I'm a big square! Challenge for Ginger's "The Ink Spot Blot."

I was a bad girl and did challenges all day, muhahahahaha! That and changed my blog template & colours to include pink in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am pledging to start doing a regular self-exam and am going to pester everyone I know to do the same. That means you, even if I don't know you. You are very important!

This card is for Ginger's square card 'October Sketch Challenge.' I've made square cards before, but her sketch inspired me to go for the big 5 & 1/2 " square for the first time. I LOVE her layout madly, so I tried to capture it element for element. You can barely make it out in the picture, but I did include the sentiment around the circle (it's in the wee brown circle mat & says 'Happy Birthday!' repeatedly.)

Ingredients: Stampin Up cardstock in "Chocolate Chip," & "Close to Cocoa" (sponged with "Chocolate Chip" craft ink on a sponge dauber.) The center circle is Basic Grey paper--from their "Motifica" collection (Jade Pattern MOT-070.) The "Doodle This" flower is embossed with "Chocolate Chip" craft ink and clear embossing powder. Then Washed with a gabillion reinkers: "Blue Bayou," "Soft Sky," a wash of "Always Artichoke" with a hint of weak "Chocolate Chip" wash on the outside edges as well as "Ruby Red," and "Pumpkin Pie." The brown center of the flower is just stamped with the 'Spring Bouquet' punch and daubed with "Chocolate Chip" classic ink for depth. The swirls are (what-else-but-my-beloved "Baroque Motifs" flourish) stamped in what-else-but "Chocolate Chip" craft ink. Ribbon is the scrumptious "Tafetta" in "Chocolate Chip." I gotta get more of that stuff. The white is dyeable (I know 'cuz I dyed the "Chocolate Chip."--I'm going for a world's record for how many times I can say "Chocolate Chip" in one post, sorry... :0) Silver eyelets and an ice gem brad in "Soft Sky" are also on here.

What absolute joy to make cards just for fun; I think I might schedule in fun-card-making-days every once in a while in place of mere 'productivity.'

Thanks to Ginger for the divine inspiration! (but not for inadvertently prompting the 'Huey Lewis and The News' song to play over and over in my brain.) If "It's hip to be square," then I'm VERY hip!
;0) Mel