I'm going to be gone for a little while . . .

. . but I'll be back.

For the last 11+ years, I have been blessed to know my partner's dad and have him be a part of my life. It has been an honor to call him "Dad." For the last 11 months he has lived with us due to some health issues -- that although they were troublesome and painful, still allowed him many more good days than bad. We lost him quite suddenly this past Saturday and as you can imagine our world has been flipped upside down and inside out. Our seven year old daughter is absolutely devastated as she and her Papa were very close. Every day after school, she would go in a snuggle up with her Papa and watch their favorite show "Walker, Texas Ranger." And he was forever slipping her a donut or a honey bun and saying, "Shhh . . . don't tell your Momma or we'll both be in trouble!"

This photo was taken at Christmas time in 2006. It is one of my favorites, because it totally sums up their relationship -- he loved her completely and she worshipped the ground he walked on.

Rest high on that mountain, Dad ~ we love you and you are missed so very much!

James Lester Branum

December 21, 1936 ~ August 27, 2011

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Peach

Happy Wednesday!  Did you know that August is National Peach Month and that August 24th is National Peach Pie Day?  Yep!  Here are some peachy factoids for you . . . 

• Romans believed that peaches were “Nectar from the Gods.” 
• The peach is a member of the rose (rosaceae) family. 
• Peaches can be traced back to the 10th century B.C. in China. The Chinese believed the peach tree was the tree of life. Peaches were symbols of immortality and unity. Because of this, brides in China carry peach blossoms.
• The United States accounts for about 25% of the world’s peach market. Most of our peaches are grown in California and Georgia.
• Georgia is known as the Peach State.
• In 1982, former President Ronald Reagan proclaimed August as National Peach Month because of its monetary and nutritional value to the United States.

As you may have already guessed, our challenge this week at Cooking With Cricut was to incorporate a peach into our project.  Not as easy at it may seem.  This one stumped me.  I was however, relieved to discover that I do own a cartridge that has a peach on it -- "Just Because" Cards -- which made my task a bit easier!

August is a very big birthday month in both sides of our family!  So I have been making tons of birthday cards!  All of the cuts I used came from the "Just Because" Cards cartridge and all of the papers came from my paper stash.  I shaded the peach and leaves with several different colored ink pads.  Some pen doodling, a piece of ribbon, a rubber stamped sentiment and some rhinestone bling completes this card.  Here's the recipe:

• Peach cut at 3 1/2" tall.
• Brown mat cut at 5 1/4" tall by 4" wide.
• Orange gingham mat cut at 4 3/4" tall by 3 1/2" wide.
• "Just Peachy" cut at 2 1/4" wide.

Mmm . . . all this talk about peaches has me craving one!  Make sure you head on over to Cooking With Cricut and see what kind of peachy creations the other Chefs whipped up!  I hope you'll join our challenge and link up your peach creation -- you could be this week's Top Chef!

~ Jen

Cooking With Cricut Cartridge Showcase & Mickey and Friends Monday

I'm wearing two hats today!  Welcome to Monday's Cartridge Showcase at Cooking With Cricut AND Mickey & Friends Monday at Crazy About Cricut!  Today I'm featuring the Pooh & Friends Cricut cartridge.

Yesterday was my pal Pooh's 90th birthday!  So in honor my favorite bear, here are a few of my favorite Pooh creations . . .

Pooh Birthday card ~ the card base measures 8 1/2 x 5 1/2.  The red mat is 8" x 5", the patterned mat is 7 1/2" x 4 1/2".  Pooh measures 5 3/4" tall and Piglet is 4 1/4" tall -- they are both from Pooh & Friends.  I used Create-A-Critter for the Happy Birthday (4 1/2" wide) and the cupcake (1 1/2" tall).

Here are a few more projects featuring Pooh and his pals.  All of the "baby" Pooh cuts are from the Pooh Font cartridge.  As always, you can click on the photo to make it larger.  I've also included the link to the project post, if you want more details.

Sweetest Day card
(my first Cooking With Cricut challenge project!)

Baby Shower Invitation

Baby Shower:  Welcome Sign

Baby Shower:  Centerpiece (same link as above)

Baby Shower:  Diaper Cake (same link as above)

Baby Shower:  Favors (same link as above)

Valentine's Day Card

Perpetual Calendar topper

1st Birthday Layout for my grandson

Family Reunion layout

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my Pooh & Friends projects!  And as Pooh's pal Tigger would say, "TTFN!" (ta-ta, for now)

~ Jen

"I Feel the Love" Project for Kate

I'd like to share with you a card I made for the "I Feel the Love" Project. If you aren't familiar with IFTL -- it is a monthly challenge by Madison at Funky Cards to share some love with a person going through a difficult time.

