Lasting Lily Sympathy Card – Chalkboard Emboss and Color Technique

This Lily Sympathy Card uses an easy technique to create a subtle look. Sympathy cards are always difficult to make.

Because of this, I prefer to create them when I don’t immediately need them. That way, I’ll have a few ready to send when needed and it’s a bit easier to design something with the appropriate tone when I’m not short on time or when words are hard to find.

Looking for a way to show off white lilies, I grabbed my black cardstock.

This card uses the Lasting Lily Stamp Set, free from Stampin’ Up when you place a $100 order during Sale-a-bration. I’m so glad I ordered this set — the sentiments make it easy to create beautiful projects with just the right words.

See below for the chalkboard technique I used to create this lily sympathy card with subtle colors on a bold black background.

Steps for the Chalkboard technique:

1. Cut your Papers.Basic Black: 8 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ for the cardbase and 4 1/8 x 3 3/4″ for the lillies.

• Crushed Curry: 3 strips 1 1/2″ x 4″.

• 2. Create your Lillies.Rub the embossing buddy on your black rectangle. This decreases the chance of stray white splatters.
• • Stamp your lillies with versamark ink.

• Sprinkle white embossing powder over the lillies and tap off the excess.
• • Heat the powder until it melts.
• • Color with Granny Apple Green and Daffodil Delight Stampin Blend markers.
• • When dry, cut into 3 equal strips, 1 3/8″ wide.
• 3. Assemble and Adhere your pieces.Adhere your lily strips to the crushed curry strips, and attach to your cardbase.
• • Stamp your sentiment on a scrap of crushed curry with black ink, cut out, and adhere with dimensionals towards the bottom of your card.
• • Adhere 3 sequins or gems to the card corner.

Supplies for a Lily Sympathy Card: 

Basic Black 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock $8.50	Crushed Curry 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock $8.50	Lasting Lily Photopolymer Stamp Set $0.00
Versamark Pad $9.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad $6.00	White Stampin’ Emboss Powder $5.00
Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends Markers Combo Pack $9.00	Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Blends Markers Combo Pack $9.00	Gingham Gala Adhesive-Backed Sequins $7.50
Embossing Buddy $6.00

I first tried coloring the lilies and stems with stampin write markers (water-based), but the colors didn’t expand the way I wanted it to, so I tried stampin’ blend markers (alcohol based). These gave a more equal distribution and saturation of the colors. Both worked, but the Blends gave the deep result I was looking for.
I’m playing along with the following challenges:

• The Crafter’s Cafe Challenge – #213 Embossing
• The Flower Challenge – #29 Use your latest Stamps or Dies
• Crafty Sentiments – Spring!

Are you looking for more sympathy cards? Check out a few Pet Sympathy Cards. Sadly, we need those too often as well.

Happy Crafting!