Ready, Set, Create!
Hi everyone! I am Jen Blackwell. I'm the Founder/Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of "Ready-Set-Create" magazine. I have been scrapping since about 1996. I remember my first pages were our wedding photos. Fast forward 10 years and I've got album upon album packed full of wonderful memories! My husband Jeff and I have been married since 10/15/94. We have one amazing son named Jace. He was born 1/2/98. Jace is a very enthusiastic and smart 3rd grader who learned mama's passion for sarcasm very early on (of all the things I SHOULD have taught him! LOL). He is my main subject for most of my photos, and the inspiration for many layouts. We recently added two furballs to our family: Leelou is a big ole fat 5 yr old calico cat. She had been a shelter animal at the Humane Society of Yuma, and she was adopted, then returned due to allergies. How could I look at that poor fluffball in the cage and NOT take her home? It took a lot less prodding at the husband to get a kitty, too! Our last pet went to heaven 2/8/05 - he was 11 1/2 years old, so it'd been a little while since we'd had pets. Jeff agreed with very little hesitation ... and he suggested "Why don't we get TWO cats?" You see ... he is the kennel manager for the Humane Society, so I think they animals are really growing on him! We had Leelou for a week before we introduced another pet into the household. We felt it best to adapt her since she was an older kitty. The next cat that picked US was Rodimus. We kept both animals names since they were used to them. Rodimus is another girl kitty and she's about a year old. We wanted to get a companion for LL that was young and energetic to help keep her more active. Rod definitely does that, and she is THE Most lovable cat! She has to constantly talk to you (she chirp meows) and nudges for kisses. Most people who know my 6'3" Harley riding husband can't picture him as the type to give kitty kisses! LOL I am glad that I now have two additional subjects to scrap - my guys and my girls!

Though RSC is a big part of my life and my passion for crafting, my "other" career is in radio. I have worked for radio almost half my life! I started back home when I was 17 and right out of high school. I worked there for 3 years, then I relocated to Yuma, AZ (which is where Jeff is from). I got a job in radio here and thought I've worked at several stations, I have been with the same boss for 13 years! I am currently the News Director for KLJZ and KJOK radio stations. You can hear me on both stations in the mornings at various times since we stream live. www.z93yuma.com and www.kjokyuma.com I also serve as the Traffic Manager for both stations, manage the websites, and I am the resident birthday card maker!

We reside in Yuma, Arizona. If you're not sure where that is geographically, we are right smack dab on the border with California and Mexico to the west. I can be at one of the ports in Mexico in 10 minutes if I need to be. Yuma is centrally located 180 miles from San Diego one way, and 180 miles from Phoenix the other way. While San Diego is gorgeous and so much cooler, all my cool girls live in Phoenix so I'd rather hang there (plus some of the rockinest -yes I made that a word - scrapbooks stores ANYWHERE are in the Phoenix/Mesa/Gilbert/Chandler/Tempe area!) It is very hot here in the summer - we hit 124 one day in July, but our winters are so awesome with an average daytime temperature of 65-70 degrees. Please feel to welcome RSC into your scrap family! We're really cool, but we don't have big heads ... I promise!