Personal Challenge 2018 - Week 16

This is the 16th week of my 50-week personal States of the Union Challenge. Each week I research one of the states (in the order they attained statehood). I learn a lot of interesting facts about that state and then choose something about it for inspiration in making a card.

This week's state is...

Tennessee

Date of Statehood: June 1, 1796

Originally called The Volunteer State for the state’s participation in the Battle of New Orleans, more National Guard soldiers from Tennessee fought in the Gulf War than any other state. 

Tennessee is bordered by more states than any other state, except for Missouri, with which it ties at eight. The states are Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri.

The geographical center of Tennessee is Murfreesboro.

Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, is located in Memphis Tennessee. Typically, more than 600,000 fans flock to the mansion every year, making it the second-most-visited private home in the country, after the White House. The most popular attraction? Elvis’s signature pink 1955 Cadillac.

Before Piggly Wiggly started letting customers do the shopping for themselves in 1916 in Memphis, there was no such thing as a self service grocery store. 

A lot of places claim they invented Mountain Dew, but according to the company the neon syrupy goodness was first created in Knoxville in the 30's as a new drink to mix with whiskey.

What are three of the tastiest things in the world? Chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallow. Chattanooga bakery decided to combine all three, giving America the Moonpie in the early 1900s. 

In 1897, William Morrison and John C. Wharton of Nashville, Tennessee found a method of spinning heated sugar into what that originally called “fairy floss.” We now call this treat Cotton Candy.

The 1982 World’s Fair was held in Knoxville on a site between downtown and the University of Tennessee. There were some kinks: Hotels were not allowed to take reservations in advance and the sheer  number of people made the event more crowded than expected. Eleven million people showed up. It was a record at the time.

Grand Ole Opry is home to the longest running live radio broadcast in the entire world, starting in 1925.

Eye-popping portions put the kooky in Kooky Canuck, a casual eatery with locations in both Memphis and Cordova, Tennessee. The anvil-size burgers remain its claim to fame. Gobble up the Kookamonga, featuring a 4-pound beef patty and all the fixings, in less than one hour, and you eat for free. And a photo of your mug gets emblazoned on the Kooky Canuck Wall of Fame. The King Kookamonga and Humonga Kookamonga burgers, weighed down by 6- and 12-pound patties respectively, have their own challenges. Other ginormous bites include the Avalanche, a yeti-worthy dessert starring 18 scoops of ice cream. 

Take a look at these Tennessee laws... Posting something on the internet that could cause emotional distress without a purpose in Tennessee is against the law.

It’s against the law for students to hold hands while at school as this is considered a “gateway” sexual activity. 

Just a heads up, if you get caught stealing a horse in Tennessee, there’s a chance you’ll be hung for your crimes.

It’s illegal to bring skunks into the state.

It’s against the law for Dyersburg women to call a man for a date.

Tennessee has some weird speed limits, too. It’s 19 mph in some areas of Collierville, 31 mph in some areas of Trenton, and the speed limit on the campus of Union University is 17 mph.

I've decided to go with this bit of Tennessee information for my card's inspiration... The Maxwell House coffee company has a famous slogan: "Good ‘til the Last Drop."  According to Maxwell House, the slogan originated from President Teddy Roosevelt. In 1907, he was visiting The Hermitage   on the estate of Andrew Jackson and was served Maxwell House coffee. After he was finished, he said the coffee was “good to the last drop.”  

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Supplies Used

Stamps: CC Designs Clove with Coffee and Whipper Snapper This Coffee stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections White and SU Chocolate Chip and Marina Mist CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishment: Cloud 9 Designs Ribbon