More Sympathy

It sure seems like I've needed a lot of sympathy cards lately!  Here are three more.  Background for this first is from some backgrounds I created to make focals (like I've done for the second card shown here), but I decided to use this for a background piece.  It was made by applying "Gunmetal" mixative (Ranger) to glossy white card stock.  The flowers were stamped (Floral Sentiments 8 - North Coast Creations) with onyx VersaFine ink and then heat embossed.  Coloring was done with markers (scroll & brush) and a bit of Smooch Ink.  Sentiment was stamped in the same way (Stamp from Heartfelt Greetings - HOTP).  Gold ribbon from my stash finished it.

Here I use a pre-made focal.  It had started with an alcohol ink prepared background. I stamped and heat embossed it first with black ink and clear embossing powder (stamps from Circle of Love Vintage Labels Three & With Sympathy - both by JustRite).  However, the result was dull and not as dark black as I wanted.  Soooo, I re-heated the embossed areas, added black embossing powder, and re-embossed it.  I cut this with a Vintage Labels Three cutting die (JustRite) and then heat embossed the edges in black (ink the edges, apply embossing powder, heat).

I paired my pre-made focal with a patterned paper that blended well - and some plain black for accent. But something was missing.  I realized I wanted more white in the design.  This lattice die cut was just right (Cheery Lynn French Lattice). 

The inside is simply borders of the patterned and black papers with a stamped sentiment (With Sympathy by JustRite).

When I went to use the pre-made focal for the last card, I first tried paring it with this flocked paper scrap (HOTP).  I loved it - except that the colors weren't quite right.  So -- I decided to make a similar focal that WAS the right color.  I took some glossy card stock and colored it with distress ink in a color to match the background (actually needed to blend both Worn Lipstick and Picked Raspberry to get the color I wanted).  This was stamped and heat embossed with black powder.  In addition to the frame (stamped with JustRite Circle of Love Vintage Labels Three stamp & die cut with matching die), I added two sentiments to the center (JustRite's Sympathy Vintage Labels).  I decided I wanted to add a bit of white to help it stand out from the background, so die cut some white using a Spellbinder's die (Victorian Medallion).  A bit of black glitter ribbon from my stash finished the card front nicely.

I once again added a stamped sentiment to the inside (With Sympathy by JustRite).  Scraps of the paper form borders top and bottom.  I wanted them to stand out a bit better, so took a black Sharpie and drew around the borders!