Canvas On Demand Premium Thick Wrap Canvas + Coloring Canvas Review #mycanvasondemand

I received this free to facilitate this review.

Canvas On Demand makes it easy to turn your photography or art into something more. They have canvases, prints, and personalized gifts that could make your home one of a kind and unique. The ordering process is so simple too. Canvas On Demand has some wonderful ideas for some fabulous gifts this holiday season!

Their premium wrapped canvases are conveyed to be top quality. These offer a ridged, warp-resistant construction, 1.25"thick wrap, an enclosed back, pre-installed hardware, and an extended 2 year warranty. There are 25 different sizes to choose from too. Learn more here.

What I Thought:
I got to pick out a 16x20 Premium Thick Wrap Canvas and a 16x20 or 16x16 Coloring Canvas. I got to personalize the 16x20 Premium Thick Wrap Canvas with one of my own photography pictures. I picked a picture of my horses grazing in our field with a rainbow overhead that I took in April of last year. I thought that this photo would make a lovely art piece for my wall. I selected the Floral Wolf 16x16 Premium Thick Wrap Canvas with White canvas edge. It is a black and white line art of a wolf made out of leaves, branches, flowers and mushrooms. Here are some FAQ about the Coloring Canvases.

Step 1: Upload Your Image

The ordering process was very straightforward. You click the link that I have below to build a 16x20 Premium Thick Wrap Canvas. Then you click on the Order a 16x20 Premium Canvas button and select your photograph or art to Upload Your Image.

Step 2: Edit Your Item

Then after you select your image and upload it you can Edit Your Item. You can choose different options on this page like: orientation, color effects, edge, size shape. I chose the color blur edge, but there are image, black, and white edges also available.

Step 3 & 4: Choose if you would like a Professional Review or Touch-ups done for extra cost.

After this page you have the option of having a professional review and a retouching & enhancement if needed for extra cost...I did not select these options.

Step 5: Add anything else to your cart you would like, make sure options are correct.

I was also ordering a Coloring Canvas, so I chose out of the many to select and picked out my absolute favorite, the Floral Wolf by Aron Gadd. This suited my love of forest flora and fauna. I love how intricate it is. It will be a fantastic addition to my wall when I am done coloring it. I selected the correct size 16x16, white canvas edge, and I only wanted one. Canvas On Demand recommends BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers in a Fine Point tip which can also be purchased with the Coloring Canvas you choose or separately at an extra cost if you don't have your own set of good markers for coloring on canvas. Then I added that too to my cart.

Step 6: Make sure everything looks good in the Shopping Cart and order.

I looked everything over and made sure that my Shopping Cart looked good then proceeded to Checkout.

You will get an email with your order number, status, and information.

You will put in your shipping and billing information, and email so they can send you an email when they have your order number and tracking information when they ship your package.

With flash you can see the enclosed back of the canvases and the pre-installed hardware.

My package took a little over a week to get to me. The box arrived safely on my doorstep. Both canvases were wrapped really well for the travel to my home.

Look how dark the Canvas On Demand print came out from the original.

When I opened the box up and looked at my photograph that they made into a Premium Thick Wrap Canvas I was surprised and a very disappointed at how dark the colors were. The colors looked washed out, too dark, and the definition is not there with the detail anymore. I wish the colors were brighter and more defined on the canvas. I will have to put a spot light on this to get it to pop like the original does.

Floral Wolf not colored on my wall.

The Coloring Canvas was also sloppily wrapped around the frame so the corners stuck out as well. I love the print of the wolf and I can't wait to color it, but I wish that it was wrapped better. These were not museum quality by any means. Maybe though you will have better luck than me.

Sloppy wrapped corners of the Coloring Canvas.

BUY IT
Save 60% off Premium Gallery Wrap Canvases, Coloring Canvases, & more from Canvas On Demand with code USFAM! #mycanvasondemand

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Canvas On Demand Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. I am getting something for free in return for posting this information.

