I will be the first to admit that I follow waaaaay more blogs than I can ever keep up with. My RSS Reader consistently shows over 1000 items needing to be read, no matter how many I might read here and there (I’m thinking it must max out at over 1000). But, I know that going through and unsubscribing will take more time than I want to give it…lol. I do LOVE Google Reader’s search function though, it really helps me find information on a subject from many sources that I like, quickly. For today’s post, I thought, “It would be really fun to pull together lots of ideas for chalkboards!” I love the chalkboard look on just about anything and these days it can be put on….just about anything. Here are a few of my favorite ideas I found:

Speech bubbles for a birthday party photoshoot by Elle Belle:

I love the Nester and she shared these chalkboard rocks from Potterybarn (in her Potterybarn Hacks for Fall post):

Nester also shared this chalkboard globe (love!). I couldn’t find directions for the globe, but I’m thinking spray with chalkboard spray paint, use a die-cut (think cutting files for a personal cutter) to trace the map….might work?:

Centsational Girl has instructions for how she created this CUTE chalkboard:

Outdoor Chalkboard on Angry Chicken (via CraftyCrow):

Thrifty Decor Chick shows step-by-steps for creating some fun and extremely inexpensive labels (and if you used to be a paper scrapper, you can even use your fun edged scissors ):

Stampin’ Up has these really cute chalkboard labels (I think I need to order some but the product description online doesn’t give dimensions or quantity, if you know, please leave a comment) :

How fun is this at Apartment Therapy?:

I also did a quick search in Etsy to see what fun chalkboard finds there were (I just couldn’t resist), here are a few fun things:

Some really fun upcycled jars:

LOVE this upcycled piece of chalkboard art:

This is fun chalkboard artjournal:

I can see some teenagers having almost too much fun with these colored chalkboard speech bubbles and portable banner (bubbles are also sold separate from the banner):

Modern June has been on The Daily Digi before, but I LOVE her stuff and can’t choose just ONE chalk cloth product, so be sure to check them all out:

Last, Martha Stewart tells us how to make chalk paint in any color (using supplies found in your hardware store):

Happy Sunday!!

A real adobe photo shop. via BoingBoing

There probably isn’t a group of people around that loves Photoshop as much as we digi scrappers do. Programs such as Photoshop are the main tools of our trade and they help us edit photos, create layouts, and add beauty to our everyday lives.

Like any powerful tool, it can be overused, or misused. Unfortunately, this sends unrealistic messages out to the viewer that people (especially women) must be photoshopped to be beautiful.

Even Demi Moore is not “perfect” enough for a magazine ad. via CBS Business Network

An already very thin Faith Hill seems to require a great deal of Photoshopping to be a cover girl. Look at her arm! via Scott Kelby

Of course we have come to expect glamour from magazines, movies, and television, so not all the blame falls on those who create the images.

via Gear Fuse. Do we want to see ads with an un-retouched Madonna? Or do we prefer her with her Photoshop “day cream” on?

Then there are those who just cross the line into complete absurdity. There are certainly extremes and mistakes made with Photoshop.

via CBS Business Network

via CBS Business Network

Would you believe that some kids (and their parents) even want their school photos retouched? This Newsweek article Say Cheese! Now Say Airbrush! (via Nancy Nally) will give you some real food for thought.

So how much is too much? Where do we draw the line? What does this teach our children? Are you discussing what’s real in the media with your children? Have you thought about what messages you are sending with your own photo editing?

All interesting topics to think about!

Fontologie Free Refill font, What’s for Dinner by Cinnamon Designs

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Today’s un-digi is a great reminder for all of us and one that I have been needing lately. We are quick to tell kids that they need to eat their vegetables, play nice, get to bed early, or clean their room. Do we follow the same advice? I love this article What’s Healthy for Kids is Healthy for Adults from the Simple Mom website. I hope you will take a minute and read it. You will be glad you did!

I think I will embrace the message and take a little nap today.

P.S. The random winner for this month’s Reader Challenge is Tamara you can see her page here in our flickr group. We will be sending Tamara a $10 prize code from one of this month’s contributing designers. Thanks to everyone for participating – they were all amazing pages!

August is typically a back-to-school month for those who are involved in schooling. It’s hard to believe that time has come again, but before you know it school will be in session! For me (Katie) and my kids, that means homeschooling. For most families that means preparing to attend public or private schools, ranging from preschool age to college.

No matter what kind of schooling is a part of your life, this is a great time of year to prepare your family for the busy months ahead. Here are some ideas from me and a few of our Daily Digi team members to help you get ready for the upcoming school year.

