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Before I became a rabid cardmaker, I remember like it was yesterday standing in front of greeting card aisles in grocery stores or Walgreen's, trying to pick out Mother's Day or birthday cards.
And even as a kid, I thought it was so stupid to have an overly effusive three paragraphs on a giant card with a horrid stock photo of a sunset.
In my mind, I remember the 36,000 word soliloquies like this:
Dearest Sister: your graceful shins and flowing locks of ebony hair have enlivened the world more so than any other force on earth. When I think about the day of your birth, I think of thousands of flocks of bluebirds, swooping around, and creating small, perfumed breezes that settle into my soul like butter cookies from heaven. Therefore, on this hallowed day, I wish you all the blessings, sunshine, feathers, kittens and poetry that your angelic heart longs for, and that the memories of this day glow with the golden rays of this poetic solar descension pictured herein.
I mean, REALLY. They were HORRIBLE and simultaneously overly intimate and canned, which takes a very rare and unnecessary skill.
I still have a little PTSD from them, honestly.
It's okay not to have an essay on a card. It's even okay not to have any words at all! Certainly better than heavenly butter cookies swooping into the recipient's eyeholes in metallic italics on cheap vellum.
So to celebrate freedom from retail cards, today, I'm bringing you sentiment-free cards!
I have two cards from today's Dare to Get Dirty challenges and both were just perfect for leaving wordless.
First up - this gorgeous Flower Child stamp, with its zentangle style was crying out for a little zentangle! So I doodled a frame and filled it in around the image. I colored it with my new alcohol fineliners which I think I'm going to use daily. I cannot get over how awesome they are for little images. I mimicked the pattern of the little tendrils on the outside of my frame. So fun and crisp.
Speaking of fun and crisp, these sweet, sweet Scandinavian dies cried out for aqua and red simplicity.
I die cut them and then paper pieced them, offsetting the little Dala horse to give him a shadow.
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You never know what you're going to need to say to the person you're sending a card to, so leave yourself some wiggle room with greeting-less card designs! And whatever you do - don't support the soliloquy industry :).
Loveyameanitbye.
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I agree with you whole heartedly
ReplyDeleteClaire Mrs H's Crafty Corner
Stunning! I love to create greetingless cards! I too remember the frustration of the overly flowery sentimental wording on cards that just would not fit the recipient! I want to be kind but not a liar! LOL I have not tried the DTGD Challenge, I think the first card is for but after seeing your example, I really want to go for it! The second card is wonderfully CAS and so striking!
ReplyDeleteYa but...that first card!!! Amazing!!! Wow!!!
ReplyDeleteLOL, I love your expansive verbosity and hope you will not suffer too badly in your future from your PTSD. Perhaps, some Silent Night cards are in order? Tee hee. At any rate, lovely cards and enjoyed your post.
ReplyDelete