Canvas On Demand has awesome gifts for everyone on your list! Based in Raleigh, NC, @canvasondemand has everything you need to get your shopping done early. They offer more than just canvas prints. From incredible photo-to-canvas art for parents, Coloring Canvas for kids, and customizable photo gifts, including ornaments & more, Canvas On Demand can help with your holiday haul.

PROMOTION: For a limited time, they're offering my readers a whopping 60% off your entire order at Canvas On Demand with code USFAM. Select from canvas prints and more! Valid until 12/12/17. #mycanvasondemand https://www.canvasondemand.com/?coupon=usfam

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Canvas On Demand Offer I am getting a FREE 16x20 Premium Gallery Wrap Canvas + 16x20 Coloring Canvas. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

ReCollected Pieces Personalized Photo Jewelry Review and Giveaway

Personalized Photo Jewelry from ReCollected Pieces

We received these necklaces free from ReCollected Pieces to facilitate this review and the opportunity to giveaway one personalized pendant ($20 value) to one reader.

ReCollected Pieces is local to me, located out of Portland Oregon. Tabitha is the owner and she makes personalized photo jewelry pieces. These gorgeous pieces are the perfect gift for any special occasion. They are also ideal for Mother's Day!

These are the photos I picked for Tabitha to use.

I received two pendant necklaces, both done in large square 24K gold plated pewter. The first necklace is in memory of my beautiful daughter, Tatiana, whom passed away in 2010. It hangs on a gold-plated ball chain with a fixed stamped "T" gold heart, rose gold drop and pink Swarovski crystal embellishment. I love this necklace of my daughter, Tatiana! She will always be close to my heart and this necklace is a perfect way to communicate this. The second necklace has a photo of my husband, Brian, and I. It also hangs on a gold-plated ball chain with two jade round bead accents that move freely up and down the chain.

I loved how the necklaces were packaged in brightly colored tissue paper and hung on a card inside when they arrived. I was not expecting the embellishments at all. They were a very happy surprise and really made the pieces even more exceptional. Both necklaces turned out very lovely. I will certainly treasure my necklaces from Recollected Pieces forever.

ReCollected Pieces wrapped up in pretty tissue paper.

Tabitha, of ReCollected Pieces, was very nice and friendly to work with. She had a few hiccups with my order. The heart pendants that she was offering just didn't work out with her resin technique, so she took them off her list. To compensate for the inconvenience, she made me two pendant necklaces instead of just one. Because the heart was no longer a choice she made me square shaped pendants. As you can probably see, Tabitha really puts her heart and soul into these pieces to make them all very special and unique to the wearer.

My gorgeous Personalized Photo Pendant Necklaces from ReCollected Pieces.

Give yourself or your loved one a truly memorable piece of jewelry this upcoming Mother's Day. Jewelry pieces start at $20. Normal production time usually takes about one week to complete then mail and can be shipped worldwide. They can be personalized with any digital photograph or art (minimum quality 300dpi). The image is cropped to fit the shape of the pendant you choose. There are different shapes, sizes, materials, and embellishments/accents that you can pick from easily from their list on their Facebook page in their photo section. Besides single sided pendants you can even pick a double sided pendant, a pendant that hangs from another pendant, a photo bracelet with multiple images, or even photo ornaments. Tabitha at ReCollected Pieces will work with you to make a truly one of a kind piece for you or your loved one.

Follow ReCollected Pieces:
Website: http://www.recollectedpieces.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/recollectedpieces
Newsletter: https://www.facebook.com/recollectedpieces/app_100265896690345

WIN IT
Prize: One personalized photo pendant ($20 value) from ReCollected Pieces. The winner can choose any pendant they would like (circle, square, oval, rectangle - gold or silver).

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review and the opportunity to giveaway one personalized pendant ($20 value) to one reader. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review and giveaway.

