Easy Canvas Prints {Review}

Who doesn't love pictures?  And what mom doesn't take a gazillion pictures of her kiddos?

But raise your hand if your children are being held hostage in your digital camera....

I know you can't see me but I'm totally raising my hand. You are not alone in this, my friend.

We love to travel so usually my favorite pictures are those of my kiddos on white sand beaches or at the lake house with their beautiful vacation smiles on their faces. There are thousands of other pictures (I'm not exaggerating) on memory cards that I would love to have out of my camera and on display.

Canvas is my favorite way to decorate with photos. Canvas is a classic way to display pictures of family, friends, favorite places and spaces. It really lends a clean and organized look to any room and I can't wait to make displays down the hallway with, playing with black and whites or maybe just candid shots I've fallen in love with over the years. This is why I'm so happy I found Easy Canvas Prints.  They are professional and friendly at all times, opening themselves up on social networks so you can give them your thoughts and ideas along with showing off your fave canvases. Easy Canvas Prints shipped quicker than any other canvas company I've worked with before and that is perfect for when you are in a Back to School nesting mood like I have been since we arrived home from vacation.

I placed the canvas I ordered in my kitchen and it looks amazing. The canvas doesn't need to be framed, the picture alone captures all of the colors and beauty I wanted instead of a hodge podge of frames to take away from it. Honestly, I have enough crap I need to dig through and get rid of in my kitchen, I need the clean lines of a canvas to help inspire me. There is an option to frame your print and also play around with different wraps and borders on their website.

 

Like I said, we have been in a nesting craze since we got home. Do you find you decide to redecorate or change things up at times like this when you probably shouldn't? I have horrible timing. Really. Once when I was about 8 months pregnant I decided to rearrange our bedroom and my husband came home to find our four poster bed on the complete opposite side of the room. Come to think of it, my sciatic nerve hasn't been the same since but oh well, you only live once.

.....and back to the subject at hand.

Now, that I've found Easy Canvas Prints to be the obvious option for myself I am amped up because canvas makes the perfect gift!  People are pumped to open up a canvas print as a gift. Let's face it....it looks fancy. It also means you didn't print off a picture at Walgreen's while grabbing a frame off their sale rack before grabbing a gift bag/tissue paper/card combo and heading to the family event. What? I've never done that! We're talking about you right now!

Easy Canvas Prints is always offering deals to their customers, whether it is a 60% off coupon you can grab from Facebook or a free 8x10 you can receive just for referring five friends (who get a $10 coupon as well!). This company stands out in my book as having excellent customer service. That, my friends, is priceless. You either care about your customers or you don't and Easy Canvas Prints is a company who cares about the quality of their work and how happy their customers are.

I will definitely be referring my friends and family to them as well as using Easy Canvas Prints again and again. I can't wait to see more of these vacation pics on canvas along with some baby pictures I'm hoping to download some day. I would love to play around with scanning old family pictures and seeing how well those turn out on canvas.

With fall and winter approaching (not fast enough for us Texas folks) I know that Easy Canvas Prints will be an easy one stop shop for wedding gifts, Birthday gifts and Christmas gifts.  If you are in my family, just ignore that.



I can't wait to fill my walls with all of the canvases I have in mind.

Melissa and Doug Terrific Twenty List and Giveaway!

Your Christmas shopping list just got much easier.

Melissa and Doug, a company that displays creative play in all of their products, has revealed their Terrific Twenty Holiday Gifts for 2012!

 

http://www.melissaanddoug.com/Promos/2012+Terrific+Twenty+Holiday+Toys/2012+
Terrific+Twenty+Holiday+Toys+from+Melissa+&+Doug/35178

Don't you love compilations like this?  I do.  I am all about easy.  And all about gift ideas.  Around this time every year my mind goes blank as to what everyone might enjoy.  With lists like this, shopping for the kids on my list will be a breeze, with every age range covered.  Elvis, the sweetly striped lion, would even put a smile on the sulkiest teen's face.  A sucker for games, I've got my eye on the Suspend game.  Family Game Night newbie! 
I've been a parent for almost 14 years now and Melissa and Doug toys have always been a hit with my kiddos.  We're big puzzle fans in this house and Melissa and Doug puzzles could withstand anything my kids put out there.  We have "hand me down" Melissa and Doug toys that came from oldest and have made their way down to all three kids now.  And still in perfect condition. 
Will Melissa and Doug toys be on your shopping list this Holiday season? 

Now, I've got some news that will jump start your Holiday season....Melissa and Doug are giving away a toy from their Terrific Twenty Holiday List  on their Facebook page.....every day for 20 days!  How cool is that?!  If you haven't "liked" their page yet, you definitely should.  They seem to have something cool going on all the time.  Contests, exclusive news....you can get it all on your newsfeed.  Enter once and you're entered for the 20 days of giveaways!

One more thing that will pump you up.....I'm giving away an awesome toy from Melissa and Doug's Terrific Twenty too!  Have you heard of the Trunki?  I have always wanted to get one for my kiddos, they look like a blast to have when traveling with little ones.  Put all of their goodies, clothes, toys in the Trunki and then they hop on and ride the Trunki where you need them to go.  The Trunki comes in all sorts of fabulous colors and designs to please every kid out there.  Parents will love the durability and flexibility of the Trunki and the kids will enjoy the ride on their new helpful friend.

