Easy Canvas Prints

When you have as cute of kids as I do, you might as well plaster your house with pictures of them!  


I love taking pictures… and when I have a memory to cherish I love displaying it in a great way.  I had been eyeing numerous different canvas prints for a while, but couldn’t quite commit.

 

So let’s just say I was thrilled when Easy Canvas Prints contacted me about reviewing one of their Photo Canvases.   We had literally just wrapped up Easter and I was in love with a certain photo of the children.  I hopped on the website and found it SO easy to use, and I had my canvas ordered in less than 5 minutes.  

And the canvas arrived in about 4 days. (I am not sure what they guarantee on shipping, but I was shocked how fast it got to me!)
It was carefully wrapped in plastic and bubble-wrap and carefully boxed.  The Canvas was in great condition and the quality is excellent.

Oh my cuteness!  Don’t you just want them to stay that huggable forever???

 

Makes me smile in the morning.

And I am sure in 15 years when those cuddly faces are all grown up, it might just make me cry a bit… remembering all of their huggable cuteness!

This is so you can see the sides of the wrapped canvas.  You can choose to have the photo wrap around or get a “mirror image”.  With my picture, Helen’s face was right on the edge of the picture, so I had no “room” to wrap it around.  I was so thankful they offered the mirror effect.

 

Now, just know that a 16x20 canvas sounds big, but think how big your walls are above your couch, dresser, etc.  Unless you have things to go with it to form a grouping, a 16x20 is going to look really awkward on it’s own.   See this Awesome blog post from photographer Amy Ro about always going BIG with photo prints for walls unless you are doing a wall collage.

I think a 16x20 flanked by 11x14 or 8x10s would look nice, or a grouping  of four  8x10s o11x14s would look really cool.  I hope to get a second 16x20 to put up with that one to complete the wall space more.

The one challenge with canvases, while they are beautiful and a great addition to our homes, you can’t just switch them out when the kids take a better picture… so you want to choose an image you love, and can love for years to come.

         

Some thoughts on ordering a photo canvas--

• Consider timeless images
  • Infants, capturing childhood, weddings
    
• Family Shots
  
• Close ups of faces and group together 
  
• Black and whites—simply timeless!  I would decorate my whole house with Black and whites if I could
  
• Landscapes or landmarks of places you have been

 

Ask yourself the questions---

• Would you send this shot out as a card?
  
• Does this image portray the memory you are trying to capture?
  
• Could you see this hanging in your house in 10 years? 
  

If you are thinking of trying out a Photo Canvas, give Easy Canvas Prints a try.  This would be a great Father’s Day gift!

And… to sweeten the deal, Easy Canvas Prints has offered to GIVE one you dear readers your very own 8x10 Photo Canvas with 1.5 inch Gallery Wrap

                   That’s right…..

It’s a Giveaway!!

 

How to Enter the Giveaway

1— Comment Below an name a memory you would like to capture on a Photo Canvas

Extra Entries

2--- “Like” Easy Canvas Prints on Facebook.  And just let me know you did. 
 
3--- “Like” Little Llamas on Facebook


Rules--
-Winner must be over the age of18, and shipping must be within the continental US. 
-Entries will be closed on Friday.

*Disclosure—Easy Canvas Prints provided me a canvas for review and a canvas to give away

Imagination Movers

I was so excited when US Family Guide offered a group of bloggers tickets to some shows they were promoting in multiple cities.   I scanned the list of cities and spotted Washington, DC and the show coming was Imagination Movers from Disney Jr.

So last Thursday, I packed up my crew and headed across town to Lisner Auditorium on the Campus of George Washington.   This auditorium was the perfect size in my opinion for a kids concert like this.

The opening act was Choo Choo Soul and they really got everyone excited and movin!

I was so impressed with how the venue and the concert staff handled such a large crowd of children.  It felt safe and contained (had people at every exit so there would be no “escapees”),  
allowing parents to relax and enjoy the show with their children!

Each of the Movers Made a special grand entrance and they all came out into the crowd and into the aisles throughout the show.

The crowds went just a little crazy when “Nina” came out. 
Let’s just say she has  some admirers!

     

It was a really well done show that kept both children and parents in awe!  It was so fun to see my children so excited.

The absolute highlight of the evening came when an alarm sounded from the “FUN-O-METER” and Confetti fell from the ceiling.

I mean, just look at Charlotte’s face… Pure Joy.

Overall, it was a great show, and a fun family experience.   Our concert time was 7:00pm and we got out at 8:45.  So if you have an early sleep time, you might want to consider that.  (Helen was getting pretty tired)  We were able to enjoy the show, while also avoiding the “Souvenir” booth and snack bar.  HA!   My kids have never been to a show like this, so they didn’t really know they existed. 