Amy says:

I always shop the school supply loss leaders (you know, the notebooks for 10 cents, the penny items, etc.) and keep a tote in my basement full of school supplies.  When we get our school supply lists, we shop from the tote first before hitting the stores.  It’s also where we go when they run out or lose something halfway through the year.
I have a lunchbox station in my kitchen.  It’s an itso shelving unit from Target with three pull out drawers where I keep chips, juice pouches, granola bars, fruit snacks, ziplock baggies, etc. The lunch boxes are kept on the top, and each morning the kids can easily pack their lunches themselves. And because this is the designated lunch station…everyone knows to not snack from it, so we don’t suddenly run out of something!

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Steph says:

I know it sounds a little odd, but I really try to get a batch of freezer meals done during the first week or two of school.  Once lessons and activities start up for the kids, making a good dinner is quickly forgotten.  If I have those freezer meals done to get me through October and even the first part of November, my life is much, much easier in the evenings!

I usually use the Once a Month Mom menus, I posted about this site before, but it might be helpful to review.  Here is her ‘back to school’ menu.

When I homeschooled, this wasn’t as big of an issue.  Afternoons and evenings were much less hurried when my kids were homeschooled because we were often able to do lessons in the afternoon, before regular school was out, just as part of their school day.  There was less that needed to packed between the hours of 3-8 each day….I miss that!

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Katie says:

Although I do homeschool my children, we follow an online charter school program through K12.com that is actually quite rigorous. I love that the lessons are planned for us, but we also don’t have as much flexibility as some homeschoolers. We do finish up earlier in the day than traditional schools (most of the time), but then I have to get my work done for The Daily Digi and work on my own blog & scrapbooking projects. My days feel very full when school is in session! For me, it is very important to start the school year with my life and home in a good organizational state. Here are some things I do to get ready – these tips will work for homeschoolers and traditional schoolers alike!

• Stock the pantry and storage room so I don’t have to make so many trips to the store.
• Go back to school shopping for clothes and supplies. Even though we don’t have to follow the traditional schedule for this, it is more fun for my kids (and me!) to start the school year off with a few new things, and there are great sales!
• Clean and refresh our study space. I clear off the bulletin boards and change things around a bit to give us a back-to-school feeling and a fresh start.
• Give the house a good deep cleaning. I feel much better about diving into our packed schedule if the house is in order. I know it won’t stay that way, but it’s a good feeling.
• Establish a daily schedule before the first day of school. I did this when my kids were attending public and private schools also. If they have gotten used to sleeping in, try adjusting wake up times gradually over the few weeks leading up to school so they aren’t so tired the first week of school. The same goes for bedtimes.
• If you are a homeschooler (or if you work at home) you might be tempted to stay in your pjs or get a late start in the mornings. While it is nice to have the flexibility to do this, you will find that you and your kids are much more productive (and happy) if you get up and get ready for the day like you would if you were leaving the house. I’m a firm believer in this one!

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Feel free to share your best back to school tips in the comments. We have so many amazing readers who teach us great things, it’s fun to hear what works for you!

Once a week, we do an “Un-Digi” post  as a little break. It’s good for the “mojo” to step away from digi scrapping once in awhile and refresh ourselves creatively. Lately, I (Katie) have been longing to grab a book and head outside for some reading time. I earned a college degree in English Literature and during those long semesters of required reading, I always vowed to myself that someday I would read books just for the fun of reading. Mysteries, simple novels, magazines, and non-fiction books all appealed to me while I was buried in classic literature and Shakespeare.

Those years are well behind me now and I do still love to read. Sadly, I still don’t take the time to do a lot of reading just for the pleasure of it. These days I spend my time reading school related materials (I homeschool both of my children). I also use a lot of reading time researching digital scrapbooking and blog related topics. I have become a seeker of information, not a recreational reader. There’s nothing wrong with that because I enjoy what I read, but I also don’t want to miss out on the pure joy of getting swept away by a good book.

I want to read a book. A really good book, with no deadlines or pressure. Just page-turning fun. The kind that makes you want to lie in bed with a flashlight because you can’t wait to find out what happens next. I shared some of my most memorable books in the bullet journaling post a few weeks ago. Now I’d love to know what books YOU love to read! I bet plenty of other Daily Digi readers feel the same way. Feel free to post about your favorite books in the comment section. Can’t wait to see all of your suggestions!

