4th Annual Skin Cancer Awareness Instagram Hop

I’m honored to be participating in the 4th Annual Skin Cancer Awareness Instagram Hop. For my card, I created a peaceful waterside scene with a gentle reminder to protect ourselves from the sun.

I covered the front of an A2 Thick Basic White Card Base completely with the Pool Party seagull design paper from the Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper Pack. The next layer is Misty Moonlight measuring 3 1/2" x 4 3/4", followed by a Basic White focal layer measuring 3 1/4" x 4 1/2".

To create the beachy scene, I lightly ink blended Pecan Pie along the bottom. The middle layer is Misty Moonlight, and the top layer is Pool Party with a touch of Lemon Lolly blended into the corner for the sun. I stamped the sea grass directly onto the panel using Old Olive ink. The stamped images and die cuts are all from the Relaxing Waterside Bundle.

I wanted to include a little reminder about sun protection, so I cut out a hat shape and hand drew the band and bow. The inside Basic White panel is also ink blended and stamped to coordinate with the front.

Now for the important part. Please let me remind you how important regular skin checks truly are. Unfortunately, several of us participating in this hop know the dangers of skin cancer all too well.

Melanoma is sneaky. Unlike other types of skin cancer, it can appear in less-exposed areas and may not look like a typical skin cancer. My melanoma was on my flank under my arm — not a place exposed to the sun. My intuition told me that the small irregular brown spot needed to be checked, and thankfully I listened. Because it was caught early, treatment was much easier.

Later routine skin checks revealed seven Basal Cell Carcinomas on my scalp that I never would have noticed on my own. Those regular appointments made all the difference. Please put skin checks on your calendar, even if you don’t currently notice anything concerning yourself.

On a lighter note, this hop also includes a wonderful giveaway from Pretty Pink Posh! If you’re on Instagram, please visit the participants on the hop list and leave a little love along the way. There is even a secret stop featuring a gift card giveaway!

Be sure to stop by my Instagram @jeanspaperjewels to see what everyone has created, and don’t forget to enter to win!