Good morning, y’all! Hope you’re having a great week wherever you are!
An old family friend recently passed away and I needed a sympathy card, so…I pulled on my thinking cap and spent some time perusing my shelves for the perfect tool. (My Zoom the Craftroom ladies had to spend a little time staring at my back! 🤷♀️ ) I settled on the sweet Ginkgo Branch stamp set and just used it with a little sponging to make a clean, simple and elegant card for a somber need. Take a look-see:
I’d just been reminded of this sponging technique by a beautiful card created by my team mate Susan LaPanne and then I got some creative help from the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge this week. I went down the left side and across the bottom. 🙂
I started with an oval mask…
– that I’d created for this card a while back using the Framed Florets oval die – and secured it over a Basic White panel.
Then I took a piece of printer paper and tore a raggedy edge.
I set the printer paper mask around 3/4″ of the way up the oval opening and, starting with Starry Sky ink, used a Sponge Dauber to swipe up along the torn edge. I moved the paper down a bit, and slid it a little to the side and repeated. I did that all the way down to the bottom of the oval.
I switched to Pool Party ink and then repeated the sponging near the top of the oval. A fun – and unanticipated – thing happened as I did this…some of the Starry Sky ink from the paper was pulled up with the Pool Party ink – creating a very cool effect! I filled in some white space down in the rest of the oval with the Pool Party ink – which resulted in a another very cool effect!
I pulled up the mask and let the ink dry very well.
Using the two smaller leaf stamps in the Ginkgo Branch set, I stamped twice on the left side of the oval in Versamark Ink. I sprinkled the images with Silver Embossing Powder and heat set them with the Heat Tool.
I used Stampin’ Seal to adhere the panel to a Starry Sky mat and then adhered it to a Pool Party mat with Black Stampin’ Dimensionals.
I tied a little bow from Starry Sky 1/8″ Metallic Woven Ribbon and adhered it with a scrunched up Glue Dot.
On a piece of Basic White cardstock, I stamped the Ginkgo Branch sentiment in Starry Sky and cut it out with the smallest Stitched Rectangle Die. Then I popped it over the ribbon with double-stacked Stampin’ Dimensionals.
I added some Starry Sky dots from the 2022-2024 In Color Matte Dots and the card front was done.
On the inside, I stamped the small Ginkgo Branch image in Pool Party ink in the center of a Basic White panel. Then I stamped a second Ginkgo Branch sentiment over the top in Starry Sky. Note: if your Pool Party ink pad is very juicy, you might want to stamp it off once before using it on the panel – mine is needing to be re-inked, so the image was light enough without doing that. Bottom line: if in doubt – stamp the image and sentiment on your scrap paper first so you can see what you’re going to get! 🙂
I used Stampin’ Seal to adhere the panel to a Starry Sky and Pool Party mat and then into my Basic Black card base, adhered the card front with Stampin’ Seal and the card was done.
My Basic White Medium Envelope got the small Ginkgo Branch image in Pool Party on the front…
…and I added both small images to the envelope flap.
Et Voila! I love the pop of silver with the moody blues in the sponged oval. The Ginkgo Branch set is wonderful – the sentiments are exactly right for sympathy cards and more – and the images are gorgeous!
I hope you like!
If you’d like to recreate this card, all the products and card cuts are listed below!
I’ve also created a printable PDF with written instructions and a list of the products used to create this project. You can download, print and/or save it by clicking this image:
Missed any tutorials? You can check out my past projects right here!
TTFN
M
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Get the Stampin’ Up! Products Used in this Project:
Card Cuts Used in This Project:
Basic Black Cardstock: 4 1/4″ x 11″ (card base, scored and folded at 5 1/2″)
Pool Party Cardstock: 4″ x 5 1/4″ (x2 – first mat for card front and for inner liner)
Starry Sky Cardstock: 3 7/8″ x 5 1/8″ (x2 – second mat for card front and for inner liner)
Basic White Cardstock: 3 3/4″ x 5″ (x2 – card front and inner liner); Smallest Stitched Rectangle Die cut (sentiment)
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Finn Fan Fix 
Remember this movie?
I heard they’re doing a sequel.
Kevin C was…booked. And they’re trying to appeal to a different audience.
The new Male Lead is…
Neither rain, sleet, snow or squirrels will keep him from his appointed rounds.
Cheetos…well. THOSE might. 😉
TTFN
M
Card Stampin' With Clara
Inky Bee Stampers
KarensCardCorner
Stamp with Amy K
Stampin With Shirley G
Tarabeth Stamps
TL's Bright Spot
Wild Wing Creations
Such a pretty card! The sponging is just perfect and so are the colors. Poor Finn…now he as postman duties too. Such a busy guy…and I might break for Cheetos too. 😉
So would I. SO. WOULD. I! Cheetos are a little like crack for me! Thanks so much, Amy! 🙂
Have you tried the BAKED cheetos? Sooooooo gooooood with less fat.
Hmmm – will have to give them a go! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Mary, I think this is one of your best CAS cards ever! I’m sorry you needed it but it is serene. I have my doubts about the postman not being distracted by squirrels. He is THE leading man, however. Have a blessed day.
Nope. Unless the squirrel has CHEETOS….the Finn-man will…LOOK…but not stray off mission. I…think! 😉 Thank you so much, Karen! 🙂
Love that dog. My first email I pull everyday is Finn. Then I look at yours and usually download your card idea. You do beautiful work and are by far my favorite. Thank you and Finn.
Oh – you are very kind, indeed, Sue – thank you so much for that! 🙂
Card is lovely and wiill be appreciated, I know. ❤
Mail carrier is the best!
He really is the most reliable carrier we’ve ever had! Thanks, Mom! 🙂
Sorry for your loss Mary 💙
You are an amazing artist n I love your Finn stories!
Thank you, Laurie – we’d known him a very long time indeed. But he’s with his wife now and I know it is GOOD! Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
What a beautiful card, Mary! There is nothing like the Moody Blues…with some silver for sure – and thank you so much for the shout-out!! I am really honored!
Thank YOU for the wonderful inspiration – and the kind words! 🙂
Mary, this is such a beautiful sympathy card! Love the sponging technique…and all the TTTC elements. Thank you for playing along 🙂
Thanks so much, Silke – appreciate it! 🙂
WOW! So fun to read your blog! I love the sponging technique and will have to give it a try! Beautiful card! Thanks for playing along with the Tic Tac Toe Challenge this week!
Thanks very much, Jeanie – I appreciate the kind words! 🙂
Mary, what a peaceful yet very beautiful sympathy card! Thanks for joining the TTTC this week.
Thanks much, Rosanne – appreciate you stopping by! 🙂