If Roses Grow in Heaven....

Hi all, I have been very absent from the blogging world. I am so incredibly busy that finding computer time these days is just not in the schedule. I will let you in on a secret....I am hoping to open an actual brick and mortar store at the end of May on Artist's Row here in Salem. I will be selling lots of my handmade stuff....which I have been working on around the clock! I have taken some time out to create a card here and there and today I am sharing a very special one. The layout of this card was designed by my DAD!

My step-grandmother passed away. I didn't really know her well. She was always very kind when I saw her and she always made a point to carry on a conversation with me and make me smile.

My heart is aching terribly for my step mom. I can't imagine what she is going through. They were very close. My dad wanted something special and handmade to put in the coffin with her. He gave me a rough sketch and the poem. I took it from there and created this:



I started with a 5.50 x 5.50 piece of watercolor paper and I clear embossed the Hero Arts images, I then inked it really well with the Bundled Sage, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass, Broken China and a hint of Weathered Wood. Then I soaked it with Perfect Pearls mixed with water in a spray bottle until I got the look I was going for...which was a soft meadow feel. I cut the hole with a CM oval cutter...I have NEVER used a CM product until today and that oval cutter ROCKS! It's been collecting dust for at least 12 years in a drawer! ;)

I then heated the iron to the wool setting, put my water colored paper down and then a plain piece of computer paper and placed the iron on it to melt off the embossing powder. This is call Batik. I love the look. I printed the poem on plain white paper, then placed my water colored paper on it, attached it with Artist's tape (available at any craft store--it's just low tack tape) and ran it through the printer again. I attached the picture to the back & used many Hero Arts pearls to frame it.


Here's that perfect pearl goodness.


I created the paper rose from a template that I got here: Ellinee, it has a great tutorial. We didn't actually use the paper rose. I gave it to my step mom. My dad had bought a beautiful tea rose and that is what went into the casket with her. I poked 2 holes at the top and 2 at the bottom, fed some ribbon through it and tied it on. It was really simple.

In the end I ended up printing the poem on vellum and attaching it. I didn't get a picture of it. It was very last minute. The poem was hard to read and we wanted it to show up more. The poem reads:

If Roses Grow in Heaven

If roses grow in heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother's arms
and tell her they're from me.

Tell her I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for awhile.

Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
but there's an ache within my heart
that will never go away.
Your Loving Son-In-Law,
Den

If you have an extra prayer today could you say one for my Step-mom? The funeral is this morning and I know it's going to be extremely hard on her. Remember to hug or call your mom today too. I'm sure she'd love to hear your voice.

Have a wonderful day.
Michelle

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