Time to think of some friends

This last week or so has been a bit hard, our lovely neighbour and friend Keith lost his battle with lung cancer and has left us feeling sad at his passing but so very glad for having known him.  He died without too much fuss, as was his way, at home with his family close - the sort of end to have if you can manage it!  We'll miss him and his sharp sense of humour, but still have Doris, his wife to chat about the footy with.  I made this card for her, I think it is nice and cheery.

I used cream pearl card and inked the edge with orange pigment ink, the mat for the sentiment was cut with Classic Scalloped Oval Nestabilities in a light orange coloured cardstock - the same cardstock used for the mat behind the image.  The oval sentiment block was cut and embossed with Classic Oval Nestabilities in the cream card.  

The image was from a journalling block that I cut down.  I punched the top edge with a border punch and glued some orange satin ribbon behind it, this helped tie the colours together and also gave a sheen behind the punching, hard to see in this photo. The butterfly brad on the sentiment was yellow, I used some pigment ink to get some of the orange colour on to it, which worked well - the colour "took" no problem and even the glitter showed through.  The sentiment itself was a peel off sticker  A couple of gold brads finished the card off.  

In the same week, another friend (who had a major stroke -at age 59) lost his mother.  He lost his father last year on the 8th September, which is his birthday, so he is feeling a bit lost I think.  I made him this sympathy card and sent it to him as I can't get up there just yet - it is quite a distance from us - so he knows that we are at least thinking of him.

This is another relatively simple card, which I think is the right style for a sympathy card.  I used cream textured card for the base, the mat is textured card in a terracotta colour; both are from Die Cuts With a View's "Naturals" matstack.  The mat for the sentiment is lightly patterned, it is from DCWV "Far East" mat stack.  The sentiment is computer generated; I've finally learned how to use text boxes to get the words to sit tight against each other (I've only been using Word since version 1.1a !!!) it was printed on pale pink pearl paper (what a tongue twister, lol)   

The image "Orange Lily" is from Flourish Scrapbooking Papers .  It also has a pearl finish, actually it is more a gold iridescent coating, which makes the whole card glow - it is so much nicer in real life!  The orange border is from Kaisercrafts "Peachy Keen" collection, punched with Fiskars Apron Lace border punch.  The ribbon is double sided orange/red with some of the reverse colour showing as stitching along the edge, I can't wait to use the reverse side - it is so LUSH.  Hopefully I don't have to do any more sympathy cards for a while, I find them quite trying as you're never quite sure what to say on them and you feel a bit guilty if you really enjoy making them, if you know what I mean.  I think I'll do a baby card next, All Sorts Blogspot has a challenge "New Beginnings" that appeals right now - though I've probably run out of time (how unusual, NOT)