wanna play crafty tic-tac-toe with us?

because that's the challenge this week at shopping our stash. just pick any row, column, or diagonal and use all three items in your card or project--easy peasy!

want to know which line i chose?  ALL OF THEM!!! why? because in any given group there always has to be a wise guy, doesn't there? and i can't leave it to leslie EVERY week, lol! :) :) :) 

(vintage: text page from an encyclopedia; patterned paper: making memories, the paper co, hambly; kraft cardstock: hobby lobby; transparency frame: best creations; flowers: prima, doodlebug; black gem flourish (on frame): imaginisce; tibbon: tim holtz, michaels; tag and brad: my mind's eye; border punch: recollections; adhesives: staples brand gluetape runner, scotch gluestick, 3m foam tape, gluedots, sewing machine)

ok, so, i *think* you can see most of the elements, but just in case i will clarify: the sparkle (gem) brad is attaching my sentiment; which along with my card base is kraft. the black damask print paper (& the little border strip) just happened to have some embossing in their patterns; the black and white gingham ribbon is sewn down under my lovely stack of sparkly white and yellow gingham flower(s). and thus all nine elements of our tic-tac-toe board have been incorporated.

one of the things that made ALL of that as easy as pie is that i was, as always, inspired by the lovely laurel seabrook's gorgeous photo challenge for this week (#41) which is totally rockin' the white+neutral+hint-of-yellowish color palette, along with the goth/elegant "grown up halloween" vibe. very me, right?!

in terms of placement, the current unscripted sketch (#179) was tremendously helpful (plus, fun!):

you can see that this is yet another occasion when, by dint of using that fabulous prima blossom, i've got quite a bulky "profile" to my card:

if i were sending this through the post, i'd either slide it into a padded jiffy mailer or enclose it in a roomy gift bag or box with a present; as it happens, this is the birthday card of a friend i shall see in person on friday, so i'll just wrap it in a bit of pretty tissue paper or part of a vintage sewing pattern and tie it with ribbon.

and now i really must insist you pop over to SOS to see the rest of the design team's glorious creations; and be sure grab that tic-tac-toe board so ♥YOU♥ can play along!!!