Shabby Sweet Valentine

I don't usually choose to do a shabby chic kind of card, but when it comes to the new spring catalog, it's got so much shabby chic type products, that I was just bound to be drawn to it.  I've always loved doilies and lace, and I could not wait to start playing with all the fun new embellishments.  The card started with some paper from More Amoire DSP.  I wanted to put a doily on the front and I just did not think it looked right, so I tried a little dark sponging on the paper so that it would show through the doily more, and it really did not work, thus the little dark spots (that showed up much more in the photo than when I looked at the card).  I decided to just use a part of the doily on the left, and to add my hearts from Hearts a Flutter stamp set.  The sentiment comes from the free stamp set, Vintage Verses available during SaleABration. The buttons came from SAB Sycamore Street ribbon and button embellishment pack.  I added pearls, and a rose from the Artizan embellishment pack, and a Tiny Tag. 

My inspiration today came from a couple challenges that I have never tried before.  First, the color inspiration is from Stampin' Celebrations! Challenge #62.  I loved the yummy pink and white and blue.  And, all the bling was inspired by the Tic Tac Toe Challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow.  I love the shabby chic stylings of the design team, and I'll have to try to bling things up more often.  So, my line up was Flowers, Pearls, and Die Cut. 

When it comes to sweet, there is nothing sweeter than grandkids.  And, of course, mine are the sweetest :)  Recently, I had all the grandkids together at one, which is a rare occasion.  One lives in New York, and they came for a visit, and we celebrated a birthday, and everybody was there.  It was our intention to do some family photos that day.  My son, David, is a wonderful photograper, and I asked him to bring the equipment and get some nice photos.  Turned out that several of the adults had the flu the week before, and none of us felt like photos (still a little greenish).  So, we tried to get the kids together for a photo.  It was getting late, and they were all hopped up on cake, so this was the best we could do. 

And, I have to say this one is priceless. 

On the left is  14 month old Kol, then 8 yr. Emily holding her baby brother, 4 mos. Grayson, and Olivia, the 1st birthday girl.  Getting them to sit there for a minute was a joke.  They are all looking at the moms standing close by saying "sit there!".  We tried to get another shot.  A better one, and this is the best we could do.

Priceless!

I will treasure this one, because those are my sweeties.  I wish we had more opportunities to be all together for a wonderful day like we had this day.  Love my bunch.

You have a great day, and come back again soon.

Mary Alice