Sympathy card and a distress tool revisited

Sadly I had to make a sympathy card today for an Uncle Inlaw.  Larry was even newer to the Maxam clan that I am  He and Aunt Jeannette were married for 5 years, his passing was unexpected.  He was a great guy, a dad of 6 kids, a loving husband and a fireman for 50+ years among many many other good things.   Making sympathy cards, as you card makers know can be tricky, it can't be too cheerful and it can't be too low key.  Somehow the card is meant to let the person know you are thinking of them and feeling some of their pain and that they and their loved one are remembered and honored. Sympathy cards for me are never easy, but they so are important.

Here is the card and then I have a tip for you!

The lattice frame is the one and only successful cut I made on my new silhouette cameo machine. That machine is now on the way back to where it came from and a Cricut explore is on its way here to replace it!  I think I had a bad machine, none the less I like the Cricut software much better and I was able to pull back all my cartridges from the design studio.  If I had known that I would have gone with the Cricut first.

Anyway, the butterfly I made with a TH die and embossing folder

using BoBunny paper,

 have you ever noticed it is difficult to find good true blue and red papers??

I keep my 6x6 pads in 7x7 cello envelopes - keeps all the leftovers together and when the spines start breaking apart the paper stays together

Here is my little tip

I've had lots of tools for my distress inks, This one for light use is the best and it is cheap.  A few years ago I went to a thrift store and bought a white wool blazer.  I took it apart washed it in really hot water, machine dried on high (this is called felting) and then I cut the disassembled fabric into 1.5 x 2.5 rectangles with a pinking blade from that one jacket I created a lifetime supply of distress tool pads! because they are wool they stay on the hook/velcro portion of the wood tool.

At one time I had all the distress ink colors - but honestly, that was totally redundant for my style of card making. I sold the ones I wasn't using,   I store them here:

and here:

Now when I need really heavy coverage I use makeup sponges:

I can get the ink completely opaque with these.  They get stored in a jar with a lid. one sponge per color family.

Center panel inked on edges with just a touch of yellow, I want it to look like a window.

And the greatest thing in life and death is love!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ginny M

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Owner; Christian Card Making and encouragement