June's recipient was a teacher at Madison's high school who is battling her second round of ovarian cancer. She collected 22 cards for Mrs. Pentoney. July's recipient was 3 year old Marley Moore and her family. Marley was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August 2009 and is currently battling a recurrence. Thirty-four (34) cards were created for Marley and her family last month.

 

August's recipient is is Kate McRae and her family. She is 7 years old, her older sister Olivia is 9, and her younger brother Will is 6. Kate is battling a rare form of brain cancer (sPNET) that was diagnosed in June 2009.  If you'd like to learn more about Kate and her journey, check out her web site at www.prayforkate.com.

 

I will make cards for the entire family before the end of the month, but today I'm sharing the card I made for Kate (here is the link to the card I made for her brother, Will).  All of the cuts are from the Hello Kitty Greetings Cricut cartridge and all of the paper is from my scrap stash.  I also added a little bit of bling to Kitty's umbrella -- I think the blue rinestones look like raindrops.

Here's the recipe:

• Hello Kitty with Umbrella - cut at 4 3/4" tall.
• Rainbow - cut at 1 3/4" tall by 2 3/4" wide.
• Sun - cut at 2 1/2" tall by 2 1/2" wide.
• Butterfly - cut at 2" tall by 2 1/4" wide.

If you are interested in creating a card for someone who needs a little love and encouragement -- please click over to Madison's blog and sign up. I promise it will be one of the best things you do today!

~ Jen

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Picnic Time

Happy Wednesday and welcome to Cooking With Cricut's Design Team challenge day!  Melin challenge the team with a picnic-theme in honor of August being National Picnic Month.  And while it's way too hot here in North Central Florida to picnic comfortably, a paper picnic is always cool!

I created a two page layout for my youngest daughter's scrapbook.  We go to a family reunion each June for the Rhoden side of our family.  Demi attended her first when she was only two months old!  So these pages will commemorate that event -- my color printer is on the fritz and I couldn't print the photos out, so I will add them later.

Each of the pages measures 12" x 12" and the base is a pale blue card stock by Recollections.  All of the other papers are from my scrap stash.  (Don't forget, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

Here is the recipe:

Pooh & Friends Cartridge --

• Winnie the Pooh - cut at 4 1/2" tall.
• Piglet - cut at 3" tall.
• Tigger - cut at 4 1/2" tall.
• Eeyore - cut at 3" tall.
• Roo - cut at 2 7/8" tall.
• Rabbit - cut at 4 1/2" tall.
• Owl - cut at 2 1/2" tall.
• Trees - cut at 3" tall.
• Apple Basket - cut at 1 5/8" tall.
• Cake - cut at 1 1/4" tall.
• Veggies - cut at 1 1/4" tall.
• Clouds - cut at 2 1/4" and 1 1/2" tall.
• Sun - cut at 2 1/2" tall.



Pooh Font cartridge --  Text - cut at 1 1/2" tall.

Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge --   Picnic Basket - cut at 1 1/2" tall.

Whew!  I think that is the most Cricut cuts I've ever used in one project!  And believe it it or not -- it was fun . . . in a Disney cartridge-sadistic kind of way!  LOL!  Disney cartridges are notorious for their many itsy-bitsy, teeny-tiny cuts.  (You may notice that some of my cuts are kind of rough -- I had to change blades about mid-way through my layout.)

Now it's your turn -- link up your favorite picnic project over at Cooking With Cricut this week.  You may be our next "Top Chef!"  And make sure you head over and check out what the rest of team created!

And as my buddy Tigger would say, "Have a Tiggerific week! TTFN!"

~ Jen

P.S.  I'm entering this layout in "Decorate to Celebrate" blog's reunion challenge.

"I Feel the Love" Project & CWC Cartridge Showcase

Good morning, crafty people and welcome to Monday Cartridge Showcase at Cooking With Cricut!  Each Monday a different member of our Design Team features projects created with a single Cricut cartridge.  It is our hope that maybe you will be inspired to dust off your cartridges and find a new way to use them!  Today's featured cartridge is:  Mickey & Friends!

