Help!!! I cant make a Sympathy card.

[Kelley S]

Morning all. I need some help. A friend and collegue of Chris's has just lost her dad on saturday. It wasn't unexpected as he was ill for a long time. But Chris would like me to make her a Sympathy card. Now, i have NEVER made a sympathy card and i hvae no idea what to do. It doesnt neseccarily have to have 'with sympathy' written on it, it could have 'thinking of you' etc, but i dont know what to do on the front. She is a christian so a cross or bible would be ok. The other problem is that i dont want to have to buy anything for it, i'm not being tight, i just dont have any money (fireplaces and carpets are more expensive than i thought ) so i want to use the stash i have. Any ideas? or has anyone got a card that they have made that i can look at for ideas?

TIA

[Amanda H]

Kelley, not the best of cards to have to make are they. Sorry I don't have a picture of any, but I tend to use a plain white card (usually hammered) and just place a carla lilly on the front, either matted or on its own. I don't usually put words on as I never know what to say.

HTH

[Kel]

do you have any white/grey prima flowers hun? you could download a simple cross and use some of the flowers in the corners maybe? failing that would this image be any good to you?

[Suzbits]

I would agree with Amada, i tend to use a single lily mounted on some handmade paper and then print a tag off on the computer with Sympathy or Thinking of You. I think the simpler the better with these sorts of cards. The other thing which is quite nice is to do a cut-out shape in the centre of the card (like a window) and then do an embossed border round it and then mount the lily and the papers etc on the inside, this way you don't feel that you have to put too many words inside the card - if you are stuck for what to say.

Hope this helps

Kay

[Janice]

Hi Kelley

Sympathy cards are not easy at the best of times - well, there isnt a 'best time' to actually make them, but you know what I mean.

I have made a couple recently and they were quite simple but very effective.

I searched in Google images for a Cala Lily. Found a nice clear picture, downloaded it and printed it on photograph paper. Mounted it on white, then black (very thin mats) and then just used foam pads to mount it on a plain white card blank. (I always use Linen type but any would be ok) I printed direct on to the card blank first the words "Thinking of you....." in a scripty font. Its 6" x 6" but would work in any size.

Hope this helps.

[Flo]

I had to make one not long back too - I didn't have any lilies but I did a brushless watercolour tall flower in pale colours (I used the 2nd impression stamp) on white card, and just stamped With Sympathy in a script style font at the bottom

[Sharon Betts]

I did a sympathy card with some subtle paper on bottom 2/3, a strip of ribbon along the join, with a prima flower at one end, and words with sympathy stamped on left. (thinking of you, so sorry, or other appropriate words could be substituted).
I have one similar, but without the wording on it - I'll have a hunt and scan it in. HTH, Sharon.

[lazykaz]

This is one I've made before, again its using a lily and keeping it simple.

[Spooky]

I did one a while back for a (male) work colleague who died suddenly.

I got the medium sized cala lillies and cut some slots in the front of a hammered white card (A4 in half) and threaded them through.

Then we put an insert inside to hide the slots and allow the rest of the office (mostly male) to sign the card.

I've got the first version (A5 in half) so can take a pic and post later if I have time.

Caz

[Kell]

The last one I made I don't have a pic of but i painted in watercolours a section of a painting by Georgia O'keefe called Music- pink and blue II
http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/okeeffe/
It was something a little different to the usual lillies which if you end up with hundreds may be a little depressing. The person I painted it for was a fan of the artist so it was an easy choice to make. Depending on what sort of person she is, she may prefer something more personal to her. I know I would prefer something a little brighter in the event of a lost one. Just something to lift my mood really.

[cindersmcphee]

have sent you a pm

[travellingirl]

I had to make one a few weeks ago. I cut out a couple of white doves (Sizzix) and put them on a black and white herringbone background on a burgundy card and stamped "With Sympathy". I found a verse that said something like "Remembering with you the life of someone so dear" for the inside.

[ellejaybee]

I make all my cards except for sympathy cards I buy them as I find them difficult to make.

Though now I have some inspiration from all these lovely cards

thanks

Lesley
x

[Jue Jue]

I have a pic in the Gallery of a card i made if you wanted to make something like that i could send you the die cuts that i have used on it

[Mole]

Sadly, I've had several of these to make in recent months. I tend to go for muted colours, with maybe some flowers and a little ribbon. I have a lovely Macintosh-style cross rubber stamp which I've used for chucrhy-type people . It looks ok coloured and then cut out and mounted on a cream or white background.