CZ Design

Ma’am, please put your hands in the air and slowly step away from the iPhone

Ma’am, please put your hands in the air and slowly step away from the iPhone

IMG_0192

I have a confession to make, but I'll only tell you: I've only received about three calls on my new iPhone 4 since picking it up a few weeks ago. I really didn't set out to use my super high tech phone only to take photos of my three daily meals and snacks. It just sort of happened.

IMG_0197

Did I ever mention that my monthly phone minute usage averages out to about 22?

IMG_0191

You remember last week, I posted my free Instagram template to help spread the camera phone documentation love, yes? Well that template inspired me to create two new 12 x 12 day in the life format templates on sale today at Designer Digitals.

There's this one:

CZ_LayeredTNo87PREV

And this one:

CZ_LayeredTNo88PREV

There's definitely something fun about the old day in the life format. It forces you to a) keep a camera handy and b) look for things from your life to document.

It very much feels like you're on an assignment, much to the annoyance of everyone around you, namely kids who say, "Why are you taking pictures of your lunch… again?"

But I gave it a shot on Saturday, and while it's not a complete picture of the day, it's definitely a slice of life that was fun to save. Plus, the small journaling blurb areas are simple for anyone, even the world's least competent journaler, to fill out.

(Click on image below to see it larger in a new window)

July17

SUPPLIES: Layered Template No. 87 (Cathy Zielske) •Spot Dots No. 13 —slightly altered in PS—(Katie Pertiet) • Just Linens No. 18 (Michelle Martin) • Honey Script and DejaVu Sans fonts (free download fonts).

I'm sure the novelty of having a camera phone will wear off. Or, maybe it won't.

Either way, you could use these templates for any images you have to document a day, or a week, or even a series of things such as Doris, one of the Designer Digitals team members, did here with her charming layout about baby shoes.

IDshoes

(Click here for her digital supplies.)

Designer Digitals team member Tara documented one week in her life.:

Instagramweek

(Click here for her digital supplies.)

These templates both use free fonts and you can customize the title areas to say whatever you like. For example, if you use Hipstagram, just delete the layer that says "Instagram," download the free font, Honey Script (link included in the How To PDF in the package) and create a new type layer that says whatever you like!

I will say that I love having a design that will let me dump a bunch of these photos, even if they are of my lunch on a daily basis, into a template to save for posterity.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to photograph my lawn. Happy Monday!

IMG_0091

P.S. 8.5 x 11 versions of these Day in the Life templates will be coming to the Designer Digitals store soon, hopefully by next weekend!

 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. dawn says

    oh my goodness I love love these layouts. What a cool idea you have here, this will be so much fun to work with. I like that you gave two other examples for this also. Great pictures you have for your day, you captured a little of everyone. Thanks Cathy!!

    p.s. I like the top you have on, where did you get it.

  8. Melissa says

    Bahahahahahahahaha! Photograph your lawn! Hilarious! Yesterday we walked past the NPR building in downtown DC on our way to dinner in Chinatown. My hubs (who never takes photos) whipped out his phone and took a picture. You NEVER know what’s going to float someone’s boat and make someone want to take a picture, so Cathy, keep on keeping on!

  10. cathy says

    Heather, the font that Instagram is in is a free download. All you have to do is download it (a link is included in the PDF instruction sheet) and then create a new type layer and type Hipstamatic, make it big enough to fit over the word Instagram, then delete the layer with Instagram! : )

  11. Marsaille says

    WISH I had an iPhone. I really want to know about your dog!! It looks just like our Tika who was Australian Cattle Dog and Akita mix. She recently passed away and the picture took me by surprise. They could have been litter mates! Tell me, does your dog refuse to look at the camera? Mine did. I have one picture of her looking at the camera, taken the week she passed on. She would stare down anything (Akita’s don’t look away), but would NOT look at a camera.

  12. Juju says

    OK, I give up. I’ll be the bonehead who can’t figure out how to get my Instagram photos into my computer so I can use them with this template. Help–the Instagram photos are clamoring to be printed!!!

  13. Susan says

    oh Miss Z – you know what this would be perfect for????? TWELVE OF TWELVE!!!! Rock it girlfriend – thanks for the freebie the other day and thanks for these. You make my job easy!!

  16. Lara says

    You ROCK!! Thanks for the freebie the other day and I’m lovin’ the 12×12. I have recently become addicted to Instagram too and am so excited to be able to finally DO something with all my pictures! I wanted to share this with you….http://content.photojojo.com/websites/10-rad-new-instagram-apps-and-sites/ I haven’t personally used any of them, but I can’t wait to try them (LOVE the little stickers and the postcards!). And especially the Inkstagram! Stay cool…I’m outside Seattle and we haven’t hit over 80 all summer. LOL

  17. cathy says

    I only wish this were my dog. She is Kyla, a shepherd husky mix who belongs to my friend Melissa. She is 11 and youd never know it. Very gentle, very sweet. Doesnt like to look at the camera thow, and MAN does she shed. I babysit a few dogs for my friends because a) I love dogs and b) it is much easier than owning one.

  18. cathy says

    You need to plug your phone into your computer, and then import the photos off the phone via a cable (my iPhone has a dock that it plugs into, via a USB connection). I just import my phone photos into my iPhoto program and voila! : )

  19. cathy says

    Did NOT even think. Does the one have 12 shots? Aw yeah! You would just trade out the title for 12 of 12. Sa-weet!

