The Edmund Fitzgerald Collection w/Stamp Simply

It seems like just yesterday, but it was actually 1975, and I was just ten years old.  Our family lived (and they still live) in Duluth, Minnesota; which is located along the shores of Lake Superior.  That was a nasty storm during a harsh season on the Great Lakes.  It was all over the news.  The Edmund Fitzgerald hand sunk, and 29 men perished that fateful stormy night.  Oh, how they longed to see a lighthouse or make it safely to land; but that wasn't God's plan for them that night.  They did as brave heroes in my book.  They were hard-working family men just trying to make an honest living.  My Uncle William Rude was one of the sailors on the great freighters of the Great Lakes; but he was not aboard the Fitzgerald that night.  We were all so grateful for that.  Nonetheless, it sure hit us hard....as a family and as a community at large.  I love that Sharon has designed these beautiful stamps to commemorate these majestic images.  Stamp Simply has an entire Michigan Life Collection.

My first card was completely "cased" or what I've always called "scraplifted" from my talented teammate, the lovely @estherasbury Esther Asbury.  She created a very similar card HERE that used the Mackinac Bridge Stamp as the focal point.  I changed the colors just a bit and used different stamps, but my design is very much inspired by her original design.  I used black and kraft cardstocks which I layered.  I stamped the background kraft paper using the Mackinac Bridge image along with a sentiment from the Mackinac Bridge Stamp Set.

I splattered my card with some Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Spray.  The tiny little tabs are pieces of washi tape on kraft paper that I cut using the fabulously helpful Fishtail Banner Dies.  They are awesome!  I also added a miniature Tim Holtz rusty paperclip.  Some 3-D Foam Tabs raised up the boat image in the center of my card.

The Edmund Fitzgerald Stamp Set was used to stamp the majestic vessel.  I normally like to do the ship in the tradition rust color like the actual great freighters truly look.  However, I followed Esther's lead on this card and used only black ink on my card.  The images are so strong and beautiful that they can stand alone to make a statement.  That's why I kept the sentiment very simple and fitting.  Enjoy the Journey is found in the Mackinac Bridge Stamp Set.

My second card today was stamped onto Tim Holtz Watercolor Cardstock using Tim Holtz inks.  I used watercolors to paint the images.  I combined images from the Mackinac Bridge Stamp Set with images found in the The Edmund Fitzgerald Stamp Set.  On this second card, I used a sentiment (So Proud of You) from the The Edmund Fitzgerald Stamp Set.  I also used the Edmund Fitzgerald Die to cut the ship on my second card.

There are so many cool details on the bridge, the ship and all the lighthouses.  You can check out all the beautiful design in the Michigan Life Collection by visiting Stamp Simply.  There are such fun accent images in these sets, too, such as the ducks and the seagulls.  You can't have a Great Lakes experience without seeing seagulls.  That's a guarantee.  This card was sent to my younger brother.  It's his Birthday today, and the inside is stamped with the Happy Birthday sentiment found in the Mackinac Bridge Stamp Set.

These beautiful stamps remind me of "home" in Minnesota.  My heart will always be connected to the Great Lakes and all the experiences of my childhood that centered around growing up next to Lake Superior.  So many wonderful memories and experiences are there to recall, and Stamp Simply can help you experience these beautiful sights.  You'll love all the products you find at Stamp Simply.  Thanks for your visit here today, friends.  I always appreciate it when you stop by to take a peek at my art and say hello.  It's appreciated.  Happy crafting, everyone.

I'm sharing my cards in the following:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Anything Goes"

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Simon Says "Stamp It in STAMPtember" - Both of these cards were created by primarily stamping.

Festive Friday - A Card Making Challenge - Challenge FF#0192 - From this fun list, I used Black, Red, White, Waves and Ship.  (I chose to enter my second card)

Blessings,

Karen