canvaspop Review! And giveaway! Woo-hoo!

This is the best post ever.

Not to toot my horn.  Actually, this post has very minimal parts me and many more parts something SPECTACULAR - so I'm not really tooting my own horn.

Really I'm tooting canvaspop's horn.  

Have you been to CanvasPop before?  I admit it, I had not.  I'd often thought of getting a photo printed on canvas, but the prices scared me.  And I didn't know where to go, there are so many options out there.  And what if I spent all that money and hated it?  The unknowns were just too much.

So I'm going to help you out: go to canvas pop.  And not just because I've got a nice little discount code for you (which you can find at the bottom of this post, you're welcome).  Let me tell you a little somethin' somethin' about canvaspop.

You can do so much!  Honestly.  It's crazy.  So, first of all, you can upload a photo from your computer OR straight from instagram or Facebook.  It doesn't matter the size or resolution, they work with nearly anything and they'll let you know if it's not going to work out.  Then, there's the customization.  You can order canvas prints with or without text, collages, mosaics, triptych canvas's... the possibilities are pretty much up to you and your creative mind.  You can add shapes as well as text.  Or filters!  And they've also got different border options.  You can choose to have it printed on paper or canvas and have it framed or unframed.  Nextly, they've got deals going on often, which is super nice if you're afraid of a canvas price tag as I used to be.  They've also got an option to chat live with a rep if you need customer service - which I didn't - but if you do, how easy is that?!  Oh, also, they have a 100% "love it" guarantee.  

I'd also like to point out how user-friendly their site is.  They walk you through all the steps so you can create exactly what you want.  Everything's laid out perfectly, with no guess work.

And by now you're like, so what?  Show us the money!!  So I will.  Remember the other day when I shared my foray into taking my own family photos (which I will never do again)?  I alluded to being on a deadline for getting them done and this is why.  I really wanted an updated photo where Pip isn't a tiny newborn.  So I weeded through all the outtakes, got the mr's opinion and chose this guy:

And I got this awesome 16x20 canvas:

And it's pretty much perfect.

I was so excited to open it up when it arrived... here it is all specially bubble wrapped.

One awesome thing I wasn't aware of is that the canvas's all come ready to hang.  Did you know you're not technically supposed to hang a canvas from the actual canvas frame?  Yeah, I did not.  Fortunately they had this totally official hanging hardware already on there

AND they included a nail/hanger thingy.  So I didn't have to go get anything - except my hammer and that was just in the garage.  Woo hoo!

They also have these soft rubbery circles on the corners of the canvas to protect your wall.  Or the canvas.  Or... huh... well, they're cool.

And look at how nicely these corners are wrapped.  I've tried those DIY wrapped canvas's.  They don't look like this.  (At least mine don't).

I opted for the photo wrapped edges, but you could get black or white if you prefer.

Then I just hammered the hardware into the Giant Green Wall, and voila!

Here is my awesome family canvas above my piano.  (admittedly, it probably won't stay there, since we have big plans for the Giant Green Wall - teaser, teaser! Project coming! - but it will get a place of honor, for sure.)  

So.  Now that you've seen how great canvaspop is, you want a canvas, don't you?  I don't blame you.  I'm already planning black and white canvas's of the kids for our upstairs hall.

Guess what.  GIVEAWAY!!  Yea!  You can win a 16x20 canvas from canvaspop!  You really can!  Enter below!

So, here's the deal:  The giveaway runs for a week, to give you plenty of time to enter.  It opens RIGHT NOW (May 5 2015) and closes next Tuesday (May 12 2015).  Enter using as many of the options as you want, one entry per option.  You must live in the US or Canada to win.  I will announce and email the winner on Wednesday May 13th, 2015.  The winner will receive one 16x20 canvas with a 0.75 inch frame and free shipping.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And for those who just can't wait to hear if you've won or not, use this code and get 35% off!  It's good until July 30th.  Go on!  Go do it!  (this can't be combined with any other discounts and is only available to orders shipped in the US and Canada)

BUGABOO35

You can find canvaspop on Facebook, instagram, pinterest and twitter. 

**Yes, you are correct.  I DID receive the 16x20 canvas from canvaspop in exchange for doing a review.  BUT all of the opinions expressed above are mine, mine, mine.  Yep, for real.  Mine alone.  I really do like canvaspop that much.  It's true.**

PS.  And since we sort of missed my blog's birthday in late February, we'll just consider THIS the party, mmmkay? 

