Pretty stamps - grieving heart...

Hello.  So it has been a very long time that I've played along with other challenges.  I found that I really kind of miss it.  Sometimes.. most times my life is 2 things.  Work and Tuesday Morning Sketches.  Don't get me wrong - I love both and want to continuing doing both for a very long time.

I've talked about being a Card Angel and sending cards to a couple of patients that are traveling a very hard road dealing with cancer and treatments.  I don't know a lot about them or where they are in their treatment.  It's a one sided conversation.  But because I do this I find that buy stamps to make sure that I continue to make pretty cards for them - to give them what I hope is a brief moment of happiness and joy with one of my cards.  Is that vain or conceded or too proud to think my cards are that good?  Not how I mean that at all.  Anyway, so I recently purchased a couple of stamp sets with my 2 patients in mind.

I saw this fun technique on You Tube and it really inspired me to play along with Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday challenge #290 (combining stenciling and masking).  I thought this would be so pretty to share with these ladies.  As I was wrapping up these card an email popped in.  The subject "sad news."  One of my patients lost her battle with breast cancer.  So one  of my bright and cheery cards which didn't have a sentiment yet became a note card - I have to make a sympathy card for her family.  I am deeply saddened by this - I didn't know her but I do know she left behind a little girl that is just 5 years old.  As I write this post, I am grieving.

Here are the cards I made for my patients and for the challenge.  I hope you like them and that you'll keep this little girl who lost her mommy in your thoughts.

This card features all Papertrey Ink products (except card stock).  The die is called Noted Scallop A2, the stamps are from a set called Floral Sketches and the ink colors are Sweet Blush, Scarlet Jewel and New Leaf.  The blue ink is Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass.

This second card features the same Noted Scallop A2 die, but the stamps are Build-A-Bouquet by MFT Stamps, Thinking of You sentiment by Hero Arts, the flowers are colored using Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers and the yellow background is Distress Ink - Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed.

Sorry the pictures aren't better - the house has way too shadows.  Thank you for visiting.