Bear Hugs

I've had the "Circle Friends" stamp set by Simon Says Stamp for a while now, and have never gotten any of the images inky. But I decided it would be perfect for the "Candy Striper Comfort" challenge as part of Splitcoast Stampers' "Hope You Can Cling To" card drive.

I began by stamping the stripes on a piece of cream cardstock that I'd cut to 4.25x5.5". I used two of the stamps in the "Basic Borders" stamp set by Mama Elephant, and Hero Arts Pale Tomato ink. Once I'd finished that, I set it aside while I worked on the focal image/greetings.

I stamped the teddy bear and 2 of the greetings (all from "Circle Friends") on kraft cardstock, using Versafine Onyx Black ink. Because Versafine is a pigment ink, it can be heat embossed. This is a cleaner way to get black embossing: just stamp with the Versafine & heat emboss with clear embossing powder. After I'd heat embossed the greetings & image, I colored the bear in with colored pencils. I also colored the reflection on his nose with a white gel pen. Finally, I die cut & embossed them with one of the "Standard Circles SM" dies by Spellbinders.

To assemble the card, I first trimmed down the background to 4x5.25". I just felt it needed a frame, so I matted it on a light tan cardstock. I glued down the 3 circles, and mounted the card front to a white A2 card base. I will be sending this card with my package to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. Someone can then give a cancer patient some virtual bear hugs! (And maybe real ones, too!) :)