Sympathy card for an Auntie

Hi blogging friends

The card I am sharing today is a Sympathy card.  My husband's last remaining Auntie passed away aged 97.  I found the card quite difficult to make because we really don't know that side of the family - and we had no idea whether any of the children (my husband's cousins) have any sort of faith or not - and therefore wanted to be very respectful as I never push my beliefs on anyone nor preach - there's nothing worse!  I personally, had only seen the Auntie once at a funeral and have never met any of her children.  

It took ages to make the card which seems odd when the finished result is so simple - but I just seemed to faff around and couldn't make up my mind what colour ribbon I should use and then after putting a white ribbon on, I promptly took it off again because it just didn't look right - and then wondered whether I should add the hearts next to the sentiment - uggh - just didn't come together easily - one of those difficult cards!  I left it at my desk numerous times and kept going back to it with a 'fresh' mind and finally things came together and I settled on a soft lavender organza ribbon to contrast the white - and here is the result:

I had a hard time photographing my card - and no matter whether I photographed it in the sun or with a cloudy sky, the white card base still looks a bit lavendery (not sure if that's a word - if it isn't, it is now!) - and no amount of fiddling with my photo editing program made it look white.....sigh.....oh well!

The card is a Matchbook card but turned on its side.  You can see another Matchbook Sympathy card HERE on my blog which I made ages ago.  Note that I bought this card already made up as a Matchbook card in a pack of 10 from Riot Art and Craft and the scalloped edge was already done - but it is easy to make one yourself and if you look at the link for my previous Matchbook card, I have given some instructions - just scroll down.  Please note that at this link, I called the card a Matchbox card which is incorrect - however the instructions etc. are all correct - I just had the name wrong!

The right-hand side of the card was embossed using my Cuttlebug and Roses embossing folder.

I used my Scor-Pal to score two lines on the left-hand side of the card then added the ribbon in 2 separate elements.  The bow itself was made with my Bow Easy and I added some Fray Stop to the cut ends to stop them from fraying.  I glued this side panel down so it doesn't open and the embossed side just tucks into this flap - but made sure that I left enough of the flap unstuck so that the embossed side tucks in enough to hold it.

I stamped the sentiment using London Fog Memento ink, added two punched lavender hearts (I used an MS Looped Hearts edge punch - they are the leftover punchies) then popped this panel up on dimensionals.  This is my first time stamping using grey ink and I really love the softness it added to the card as opposed to using black ink.

For the card inside, I again stamped the sentiment with London Fog ink and added hearts to mirror the card front.

So simple - don't know why it took me so long!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stamp-It Australia siset014 sentiment set (both sentiments)

Ink:  Memento London Fog

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Roses embossing folder, Scor-Pal, lavender organza ribbon, Bow Easy, Fray Stop, Lifestyle Nesting Ovals die, dimensionals, Matchbook card - Riot Art and Craft, white cardstock scrap for sentiment panel, lavender cardstock

Punches:  Martha Stewart Looped Hearts edge (lavender hearts)

CAS Matchbook Sympathy card using Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

Over at Splitcoaststampers, this week's Clean and Simple Challenge CAS91 is 'With Sympathy', so I set to work to make a simple card to have on hand.  This card came together so quickly and easily - I love it when that happens!  

Recently, when I was at my local Riot Art and Craft shop (Aussie store), I found these blank white Matchbook cards (they are A2 size and come in a pack of 8) and thought they looked nice.  Of course, you can make your own.  I couldn't find a tutorial on SCS or by Googling it so perhaps it is called something else in the USA (?).  Anyway, I think by the extra photo of the opened card, you could see how to make your own plus I added some directions/measurements below.  Note that this card already came with the scalloped edge on the LH flap.

I embossed the RH flap of the card with my gorgeous Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder (LOVE this folder!) and the LH flap was embossed with one of the narrow folders from the Cuttlebug 'With Love' set.

The ribbon actually ties around the card, and you slip it off to open the card.  I diecut the tag using one of the tags from the Spellbinder Ribbon Tags Trio, then threaded the ribbon thru and tied it at the back of the card.  I made a bow with my Bow Easy and glued this to the ribbon but made sure I didn't touch the cardstock in the process otherwise the ribbon/sentiment wouldn't slip off the card - the bow is meant to look like it is around the daisy stems.

I punched two tiny hearts using my EK Success Arrows border punch (the leftover punchies when you use the punch look like tiny hearts) and glued them to each side of the sentiment.  Lastly, I added some fine white glitter to these hearts plus the centres of the daisy flowers on the LH panel.  This is a really white glitter - it doesn't have the blue/pinky tones that some white glitters have - and I prefer my really white one for Sympathy cards to give an understated look.

Here is a photo of what the card looks like when you slide the ribbon off:

The inside of the card simply says "With Sympathy".

And here is a close-up of the sentiment panel so you can see the tiny white-glittered hearts:

For your info if you were going to make your own Matchbook card from scratch:  

* the LH flap is 1-1/2" wide

* the RH flap (which tucks under the LH flap a little) is 4-1/4" wide

* the card bottom (base) is 5-1/2" wide

* the height of the card is 4-1/4"

Take a sheet of cardstock 11-1/4" long (x 4-1/4" wide), and use your Imperial Scor Pal/Scoring Board to score lines at 1-1/2" (which will be the LH flap) and 7" (which will be the RH flap).  

Don't forget that if you are going to use a border punch on the LH flap, you would need to add extra width to that flap so that once you have punched your border, the RH flap would still tuck under the LH flap, otherwise it will be too narrow and won't tuck in.

The good thing about this style of card is that you can turn it around and have the small flap at the RHS instead, or vertically so that the small flap is at the top, or the other way up so that the small flap is at the bottom.  Very versatile and something a bit different to the norm - and easy.

If you need any clarification of the measurements etc, please don't hesitate to EMail me - or leave me a comment and I'll edit this post.  My Email address is on the LHS of my Blog - scroll down a little just past the "Hello and welcome to my Blog" and click on the link provided which will open up your EMail program automatically with my address already popped in for you.

Thanks again for stopping by - hope to see you again soon!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Sentiment from Wendy Irving Expressions J6412.01 clear set

Ink:  Stazon Jet Black

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Bunch of Daisies embossing folder from 'With Love' Cuttlebug set, Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder, Spellbinder Ribbon Tags Trio, Bow Easy, white organza ribbon 10mm - 3/8" wide, .008 fine white glitter, Designer Dries clear adhesive (for glitter), The Paper Mill White A2 Matchbook cards PMAZMW - Riot Art and Craft

Punches:  EK Success Arrows Border