  22. Sandi says

    Dear Cathy,
    I’m so happy for you that this object is bringing you so much happiness!

    I’m in my mid-sixties so please bare with me on this question. Years ago I took polaroid photos and various other poorer quality pictures. The phenomenon some bloggers have posted about camera phones or histomatic cameras, etc. seem so inferior to what we can do with technology. Could you please explain the draw of poor color and poor lighting? I mean this respectfully, but I just don’t know who to ask. I lived through an era of yellowed, non brilliant, blurred photos and just don’t get it.

    Please be kind to me. I am truly curious not judgmental. Thanks.

  24. cathy says

    Oh Sandi, i think its a great question. I think the lure is the retro revival trend in photography, a backlash of sorts to how high tech weve become. I know that the iPhone itself has a pretty good quality camera built in. Some photos I see on Instagram I cannot even believe were taken with a camera phone. But many of mine definitely have the fuzzier look and feel. All it is is a retro artistic trend. Id love to hear others thoughts on this. I might have to start a discussion over on my Facebook page. In fact, I will!

    I just posted this question on my Facebook page. Come over to check it out, if you like!

    http://www.facebook.com/CathyZielskeDesign

  26. Marilyn S says

    Also looking forward to the 8.5 x 11 templates!! Thanks!

    (I’m working up the courage to plug my new phone into my computer as I don’t want all my iPod stuff on my phone…)

  27. Rosalie A. says

    You’ve inspired me to get back into taking pictures again! With 4 kids (on summer vacay right now) and sitting for 2 babies, I find it a bit difficult to grab my dSLR everytime a pic opp comes up. I hear a collective *GASP* in my head everytime I think about it. Anywho…I, too, just got my iPhone a couple of weeks ago and found instagram and went completely nuts. A few days later you blogged about it. It’s fate I tell you!! Thanks for being an enabler!

  30. Lori Newton says

    You need the Foodish App. You take pictures of everything you eat, and then YOU give it a label as to how healthy it is (chosen by smiley faces). Sometimes you can’t be bothered by calories and details, but over the course of the day, you know if you’ve overindulged or not.

    Only bad part, is that I’m not sure that you can import Foodish photos into your camera roll.

  34. Amy L says

    I’m justifying it by telling myself that I’m taking lots of pictures that normally I wouldn’t. There even are apps that let you click anywhere on your phone to release the shutter so you can be subtle about taking photos of your food in public!

  36. Aliza says

    Love the photos and templates! I recently mentioned to a friend that I am having trouble resisting an iphone, and she said, “Well, I’ve heard it’s not a great phone.” And I was surprised, because that never was never a consideration of mine. I don’t have any desire to talk on it, I just want all the other cool stuff.

  38. brenda says

    I love these templates – I think I have finally found what format I will be using for my ‘Week in the Life’ http://aliedwards.com/2010/01/week-in-the-life.html album that I’ll be starting next week. Maybe you’ll be inspired to create a few more such templates? Luckily I know a few Photoshop basics and can adjust to make a few modified page formats to round out a photobook if you don’t happen to include a few more templates in time to make them available to purchase this weekend.

  39. Theresa says

    I have had my iPhone since November, and the longer I have it, the more I use it. And I am totally addicted to Instagram. Love your templates. Thanks for making them so quickly. I would love to follow you on Instagram, if you care to share your name there.

  40. cathy says

    Brenda, what exactly would you hope to have? Let me know. I can always add it to my list of things to create. I just finished doing two 8-1/2 x 11 versions of these templates as well.

  42. brenda says

    Hi Cathy – glad to hear you’re open to ideas. I played around a bit with the template and posted a few jpegs on my blog http://brendas-bits-and-bytes.blogspot.com/2011/07/upcoming-week-in-life-project.html (I hope you’re flattered not annoyed by my blog title that was inspired by a combination of your blog title and all things digital). It would be great if you could create a digital elements set for sale with the days of the week and ‘week in the life’ from the same font that you used to create the jazzy ‘instagram’ script title. While I like fonts, I’m a bit lazy and time-pressed so won’t be looking for a nice script myself – would prefer to just buy the words – if not I’ll make do with the script font I already had on my computer). Hopefully my pages give you an idea of what I’d like to have.

  48. Brenda says

    That’s great Cathy – thanks so much – I’ll download that when I get home tonight and continue to build the pages for my week in the life album. I drove my family crazy taking photos with my phone on a recent vacation to Newfoundland and now I’ll be driving them crazy again next week taking pictures of everything.

  49. Tracy B says

    OK CZ-
    Upgraded to an iPhone 4 and bought Instagram because you said so…my dear, very loved origianl iPhone was 2 1/2 year old and much loved and abused. It was freezing and doing funky things and I decided it was time. Thanks for the inspiration! Now my 7 year old is tooling around the house thinking he’s the coolest dude in school with my hand me down 🙂 My son thanks you…

  51. Missus Wookie says

    You’ve discovered why I want one. No I don’t use my mobile much, text more than speech and don’t NEED an iPhone, but want one – and the camera phone is sooo tempting.

    Fun templates too.

  53. Laney says

    Hey Cathy!

    Don’t worry about those 22 minutes of cell usage. I also average 20 minutes per month, but have a smart phone. Mine’s the Google Nexus One, but that’s only because my cell company doesn’t support the iPhone.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *