More Than Words

I had to think hard about whether to blog about this card or not & decided eventually that not only I would - but that I should, cuz blogging's not just about the good stuff, right?
A friend of mine died last week. It was a sudden heart attack & has left my street a bit shocked. Audrey was 77 and I had known her for around 19 years. When my boys were little, she was like an extra grandma to them & we will miss her.
So I had to make a sympathy card for her family & was having sooo much trouble just getting started. Ironically, it was challenges that came to my rescue. The challenge over on the store blog this week is to make a card that features words of special significance & that got me thinking about a rubber stamp I bought several years ago. I also realised that Di's October #1 sketch, which I didn't get around to doing before the deadline, would be perfect. So this is the finished card. I wanted to keep it very simple - no ribbons, embellies and all the other stuff I would usually use - just the words & some earthy papers - Audrey loved her garden.

I took maybe a little longer to make it than usual & was way more careful about the inking & layout - it needed, I needed it, to be perfect. And I found it very therapeutic to sit and make this card and think about Audrey.

The poem reads:
Do not stand by my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the soft, refreshing rain
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
Do not stand by my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die