With Heartfelt Sympathy

Yesterday, we heard that the infant son of a teacher my mom works with died. He had had major health problems basically since he was born late last year. But it's still always especially sad to hear when a child dies. So I made this sympathy card to send to the parents.

I used this Operation Write Home sketch as inspiration for my design:

I liked the idea of the 3 elements that increase in size coming down the card. Kind of a different take on the "rule of threes." I did make my card larger than an A2 size (about 5.5x8"), though, and die cut the right border.

I had a hard time choosing a patterned paper for the card front. I wanted something kind of solemn, but not too "heavy." I finally found a dark teal paper with a subtle grid pattern on it, and felt that would be perfect. I also wanted to use a butterfly stamp, mostly inspired by the annual butterfly release a local organization has for families who have lost children. I have a butterfly stamp set (though I don't know the manufacturer or name), and chose a small one from that for this card.

I decided, rather than hearts (mostly because I don't have heart dies), I would use scalloped circles. I chose 3 sizes from this Lifestyle Crafts die set. One was a little smaller than my stamp, so the butterfly wouldn't be totally visible. The other was slightly larger, so less of the butterfly would be cut off. Then the third would allow the entire butterfly to be seen. I felt this arrangement went perfectly with the "transformation" symbolism traditionally given to butterflies, as well as symbolize the transition of the soul from this world to the next.

Before I placed my circle dies, I went ahead and die cut the right edge of the patterned paper piece, which I had cut to the size of my card. I used a (now discontinued) Spellbinders Edgeabilites die set. After I die cut the edge, I placed and die cut my scalloped circles. I positioned that piece over my card base and lightly marked the position of the circles with a pencil.

I stamped the butterfly in each circle space on the front of the card base using Versafine Onyx Black ink, then clear heat embossed each one. I colored the wings with 2 shades of yellow-orange colored pencils, then blended with Gamsol on a paper stump.

I used a greeting from this digital stamp set by Doodle Pantry. I decided where I wanted it on the front of the card base, then marked that area with a pencil. I scanned that into my computer, and positioned the greeting using the scanned image as a guide. Then I printed the greeting directly onto the card base.

I cut the bottom section off the patterned paper panel. I cut a narrow strip of yellow cardstock, and glued it behind the patterned paper where I'd die cut the edge. I cut a strip from the patterned paper section I'd cut off, backed the die cut edge with the same cardstock, and glued it to the bottom of the card base. Then I positioned the larger portion above the greeting, and adhered it in place.

I'm entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Emboss It" challenge.