Alice's Wonderland: 2008-03-23

Monday, March 24, 2008

Anita's Breast Cancer Scrapbook

The following are MANY pictures of the scrapbook that I created for my dearest friend, Anita Marie. She means the world to me and it really hurts to live so far from her and not be able to be there for her. She is in Florida and I am in Ohio. This is my way to "bridge the gap" and give her a medium in which to journal her thoughts and pictures as she journeys down this road. As her mom says, "This is just a bump in the road for Anita Marie. SHE will be the one to get US through this." I dedicate this to my soul sister!

Thank you to everyone on the Cricut MB who shared cut files (which I've used MANY and adapted MANY to fit this book), thank you to everyone who has prayed for Anita and who has supported me while I worked on this (Alex for giving up her computer time and Mike for giving up his wife!). Please stop by her website (Click here) and leave her a note from one of Alice's Army.

My Journey

This is the cover. I used blue and yellow Wall-Pops, CDS, and Doodletype for lettering.

HOPE

This is the first page in the scrapbook. I used CDS, George, and doodletype. Click HERE for cut file.

It says: "my Heart is Open to the Potential that Exists when I strive to survive"

I will always remember...

Handwriting says, "I will always remember the time, place, and how I felt."

Left-hand page and journaling tags:

"I first noticed something was wrong when..." (sorry for blurry pics. I really need a good camera!).

"I was diagnosed on..."

Right-hand page and journaling tags:

"My first thoughts after being diagnosed..."

"The first person I told was..."

My Pledge to Me

Anita's Pledge page. Lettering done with CDS and George. It says, "I WILL stay strong, I WILL have the courage to persevere, I WILL fight." Click HERE for lettering cut file.

This is a criss cross card, so Anita can pull the insert out and write her pledge on it. Thank you to another MB friend who shared the cut file!

Then & Now

"This is me - Then and Now" was made with CDS, George, and the frame was a cut file from a friend on the MB. Click HERE for cut file.

I hand wrote (hate my handwriting!) on the top and the bottom of the ric rac ribbon. It says, "Nothing is taken for granted! Even the little things in life have more meaning."

Hobbies

A page to record Anita's hobbies. Used CDS, George, and doodlecharms for icons. Thank you to a MB friend who had this blank layout that I could make my own!

Click HERE for cut file.

Likes and Dislikes

One of my favorite pages... heart love notes pull out for journaling.

Close-up of the love note coming out of the envelope.

Used CDS, George for lettering, Doodlecharms for hearts and envelopes. Click HERE for cut file.

The Future

Not my favorite page (I'm my worst critic!)... I tried chalking (yeah, I'm not too good at it!). Then used glittler on the letters (a little better).... I still think it needed something to make it "pop". I DO like how I have the tags hanging from the letters and the hearts, though. I used CDS, George, and TBBM for the journaling tags. The lower right hand corner has a quote: "Hope is a walking dream." Aristotle

Click HERE for cut file.

Family History

This is a spot for Anita to record her family history. I used CDS, George (but added circles to the end of every letter), the '&' symbol with tails cut off for the breast cancer ribbon, and used AK for the bookmark. The heart on the bookmark reads: "What their experience was like..."

This is Alex's favorite page. She likes how the book opens up and has pages. I just used CDS and George to create the pages and then used my sewing machine to sew down the middle of it. Here it is with the pages turned.

Click HERE for cut file.

CaringBridge

CaringBridge page done with CDS, logo with George and doodletype letters. Click HERE for CaringBridge lettering and logo.

The left hand frame says: "What is it? A CaringBridge website helps keep loved ones informed during difficult times. In return, family and friends give patient and caregiver support through guestbook messages. Every free, personalized CaringBridge website includes: patient care journal to update family and friends. Guestbook for messages of love. Photo gallery."

The right hand frame says, "What does it mean to me?" and it has a spot for Anita to journal there. Click HERE for frame (thanks Capadia!).

CaringBridge Journal

CaringBridge Journal is a 3 prong folder to hold all of Anita's journal entries. Lettering and logo done with CDS and George.

The verse says: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all!" ~ Proverbs 31:29

Journal entries in page protectors.

CaringBridge Guestbook

3 prong folder to hold all of Anita's guestbook entries. It says: "I am STRONG. I am DETERMINED. I am someone's HERO" Click HERE for "I am...." file.

Well Wishes

This is a plain brown accordion porfolio, covered in scrapbook paper. Lettering is hard to see, but done with CDS and George. Click HERE for cut file.

Portfolio shown opened to hold all of Anita's cards.

It's Just Hair

My favorite page! I used CDS and some nice person on the MB gave me this cut file for the woven border. Each V flips up and tucks under the next one. I used aluminum duct tape (not the regular duct tape, but the REAL metal tape - found at WM in hardware section) for the scissors. Used my Crop-o-dile II to eyelet the "joint" in the scissors. Click HERE for the cut file.

My favorite part is how the scissors are cutting through the letters. It was sticky and hard, but fun!

So far, Anita's kept her hair, but has bought hair clippers for when the time comes.

Pink Pages

Strength, Love, Courage (left side) done with CDS, George (with charms). Threaded that through thin piece of paper and added family picture. Click HERE for Strength, Love, & Courage cut file.

Heart mesh pyramid made with CDS and George. Click HERE for heart mesh pyramid cut file. Another family picture and blank tag for Anita to journal on at a later date.

Prince Ryan

Used CDS to make the border on this pocket, the crown, and the lettering. Click HERE for the bordered pocket. I was thinking that Anita could put the drawing that he did for her. He drew himself as Superman (but with an R on his chest) and he was saving his mommy from a volcano (which he drew her stuck in the top of). He told her he wanted to save her from being sick. Kids are so intuitive!

Princess Caroline

Used CDS and George to make this pocket with border, lettering, and crown. I thought Anita could slip Caroline's artwork into the pocket.

Click HERE for the crown cut file and lettering for both Caroline and Ryan.

Jay

"Jay's part in my JOURNEY" done with stickers, breast cancer ribbon is an & symbol with the tails cut off. Charm is hanging from heart. It says "love" on charm.

Alice's Army

Jay's affectionate name for my many friends, church worshippers, family, and Cricut MB friends who have left prayers and signed Anita's guest book on Caring Bridge. It says: "Alice's Army. I love you like Family I'm thinking of you, wish you were here to enjoy a" (there is a die cut of our favorite: Peanut Buster Parfait) "with me. As you are on this Road Trip Smile and know I love you!" Click HERE for the cut file.

Looks almost yummy enough to eat! I even used acetate to simulate the plastic cup. Click HERE for the Peanut Buster Parfait cut file.

Oh, the tank has hangers hanging from the gun... it's an inside joke... what I wouldn't do for anyone but Anita when she was moving into her condo! Crazy times!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Quilt

Anita received a quilt made by her students and staff at Shepherd of the Woods School. It has all of the children's hands traced and colored by the children. She treasures this, so I thought it deserved it's own page.

Okay, don't look too closely... my sewing skills have A LOT to be desired! I used sboz "hand" cut file and George for the lettering (Click HERE for cut file). I used paper scraps from my Easter boxes (an earlier post) as the "quilting" on the edges.