
This post is very personal and difficult to write, so I hope you'll bear with me. A little over a month ago my father passed away quickly and unexpectedly. As anyone who has suffered a loss knows, you are in a thick, sad fog for those first few weeks. You rise every morning and ask yourself "Did this really happen?" and then you barely have the fortitude to get through the day. The feelings of loss are so deeply layered and human mortality confronts you face-to-face almost as if saying "you're next".
In those first few weeks I was blessed to have received phone calls, visitors, flowers, warm meals left at the door, offers of play dates and sleep-overs for my children, and dozens and dozens of beautiful sympathy cards. These cards would come in the mailbox everyday like little gifts – or little band-aids for my soul – from near and far, each arriving with their own special message and handwritten notes of condolence. I cannot tell you what these cards meant to me. I have read each of them at least twice and I don't think I'll ever be able to part with them. They were filled with so much genuine kindness and love and I needed them.
I really needed them. And they helped me. I decided that sympathy cards are actually
the most important card one can give or receive.
If anyone tries to tell you that greeting cards are a thing of the past, they are wrong. They could not be more vital or more essential in this time when everyone is looking down into their phone reading emails, texting and posting comments on Facebook. But, to open your mailbox and see a hand-addressed envelope with your name on it… well, there's simply no substitute. When I started
Sky of Blue Cards, I really wanted to do something that would cultivate human connection and I'm so proud to be involved in an industry that does exactly that. My dad was such an awesome guy; an artist at heart, he loved seeing all my new cards. Now, in his memory I will get to work designing my next release which will definitely include more sympathy cards.
Thank you for reading. It's good to be back.
XO, Karla
Here are some of my favorites:
by Sugarcube Press
by Some of Me
hand-made by my dear friend Sandy Peters
by Sugarcube Press
by Positively Green for Compendium
Credit for other gorgeous cards shown in the group shots go to: Libby Ellis, The Paper Cub Co., Hallmark, Design Design, Papyrus, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Tender Thoughts, DaySpring Cards, American Greetings, Rifle Paper Co., Connections from Hallmark, Carlton Cards, Maia Negre Fine Art & Design, Nan Rae for Gourmet Greeting Cards, Graphique De France, Marta Harding Designs for Gourmet Greeting Cards, Paper Magic Group. Beautiful… each and every one of them.