Try iCaughtSanta.com Free!

iCaughtSanta.com Abel Home Christmas 2012

Last year I surprised my kids by showing them a photograph of Santa, the large jolly man himself, in our living room by our small tree we had put up. My littles were asking me how I captured him there. I never told them my secret ;)

iCaughtSanta.com is a online website where you can add Santa or Rudolph to a family photo to create a cool Christmas eGreeting Card, share the image with friends and family, scrapbook it or use it to create a fun button photo for you to wear. You can even add Santa in front of your Christmas tree or Rudolph outside your house in the snow this year!

I had a lot of fun making the above image come to life with the provided Santa image they had for me. They have other ones you can choose from too. The favorite of most is the sleeping Santa. All you do is load your picture that you want to place Santa or Rudolph into, pick which image of Santa or Rudolph you want, and move them around until they are where you want them on the photo. So much fun!

To help celebrate their 5th year anniversary you can try it out for yourself for FREE with code #SantaShare and remember, it expires December 10, 2013 (you may use the code as many times as you want until then)!!

ENTER THE CONTEST
After creating your photo you can enter to win all sorts of prizes (iPad Air + Amazon, Visa or Starbucks Giftcards) with the iCaughtSanta.com 2013 Customer Appreciation Contest via Rafflecopter! Over $1,500 in prizes! Enter at http://www.iCaughtSanta.com

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I am posting about iCaughtSanta.com to let you know about the promotion. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product code. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Nordic Naturals What's Essential Rescue Pet Photo Contest

Tatiana playing ball with Prince.

This is a sponsored post and I will be getting free product for posting. This post is in partnership with Nordic Naturals. All information about the contest was provided by Nordic Naturals. All other thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

I believe pets are important part of human happiness. Their integrated existence with us on this planet has its major benefits. Pets have helped mankind for centuries. There is documentation where having a pet around people, especially the: elderly, special needs, disabled or handicapped has lowered stress and increased happiness.

Before she passed away, we were planning on getting a mini pony or hypoallergenic breed of dog for my daughter, Tatiana, who was blind and had cerebral palsy to aid her in her various needs. We did get Prince, a rescued shelter dog, slightly before she passed away and they absolutely adored each other. Prince would be so excited when Tati would come home from school on the bus. He would wait by the door when it was time and when I wheeled her into the house in her wheelchair he would come up to her and put his head in her lap and lick her hand with his doggie kisses. Prince wasn't really trained as a service dog, but he was still very affectionate and loving with her.

Nordic Naturals is putting together a great Photo Contest that supports and gives back to Paws for Veterans and Animal Shelter Dogs. This is a great cause! This helps dogs receive good loving homes and injured military veterans get the care they need.

About Paws for Veterans
Paws for Veterans, Inc. is a community-based organization that provides service dogs, training, supplies, and therapeutic group sessions to Veteran and Active Duty men and women struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Physical Disabilities. As a 501 C 3 non profit, this organization rescues, rehabilitates, trains, and re-homes dogs as service dogs for injured Veterans.

About Nordic Naturals
Based in Watsonville, CA, Nordic Naturals is committed to delivering the world’s safest, most effective omega oils to help provide the essentials of an extraordinary life. Distributing to more than 35 countries, Nordic Naturals offers more than 150 products in a variety of flavors and formulations, all in line with leading standards for safety, efficacy and sustainability. By providing omega oil supplements for adults, kids, athletes and pets, Nordic Naturals helps everyone do more of what they love. Further information is available at www.nordicnaturals.com. Nordic Naturals is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nordicnaturals and people can follow the company on Twitter at @NordicNaturals.

