Tagging: What are tags?

Have you heard of tagging? Not the type of tagging where cans of spray paint are used to create letters, symbols, and pictures on public walls and fences. I am talking about tagging on the Internet using Web sites that have tagging features included. You may have noticed on the Families.com homepage one of the four tabs at the top of page is entitled, “Tags.” It looks something like this: Have you ever clicked on the “Tags” tab? If so, you may have discovered the Families.com tag page, but been at a loss as to what this page is about … Continue reading

Homeschool Field Trip: Peachy Keen

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of Mother Nature’s bounty and look beyond the walls of your home for some fantastic homeschool lessons. For clans with students of varying ages, a field trip to a u-pick farm can be a real treat.  Most states feature fields, orchards and sprawling acreage designed to give city folk a taste of country life.  These green spaces are bursting with seasonal produce including corn, strawberries, tomatoes and my daughter’s favorite—peaches. Picking sweet, juicy, tree-ripened peaches lends itself to a slew of hands-on lessons.  For starters, a field trip to a peach orchard … Continue reading

Toddlers and Summer Safety

If your toddler has been cooped up inside all winter, then he is probably going hog wild in the great outdoors this summer, playing, running, swimming and climbing. While there is no shortage of fun to be had at the park or in your backyard, there are also plenty of opportunities for your toddler to get hurt. Your tot’s summer fun can translate into bumps and bruise as well as cuts and contusions, so it’s best to be prepared. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents keep a well-stocked first aid kit on hand both inside their homes and … Continue reading

Treating Chin Acne in Pets

Don’t stress too much if your pet develops chin acne — it’s a relatively common problem in dogs and cats! One of the most common causes for chin acne is allergies. A pet may be allergic to fleas, foods, plastic in bowls, or inhaled particles like pollen and mold spores. Dealing with the allergy can make a big difference in many cases of chin acne. Treat your pet with a monthly flea/tick preventative like Frontline, Advantage, Sentinel, or Revolution. Spray your home and yard to clear up flea infestations if one is present or suspected. Eliminate plastic food and water … Continue reading

Overweight in Alabama

Every so often, I see a news story that just brings me up short. This one caught my eye today. Apparently, the state of Alabama is trying to crack down on obesity by hitting its employees where they live – their pocketbooks. That’s right – if you work for the state of Alabama and you’re overweight, you’ll soon be paying $25.00 more per month for your health insurance as opposed to the employees who are not overweight. This adds up to $300.00 more per year. The state is calling this a financial incentive to lose weight. I haven’t decided yet … Continue reading

Adding a Bit of Flair on Layouts With Chalk

Chalks, also known as pastels are so much fun to use on your scrapbook layouts. The vast variety of color choices means that you can match it to almost any color of cardstock or embellishment making your pages true ‘wow’ pages. There are definitely some fun and unique ways to use chalk on your layouts. A favorite way is to use it to color in stamped images or clip art. It gives it a light shaded look and depending on the applicator you choose, can be soft or hard color. There are a variety of applicators available, including sets that … Continue reading

Fun Techniques: Sculpting Paper

Paper sculpture has been around a long time. However I found a new and creative way to use it in your paper projects from card making, to altered art and of course to scrapbook layouts. The technique is easy and only requires paper and water. First, it is easier to use a spray bottle, because you will have control over what areas you get wet. It does not matter if you choose to do this with cardstock or patterned paper, but the thicker the paper, the easier it is. Begin my spraying your paper on both sides and then crumpling … Continue reading

Multitasking

Multitasking. Doing more than one thing at a time. Even if you have another name for it, you likely find yourself doing it often. It isn’t any different when it comes to cleaning house, and in fact, you can get the cleaning out of the way more quickly if you do it efficiently. So, take down your shower curtain and throw it in the washer (you can do the liner too, if you do it on gentle if you hang it back up to dry). Do window treatments or other like items with it. Toss them in and start the … Continue reading

Paper Bag Albums part three

Would you like to make your own? It’s easy and it’s fun. Just choose your topic, plan out what you want to say and then follow these easy steps: Collect five paper lunch bags of the same size and color. These will make the base blank pages of your album. Arrange the bags in a stack. You need to alternate the open and closed ends. This helps keep the book even on both sides. Next, fold the bags in half and crease. Use a bone folder to really crease the center. Bind the bags about a quarter inch from the … Continue reading