A Living Memorial Card

Our town is blessed to have the shining, trout "infested" jewel of the Black Earth Creek running through it. Near Crossroads, our favorite coffee house, is a trail.  Crossing over the bridge, our family gets to enjoy a stroll along what is part of the Ice Age Trail, along the banks of the creek where we sometimes throw in a line, although we have yet to catch a trout.

It is an easy path, well groomed, with blooming wildflowers, birds and butterflies flitting about, and the contstant, relaxing sound of the babbling brook. It is both a peaceful and joyous place to be, and it was used almost daily by our friends Marv and Carol, as they walked from their home nearby to Crossroads. In the latter part of his life, Carol drove them part way from home, parking at the trail head, they would walk the rest of the way. It kept Marv active, the fresh air was good for him, and it was a routine that was a part of their relationship up until the last few days of his life.

What better place, then, to plant a tree in memory of Marv? I am sure Carol will continue to walk the trail alone. Our family, as well as many others who knew Marv, will walk that easy trail. We will see a tree and a plaque with his name on it, and remember the man who touched so many lives. I called a number of Marv's closest friends and they were eager to give a living memorial in his honor. I wanted to create a special card, one that indicated what our gift was, in lieu of flowers.

I found the perfect embellishment in a tree shape by Magistical Memories. The three hearts not only symbolize the love we all shared, but it also reminded my of the Holy Trinity that was so much a part of Marv's life. I used my wet paint and ink drops technique to colorize the tree. I tore BoBunny papers from the Abbey Road line, and others, to create a landscape of park greens with a creek running through it. Because Marv led a life that produced much good fruit for the Kingdom, I added red gems to be the "fruit" of his memorial tree, even though the tree being planted is likely to be a locust or maple, as deemed by the parks commission.

I even doodled a bit inside, right along side the tree stamped with BoBunny acrylic stamps. I wrote a poem/message inside that described Marv's life and faith, and how similar it was to a tree. I hope you enjoy this card and perhaps it will give you an idea if one day you have a need for a living memorial card.  I shall leave you with my "ode to Marv", happy creating, and come back again.

-Rita S.