It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time for a challenge from The Paper Players. This week, Nance Leedy challenges us to make a sympathy card. Sympathy cards are often very difficult to make – not only because they evoke very uncomfortable emotions but because we have so many preconceived notions about what a sympathy card should look like. While I did design my card with a flower, I maintained a modern, clean look that’s still very appropriate. Here’s my card:
And here’s the challenge banner:
Tips, Tricks and Reminders:
- Layering your framelits. I used my Secret Garden Bundle to create this flower. While I stamped the flower in Midnight Muse on Naturals White and again on Crumb Cake. I cropped the Naturals White flower with the coordinating framelits and then cropped the same flower on a piece of unstamped Crumb Cake. This adds a nice dimension to the stamped flower. I then trimmed the middle part of the flower with on the stamped Crumb Cake image and added a pearl.
- The layout. There’s a lot of empty space on this card front, but nothing seems to be missing. The lines above and beside the flower really fill the space nicely. The ric-rac trim was cropped with the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die. I measured the width of the trim and cut three strips of Midnight Muse to coordinate above. I originally designed the card with the ric-rac trim above the flower and the straight lines off to the side. Thank goodness I reviewed this before I glued it down. The straight, horizontal lines were not such an appropriate image for a sympathy card. Yeesh!
- Colors. I love the neutrals of this card. Nothing shocking, and nothing too drab. The Naturals White and Crumb Cake add beautiful texture to the card.
Stamp sets: Petite Pairs, Secret Garden Papers: Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse, Naturals White Inks: Midnight Muse Accessories: Tasteful Trims Bigz XL die, Secret Garden Framelits, Pearl Basic Jewels, 2-1/2″ Circle punch
Thank you for stopping by my blog today! Please participate in this week’s challenge at The Paper Players by clicking here.
Brian
Brian, what a most appropriate design and color choice for a sympathy card.
Brian, this is a very classy and beautiful design for a Sympathy card. It is indeed difficult to make this cards, specially when they are for family and friends but the recepient will always appreciate a hand made card.
I like the color choices on this card. I would not have thought about these two colors together . I really don`t believe I have seen anyone use them together…. Also you mentioned the die that I use a lot that doesn`t get the recognition it so deserves. The Tasteful Trims die is just great ! Sometimes I will just take various colors of cardstock and run them through the BS with this die . That gives me lots of trims on hand already cut and ready to use … I bought it on a whim and I`m so glad I did ….I love this big fella……Oh, and I really like this card too !
Very nice card, Brian. I love the design & color combo. Unfortunately, I’ve had to make 4 sympathy cards just this week. It is difficult to make sympathy cards, but its nice to have the inspiration when we need it most. Maybe I’ll add my cards to The Paper Players. TFS
I love the symbolism of the straight lines on the way down and the “wavy” ric rac lines on the way over and out. For me it shows life cooking along…. on the straight lines and then the wavy lines could represent the feelings and “stuff” that comes along when someone dies. I really like this card Brian. Thanks for posting.
Beautiful as always!
Lovely card Brian. I always have a difficult time making sympathy cards and they never seem to express enough the feelings I have. Perhaps instead of making sympathy cards we should make “celebration of life cards”? I don’t know, it’s all so emotional.
A perfect sympathy card: calm, serene, thoughtful. Like the use of the three elements both horizontal as well as vertical!
One word – awesome!
This is a beautiful sympathy card. Serene and elegant with a very nice color combination.
I echo LeAnne’s thoughts about your card…beautiful, thoughtful, serene and calm. If you ever have to give this one, you won’t have to worry about how they will feel about it. So perfect!
Ellen, Open this one and then go to previous and you will see the post Brian did about the colors he wants to replace. I found it very funny. He just is humerous. I had fun yesterday and got a lot done. I love the 2 cards we are making today. I cannt wait to show them to my friends/customers. How was the concert? I am buying a new Ipod today. I am getting a touch but not the newest one. I do not need all those whistles and buttons it has. Wjy pay for them if i do not need them? take care, enjoy the “supperbowl”. Hope your team wins. janet
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Great job on your card. I really enjoy seeing your work. I also like how you explain the different aspects of the cards you make. Thanks for your inspiration.
Clean and simple perfection, Brian! I love the single pearl you used 🙂
This is an awesome card; colors & designs very appealing. TFS
Great Sympathy Card! Clean and Simple!
I need to learn more about things like why ” straight, horizontal lines were not such an appropriate image for a sympathy card”. Thank you, Meg, for expressing what the card said to you as it answered my question this time around. I’ve only been stamping a few months and have had no prior creative experiences, so I have no idea if I’m making some sort of faux pas with my cards. And thank you, Brian. I am gleaning some knowledge of this sort through your posts like this. 🙂
Rebecca, I flipped the ric-rac and lines because I didn’t want it to resemble a cardiology machine that is flatlining. It was that simple.
Oh. Oh, that makes so much sense! I didn’t even think of that! Thanks!
Bold and beautiful!
Beautiful card, Brian…perfect combination of paper and lovely single flower….great job and it does what it needs to do. Thank you!
Haha, I just read your comment about the cardiology machine flat lining… Too funny! Love the colors you chose and how you layered the flower. Great card, Brian.
Thank you for embracing my challenging and creating a gorgeous, clean and modern sympathy card. Love the way you’ve layered the Secret Garden flower!
I love your clean designs. Great choice of colors too!
This was my first time playing along with this challenge…and what a challenge to start off with. Sympathy cards are always difficult to make when you “need” one, so this was probably a good idea to create one when it’s not “needed”. LOVE the color combo on your card…and popping that flower up really makes it the focal point.
Brian this is such a beautiful card! I really like the color combo and the clean design. The trios of trims in both directions really lead the eye through the design. I hope that makes sense…it’s been a long week. Ha! Always great to visit your blog and gain some inspiration. 🙂