With Sympathy

I finished it…the card I started this morning! Today’s Color Challenge was to make a sympathy card with Virginia Tech colors for one of the families who have lost loved ones in this senseless tragedgy. I know it has touched people across the US, Canada and other countries as well and our hearts go out to those who have experienced this tragedy. If you are interested in joining in this challenge, the link is here.

Virginia Sympathy click to see enlarged detail of butterfly

I decided to keep this card simple…one, I just don’t have the energy for anything complex. Two, the strong colors of this challenge seemed to work better in my mind with a simple design, and three, I fell that sympathy cards seem to by more soft and soothing if they are not too busy. This card is made from Very Vanilla cardstock in a 5″ square format. The layers are Bravo Burgundy and Pumpkin Pie, the colors of Virginia Tech. I added a top large vanilla layer with lots of open space for the butterfly to “fly”.  I love the look of open space in a design…sometimes it can be a little intimidating…I often fill up all the space with so many elements and forget that simplicity is beautiful too.

The flower was stamped with black ink and the watercolored with my Aquapainter and the ink pressed into the lids of my ink pads. I then stamped my sympathy sentiment with the Bravo
Burgundy and added a little Prima flower from the Prima Essentials Lucid Collection that I purchased from Jacksonbelle. The stitched ribbon is a beautiful green and it is from Starlitstudio. To finish off my design, I “inked up” the butterfly with my new Essential Glue pad by Tsukineko, stamped it on the card and then covered it with clear glitter. I was extremely impressed with the detail and shimmer that I achieved. I was quite honestly a little nervous, seeing as my card was almost done and I had never tried the glue pad with an intricate stamp and also clear glitter. I just love the result and wish you could see it in person! I wanted the shimmery butterfly to represent hope and their loved one who would always be with them in memory. For more details on the new Essential Glue Pad see this entry…Glitterama.