Remembering The Edmund Fitzgerald

Even though it's been over 50 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a horrific storm in the Great Lakes, it's still a very clear memory for me.  This is a piece that my brother asked me to create for him.  He wanted to have a small framed remembrance of the great freighter we remember so fondly.  Our Uncle Billy sailed on these great freighters for many years, and we were able to go aboard to see his living quarters, the mess hall, etc.  We praise God that Uncle Billy wasn't working on the Fitzgerald that year as he had been in years past.  Stamp Simply has captured this magnificent ship so beautifully.

For my project today, I created a framed piece of art for my brother.  My entire family loves the "Great White North", the Great Lakes (Lake Superior in particular), The Soo Locks (Sault Ste. Marie, MI), the Great Freighters (the Edmund Fitzgerald in particular), Gordon Lightfoot, and all things pertaining to the blessed life we've lived surrounding and involving the Great Lakes.  It's part of who we are.  I had picked up some very inexpensive little wood frames at Goodwill recently with the purpose of upcycling them in mind.  This is one of those frames.

I used a piece of Tim Holtz Watercolor Cardstock that I cut to fit into the frame.  I painted it and stamped it using the Mackinac Bridge Stamp Set.  I colored it and cut it using the Mackinac Bridge Dies.  I used the Edmund Fitzgerald Great Lakes Freighter Stamp Set for the great freighter, I painted it with oxide ink, and then I cut it using the Edmund Fitzgerald Great Lakes Freighter Dies.

I also used the (birds and ship's wheel) He Stilled the Storm Stamp Set and coordinating Dies as well as the He is the Light Stamps & Dies for the wooden posts.  Each stamp set from Stamp Simply works well on its own or when combined with others.  Thanks so much for visiting me here today.  It's a blessing to me each and every time you stop by to take a peek at my art and say hello.  I love hearing your thoughts on my art, and I truly hope that you'll come play along with us this month.  Stay creative, be happy and always know that I'm grateful for you.

Please come by The Card Concept to share your cards and projects with us there this month.  The inspiration photo (above) doesn't have to be taken literally.  It could be the colors, textures or anything that speaks to your creativity.  Just come and join us.  It's always more FUN when you're there.

I'm sharing my project here:

Paper Funday Challenge Blog - Challenge #87 - Anything Goes w/Optional Mountains/Coast - This project has lots of paper layers, and uses the Coast option.  This would be part of the Great Lakes coastline in Michigan where you'll find the Mackinac Bridge.  My Entry #2/6

Blessings,

Karen

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

Stamp Simply - Edmund Fitzgerald New Release

Where do I even begin with this blog post?  Well....first, let me remind you that I grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, which is a port city of Lake Superior.  It was always part of our lives seeing the iron ore ships that came in and out of Duluth to the Great Lakes and reaching the world.  I also saw all the trains that came (and continue to come) in and out of Duluth carrying taconite pellets (iron ore) from the Iron Range, Canada, all over the Tri-State area, and as I said before; these ships have carried goods from everywhere and going to everywhere for so many years.  These elements travel first by train and then by way of the great freighter ships.  My own Uncle Billy worked on these iron ore ships and we'd go down to the docks to say goodbye as his ship pulled out into Lake Superior, and to welcome him back home on his returns.  Then, when I was just ten years old, I remember clearly the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  I also remember Gordon Lightfoot recording the song about the sinking of the Fitzgerald.  These memories are forever etched in my mind.  Stamp Simply has captured the beauty and majesty of this amazing vessel.  While my heart breaks for those lost and their extended families, we are all so grateful that Uncle Billy wasn't working on the Fitzgerald.

This is the New Release paying tribute to the Great Lakes Freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald that was lost somewhere in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975.  It was a very cold, stormy November in Northern Minnesota and all throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio.  All 29 men on board the SS Edmund Fitzgerald died that night.  The sentiment I used is a short line from the song about the Fitzgerald.  You can listen to the Gordon Lightfoot song by clicking this link: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  The Ojibwe (Native American Indians of the area) called Lake Superior Gitche Gumee, which translated means "big sea" or "huge water" always referring to the "Big Lake"; we all know it by the name Lake Superior.  This history reference is also shared in the song, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

I love all the beautiful details of the ship.  I stamped it once onto white cardstock and once onto the burgundy cardstock.  I pieced together the two pieces and did a small bit of coloring (smokestack, windows).  I really wanted the ship to be the primary focus of this beautiful card; showing the majesty of these giant freighters.  These freighters truly are magnificent to watch as they pull in and out of the harbor in Duluth and other port cities along the Great Lakes.  This card recreates a very common scene in Duluth on any given day....looking out onto Lake Superior and seeing one (or many) of these beautiful ships.

The only product other than the new Edmund Fitzgerald release items are the clouds I used in the sky.  They are from the Country Church Dies.  I kept it very simple to show the simplicity and beauty of the ship(s).  Don't miss out on getting ahold of this beautiful New Release stamp set before they're gone.  You can find so many great stamps, dies and products at Stamp Simply including the amazing New Release items.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.  OH....there's a special ONE DAY SALE TODAY ONLY at Stamp Simply where you can SAVE.

Here's where I'm sharing my card:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge - Anything Goes - I love to play along at Pammie's Inky Pinkies.  I keep trying, and I'll keep playing along here when I can.

Happy stamping and crafting, friends.

Blessings,

Karen