Bright white & shabby chic?!

Hi all,
Before I start I'd like to remind you about the word search (If anyone has missed it and doesn't know what I am on about you can catch up in Tuesdays post).  Well you don't have to search for any words today because I am giving you them FREE!

There are three words today and they are:- THE, BE, FIVE

I hope you have managed to find the other words I have slipped into my posts so far.  Don't forget, playing along brings an extra prize for the Candy pot and there may even be another surprise for the winner too!  Our first winner was the lovely Sue P. who chose a rubber stamp from Lili of the Valley for the Candy and also, won the first surprise which was a rubber stamp for herself too!!  Sue chose one of the new LOTV Christmas stamps called Fur Cones.

Well it's a busy day at the homestead (hey doesn't that sound grand... just wishing....lol!)  Jake had his first trial day at 'big boy' nursery today.  He thought it was 'exciting',  he told me when my daughter in law dropped him off and later he said 'I like Mrs Adams'.  So I think, from those comments, that his first day went very well.  I know the teachers were impressed, they have said he will finish a little later tomorrow because he settled so well.  He has a breaking in period of a few days and then starts properly next week, finishing everyday at 2.30pm.  Jake will then stay with me till mum or dad collect him after they finish work.
I have looked after my grandson since he was a few months old and it is really quiet when he isn't here and I miss him a great deal.  However, as my health problems progress I find myself needing the rest more, so I take advantage of his time in nursery to get myself sorted at a slower pace and then I have lots more energy to share my time with him when he finishes for the day.

Now to my card (I seem to natter about Jake alot these days, I do hope I am not boring you),
For todays card I have gone back to my newer papers.  I fell in love with these Graphic 45 papers the moment I saw them for the first time and just had to treat myself.   They are all in tones of blacks and peachy oranges.  There are more coloured patterned papers to coordinate too, but I wanted to keep the colours to a minimum for this card.
I used black chalk board type card for the matting/layereing as the dull surface went perfectly with the overall finish I was after.

At first I wasn't sure it the crisp white would work with the shabby effect of these gorgeous papers, but as I continued layering the papers and other elements I just fell in love with it.  The stamp I used was from an Anna Griffin set of border stamps.  Isn't this a most stunning 'border' stamp.  It's so much more than just a border and it's so beautifully drawn you don't even have to colour it to get a stunning effect.  All I did was drag alittle of the dye ink into a few areas with a water brush.
The black lace doily is one of the gift items from Linda W. (I do so love to use the wonderful items Linda sent to me as they always add something special to my cards).  The ivory lace is one my own crochet patterns (I 'will' put these up on the blog soon, it's just that I am still having trouble writing the patterns.  I can design them easily, but writing it down is something I have never done before). 

I had to decorate the inside as it always gives such a beautiful overall finish and it seems to take the card to luxury status I think.  Do you agree?

This is how it looks from the side, giving you the overall effect.  I will be honest I did the ear to ear grin for this one.  I just love how it turned out, I hope you do too.
To finish the card off I used some black gemstones along the border strip and then shaped a few more to make a flourish.  Nothing too swirly,  the flourish I was after had to be simple not flamboyant.  The little flower was a free gift in a parcel I received a few months back, the colour matched perfectly, so I just had to use it.
Well that's it.  So what do you think, did it work for you?  I must dash now as Jake has woken up and is in need of my attention.   I thank you all for your wonderful comments yesterday, I was so pleased you like the colours as much as I did.
Hope you are having a good day.  It's glorious here so Jake and I are off out into the garden for a while.
Have a great evening.  Hugs Linda xx

(PS.  I'll add the recipe as soon as Jake has gone home and I have five minutes.)