Our family spent a fun and relaxing hour or two with Chelsea during our photo session last month, resulting in some amazing shots and a ton of great memories!  We met up at the Heritage Farmstead in Plano – just off of 15th and Custer.  It was the PERFECT place for a rustic, festive photo shoot (and was less than 15 minutes from our front door!)

Check out our Christmas card and some of our favorite shots from the session:

Interested in booking Chelsea for your next family photo shoot?  If you’re lucky enough to live in the Dallas area, she just may be your new favorite photographer, too.  Check out her website and shoot her an email.  I know she would love to hear from you.

Also, read the blog post I wrote about Chelsea recently on the Dallas Advocate blog as part of my “How It’s Done” series.  Chelsea does a great job of balancing working from home, caring for her sweet family and mentoring local high school girls through Young Life Richardson.

Merry Christmas from the Pollard Family!  Thanks again, Chelsea!

Thanks for sharing, Chelsea!  Merry Christmas, everyone.

Plus, get FREE SHIPPING on orders $75 and up today and tomorrow only!

Last day to order personalized items for delivery by Christmas Eve is December 14th. 

Non-personalized items may be available for delivery by 12/24.  Please click on “contact” on our website to inquire about availability and shipping methods. 

Shop away for the holidays at Chalkydoodles.com.

It’s definitely that time of year again.  Let the festivities begin!

 Plus, check out our kid’s Chalkboard Tees – the perfect holiday gift for every little artist in your life.

And, grab a Kid’s Tablecloth for that new art spot from Santa.  Wipe-clean laminated cotton is easy care and kid-friendly.

Save up to 40% on your Chalkydoodles favorites like

 BAGS, LAPTOP CASES, APRONS, MINI CHALKBOARD LABELS,  and MORE!

 Halloween Treat Totes – were $28, now just $22!

All Backpacks – now just $24!

 Lunch Bags - were $18 –  now just $12!

Kid’s Chalkboard Tees – were $35 - now just $25!

Oilcloth Placemat Sets – were $36, now just $24!

Shop now for best selection!  Quantities are limited.

It was your typical neighborhood women’s group - a mixture of moms from our local elementary school.  Some I know very well, and others I’ve enjoyed getting to know better recently.   While I’ve chatted with these women many-a-time in the school yard during pick-up, during play dates, etc. - what made this gathering so unique, were the new conversations.  While many of our day-to-day interactions center around our kids, families, jobs, schedules, etc. this was the first time I had sat down with any one of these women and discussed our upbringings, our perceptions of race in today’s society, the way our parents and grandparents viewed racial diversity and what they taught us about it. It was a fascinating discourse that lasted well past 1:00 a.m.

While there are varied opinions about The Help, and increasing in vocality this week with The Help movie opening in theaters this past Wednesday, one opinion, I hope is universal.   For the women who have read the book and are willing to open their minds and their ears, the conversations occurring across the country in book clubs, discussion groups and outside movie theaters are all doing one thing:  The Help is drawing women closer together by opening up real discussions about real substance – who we are, where we came from and how these shape who we are raising our children to become.

I recently had the privilege of hearing The Help author Kathryn Stockett speak as part of the Dallas Museum of Art’s Arts & Letters Live series.  After an evening full of laughter (Ms. Stockett is absolutely hysterical) and listening to the author’s experience writing the book, and to other women’s comments and questions about it, my biggest takeaway:  We all want to live in a society where we can thrive and grow simply by being who we are; and where we can have a voice to tell others about it.

Whether our experiences in life have been mostly good or mostly bad, there is something very liberating about sitting with a group of women who are willing to listen, share and honestly look at themselves and think about how they can improve their roles as mothers, sisters and friends.   In my opinion, The Help is, at the very least, causing women to examine their attitudes and behaviors in their own, current worlds – and getting a new topic of conversation started.

We’re all raising our kids in a world full of bullying, name-calling, cliques, exclusion and peer pressure.  The best way to cross-check what we’re teaching our children is to take a good hard look at how we are treating the people around us.  If we can’t demonstrate daily to our kids an attitude of kindness, acceptance and equality, how can we expect them to live that out in their own lives? 

For me, the challenge is clear.  Look at yourself, listen to others and really think about how your current attitudes and perceptions shape the way you live your life and raise your kids.  If you can’t proudly cite your own behavior as an example for your children, then consider what you can do to change it.  Your kids, and our society, will thank you for it.

To see a list of discussion questions on The Help used by our book club, go here.

Last fall, we overnighted a set of our Jute Chalky Spot™ Chalkboard Labels a Wet-Wipe Chalk Pen and yards of our favorite taupe and brown gingham ribbon to Amy’s staff in New York City, not knowing exactly how they would appear in her styling – but very excited to find out! 

Amy took our mini chalkboard labels and trimmed them with pinking sheers to create her own custom version of our chalky tags that worked perfectly for her S’mores Bar photo shoot for The Knot magazine.  You can try this same technique at home with some chalkboard vinyl and burlap fabric – or purchase our version here at Chalkydoodles.com. 

And in the spirit of celebration, we have to give a shout-out to our favorite chalky collaborator, Diane Sudhoff at South House Designs for her incredible work on creating the labels for the Chalkydoodles shop.  You’re the best, Diane!

Read more about National S’mores day in the Huffington Post.

Happy National S’mores day to you!  Now go eat some marshmallow-covered chocolate.

Merry Christmas ~ Chalkydoodles

Get FREE SHIPPING on all Halloween Treat Bags now through October 3rd!  Enter the code TRICKORTREAT at Checkout!

Write your little witch or ghost’s name on the bag, hand them a flashlight, and they are ready to go!

Double the use by using the bag for a lunch tote during the fall season or as a fall-themed toddler tote or preschool diaper bag, to boot!

Created with our classic Orange and Black Gingham oilcloth fabrics and a fun, flexible and erasable chalkboard block.

To make your labeling last longer, try using our Chalk Pen – looks like chalk, stays on longer! Little fingers or bumps can’t rub off the chalk pen lettering. When you’re ready to change, just wipe thorougly with a damp cloth.