Make It Monday Challenge #16

This week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge (details here) is to create a sympathy card. In an eerie coincidence, I just made this one. Eerie because I don't have anyone I've made it for, I just had a feeling that I should have one on hand. I hope it was for this challenge, and not because I will actually need to send it!

I tend to use natural colors and images when making sympathy cards. Most of the ones I've made in the last few years have been for men--I mean, to send to men, on the passing of their wives--so greens, browns, blues and the like are colors I reach for. For women, I also use greens and blues, but softer shades like Ocean Tides and Soft Stone, and I never use black for either. Smokey Shadow is gentler and more hopeful, I think. I also use PTI's add on sympathy set for the loss of pets regularly--that set is a perfect example of PTI's thoughtful and thorough inventory. I mean, who else would think of it?

For this card, I used Kraft, Fine Linen, Ripe Avocado and the patterned paper collection Pacific Vineyards along with the 2009 Anniversary stamp set, Round and Round--an excellent one for sympathy cards, especially when you need one quickly. I can tell that Royal Velvet will be added to my roster of colors for this type of card. I also used the sewing machine, leaving the thread ends long for a rustic look both inside and out. The twine hopefully added to the rustic feel too.

This is a card I would send to a man, or a family, but I could easily make the same exact card with different papers/color choices and a ribbon in place of the twine for a woman. These are cards no one wants to make, but nevertheless are needed. Thanks to PTI for the wonderful products that make this job easier.

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Round & Round, With Sympathy (inside)
Paper: PTI--Kraft, Fine Linen, Ripe Avocado, Pacific Vineyards
Ink: Versafine--Vintage Sepia; Versacolor--Grape, PTI--Ripe Avocado, Tea Dye Duo; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Buttons--PTI Royal Velvet; Embossing Folder--Cuttlebug; Twine--stash; Corner Chomper; Sewing Machine