There is no doubt that sympathy cards are the hardest types of cards to make. Unless, of course, you need to make a pet sympathy card. Those are absolutely THE WORST!
A dear friend recently lost their 15-year old furry family member. We envisioned a puppy angel for this card so we started hunting through our stash and found the perfect puppy image and a set of wings that were the right size. With some creative masking and mirror stamping we thought we could achieve the look we had in mind.
Focal Point:
- The puppy image was first stamped onto the BACK SIDE of a piece of masking paper. This was done because the mask was not used in the traditional manner, but was stuck directly to the surface of the stamp to prevent the ink from being applied in certain areas. Once the stamp was inked up, the mask was removed and the image was stamped. Any “missing” spots on the stamped image were then filled in with a very fine lined black marker. (Be careful to choose a marker that will not bleed with the medium that you will use to color your image). The mask was fussy cut and applied directly to the stamp
- The image was stamped onto white cardstock using alcohol-friendly black ink using the method explained above
- The image was colored with alcohol markers and depth and shading was added with colored pencils. The image was then fussy cut
- The angel wings were stamped with clear embossing ink onto vellum. Mirror stamping was used to stamp the second wing. Both stamped images were then heat embossed with iridescent embossing powder. The wings were then fussy cut.
Background Panel:
- Clouds were softly inked onto a panel of white cardstock measuring 4” x 5 ¼” using a blending brush, dye ink and a cloud edge stencil
- 3 additional layers of clouds were fussy cut from white cardstock. A bit of very soft color was added to these cloud layers as well with dye ink and a blending brush
- The heavenly rays were stenciled onto the upper right corner of the card panel using dye ink and a blending brush
- The cloud layers and the puppy image were laid out onto the card panel to determine placement of the sentiment
- The sentiment was stamped directly onto the cloud background using black pigment ink and was heat embossed with clear embossing powder to add a bit of shine and dimension.
Card Assembly:
- The fussy cut cloud layers were adhered to the background using liquid glue, leaving the top edges unadhered
- The puppy image was tucked and adhered partially behind one of the cloud edges
- The angel wings were adhered behind the puppy by applying liquid glue just to the base of the wings to prevent the adhesive from showing
Finishing Touches:
- Clear glitter marker was added to the edges of the clouds
- The white card panel was matted with black cardstock
- The matted card panel was adhered to a side-folding card base measuring 4 ¼” x 5 ½”
- The angel wings were “fluffed” up for a bit of dimension
Thank you for visiting us today. Stay safe and happy crafting!
Michele and Maureen
“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.”
Kahlil Gibran
Supply List:
- Puppy image: Nellie’s Choice/Nellie’s Cuties – Dog with Christmas Bow
- Angel wings: Sunny Studio – Prancing Pegasus
- Sentiment: Simon Says Stamp – Sketched Flowers
- “Heavenly” rays: Honey Bee Stamps – Radiant Background stencil
- Cloudy background: My Favorite Things – Mini Cloud Edges stencil
- Vellum: Simon Says Stamp
- Embossing ink: WOW! – Clear Ultra Slow Drying
- Alcohol markers: Copic
- Colored pencils – Faber Castell – Polychromos
- Iridescent embossing powder: Stampendous – Kaleidoscope
- Dye inks: Tim Holtz/Ranger – Distress Ink
- Liquid glue: Bearly Art – Precision Craft Glue
- Pigment Ink: Tsukineko – VersaFine Clair Nocturne
- Alcohol marker friendly ink: My Favorite Things – Extreme Black Hybrid Ink
- Masking paper: Rock – Removable Sticker/Label Paper
- Fine-lined black marker: Tsukineko – Memento Dual Marker in Tuxedo Black
- Cardstock – Accent Opaque
80 lb (Background panel, stamped image & hand-cut clouds)
120 lb (Card base)
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