When a card is more than a card

What are the hardest words you've ever had to say? For me, to date, it was "My mom has cancer". She called me Monday night and told me. I couldn't get the actual words out when I tried to tell my husband. It took me several tries and a few minutes. She's been having a lot of pain for months in her lower back and can hardly walk. She shuffles along with so much pain. Finally, the doctors gave her an MRI and the results came in. She has cancer in her bones. They still don't know what kind or where it's coming from. She is the strongest woman I know, and I can't imagine this happening. I'm trying not to worry too much or be too hopeful until we know more. I went to visit today and help her do the grocery shopping. We live about and hour and 45 minutes apart, and it's never seemed as far as it does now. I made this card for her today.

I used CPS's Sketch #26. I colored directly on my Stampendous stamp with Stampin' Up markers (turquoise, banana, pixie pink, and olive), spritzed very lightly with water to remoisten the ink, and stamped. I went back over the flowers with the markers to keep the colors nice and dark. I used vellum card stock cut with Fiskars scalloped scissors for my sentiment. I attached the vellum with a little bit of clear scotch scrapbookers glue under the flower and two wee dots under the sentiment. The "faux stitching" was done with one of the All in a Row stamps. My slot punch wouldn't fit where I needed it. So for each slot, I punched two holes with the anywhere hole punch and used a hobby blade to cut between them.

This was one of those moments when a card is so much more than a card. I wanted to let my mom know how much she means to me and that I'll be there for her in every way throughout this illness. But we're not an emotional family. I didn't want to tell her in person and get all sentimental and emotional. She doesn't need any more tears right now. So I left the card with her when I was leaving for home today. I hope she liked it. She saw it as I was leaving and said "Ooh, that's a pretty card." I said "Thanks. Bye."

Card Recipe:

5-1/2" square

Stamps: Stampendous Tall Blossoms, Stampin' Up Curvy Verses and All in a Row

Paper: Papertrey white, SU vellum card stock, old olive, Petals and Paisleys

Ink: black stazon, tempt. turquoise, old olive, barely banana, pixie pink

Other: anywhere hole punch, sweet & sassy ribbon, hydrangea and petite flamingo primas, making memories crystal brad, fiskars scalloped scissors