When Goodbye Comes Too Soon

Whether it’s a beloved pet who filled your days with simple joy or a person whose presence shaped your world, the loss leaves a space that feels both tender and unfinished.

In those moments, sharing in someone’s grief can be a meaningful way to show you care. Taylored Expressions has created thoughtful, heartfelt products designed to help you craft sympathy cards—offering comfort, connection, and a gentle reminder that no one has to navigate loss alone.

For this first project I'm sharing with you today I used vellum to create the card base which creates a translucent top. Using the newly added Mini Meadow embossing folder, the soft, floral images are highlighted on the piece of vellum by running a brayer over top of the raised images with Sugar Cube ink.

I then used the Mini Meadow embossing folder on a piece of Sugar Cube card stock then ran it through my machine again using the Fluttering Friends embossing folder (aka double embossing). This gives the card base even more visual interest. (Look closely and you'll see what I mean.)

Here are my In-Process photos so you can see how this card came together:

For this next project I used the one-off stamping technique so my leaf images wouldn't be too bold and further covered the card front with a piece of vellum to soften those images a bit more.

I finished this card with a few images from the Forest Finds stamp and die sets and splattered everything with gold and shimmer watercolor with just enough to add some thoughtfulness to the card.

Here are my In-Process photos so you can see how this card came together:

And for my final project with this release I created a sympathy pet card with a rainbow theme. I made this with a friend in mind who's dog is not doing well . He loves bright, rainbow things so while this card might not say "sympathy" to you, it will to him. 🌈🐶🩵

Here are my In-Process photos so you can see how this card came together:

While we often create cards to celebrate life’s joyful moments, it’s just as important to remember the times when words are hardest to find. When we lose someone we love—whether a cherished pet or a dear person—even the simplest message can mean everything. Sending and receiving a heartfelt note has a way of reaching places that spoken words sometimes cannot, offering comfort, connection, and a quiet reminder that we are not alone in our grief.

In the end, it isn’t about finding the perfect words, but about showing up with love and intention. A small gesture, thoughtfully given, can bring light to someone navigating loss and help carry them through the tender, in-between spaces that follow goodbye.

xoxo, Deby 💕

Below you'll find product links for all 3 of these projects. And just as a reminder, with any purchase from the new release you'll get a FREE Sympathy Color Palette (see details in the graphic below).

▶︎ Vellum Top Fold card products

▶︎ Forest Finds One-Off stamped card products

▶︎ Rainbow Pet Sympathy card products