It's Hip To Be Square

Warning: This is a LONG post! If you've got time, sit back, get comfortable, and read away!


Good morning! First off, thanks to everyone for their support yesterday after my emotional tirade about blogger's block. So many of you had amazing perspective on the situation, which is what I was searching for, I think. Ultimately, I need to be 100% happy with myself and my work, and not seek out the validation of others. Easy to say, hard to do when you're a people pleaser like I am! Comments, while WONDERFUL, are not why I do this. I do this to share a part of myself with others who love the same thing I love, stamping. If, somewhere along the line, I can inspire you or motivate to try new things, then I've accomplished what I've set out to do. Unfortunately, at some point, it became more about the comments, the blog counters, and the blog candy. I can't keep up, nor do I want or need to. You helped me get the balance in check again, and for that, my humble thanks!

Onward and upward they say! Don't you love today's post title? It IS hip to be square! Square cards are hot, hot, hot. And can you believe this when I tell you this is the very first square card I've ever made? It's not that I didn't WANT to make one, but for a long time, I didn't see what the point was if I didn't have an envelope to match. I can't keep up with just getting my cards made, why would I ever add "make matching envelope" to my already over-flowing list of Things To Do? Last night, I remembered that sometime last fall, I had purchased some square envelopes at a going-out-of-business sale. I was up for something new. I was going to make a square card! Here is my first attempt--so simple, yet really fun! The envelopes are 5x5, so I made my card size 4.75x4.75.




How could I resist letting my new Basic Grey paper be the first designer paper to grace my brand new square card? I couldn't resist, that's why Basic Grey's Scarlet Letter/Glance is front and center. It peeks out all around the flower image and sentiment, teasing the eye with it's funky, bold pattern! Since the paper is so wild, I wanted to keep the main image simple and clean. I stamped my Hampton Arts flower image in black on another piece of plain Basic Grey paper (Pheobe/Golden Gate Bridge Park), and simply added an old button to the center of the flower, which compliments the circular Green Grass sentiment stamp, which I embossed in black on Ruby Red cardstock. The sentiment is popped up with foam tape to make it stand out. I am really starting to love my new Green Grass stamps because the designs are so clean and fresh! The circle shape adds a touch of personality to the card, and the black and white gingham ribbon finishes the card off perfectly. This is actually my interpretation of yesterdays sketch challenge on SCS.

I want to share one more thing with you guys this morning. Yesterday in bible study (BSF), we were talking about how God blesses each and every one of us with gifts and talents that we are to use to bring glory to Him. I told my discussion group that I felt my gift from God was my artistic ability. I serve in different artistic ways at our church and church camp, but I told them that I wanted to maybe use this gift to start a card ministry at my church. Now, this is a tall order. My church congregation is 10,000+ and very traditional in it's customs and ways. The thought of making cards for even HALF the total congregation is overwhelming. So last night, when I was reading some comments left on one of my card uploads at SCS, one of the women that left me a comment had "Card Angel" in her signature. I clicked on the link, and it brought me to a place called "Chemo Angels", a volunteer organization dedicated to adding "sunshine to the lives of those undergoing IV chemo treatments". You can volunteer in a variety of ways, one of which is to become a "Card Angel". As a Card Angel, you are required to send a card, note or letter once a week to an assigned patient. I am so excited to say that I immediately signed myself up to become someone's Card Angel. I have goosebumps thinking about this opportunity God laid on my heart. There was no hesitation in signing up (which seems to be normal for me), I felt it is what he wanted me to do. I just received an email back from Chemo Angels and it appears I am a "Angel-in-Waiting" now! What an incredible honor to be able to use my gift in such a way that might bring a ray of hope to someone else's life. If you are interested in becoming someone's "Card Angel", click on this link and sign up today. Keep in mind, it's vitally important that you be "100% committed and able to follow-through with this gift of love", as the person on the receiving end is "probably going through the most difficult time of their lives" and will be depending on you to help bolster their spirits throughout this ordeal.

Have a wonderful day!