The Contest
Nordic Naturals® wants to see adorable photos of rescued shelter pets on their Facebook page and support a good cause in the process! Pet owners can enter Nordic Naturals What’s Essential Rescue Pet Photo Contest by uploading their special photo on the company’s Facebook page between June 28 and July 18. www.facebook.com/nordicnaturals Two grand prize winners will be chosen on August 1st and will receive a prize pack that includes:

• A 3-month supply of Nordic Naturals Omega-3 pet products and human products – you choose from a list of qualifying Nordic Naturals’ products
• Dog and cat goodies including collapsible water bowl, chew toy, doggie bags and a plush fish toy
• The Dog Bible: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know and The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know books by Tracie Hotchner
• A custom canvas painting of your pet by beccavision.com
• Mr. or Ms. Omega-3 Pet Award Certificate
• Profile featured on the Facebook app 

BUT, that’s not all!! The contest supports the non profit Paws for Veterans, Inc. and voting for your favorite pet photo on Facebook earns dollars for this important organization. This is a win-win for everybody -- rescue dogs are given a purpose in a loving, forever home, service members experience the healing power of their new canine partners, and Facebook Fans enjoy the satisfaction of knowing their vote in the contest sends $1 to Paws for Veterans (up to $5000).

To enter on Facebook:

• Go to the Nordic Naturals Facebook fan page between 6/28 and 7/18
• Upload your pet’s photo
• Vote for one of the finalists from 7/19 to 7/31 then see the winners on 8/1

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post. This post is in partnership with Nordic Naturals. I will be receiving products for free for posting this post. All information about the contest was provided by Nordic Naturals. All other thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com FLASH Giveaway

Now that Easter is over I bet your little ones want proof of the Easter Bunny. Now you can give it to them! iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos that catches the Easter Bunny in the act of delivering goodies or hiding Easter Eggs in or near your own home!

Follow them:
https://twitter.com/catchacharacter/
https://www.facebook.com/ICaughtSantaClaus

WIN IT
Prize: 5 winners will win a code for a FREE iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com picture.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com I am getting a FREE Photo with the Easter Bunny in my home and 5 codes to also be giving away. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com 50% Off Offer

Imagine the look of wonder and surprise your child will experience when the Easter Bunny is caught in your home! iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.

For less than $10 anyone can be a hero to children by catching the Easter Bunny 'in the act'. Catch him here - Catch him there - Catch him ANYWHERE! In three simple steps, iCaughtTheEasterBunny can turn a typical Easter into something spectacular. Catch The Easter Bunny TODAY!

CLICK HERE to try it FREE! and SAVE 50% on your purchase with this code - 50% off code: BUNNY2013

Follow them:
https://twitter.com/catchacharacter/
https://www.facebook.com/ICaughtSantaClaus

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about iCaughtTheEasterBunny.com I am getting a FREE Photo with the Easter Bunny in my home and I will be getting codes to also be able to give away some too. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo. 

Delbin's Photobook Birth to Age 8

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly baby photo books are the perfect way to preserve your baby's precious moments.

I created this photobook with pictures of my oldest son Delbin. He is now 12 years old, but I ended this photo book at age 8 because that is when he was baptized.

iCaughtSanta.com 25% Off Offer

Imagine the look of wonder and surprise when a child receives a photo of Santa and Rudolph caught in the act in his or her very own home. iCaughtSanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.

In three simple steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus or Rudolph and print it as proof… or share it via Facebook and Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making iCaughtSanta.com a great gift idea even if you don't have kids yourself.

And for even more holiday magic, iCaughtSanta.com is giving away 2 iPads! No purchase necessary. Enter here: www.iCaughtSanta.com/Contest

Eccentric Eclectic Woman Readers Get 25% off your entire order at icaughtsanta.com. Use the following Promo Code at checkout SANTA2012 to instantly save: #icaughtsanta

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about iCaughtSanta.com I am getting a FREE Photo with Santa in my home. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Shutterfly Photobook Giveaway

My children are growing up so fast. As they grow I love to reminisce about times when they were younger. I love photo books from Shutterfly because they help capture great memories all in one book. Shutterfly allows you to easily arrange your pictures with a variety of layouts, different backgrounds, text boxes, fun embellishments, and cover options to choose from. You can also see exactly how the pages are going to look before they are printed. They are so fun to make and so easy too. I would love to make a photo book for each one of my children up until the age 8 (their baptism age) and filled with great memories and moments that we don't want to forget. Shutterfly Photobooks are perfect for holiday gifts and I hope to make one for my oldest son, Delbin this year.

