need to get a picture if him cranking it!