For My Friend

Last week, a friend of mine, a stamping sister and sideline SU demonstrator, lost her battle with cancer.  I am still dumbfounded, because we had just had lunch together a couple weeks prior, and were making plans for Convention and to get together for brainstorming project ideas for our customer friends.  My heart breaks for her two teenage sons, as well as her husband.

This card was sent to her family with a personal message inside.  I'd like to tell her sons how much their mom loved them, and some of the funny stories she told about them in stamp club  when I see them. She loved her boys so much!

More bad news; my father is back in the hospital. The infection has reappeared, and this time it's around the stent holding together his abdominal aortic aneurism.  They're pulling out the heavy artillery to try to knock the infection down.  He says his appetite is still good, so I hope he can keep putting on some weight, despite the hospital food.

And, since bad news seems to come in threes, my cousin's daughter Rayanna, who has been fighting leukemia so bravely for the last five of her eight year life, is in the ICU with a brain infection.  They have never been able to get her well, despite the perfect-match bone marrow transplant. It's been one thing after another after another, and I'm really afraid this might be the last straw. Her little body just can't take any more.

So, dear visitors, I am sorry to be a Debbie Downer today, but it's really hard for me to put on a happy face. If you're the praying type, please keep Cindy Ring's family, my dad, and Rayanna in your prayers. They all could really use it.

Stamp: Loving Thoughts
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Mocha Morning DSP, Crumb Cake DSP (retired Hostess Pack)
Ink: Basic Black, Soft Suede
Accessories: Basic Black 5/8" Satin Ribbon, i" Square Punch (cut banner ends), Stampin' Sponges

Sympathy for a Friend

Here's another one of those "difficult" cards to make, but this time it's not a masculine card. It such a struggle to make a sympathy card because of the emotion involved - there's just no way to turn a few pieces of cardstock and some ink into an expression of what I'm feeling. I can only hope the recipients receive a small measure of comfort that I was thinking of them, and keeping them in my prayers.

This is a variation of a tri-fold card. It was inspired by this card by Chris Smith. I moved the flap down a bit, and thought the greeting would be perfect just below the flap. The deep black of the satin ribbon belly band marks the solemnity of the occasion. It slips off so the bow doesn't need to be retied.

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Loving Thoughts
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Edgelits Dies, Basic Black 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Black Rhinestone Jewels (retired)