Some suggestions on going to shows with kids--

• Dress your kids in distinct outfits and remember what they are wearing.  There are MASS amounts of children, and kids go out in the aisles and up to the stage.  You could easily get separated.    This would be a great event to write your phone number on your child’s wrist in case you are separated. 
  
• Bring your own glow sticks/necklaces, party horns, instruments.  Anything that will help you enjoy the show!
  
• Have everyone well fed before hand, and go potty right when you get to the venue.
  
• We sat in the middle section of a lower level (close to the stage)  This was ideal for seeing the performers out in the aisles and in the crowd.   I am not sure the price difference in tickets, but I would suggest to sit as close to the stage/aisles as possible. 
  
• Leave all theater etiquette at home.  Stand up, walk through the row to get to the aisle.  Let your kids kneel on the seat.  Move down to avoid “Aunt Betty’s” big hair.   Let loose and let your children enjoy the fun!

 

So, if you have an opportunity to go to fun shows with your kids, do it!  You can often find great prices on tickets through promotions, and Deal Sites.  One in particular that often has discount tickets for events is Goldstar. 

** Disclosure **
US Family Guide Provided me with 4 tickets to this show.  The thoughts and opinions above are my own.

Baby Jogger Glider Board

I posted a few weeks ago a review of my Baby Jogger City Elite Stroller.  Today , I bring you a review of the recently released, long anticipated Glider Board.

The Glider Board---

• Attaches to any Baby Jogger Stroller in the City Series--Mini, Elite, and Select or the Baby Jogger Summit.   
        (I really don’t know if it works on other brands) 
  
  
• Holds up to 45 lbs
  
  
• Allows the angle of the board to be adjusted
  
  
• Can pull out or in (closer to stroller) depending on the needs of the child
  
  
• Easily folds up  and straps to stroller when child not on the board.
  
  
• Wheels pop right off for easy folding.
  
  
• The Glider board is current $69 on Amazon.

You easily attach the Glider Board by clipping it on your back axle, and tightening the straps.

You can then pull out the Glider Board.   And in the middle of writing this review I decided I just needed to video it--- it would make SO much more sense! 

Please humor me by watching this hilarious video.  I am SO not cut out for video reporting.  And why does the still image always stop on a horrible place in the video??

Helen holding on with handle bar above her.  My preferred position for younger/shorter children.

Helen holding on with Handle Bar lower.  Shorter children could actually hold the handlebar (like H is doing) , while parent holds the the above cross bar.  Or with older children, I’d have them hold above on the cross bar, and parent holds the handlebar under their arms. 

Things to consider

• Only works up to 45 lbs.  So Charlotte it too big (and too tall) though Carson still works great on it. 
  
  
• With the City Elite, the Handlebar needs to be adjusted depending on where you child’s chin and head hit.  With smaller children I find putting the handle Above them works best (see above pic) and with older and taller children the handle bar kind of hits them in the head, so I find putting the handlebar down, and you holding the handlebar under their arms works better. I think this isn’t as much of an issue with the City Select.
  
  
• You need to teach your children “we only get off when the stroller is stopped”.  Especially rambunctious boys (ahem, maybe like mine)  who will think this is a super cool kind of skateboard…. if they bounce off real fast, or lean back, the weight pulling on the stroller can tip it back.  Children do not need to lean back, or bounce, or try and “skate” with this board.  They need to just stand up straight and hold on and simply enjoy the ride.   
  
  
• Leaving the Glider board attached makes it harder to fold up the stroller.  You have to lift up the Glider Board (attach with straps) and then you pop off the wheels (I toss them in the storage basket below).  The easy fold  techniques still works, its just doesn’t quite fold as flat. 
  
  
  But, the Glider board is SO easy to attach, that I don’t mind just popping it on and off when I need it. 
  
  

Overall thoughts and opinions

• Great for when you just are past the point of needing a double stroller.  I want my kids to be walking, so a double stroller is not practical for me.  But there are times when it’s just too far of a walk.  12-15 blocks is about our kids’ max.  It is nice in those times to let them walk a little and ride a little. 
  
  
• Would be great for Disney or other trips like that when your non strolling child might need an occasional lift.
  
  
• Not seeing how practical it is for someone in the suburbs (you wouldn’t use it a brisk exercise walk), but someone who lives in the city and uses a stroller as a main source of transportation, this is a great add-on.

**I was provided a Glider Board by Baby Jogger for my personal use to test and review.   The above thoughts are my own opinion.