I woke up on Monday morning a couple of weeks ago and checked my Google Reader to see a post on Katie’s blog called, “Katie’s 1st Annual Summer Blog Tour…” (yes, this would be the same Katie that is a contributing writer here at THE DAILY DIGI).  I was intrigued and had to find out what it was all about.  As I pulled it up and read the intro., I giggled to myself, “She didn’t tell me she was doing this!  What a fun idea!”  I knew instantly that I would want to share it here as well, for an un-digi!  Katie is great at finding really fun things all over the www and her blog tour is no exception!

Each post has a description of the blog and what Katie likes about it.  It also includes some souvenirs Katie has brought back from her visit to the blog.  I’ve started a category in my reader called, “Katie’s Blog Tour 2010” and am subscribing to all of the blogs she hits! I think it will be a fun souvenir for me during the next year!

You can start reading the blog tour posts from the first day and work forward OR from the most recent and work back, which ever you prefer!  Enjoy!

P.S. The random winner for the Reader Challenge was Leigh. You can see her layout right here. Thanks to everyone for participating!

In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the perfect time of year for a beach trip. Since I (Katie) live in Utah, I rarely get to the beach and I treasure every moment  I get to spend there. Fortunately, I’ve been able to travel to some beautiful beaches throughout my life in places such as Hawaii, California, Oregon, and even Greece when I was in college. I would love to go back to any one of those beaches at any time!

My biggest tip for beach visits is packing sunscreen. My husband and kids all have very fair skin and burn easily. Especially my husband (freckled red-head that has gone gray/brown in later years). We always joke about how he can get sunburned just looking out the window for a minute.  That means going to the beach isn’t big on his list. I love it though and wish I could live by a beach. I rarely burn and actually tan quite easily (except when I spend the summer sitting in front of my computer – lol!) My Father-in-law also has that same fair complexion so he wears long sleeves to the beach and brings a big umbrella with him to create his own shade.

Something else I’ve learned about visiting the beach is to protect my camera. I’ve ruined a point-and-shoot camera before just by having it in my beach bag. Sand got inside of it and it never recovered. I’m considering purchasing a waterproof camera before I hit the sandy shores next time. If you bring an expensive camera with you, consider purchasing some protective gear and/or wrap your camera bag in a protective bag as well.

Since I’m just a rookie when it comes to beach visits, I asked a few of our “beach-bum” team members to help out with some great tips for all of us.

From Melissa S.:

Well my DH & I have grown up by the beaches in Perth, West Australia. He practically lived there! After 5 years in Kalgoorlie (400 km from the nearest beach) he is so missing it! We are moving back soon – Emily hasn’t even visited the beach yet!  Phill however swims every time we are in Perth or Esperance.

OK, well onto tips… one big thing – SUNSCREEN, as blonde/fair skinned/sensitive skin/easily burnt people we have to use toddler milk sunscreen. I found other sunscreens would always end up stinging my eyes (yes somehow I’d always end up getting in my eye from my hands I guess and spending the whole time with a stinging eye!). The spray packs are useful as it is quick and easy to apply but not so good for wriggly babies.
In Perth & Kalgoorlie we are fairly close to the ozone layer hole, so even 4mins in the sun and you will start to damage your skin and within 15min you will be sunburnt. Even on Wednesday in the middle of winter (it starts June 1 in Australia) I put on a hat and sunscreen to go for a walk!

Ok so I hate to sound like a wowser – but SLIP SLOP SLAP SEEK and SLIDE everyone! Skin cancer is NOT fun! Be sunsmart!

Protect yourself in five ways from skin cancer: Slip! Slop! Slap! Seek! Slide!

1. Slip on sun protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possible.
2. Slop on SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen liberally to dry skin, at least 20 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every two hours when outdoors.
3. Slap on a broad brimmed hat that shades your face, neck and ears.
4. Seek shade
5. Slide on sunglasses. Even on your babies! These are awesome sunnies and very affordable. My little girl has been wearing them since the age of 5 months and though she pulls them off sometimes, if it is actually sunny, she will keep them on quite well. Also their hats are cute!

So now I’ve got the sun protect rant off my chest – enjoy your summer kiddos!

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From Steph:

My favorite vacations are those that include a beach!!  Since we have such varying ages of kids, it works great for our family, something for everyone!  My husband is (thankfully) great at finding travel deals to allow my beach addiction.  Because of my husbands health issues, we aren’t permitted to travel to 3rd world countries, so Mexico and other very affordable places are out for us.

