Sympathy - and - Celebrate - Cards

 Card One Verse:

I will turn their MOURNING into joy;

I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:13

Card Two Verse:

You are my strong shield, and I trust you completely.

You have helped me, and I will CELEBRATE and thank you in song.

Psalm 28:7

Welcome to our 2013 Die Cut Tuesday New Release and Link Up over at MyPaperCrafting.com!  Be sure and pop over there and see what Melin and our other Designers have set up for this Showcase – and the New Release.

For today, I chose to make two very different cards.  The first one is a Sympathy Card I made for family members who recently had a Dear Aunt pass away.  I used the ‘Heart Flourish 2-12 cf’ from My Paper Crafting and I made an Easel Card, using the cut file as the prop and other elegantly lacey elements and shades of gray and black to make a respectful ‘remembrance’ for them.

*  I matted several pieces of varying sizes of prints/stripes onto black cardstock for the front design.  I recently purchased my first QuikKutz Cutting Die - on Sale! – to use in my Cuttlebug.  It’s a lovely lacey Doily pattern, which is why I chose it, but unfortunately, it does not cut well – and I’ve tried Many alternate ways to have it cut through cardstock…  (I’ve discovered that it does a bit better on plain paper, but still takes time to ‘release’ all of the tiny pieces.   8-[  )  I ended up cutting through most of the designs with an Exacto knife – tediously.  I finally decided to cut the doily in half and save the other side for another project on another day!  I banded the edge with black cardstock.  I added a gray grosgrain bow and then a tiny black bow on top of it.  I added some Gems, also.

*  Inside, I adhered a piece of print paper and mounted a verse on the top part and the cut file at the bottom, raised up with PopDots, to use as the Prop for the easel.

 

*  Because the card is fairly thick when closed, I made one of my ‘deep envelope boxes’ to put it in and then mailed it in a padded yellow envelope. 

(If you are interested in the exact scoring and cutting, let me know and I’ll send you a copy of the ‘map’ I use.  I also use these for my 'sets’ of A2 size cards. ) 

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My second card has to do with Mardi Gras.  Mardi Gras refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday. The day is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning "confess." Related popular practices are associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent.

Having spent some time in New Orleans several years ago, I was aware of and participated in some of the events leading up to and including Mardi Gras.  It’s quite a bit more than I care to experience more than once, but it was definitely an occasion that one hears about all of one’s life and it was interesting to see how it was celebrated there.  It’s a colorful time and beads and feathers are in excess! 

Here is my card, using Melin’s ‘Celebrate Title cf’ – which is the FREE file for today!

* The primary colors of Mardi Gras are Purple, Yellow-gold and Green.  I used these on my Trifold Card – and added sparkly bead and trim accents.  I found the ‘Happy Mardi Gras’ sentiment and the ‘Comedy/Tragedy’ masks online and printed them to use here.  I inked a diamond pattern, a prevalent pattern of Mardi Gras, on the front card page.

Color Inspiration -

Traditional 'King Cake'

Here are the files used in both cards –

Be sure to check out Melin’s post for the FREEBIE File for today and then make something and link up there.  I look forward to seeing YOUR creations!