You're In My Thoughts

I always find it a little difficult to make cards that aren’t “happy,” do you? It’s easier to make them as an everyday hello or as congratulations on an achievement.

But, if you find it tough to get going on an emotional card, sometimes all you need to do is mute the colors a bit to convey your sentiment. And floral designs are always a great option.

This card is special to me since I had a friend pass away just a couple of days ago that I really thought was going to beat the odds. She was a beautiful soul who loved all things flora and fauna, and she was an accomplished mixed media artist as well.

While I can’t do the magic she did with pens, paper, embellishments, and a little fire (really!), I can definitely color a flower in her honor.

To start, I gathered up the supplies. An Oval Frame Die (Memory Box), two stamp sets (Papertrey Ink), some Copic markers, inks, Basis Cardstock in Grey, Classic Crest Cardstock in Solar White, a length of ribbon, and Tombow Mono Multi Glue. Not everything is pictured here; I added some extra things as I went along.

I cut the frame twice - once from the Solar White cardstock, and once from the Grey. This particular cover die cuts the paper into four separate sections, so you can mix and match as you create a die-cut inlay style frame.

I put everything together on an extra piece of white cardstock with strategically placed dabs of glue, all except for the oval that goes in the center.

This is the beauty of doing an inlay - if you mess up your design, you can simply re-cut another oval and try again. That way, you can add in the finished piece that you like best without having to redo the entire card!

I went ahead and stamped the flower, then used it to line up the sentiment.

To make a mask, stamp the flower on a sticky note or some masking paper, then fussy cut it out. Stick the mask over your image, and use an ink blending tool or brush to sweep in some dark gray ink around the edges.

I was trying to go for a "pencil shaded” look, so the brush worked better for me today.

Next, peel off the mask and color the flower. I pulled out my trusty Copic Sketch markers since they blend wonderfully on Classic Crest cardstock.

When blending, it’s best to complete small areas one at a time, so the ink doesn’t have time to dry between colors. While the ink is wet, you can get some super pretty blending effects with just a couple of markers.

I wanted to add a bit of sparkle, but not something that was outright glitter since that wouldn’t really go with the tone of the card. I chose a Gold Sharpie Marker - it added just the right illumination. If you don't have one of those, a Zig Metallic Writer will do the trick.

Then, I fitted my finished oval into place with Tombow Mono Multi Glue and added a ribbon along the bottom half of the card.

Full disclaimer: I can’t tie bows straight no matter how hard I try. I just make 'em separately and stick them in place with a glue dot. 😉

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❤️  Niki • cardstoq.com • @cardstoq (on Instagram, Pinterest & Twitter)