Here are my tips:

1. Forget the sunblock – well not totally.  We have found it works better to wear sunshirts on the beach.  When we go to the beach, we spend most of the time in the water boogie boarding.  We learned quickly that sunblock was not the best option for sun protection on our shoulders and arms.  You can get them in the summer at any department store like Target or Wal-Mart.  In tropical locations, you can get them year round.  Then slather sunblock everywhere else.  Always take sunblock with you from home, it is insanely expensive in beach locations.
2. Grass mats – in Hawaii in every drug store or department store, they sell grass mats. They are super cheap (under $3) and are great for keeping sand off towels.  The water also slides right through, so they don’t stay wet.  My youngest does not like sand at all, so we put a couple of these down and she stays right on them and never leaves.  We take turns sitting on the beach with her, so they are great to sit on and wrap up in your towel.
3. Boogie Boards – we love to boogie board! We usually check into renting boards at different places, but usually end up buying them , because you can buy them cheaper than renting.  When we check out of our hotel to go home, we find a family checking in and give the boogie boards to them.  We do this with larger pool toys too.
4. Other toys – check into renting them, sand castle toys can sometimes be less expensive to rent.  Try using an offsite rental place instead of your hotel, they will usually deliver and pick up for no extra cost and are much less expensive.
5. Bring a lunch and snacks.  There are a lot of sandwich places that will pack a lunch for you and some even pack it in a cooler.  There were many days that we would hit the beach after breakfast and not leave until after sunset…riding the waves all day long!  You can also buy styrofoam coolers for pretty cheap.
6. Bring plenty to drink and then bring some more!
7. Don’t be afraid to play in the water in the rain.  On one of our trips to Hawaii, it rained almost the entire time.  We headed to the beach anyway (leaving the youngest of the bunch with Grandma and Pappy) and spent the day boogie boarding.  The lifeguards said it was safe, so in we went!  We had the whole beach to ourselves! It was still 80 degrees outside and we were going to get wet anyway.  That day is one of our favorite memories!!
8. Buy a book – I really believe in using guidebooks for any kind of vacation, even staycations! So grab a guidebook that will tell you what beaches are good.

Now for another kind of beach…we lived on an island in the Puget Sound for a few years and though we had beaches all around us, it was a very different kind of beach experience!

1. Most beaches in the Puget Sound area are rocky.  Bring boots…I’m not kidding!  Boots that can get muddy and that are good for walking on rocks.
2. There are record low-tides usually during June and many communities have ‘beach walks’ with guides that will point out all of the wild life on the beach and teach the kids how to respect it.
3. During said low-tides, it gets smelly (I have grown to love the smell, but many hate it)…think seaweed.
4. During the record low-tides shell fish can get red-tide, so don’t go clamming and don’t eat the clams if you see signs posted.
5. Enjoy the beautiful views!!  One of the things we loved (and miss) most about where we lived was driving across the bridge to our island and seeing Mt. Rainier on our left and the Cascade Mountains on our right.  On a clear day, you could see forever!  So beautiful to see the evergreens heading right into the water.  Second in beauty only to the “sea-to-sky” drive in British Columbia (Vancouver to Whistler drive).

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If you are lucky enough to visit a beach, we hope these tips will help you enjoy your trip even more!

All photos in this post from thepioneerwoman.com

When I (Katie) was at a blog conference  last month, I overheard some ladies talking in the parking lot. They were saying things like “she used to live in Los Angeles,” “she married a cowboy,” “she takes pictures of cows and horses,” and “she just wrote a cookbook.” I totally knew who they were talking about and I was honestly surprised when 2 of the ladies there had never heard of her. I thought EVERYONE knew about The Pioneer Woman!

If you have somehow missed Ree Drummond (her real name) online, now is the perfect chance for me to introduce you to her.

CONFESSIONS – The Pioneer Woman’s original blog where she shares her love story, ranch happenings, cowboys in chaps, and the adventures of Charlie. Always something fun and interesting to read!

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COOKING – If you are on a diet, you might want to stay away from this section. She uses butter, A LOT of butter! Yum! She posts step by step instructions and amazing photographs for every recipe. You will drool over her food photography! And as if her recipes weren’t enough, she went ahead and started up an amazing cooking site called “Tasty Kitchen” full of fabulous recipes from contributors all over the world.

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PHOTOGRAPHY – One of my favorite parts of PW’s site is her beautiful photos. She is prolific and very skilled with her camera. She posts tips, free photoshop actions, and even hosts photography assignments. Sometimes she even shares some of her photos for free downloads. I actually had one printed to frame in my home. She has a few contributing writers who help out with her photography posts and they are all amazing!  I can’t get enough of her photography section!