Why I Will Never Be Taking My Own Family Photos EVER Again. Ever.

The other day I forced my family out to a derelict brick shed next to some train tracks so we could take family photos.  There was a reason - I don't submit to torture willingly or any more often than absolutely necessary, I mean, I'm not WEIRD.  (I am a little weird.)

But, honestly, with this family you'd think I told them we were all going to a group rate on root canals with a little paper cut and lemon juice thrown in.

Apparently family photos aren't really fun?  Or something? 

I happen to be just a little OCD when it comes to certain things.  Like making my yarn pom poms completely even all the way around, or lining our sheets up completely straight on the bed before we fall asleep or closing all the open doors when I'm in a room.  And photos.  I'm a firm believer that all things should "go" together when taking photos.  I mean the clothes, the props, the background... not MATCH.  I do NOT like matchy matchy when it comes to family pictures especially - I like coordinating colors and patterns, balance, and a combination of styles that creates a cohesive themed look.  Or something like that.

All of that explanation to let you know that I was a little... uh, what's the word?... anxious stressed CRAZED the evening we took these.  I needed the right clothes for everyone, the right props, the right camera stuff, an extra battery, etc, etc, etc.  So Pip didn't get a nap.  Bug was completely against the whole idea. Mini was only in it for the promised ice cream at the end, mr had to be somewhere else in an hour...

So, basically, the PERFECT time for me to be taking our own family photos.  Can I just lay something out here right now?  There IS no perfect time for me to be taking our own family photos.  Maybe someone out there can do it.  But this lady?  No.  Nope.  Uh-uh.  And I'll probably try like 5 more times anyway before I give up.

This is not my favorite.  But it IS the ONLY one where we are all looking at the camera with somewhat normal looks upon our faces.  Did you hear that?  The ONLY ONE.  Out of - wait for it - 300.  300 photos I took with my super awesome camera I love and the remote I got myself and we got ONE PHOTO where we are all basically on the same page.  

I blame myself entirely.  I should have put it off until the baby had slept.  And ate.  And was in a happier mood.  But I was "on a deadline" with these, so we went.

After sorting through 300 photos and deleting most of them, I narrowed them down to the ones worth editing.  And the ones you see here are the best of the bunch.  Never mind that Zoe is literally voguing in every. single. one.

This one's the mr's favorite.  It's definitely one of the cuter ones - we seem all carefree don't we?  Too bad Pip's glaring and squirming while the rest of us appear to be having fun...

And call me crazy, but this one is my favorite.  It's just silly.  And Ax has something sort of resembling a silly face, near smile, so I like that.

I'm not sure if this is too "gap advertisement" or not.  I just can't decide.

Also, Ax is obviously making a gagging motion, implying that these family photos are THE WORST.

But I didn't let the sun blinding us (causing all the squinting and mooshed up faces) or the bad attitudes or the screaming baby stop me!  No siree!  I insisted on attempting a few solo shots of the kids...

 in which the baby played with junk,

 became completely traumatized and forever afraid of wagons, 

 finally sort of smiled, due to the presence of a ball - his favorite thing -

 and eventually took off down the tracks.

 See ya.

Not to be outdone, this kid

 refused to smile normally.

 Because nothing I could say was goofy enough.

 But this look is much more naturally him anyway.

 I'd like to add that the wagon was a thrift store treasure I picked up THAT DAY for only $10.  We've never owned a wagon...
I briefly toyed with the idea of spray painting it a fun, bright modern color...
and then snapped to my senses.  Cover up all that vintage charm??  What was the point of buying an old wagon then??  I think I made the right decision.

Zoe thought she was on stage or something.  She quickly channeled her inner diva and started popping out poses I had nothing to do with.

And even though this isn't a true smile, I love her crazy wild hair in this one.

And I caught her true smile here anyway.

She may ham it up, but she can't take a bad photo to save her life.

 I couldn't for the life of me get a photo of them all together smiling, looking at the camera, or being photogenic at all, so I just snapped a couple as they walked.

Which are cute and true to life, so I love that aspect.

 And all of those?  Are the awesome ones.  You want to see the outtakes?  Trust me, you do.  For real.

 So.  Justin's in pain, Zoe looks insane, Ezra can't even open his eyes, and Axel is screaming his head off.  Super.

