I Challenged the Giving Hand...on a Road Trip!

Quirky title, I know. But fitting. While the former is not something I'd ordinarily do (but in this case, it's true -lol), the latter is something definitely long overdue. I used CMTH's The Giving Hand set to make this card, which was inspired by one of Our Creative Corner's recent challenges. lol
And here's my interpretation:

The main layer is Vanilla Cream cardstock, but I customized it to look like it does by using the direct-to-paper method with Vanilla and White Daisy inks, and then stamping the sentiment multiple times using Goldrush. The flowers are done by stamping them first with White Daisy pigment ink and then a second time in Goldrush and yet again with Sunflower. I haven't done a lot with completely changing the look of a neutral cardstock, so this was really new and fun for me.

The lower portion of the card is done by stitching down the 'spindles' on top of some sanded Goldrush cardstock, and then attaching the scalloped-edge punched border with dimensionals.

The focal image was stamped on Colonial White cardstock, then adhered on top of different cardstock mats (the Goldrush mat was sanded). I also did some stitching.

This card is also airborne at the moment, on its way to thank a very sweet someone for recently GIVING me darling some HANDbag patterns (think Vera Bradley) that she'd designed at one time. I couldn't think of a more appropriate set to use to thank her.

With VBS last week and trying to get everything ready for our three-week summer trip, I haven't been online very much in the last two weeks and probably won't be online much (or stamping at all!) in the next three weeks either. ;( However, I'm having a different kind of fun, so that's okay. And I will have some cards to share with you while I'm away. ;)

I'm posting this from my vacation parents' home in Arizona -- my kids and I spent the better part of the last two days on the road to get here...stuffed into my hubby's teeny, tiny commuter deathtrap car, which is averaging 38.5 mpg --woo hoo! MUCH better than my car's not-so-economy/ecology-minded highway average of 10.5 mpg, so I guess it's well worth being a bit squished. lol And aside from getting to spend time with my parents, my mom goes to great lengths to spoil us rotten with her delicious cooking (even if I'm "good," I'll still likely gain the few pounds I finally just managed to shed --boo hoo)...and I always get to sleep in here! ;D And being here, I also get to see, in person, what my mom's been up to in her craft room -- that's always a special treat for me! Next week my hubby will fly down to join us in California where we'll be visiting with our four older kids, extended family, and some friends...all of whom we've been missing very much since we moved away two years ago.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog and leave a comment (reading them always makes my day!), and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part! -lol):
Cardstock: Colonial White, Vanilla Cream, Goldrush, Goldrush, Olive (CTMH); Stamps: The Giving Hand (CTMH); Inks: Vanilla Cream, Goldrush, Sunflower, Garden Green, White Daisy pigment (CTMH); Other: edge punch (Martha Stewart), ribbon (May Arts), sponge (CTMH), sandpaper, foam mounting tape, pop dots, sewing machine, white thread