MIA and 365

I have been away from my blog for so long that I feel really disconnected and at the same time so happy to be back! Classes have been CRAZY and I'm glad to be wrapping the semester up tomorrow and Friday; I have written some form of paper, critique or lab report almost every day since Trayton's birthday at the beginning of April (posts coming soon!) I feel like I've been missing out on all the action and have some major catching up to do in reading all of your blogs which I'm saving for one of the rainy days we are supposed to have within the next week. 

Aside from the writing I have planned for Trayton's birthday, I also wanted to share my photo project! I know many people are undertaking some sort of 365 photo project and I thought, what an awesome idea! I decided to start mine on Trayton's birthday and write notes To My Son With Love up to his second birthday. I am a complete amature and I would love to take a photography class to learn how to get the most out of my camera and build skills. The editing process is picking up but for now here are the first three days! Hope you enjoy!  

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

Easy Canvas Prints Review!

Easy Canvas Prints, a BuildASign company, is a manufacturer of top quality canvas products. Easy Canvas Prints allows you to turn your photos into beautiful pieces of art with the click of a button! I was very excited when they contacted me to try a product and got started right away with their easy canvas creator. In four simple steps I was able to select my canvas size and wrap thickness, upload my image, choose a border style and decide on additional design options. Canvas sizes range from 8" x 8" to 30" x 40" and there are two thickness options .75" standard or 1.5" gallery wrap. The image uploader automatically checks the resolution to make sure it is high enough for a canvas print, so no guessing if your photo will look great! You can select from three border options mirror image, image wrap or chose a border color. Finally you have the option to enhance you image by changing it to black & white or sepia and minor or major retouching of the photograph. Photo experts will work with you if you chose to have the photo retouched from removing imperfections, red-eye and scratches to restoring old, faded or damaged photographs. Prices are affordable ranging from $29.99 to $170 (before enhancements) and the site is easy to navigate; a complete FAQ page answers many common questions related to canvas printing and caring for your artwork.
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Your canvas is custom-printed and assembled by hand in the United States and then shipped with care directly to you. If your custom canvas isn’t absolutely perfect, call us and we'll make it right. Our team of canvas experts is dedicated to making sure your experience is the best. Easy Canvas Prints
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I chose to create a 16" x 20" canvas of our family from a photo taken and released by AG Design Photography. The canvas is a 1.5" gallery wrap with an image wrap border. The turnaround time is 3-4 days on top of shipping but I received my canvas within a week and just in time to use at Trayton's first birthday party!

The canvas arrived in perfect condition, well packaged in a box with a bag to resist moisture and protected by bubble wrap. It was stretched tight, fully and clearly displayed my photo and was ready to hang with sawtooth hangers attached to the back. When hanging canvases 24" x 36" and larger, a Beehive Hanger and instructions are included. I love this site and can't wait to have our addition done so I can make a few more pieces to accompany this one! If you're looking for a creative way to display wedding, baby, family, pet, vacation or any other memorable photos, check out Easy Canvas Prints!

The product for this post was sent to me free of charge by the company for the purpose of this review and advertisement. Receipt of this product did not influence a positive review. The opinion expressed here is 100% my own and I always give my readers full disclosure  

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

Wordless Wednesday: Luck of the Irish

Happy 1st St. Patrick's Day (Month!)

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

BuildASign Review!

BuildASign is an entirely new kind of sign company, started in 2005 by four founders who have made it their mission to provide a quick and easy way to create high quality, custom signage. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, BuildASign products range from vinyl banners, magnets, bumper stickers, license plates, stakes, frames and accessories, to signs for yards, real estate, vinyl letters and decals. 
...................................................................................................................... Our easy-to-use yet comprehensive online interface gives customers complete control of the design and ordering process from start to finish, including sign wording, colors, design elements, typefaces, and graphics. Customers can use our exclusive design templates and graphic elements to build a sign from scratch or they can upload their own existing graphics, photographs, and designs. Unlike most sign companies, BuildASign.com™ doesn’t charge a set up fee for artwork. Best of all, customers can choose from a wide range of sizes and top quality sign materials. All our signs are offered at affordable prices, whether the order is for a single sign – or dozens or hundreds of signs. BuildASign.com™
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An array of different sign types can be made from several high quality materials including alumicore, aluminum, art board, corrugated plastic, nylon flag, plywood, reflective aluminum, sandwich board and vinyl. I was offered the awesome opportunity to to review a product of my choice from Build A Sign, just in time for Trayton's first birthday! I chose a 3' x 6' vinyl banner and let me tell you, it was SO easy to create! I simply chose my style, color and size, added my photos and used a few of the graphics they provided; they even added the grommets for hanging. The banner was produced and shipped quickly and arrived in perfect condition. The colors are vibrant, the vinyl is a great weight and their personnel are very knowledgeable and courteous! Although I did not pay for my product, I find the prices to be very reasonable, even for larger, heavier materials (Ryan and I had been looking at signs for his cattle business and BuildASigns' prices were just as competitive if not better that those in our area.) While I was designing Trayton's banner I was a bit skeptical about how the pictures would turn out, however, I am VERY impressed with the quality. As you can see from the image below, the banner is crisp and clear; I am very excited to put this up at the party!   

I appreciate the fact that you can save created designs under your account for future use; something that will definitely prove useful when I create and order products to advertise my floral business at bridal shows. The next time you are in need of signage for an event or business, consider BuildASign linked under Mama Recommends!

The product for this post was sent to me free of charge by the company for the purpose of this review and advertisement. Receipt of this product did not influence a positive review. The opinion expressed here is 100% my own and I always give my readers full disclosure  

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

Baby Dickey's Baby Shower Event!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for a new or expecting mama, or maybe for yourself? Emily at Baby Dickey is hosting a wonderful baby shower gift guide event at Baby Dickey's Giveaways and there is still time to enter! Catch all of her reviews and take a peek at gifts from sponsors like Tommee Tippee, Safety 1st, Lenox, Munchkin, Kolcraft, EcoMom, HALO Sleepsack, Guidecraft, Aden + Anais and many more. This event is popping with must have products for mamas and little ones alike! One lucky reader takes ALL from this event which totals over $1,100 in prizes! Don't miss out, the event ends Saturday, March 12th, 2011! While you're there make sure to check out her family blog at Baby Dickey!

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

Huge Cloth Diaper Event!

The wonderful ladies over at Mama B and Double Duty Mommy are hosting a HUGE cloth diaper event this month, Bye Bye 'Sposies, Hello Cloth! This event will include lots of reviews, giveaways, education and interviews, all surrounding cloth diapering! Extra entries into the event can be obtained by grabbing their button so don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

Wordless Wednesday: 11 Months!

It's had to believe that exactly one month from today our little guy is going to be a year old!

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!