An essay: Shabby Chic or Messy??? a pink and white LOTV card

Hello, welcome to my new post!

I hope you've all had a great week. Here, at the Diaz-Kaleem household we are counting the days to our trip to Dublin... We've never been in Ireland (I don't know why, after 12 years in the UK, I've never gone to visit our neighbours....). But as my husband is going to Dublin for a meeting, we've decided to make a family trip out of it and we are spending 4 nights there. 4 days left and counting down!!!!

Today I've got for you a Shabby Chic style card.... I really love the Shabby Chic style, I guess I have a messy mind, and I like the over-embellished, messy look of this type of cards... I'm not sure if I've got it quite right though. I look at other people's Shabby Chic cards and I usually go speechless... the amount of beautiful details, distressed papers, inked borders... etc. you know how it rolls! when I look at mine, I just think that it looks messy, that it looks like it's just not finished, not properly done!!! (after I have put so much work and effort into it).

For this card I used a rubber stamp from Lili of the Valley called "Rosie with cake".

The papers I've used for this card are from the Love Letters paper pad by First Edition papers.

The pink paper with white stripes is a bit scrap I had, sorry I don't know where it came from... (I'm trying to use up my scrap paper).

I have hand-stitched all around the borders of background papers and image with white thread.

As always, I've coloured the image with Promarkers. 

for the hair: Sandstone and buttermilk,

for face and skin: vanilla and sandstone

for the clothes: lilac, lavender, pink carnation, blossom and blender pen.

for the cake: pink carnation, buttermilk and lavender.

for the star in headband I've used tulip yellow.

I created the sentiment (the quote is taken from the internet, I really love it and I think it goes perfect with the image). 

I decided to put the sentiment on the tag and hide the tag under the image as I didn't think I had any space left for it but I really want it to have it. 

I punched the butterflies and added Anita's 3-D gloss on them. Then I dabbed white acrylic paint over the butterflies, the greeting the sentiment tag and pink flower.

Under the lace there is a floral border punched from white card stock. 

I distressed all the edges with a blade and I also used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen for all the white card stock, to give it that Shabby chic look.

The floral corner die-cut and the swirl die-cuts are from Marianne Createables.

The flowers and metallic pearl brads are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

The pearls and lace are from local shops.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley Ideas to Inspire Monthly challenge - Pink and White

Whoopsi Daisy challenge - Flowers galore

Bunny Zoe's November challenge - Shabby Chic / Vintage

Creative Card Crew - Pearls

Inky Chicks #19 - Pearls and Swirls

Just Inspirational Team B challenge - Stitching (real or faux)

Crafty Creations Challenges #248 - Dies and Punches
The Crafters Cafe challenge #37  - Embellish like a crazy person
Crafting for all seasons -  Stitching (real or faux)
Penny's challenge #153 - Add a sentiment (2 sentiments: Happy Birthday and the one on tag under image)
Scribble and Scrap #5 - Anything goes
Sweet Stamping challenge - use tags (tag with sentiments hides under the image)
Challenges 4 everybody #33 - Anything goes
Fab n Funky #193 - Anything goes
Crafty Girls challenges #6 - Anything goes

Please leave a comment if you like this card. I really appreciate every single of you who take your time to comment on my cards.
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Thank you and until next time!!!