Sing anyway

Some cards are harder to make than other. I’ve always had mixed feelings about sympathy cards because I felt those of the hardest words to share with the other person, don’t necessarily need dressing up. The tragedy that made this particular card happen affects me personally and the recipient is very dear to my heart. I felt the need to create for her, and include a message inside that would be well composed, saying everything I want to say without struggling to find the correct words in a face-to-face conversation. I created it having a very dear person in mind who is here no more, and it was beautifully cathartic.

I had a solid idea in my mind and some of the old stamps I have helped me execute it. One of them is from a company that shut its doors a year ago, There She Goes. I used to design for them. The set is called Angel Mail and the sentiment I used comes with it. I kept quite a few of their sets and this one is especially dear to me as the sentiments are truly unique and meaningful. I really wanted one that would be more personal than just a dry ‘with sympathy’.

The other stamps used here are Birch Branch Print from Memory Box (foliage) and Antique Engravings from Hero Arts. Only the latter can be found in the SSS store (here), and it’s one of my all-time favourites.

I created the scene by masking off a circle and creating a sun with Distress Inks first. I sprinkled on some water for a textured look. Then I stamped the branch and the bird and coloured the latter with Copics. Finally I stamped the sentiment. I used a light grey ink so that this rather large stamp doesn’t overwhelm the composition.