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HOME AND GARDEN – I’m sure you will also enjoy the Home and Garden section. I love that she isn’t afraid to show us the real life of a cowboy’s wife. I can’t even imagine the laundry!

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HOMESCHOOLING _ Homeschoolers (and educators) will love the Homeschooling portion of her site. She homeschools all 4 of her children and posts some fun ideas and resources. There are also some guest contributors in this area of her blog and it’s nice to see several different methods and approaches with homeschooling.

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I have no idea how she does it all, but I’m glad she is willing to share the journey with all of us online. Thanks for making the internet fun P-Dub!

Supplies, Click by Kelley Mickus, template by Yin Designs, alpha in title from Every Life Has a Story by The Digi Chick designers (collab), circle stitching by Zoe Pearn, font: traveling typewriter

Just over a year ago, as my family was preparing to move, we took a day and visited all of our favorite spots in Seattle.  It was a staycation for us and one of our favorite memories as a family.  We visited Pike’s Market (and watched them throw fish), ate at Anthony’s Fish Bar on the waterfront, drove past my old office, visited the Space Needle, and all of our old stomping grounds in Sandpoint. I took photos of everything because I knew it would be the last time, in a long time, we would be in this city we loved, together. (I think I’m sufficiently homesick now…lol.)

This summer, my family and I will be taking some staycations again.  We hope to get out and explore the area that we have lived in for less than a year.  Because we are new to our area, I purchased a travel book and have had my kids go through it and pick out some things they want to see and do.  If you are not new to your area though, here are some ideas to help you brainstorm:

• When tourists come to your town or neighboring towns, what do they typically visit?
• What restaurants do tourists eat at?
• What are some sites you haven’t seen that you would like to see?
• What are some of the “hole-in-the-wall” places that only locals know about? (my family has often found that those are the best places to visit on vacations)
• If you were moving soon, what sites would you want to see one last time?
• While you are out visiting sites, take photos like a tourist would (i.e. you might not ever see it again), not like someone who lives there and knows they will be coming back.
• Is there a community pool, waterpark, or beach that you could take a picnic to and pretend to be on a tropical vacation?
• Set a budget and let your kids pick out a souvenir (we prefer shirts or sweatshirts over toys at our house…they seem to get more use and don’t break)
• Buy some postcards and send them to loved ones.
• If you are really brave, inform your friends and neighbors that you will be on a staycation and unable to answer the door or phone (better yet, turn the phone off).

If you want more information:

An article about Staycations

Another idea for a mini vacation

If you venture out

on a staycation, drop me a note, I would love to hear about it!

With Father’s Day quickly approaching (June 20, 2010) this seems like the perfect time to talk about gifts for guys! I (Katie) not only have Father’s Day to worry about in June, but also my Husband’s, Father’s, and Brother-in-Law’s birthday as well. Yikes!

For today’s un-digi, I want to share some fun ideas for gifts for guys:

• a gift bag or basket full of magazines related to one of his interests (sports, racecars, architecture, gardening, etc.) You could also include a subscription to one of the magazines to make it a little bit bigger of a gift.
• his favorite treats all put together. I know a lot of guys who would love a big basket of beef jerky, nuts, chips & salsa, and cookies.
• freezer meals for the man who lives alone. This is especially nice for a man (such as a widower) who might be missing homecooked meals.
• all the fixings to make a nice breakfast. We have a friend who cooks breakfast for his kids every Saturday morning, so we bought him pancake mix, a bowl, a spatula, an apron, and some fancy syrups. He loved it!
• wash his car, or give a gift certificate to a car wash place.
• tools or a gift card to a home improvement or auto shop.
• a subscription to netflix or a coupon to a video rental store.
• a gift card to itunes
• a gift card to a favorite restaurant
• a video game or gift certificate to a video game store
• a video game system. Even those who aren’t that into video games, usually enjoy playing on the Nintendo Wii and it’s great for stress relief!
• sporting equipment such as a tennis racket & balls, or a football. A gift certificate to a sporting goods store is another good idea.
• your time and/or service. Is there really a more meaningful gift? Find some way to serve him by doing one of his chores, or spending time with him.

For more great gift ideas FOR or FROM a digital scrapbooker, be sure to check out our gift idea post from our 1st birthday celebration!

P.S.  Don’t forget to take our survey. We want to give our readers the very best in digital scrapbooking and your answers will help us do that!