Today I'd like to share with you a card I made for the "I Feel the Love" Project.  If you aren't familiar with IFTL -- it is a monthly challenge by Madison at Funky Cards to share some love with a person going through a difficult time.

June's recipient was a teacher at Madison's high school who is battling her second round of ovarian cancer.  She collected 22 cards for Mrs. Pentoney.  July's recipient was 3 year old Marley Moore and her family.  Marley was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August 2009 and is currently battling a recurrence. Thirty-four (34) cards were created for Marley and her family last month.

August's recipient is is Kate McRae and her family.  She is 7 years old, her older sister Olivia is 9, and her younger brother Will is 6.  Kate is battling a rare form of brain cancer (sPNET) that was diagnosed in June 2009. Doctors were only able to remove about 50% of the tumor due to it's location in the left temporal lobe of her brain and the fact that the tumor had wrapped itself around the left middle cerebral artery to her brain. Kate experienced right sided paralysis immediately following surgery along with the loss of her speech. She has since relearned how to speak, walk and do the many things that young children do, however her right sided weakness still continues. Kate has endured more than any child should have to -- many rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, speech therapy, physical therapy. . . and many, many stays in the hospital.  She has an amazing support system with her Mom, Holly and Dad, Aaron, leading the charge.  If you'd like to learn more about Kate and her journey, check out her website at www.prayforkate.com.

I will make cards for the entire family before the end of the month, but today I'm sharing the card I made for 6 year old Will. All of the cuts are from the Mickey & Friends Cricut cartridge and all of the paper is from my scrap stash.



Here is the recipe:

• Card base - 8 1/2" x 11" white card stock, folded in half
• Mat - patterned paper cut to 8" x 5"
• Car - cut at 6" wide x 3 3/4" high
• Mickey - cut at 4" high
• Mailbox - cut at 2 7/8" high
• Fence - cut at 4"wide x 2 1/2" high
• Tree - cut at 3 5/8" high
• Grass - cut at 1" high (two sections welded together in Design Studio).

I haven't decided what I'm going to put on the inside yet, other than "Hi ya, pal!" So for now it is blank.

If you are interested in creating a card for someone who needs a little love and encouragement -- please click over to Madison's blog and sign up. I promise you it will be one of the best things you do today!

Thanks so much for dropping by.  Make sure you click on over to Cooking With Cricut to check out the Monday Cartridge Showcase.  And make sure you check out our special Guest Designer tomorrow, too!

~ Jen

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Sailboat

"Come sail away, come sail away, come and sail away with me lads . . ."  That song has been playing in my head for days!  (Can you name that 70's band?)  You might ask why is that song running around in my head?  Well, it has to do with this week's Cooking With Cricut challenge.  In honor of Christopher Columbus' first voyage on August 3, 1492 the Design Team was challenged to use a sailboat or make a sailboat inspired project this week. 

I love sailing!  As a teenager I spent every summer at Girl Scout Aquatics Camp -- I also spent every weekend my parents would let me at the same camp -- sailing and windsurfing!  I didn't care what kind of sailboat it was as long as the wind was blowing!  I've sailed everything from a Sunfish to a 26 ft. Day Sailer.  My favorite though was the little racers called "Lasers."  Every other sailboat on the lake could be luffing in the wind, but the Lasers would fly even with just a hint of a breeze!  I bet I haven't sailed in 20 years -- but I still remember the thrill of flying across the water with my sailing partner hiked out and hanging on for dear life . . . *sigh* . . .

Anyway, I decided to make a pirate party invitation with a pirate ship in full sail.  This is just a mock invitation -- my nephew's birthday isn't until January and he'll only be one -- not really old enough to enjoy the "arrggggh-ing" and sword play!

I used the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge and my ship is cut at 2 3/8" wide.  All of the papers came from my scrap stash.  After I printed out my invitation and trimmed it to the size I wanted (5"x7"), I crumpled up and distressed the edges.  Then I inked the edges with an ink pad.  The "X" is a rubber stamp and I free-handed the treasure map markings.

Now it's your turn!  I hope you'll link up your sailboat inspired creation at Cooking With Cricut this week.  Make sure you head on over there and check out what the rest of the Design Team whipped up!

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Jen

P.S.  Did you guess the name of the band?  It is Styx.  "Come Sail Away" was on their seventh album, "The Grand Illusion" and was released on July 7, 1977.