 So, maybe some kisses will help?  And Zoe is adorable.  Adorable.  Too bad the rest of us are less than stellar.

Nope.  Kisses didn't help.  Setting him down maybe?

 How about some silly faces??  Wait.  I think it worked.  He's not screaming!

 This one is ALMOST good.  Almost.  Except for a certain 7 yr old and his crazy face.

 And we were so close!  So close!  I love this one!  If only... I know a certain 18 month old who was determined to ruin every photo.

 I can't tell you how much I love Zoe's face.  Justin hates this photo though.  
You know what the problem is with taking these photos yourself?  When you're in front of the camera, you can't see any of those little quirky things you'd correct if you were looking through the viewfinder.  You know, the "put your chin down, stand still, don't be silly, look up, put her hands down, smile, don't smile", things.

 This idea is very cute.  In theory.  Except Axel hates wagons.  This is literally the only photo in which he isn't frantically trying to climb out of the wagon while yelling in terror at the top of his lungs.

 All in all, it wasn't the positive experience I'd hoped it would be.  We did get some cute photos I'm hoping to hang in a gallery type style.  And they are more real than perfectly posed and smiling children.  I'd rather have these silly, crazy, full of personality cheeky little hooligans.  

Still.  Next time I will for sure be asking someone else to push the button. 

Adios.

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*

This Tiny Girl.

Before my long absence, I shared bug's "beginning of the school year photo shoot."  You know, the shoot I do every year just before school starts for some "new school year" photos?  Yes, these are from September.  Yes, it's been a long time.  But it's just not right to share only one kids portraits, so here's the second kid.  I'd put them all in one post, but there's too many.  I don't want to break the internet.  
This is the last year I can consider my daughter so little and "tiny."  She's in 4K this year - and goes to school every day for a few hours.  Most days she still seems so little to me.  Then I look at the pictures and realize how old she really is.  Next year she'll start kindergarten and that'll be a real eye-opener...

I find my daughter stunning.

It's very likely I'm completely biased in the way most mothers are.  And it should be like that, I suppose.  But that doesn't change the fact that I really do find her stunning.

Her small features, petite frame, shiny golden hair, chameleon eyes that are sometimes slate-gray, sometimes earthy green and sometimes the clearest light blue sky.

Her quick smile, the way her eyes alight, the adorable crinkle in her nose, and that infectious giggle.  The three small freckles on her chin and cheek.

The way she dances everywhere.  The way she sings instead of speaks - turning her schedule, her routine, her menu, even blowing her nose, into an operetta for an invisible audience.

What she lacks in physical stature, she more than makes up for in personality.  There is a lot of that stuffed into this tiny package.

One minute she is laughing at her own joke, the next she's stomping to her room and slamming the door and the very next she's sobbing about how adorable you were in your wedding photo.

I'd call her a drama queen, but I'm not sure even that does her justice.

Her world is full of imaginings and friends and visions of her own creation.  She will never be lonely, because she is truly never alone.

She burst into the world with confidence and enthusiasm.  It was as if she couldn't wait to begin.

As if she knew the world needed her.

She smiled quickly and often.  As a newborn, some might have argued she was full of gas, but I know she was really full of mirth.

There are few things she doesn't approach with the same gusto - the exception being dinner.

She was stunning that first time I held her in my arms and hushed her quietly.  Stunning as her gaze found mine and she immediately stopped her cries.  Stunning as she reached her tiny arms for me.  And she is stunning still.

But do you know what I find most stunning?  
Her ability to love beyond measure every living creature she happens upon; most of all her family.  Her overflowing love for worms and frogs and birds and flowers and the poor, poor leaves as they fall from the trees.  Her love for things that don't always love her back - like Bob the neighbor dog who couldn't possibly love her as much as she adores him or our cat Delilah who doesn't love anyone.

Her ability to forgive.  Immediately and without looking back.

And her fierce loyalty to those she holds dear.  Never say a word against her dear brothers, because only SHE is allowed to fight with them and call them smelly.

Those are the qualities that take my breath away.

My tiny girl... and in comparison here you can tell she isn't such a tiny girl anymore...

There is no baby left in her.  She's grown into a girl.  A loving, animated, fierce and stubborn, independent and silly girl.

Who still laughs freely and smiles with that crinkle in her nose.

*Be sure to check below for all the fun parties I link to!*