Two chances to win free stuff?  Score for you, friend!

Browse around Melissa and Doug and see what you will be putting on your list this year and what you would love to win.

Just curious....have you started your shopping yet?  I am always amazed by all of you uber organized people who are done by Thanksgiving.

Don't forget to leave an email address with your comment so I can contact you if you win!


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4d11650/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just in Time for Valentine's Day.....a Shutterfly Surprise!

Shutterfly wants to know what Valentine's Day means to me....and you!  So, when I found out I was going to do this blog post I started thinking about memorable Valentine's.  My husband and I have been married for almost 13 years and to be honest.....we've never made Valentine's Day to big of a deal.   About the most memorable Valentine's present from my hubby would be a Valentine's card that you open and it sings "Wild Thing".  Which by the way is a kick butt classic, take a listen and click the link.  You'll be happy you did.  My 2nd most memorable thing about Valentine's Day was the one where I threw our oldest son, who I had taken out of his pre-school days before his class Valentine's party, a Valentine's Day party at our house.  I worked my butt off to make construction paper hearts and hang them from the ceiling.  I made cookies and made it a huge deal so he would feel special.  He loved it!  Valentine's Day has taken on a whole new meaning since we've had children.  Instead of thinking of it as just a made up holiday that you want to ignore...take this one day of the year to go out of your way, over the top, goofy, and gaudy with your kids and spouse.  Make those heart shaped pancakes, hang up heart garland, take the Christmas wreath off the door (c'mon, it's February, it's time) and hang up some LOVE signs.  Smother your kiddos with kisses and hugs before school, no matter how many times they slither away from you or how many eye rolls you get.  Sneak notes in lunchboxes, briefcases or mailboxes.  If you are single....have a lonely hearts dinner, places set for all of your single friends and have a blast.  I will be enjoying my singing cards from B, my homemade cards from the kids and if I'm smart about dropping hints....maybe I will get a photo mug (HINT:I like the one that says I heart My Family) from them too!
Since we have had a kiddo around since our 2nd Valentine's Day, we've really made Valentine's about the kids.  The best part of Valentine's Day as a kid would definitely be the Valentine's you get to give to everyone in the class!  Plus, the super cool Valentine's shoe box with all the glitter and foam hearts you can heap on there.  The hardest part about finding Valentine's  cards is finding one for each of my kids.  With the age gaps; I've got one pre-teen, one tween and a 4 year old, you really can't just pick out the kind you think they'll like.  They have to be involved and it can't be too babyish for the big kids or too grown up for the munchkin.  Shutterfly has a great idea of Valentine's Photo Cards.  This would be a great thing for grandparents, aunts, uncles, close friends and other family.  If you're feeling super ambitious go ahead and snag a whole 24 for the class!  This would make a great teacher's gift as well.  They have so many ideas and designs; from funky to sweet you will find one that is perfect for your children or for your whole family.  If you were like me and didn't send out Christmas cards this year.....try sending out Valentine's Day cards instead! 
I love this one because it looks fresh and not too typical of Valentine's Day.

There so much more than cards and stationary though.  Shutterfly has a great selection of photo mugs, notebooks, mouse pads, magnets and so much more.  The photo mug would work for pretty much any adult you know....and even a hot chocolate lovin' kiddo.  Another teacher gift idea, you could get the class picture or a picture you took of your child and their teacher, pop it onto the mug and have it shipped before Valentine's Day!  There is even a package where you can have the mug filled with chocolate......yes, please!  And what grandparent doesn't want something with their grandchild's face plastered to it? Every grandparent wants that.  The magnets are my favorite for an easy, small gift.  My fridge is covered with cool magnets and pictures.  Think of it as a Valentine's stocking stuffer.


Now for the next holiday on your list....Shutterfly has you set! What is that next holiday? Just all of the Birthday parties that will fill the rest of your year!  Shutterfly has the cutest designs for photo invites and thank you notes. 



Whether you are having a large or small get together, these personalized invites and thank yous would really be perfect. 

Now for the FUN part!  GIVEAWAY TIME!
One lucky winner will receive a *top secret* code for 25 FREE VALENTINE'S CARDS!
Here's what you will need to do try to win this bad boy:
1. Be a public follower of Staying Home and Staying Sane MANDATORY
2. Tell me what Valentine's means to you! MANDATORY
3. Leave a way for me to contact you in case you're the winner! Without this, you will never know and I would have to pick another winner. MANDATORY

Extra entries:
Please leave an extra comment per entry.
1. "LIKE" Staying Home and Staying Sane on Facebook (1 extra entry)
2.  Share this awesome giveaway on your blog and let me know about it! (2 extra entries)
3.  Tell me something else you would like from Shutterfly (1 extra entry)


This giveaway will end in  just a few days, February 6th at MIDNIGHT (Texas time) :)
So get to commenting! And Happy Valentine's Day!