I needed sympathy cards for my son to give to one of his long-time friends since high school (and his parents), who lost his brother (and son) in an accident in late March. His friend married a Polish young lady and resides in Poland; and therefore, was tragically unable to come home for the funeral. I decided to use the Stampin' Up Feels Like Frost nature scenes paper for both cards in the lavender and purple hues, which has an off-focus almost ethereal look and lends it well to sympathy cards.
Playing my Challenge Catch-up cardmaking, I found 12 challenges that gave me ideas and that I am able to enter, as follows:
1) AOCC21 - All Occasions Card Challenge/ April 2021 - Ongoing Annually. This challenge encourages you to set goals ahead for each month to complete and mail your cards timely! I needed two sympathy cards made in April...completed and mailed!
2) USEIT2021 - Use It Challenge/ April 2021 - Ongoing Annually. This challenge requires you to use old, long unused items gathering dust and/or old/ new items purchased but seemingly forgotten...never opened or used! I brought out an old die set with dust from 2019...the SU Crosses of Hope framelits, plus two new/ old products purchased in 2018 and never opened and used...the Cottage Cutz sympathy dies and the pearl toppers.
3) ABC14V22 - Alphabet Challenge--Round 14/ V = Vibrant! - 3/17/21. I have chosen VIBRANT purple colors for my sympathy card.
4) F4A571 - Free 4 All Challenge/ Sympathy! - 1/29/21. I made the sympathy card required and sent it!
5) MMTPT651 - Teapot Challenge/ Sending a Smile - 1/12/21. I'm playing my "Challenge Catch-up cardmaking to make a needed sympathy card. The challenge says to send comfort to let the recipient know that you are thinking and praying for them. I made a sympathy card to convey warm and fuzzy feelings and an encouraging smile of sympathy during this time of sorrow.
6) SC826 - Sketch Challenge - 10/28/20. Sketch adjustment: I change the geometric shape from a square to an oval.
7) MIM0920 - Fan Club Monthly Theme - September 2020/ A Walk Outside! - 9/15/20. My card meets the theme interpretation of being inspired by nature using nature photographic dsp for my card front. I'm playing the More is More challenge. This is my first version of this sympathy card.
WT787 - Ways to Use It Challenge/ Purple - 4/9/20. The challenge was to use a little or a lot of purple on your card...I chose a lot!
9) CC775 - Color Challenge/ Gorgeous Mint on the Highland - 1/21/20. Use the colors or as close to the colors as you can...Gorgeous Grape, Macaron Mint, and Heather Highland. I used the exact two purples, but the Macaron Mint as displayed in the card front nature photo paper ranges from mint to medium to darker shades of green.
10) IC693 - Inspiration Challenge/ Pottery Barn - 3/16/19. I found this beautiful inspiration in the colors of their Spring 2019 catalog: Pottery Barn Spring in Bloom.
11) FS627 - Featured Stamper Challenge/ CraftyMerla - 2/10/19. It was fun to browse the card-filled CraftyMerla gallery. Two of her cards gave me great ideas for my card: her sympathy card Sympathy Garden, and her card of hope Falling in Love. I chose these cards for their colors, flowers, photo paper inspiration, and cross/ pearl. From the sympathy card, I used the purple coloring and the idea of layering. From the hope card, I used the cross/ pearl and photo paper idea. My card uses more layers, a different layout, and vellum to name a few changes.
12) CAS471 - Clean & Simple Challenge/ Color Base - 3/5/18. The challenge requires a solid card base not white. I used a navy solid card base.
Ingredients: Stampin' Up products: Cardstock--Night of Navy, Gorgeous Grape, Heather Highland, and Whisper White. Patterned Paper--Feels Like Frost (2019-21 Holidays). Vellum--Translucent. Dies--Crosses of Hope framelits (2018-20 retired). Other: Cottage Cutz Expressions dies. Pretty Pink Posh sequins--Sparkling Clear & Iridescent. Triveni Crafts Pearl Sunflowers-White. EK Corner punch--Victorian. Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.