Happy Birthday Allen!

We're all about celebrations here in the Giggle Magazine office and any excuse to whip out some Harry Potter inspired decor is one we welcome with open arms.

Enter Giggle Magazine's Director of PR & Marketing, Allen Haynes, who happens to be celebrating his birthday, which is also shared by this less talented wizard kid.

Happy Birthday Allen!

London 2012 Olympics

It's a pretty big deal when an event only rolls around every couple of years, so why not get the kids excited about the festivities and participate in an Olympic Games of their own?

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Create a backyard Olympics with sprints, swimming races in the pool, long jump and best cartwheels contest. You can also craft your own torches and medals for an awards ceremony! Check out our Pinterest page for more Olympic Games inspired crafts and activities! 

Going Green with Home Cleaning

There's been a ton of recipes floating around the internet lately (especially Pinterest) to help families stay green and clean with a variety of homemade cleaning solutions including laundry detergent, glass cleaner and floor cleaner.

We want to know, have you tried any of these DIY cleaner recipes? Are they worth the extra time to make when you're busy wrangling up the kids? What are the pros and cons?

If you haven't given any at-home cleaners a whirl here are some recipes we thought looked pretty simple for a first-timer, we're going to try some out ourselves! (Just click on the picture for the recipe.)

Laundry Detergent

Glass Cleaner

Floor Cleaner

We're seeing a lot of common ingredients here, this might not be too difficult!

Dog Days of Summer

Here at Giggle Magazine we're always trying to come up with fun and new ideas to keep the kids entertained, but we think that furry family members also deserve a little bit of attention!

During these scorching hot dog days of summer give your pet a fun toy to play with, but make it fun by freezing it inside a giant ice cube. 

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Not only will this treat keep your pet refreshed, but you can also add chicken broth, doggy snacks and other pet-friendly foods to make it a special treat! 

Here's a website we found with a special ice block maker, but this is also a project you can easily DIY in your own kitchen. 

Wanted: Graphic Design Intern

Giggle Magazine, Alachua County's Premiere Family magazine, is looking for a graphic design intern to work in an exciting, educational and all around fun environment for the fall 2012 semester. 

The internship is unpaid but available for educational credit. We will also provide all the free coffee needed as you sharpen your skills and add to your portfolio.

• Responsibilities include: 

-Advertisement design

-Assist Art Director with magazine layout and marketing material design 

-Assist Art Director and Publisher with photo shoot arrangements and scheduling, model casting, photographer scheduling, prop organization, and any other details that go into photo shoot organization. Attendance at photo shoots when needed. Some photo shoots can take place after business hours due to lighting preference.

• Skills required: 

-Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (Most importantly - InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator)

-Microsoft Word, Excel

-Attention to detail

-Work well under deadline pressure 

Please send a cover letter, resume and portfolio pieces to Leslie Vega at artdirector{at}irvingpublications{dot}com.