Family Goals Template Download

I don't love the word resolution. And I don't love that suddenly, once a year we're supposed to try to better ourselves.
But that being said, here in the Pitcher house we have resolved to try to better ourselves.

So whatever. Maybe it's all the inspirational New Years pins that are flooding Pinterest? Maybe it's because I've been rereading {Conference Talks} from October and feeling the desire to do and be better.
Whatever the case, we have some family goals - so I made this little poster to hang up in our house. Considering the fact that I'm not a designer, nor do I understand any software besides Photoshop - I'm pretty pleased with how cute this is.

(Obviously the boys came up with their goals themselves. Bottle free and less TV?)

Do you love it? Do you WANT it?
Tah-dah! I have uploaded the file for you to download! {JUST CLICK HERE!}
It's a .psd, which means that you'll need Photoshop to view or edit it. But it's entirely customizable. You can change the names, goals, the quote, colors, fonts. You could even completely delete everything and just use those little banners for something else.

If you're interested in editing the words (and obviously you are, or your resolution board would say my family's names) and you want to keep the same fonts, you'll probably have to download the fonts. Don't worry, they're also free. And they're some of my favorite fonts.
Here are the links to {INTRO} (the font our names and "Pray Daily" etc is written in)
{ARSENAL WHITE} (the font our goals are written in)
And {INDY PIMP} (the font the scripture is written in).

A note: Okay, for anyone wondering what "FHE" stands for: "Family Home Evening." It's a Mormon term for family night. We're encouraged to spend at least one night a week - at home, together. Traditionally, it includes a mini "lesson" like talking about how to serve others, or be kind to your siblings, some delicious treat, and then playing games or something.  Also, it's hard because our boys are so little that we really are just home every evening anyway. So we're trying to make it more of a "thing." We eat treats, play a game, etc. Any tips for FHE with toddlers?

Roald Dahl Print {Giveaway!}

Okay. It's here. I know you've been anxiously waiting for it, because of the texts and facebook comments asking about this giveaway.

I've teamed up with Kensie from Kensie Kate Designs to offer you this darling 8x10 Roald Dahl print, (and by that I mean, she offered to do a giveaway and I emailed her back within seconds saying "If you want to give one of these away on the blog, I WANT ONE BECAUSE I LOVE IT.")

Kensie is a designer out of Utah, and has so many adorable prints in her etsy shop {Kensie Kate} including these two cuties, which are my other favorites:



This giveaway will run for one week, until next Monday night (Nov 26, 2012 at midnight) and I'll announce the winner on Tuesday Morning. The winner will be chosen from my comments, so every comment that you leave on this post is considered an entry into the contest, and the winner will receive an 8x10 print of the lovely Roald Dahl quote print.

I mean, look at how cute it is in my room! I even made a silly little bunting to match it.

To Enter this Giveaway (the first time):
Please go to Kensie Kate's Blog, and browse through her design section, she has dozens of designs there that are not featured in her Etsy shop, then leave your first comment telling me which of her prints you would like to see featured in her Etsy.
For example, I am in love with these little foxes, and think that they would look reallllly cute in a boy/girl twins room:




(To visit Kensie's blog, go {HERE}).  Don't forget to include your email in your comment, so that I can contact you about winning.

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To Enter yourself into this contest a second time (or third, or fourth, or fifth, etc.)
Share the link to this blog post on Facebook (then leave another comment telling me you did so.)
Or Twitter (and then leave a comment telling me you did so.)
Or any social network you want. Including Pinterest.  If you want to link up using Pinterest, please do the following:
Either link to this post with a caption referencing the Giveaway and it's end date (Nov 26), or link to Kensie's Blog or Etsy so that other pinners are directed to her site, and not to mine.

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Aaaaaand that's not all, folks!  Whether or not you win this giveaway, you can still get a lovely print from Kensie Kate's Etsy shop, with 25% off, by using the code CHRISTMAS25 when you check out. If you also want to get free shipping (and why wouldn't you?) just share Kensie's Facebook, Blog, or Etsy shop on your Facebook or Blog, and then leave a comment {HERE} telling Kensie that you did so.

Not a graphic designer

What do you call a person with a mediocre to sufficient understanding of photoshop and zero clue how to use the rest of the Creative Suite?

Not a graphic designer, that's for sure.

But at the end of our hallway there is a fuse box.

It is hideously ugly and very eye-catching.

Currently there is a Christmas quilt hanging over it.

As you may know... it is not Christmas. It is March. I just don't want to take it down and have to look at the fuse box! I wanted to put up some art, maybe a map? A quote?

But we are poor, and pretty maps are RIDICULOUSLY expensive.

So I started sifting through some of my favorite lines from books (mostly children's books), playing around with them, to see if there was something I wanted to hang on our wall.

And I got a bit carried away.
To get the large file of the printable, just click the link below the poster you want! Then just go to File -> Download As -> PDF

He isn't safe.
Believing takes practice.

 

Adventures in Big Boots.

Laughing at Dragons.
Curiouser & Curiouser.

Lightning!

Truth.
Skipping About.

What do you think? Which is your favorite?

You can see a lot of my design asthetic. For example, I usually dislike mixing up fonts, and would much rather use plain, easy to read fonts in a variety of colors. 

These are free for the taking, and I'd love to know if you print one off and hang it up.
The first person to email me and explain how to put up a link so you can download these in high resolution will get a prize! 

(Nope. Not a prize. Just the knowledge that you know how to do internets things.)
**EDIT** Angela taught me: just click on the link below each poster to get it in Google Doc format!

Which do you think that I should hang up? I'm leaning towards the Madeleine L'engle one in the hall, but maybe the Hobbit one or the Winnie the Pooh one in the boys' room and the Lewis Carroll one in my office/sewing room. I mean, it's obviously a little biased, but I'm pretty fond of them all.

Also, I think I want to build up a collection of these, so if you have a favorite quote you might like to see in Becky-style print, leave it in the comments!

Because, as A.A. Milne said, “A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself.” 

Please click to vote!

Money Makin' Schemes

So you know how bloggers are like "Surprise! Here are a bajillion things I've been making in secret that I want you to buy, and my Etsy is up now, come have a looksie!"?
Well, I was pretty much planning on doing that because I'm trying really hard to 1. raise money for a new computer - since I'm using a computer older than my sister (who is in first grade) and I can't even edit photos on here for you, but have to go do things on my husband's work computer.
And 2. raise money for Alt Summit, which is a super fancy blogger/designer conference being held in my very own Salt Lake City, but which costs $400! Dang! Pricey.

(Click for more info)

So I'm planning on making an assortment of things and trying to make you buy them. Ahem, not making you buy them. You know. Begging you.
Ahem... I mean. You know.... whatever.
You want to buy these things from me, right?

But here's the deal (again, in two parts) 1. I'm too excited to keep secrets from you, bloggers, and wanted to tell you of my plan right away
And 2. I don't really want to spend hours, energy, and money making things that you guys won't buy, so I'm asking for your opinions before I begin.

If you guys are interested in helping me get myself a new computer and perhaps pay the registration fee for Alt Summit (which would help my blog be better, more awesome and um... probably prettier with more giveaways) would you guys be interested in buying any of the following from me?

1. Monsters like Olfie, in various colors and sizes?

2. Bibs and/or onesies with things like cameras and sunglasses painted or screen printed on them, not unlike these:


3. Anything else in particular that you've seen on the blog, like this bird mobile? or maybe a {hat like this one} (which I'm in the process of trying to make for my boys)?

4. And lastly, I'm currently selling ad space on the side of my blog for 10$ a month (and I usually charge 15$ a month).  If you're interested in advertising on Baby Making, just send me an email with your web address and a 130x130 ad, and we'll figure out the details.

5.  Oops, not lastly, because I only just thought of this idea: I am pretty constantly complimented on my various blog headers and buttons. I'm not so hot at illustration, but I've got some mad skillz in photoshop.... when it comes to arranging photos in a pleasing manner, that is.
So I'll do some design work for your blog.
Prices:
$25 - I'll make you a blog header of your own photos, of your choosing. It will be similar to mine, in that it is all photographs, and not much else - but will otherwise be completely unique!

$10 - I'll make you a blog button.  If you look to your right, you'll see the Little of This, Little of That button, the Griz Pharm Photography button, and the Froelich Family button - all of which I made, in addition to mine, which can be found under the BUTTONS tab on the top of the page.

$15 - I'll do any additional tabs, buttons, pictures, or links that you want - up to 10.

or for $40 I'll do all of those things for you, and you will have a pretty blog, with a header, buttons, and tabs that all match and are awesome.

So anyway, PLEASE, PLEASE leave some comments and let me know what you guys think, what you're interested in, and even opinions on my pricings, which I admit - I made up as I wrote this post out...
Or even better, send me an email. If you feel the need to include 40$ and a dozen pictures for me to start working on... all the better. :)

Seriously, you guys are the best readers ever, and I love you guys!
Becky
rebeccah.louise@gmail.com

Click to vote! Help bring some more viewers to Baby Making, so I can keep trying to get that computer that I desperately need/desire!