Please watch this: Shutterfly Photo Books: The Best Gift Ever

 WIN IT
Prize: Win a code for an 8x8 hardcover photo book (20 pages) (2 Winners) (shipping not included).

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about Shutterfly's Photo Books I am getting a free 8x8 hardcover Photo Book with 20 pages from Shutterfly and two to giveaway (expire on 12/31). My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review and giveaway.

Our Shutterfly Christmas Cards 2012

Framed In Snowflakes Christmas Card

Send Christmas cards personalized with your family photos.

View the entire collection of cards.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: For sharing my card that I created and ordered through Shutterfly, I get $10 toward my next order.

You can get $10 too if you order your Holiday cards or other project through Shutterfly. The order summary page will give you an option to share your creation. After you've shared the project like I have then email Shutterfly.com at shareproject@shutterfly.com your active link (no screenshots, please) to the Web page containing your embedded project.

Shutterfly Holiday Cards 2012 Review and Giveaway

Shutterfly has got a fantastic new collection of Holiday Cards this 2012 from traditional to modern styles. They also have religious/scripture based cards including: Christmas and Hanukkah. They have cards you can personalize with your family or fur babies photos on from the photos that you can store online on Shutterfly. Whatever your style is they’re sure to have something you’ll love.

I love Christmas. This is one of my favorite times of the holiday season. I love getting together with family and friends to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love giving gifts, decorating, sending out my yearly happenings newsletter, and personalizing cards to send out to family and friends.

I have gotten cards with Shutterfly before and they turned out wonderful! I just recently picked out my family Christmas photo and I believe the Christmas Cards that I picked to go with it will look fabulous with it! I picked the Framed In Snowflakes Christmas Card. They also have a lot more Photo Christmas Cards to choose from and because of the photos these will become great keepsakes. You can usually personalize the cards from Shutterfly in a number of ways by: choosing to have them printed on high quality matte or glossy photo paper or premium card stock, word personalization, and photos. Order your cards in time for the holidays so they can be shipped and get to your friends and family on time!

Shutterfly: Get Social

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shutterfly
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/Shutterfly
• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/shutterfly/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/shutterfly
• Google +: https://plus.google.com/+shutterfly
• Blog: http://blog.shutterfly.com/

BUY IT
Go to Shutterfly's Special Offers page to see what you can save on. They also have photo books, other cards, stationery, prints, calendars, photo gifts and home decor that you can purchase also! Just hurry if you are going to get holiday cards to get them shipped in time to friends and family.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a gift code for $50 off your order of $50 or more (Excluding tax and shipping, cannot be combined with any other promos. Expires on 12/14/2012 – no extensions.)

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about Shutterfly's Holiday Cards I am getting a promo code for $100 off my order of $100 or more (excluding tax) including US or Canada shipping (expires 12/14/2012 – no extensions) for free from Shutterfly. They are also giving me an extra $50 off order of $50 or more (excluding tax and shipping & cannot be combined with any other promos (expires 12/14/2012 – no extensions) to giveaway to a reader for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Beautiful Beasties - Pet Photography Book Review and Giveaway

Beautiful Beasties by Jamie Pflughoeft of Cowbelly pet photography is a fantastic book all about pet photography. It is a how to guide that goes over everything from equipment to use, photography basics, lighting, exposure, composition, challenges, developing, processing, editing, marketing and building a business, etc. This book mostly touches on photographing cats and dogs with a small blip about other pets.

My dog, Prince, is hard to capture on film or digital. I have found his neurotic behavior troublesome. Every time I get out my camera he knows that the red light or flash will illuminate stuff and create shadows. He loves to chase the light and shadows and it drives me and himself completely bonkers. He barks, whines and tries to scratch the floor or nip at the light. I have tried to stop him from doing this, but my husband and kids think it is funny and try to get him to engage in the behavior. My camera isn't the only thing he gets this way with. He also does this with flashlights, rainbow/sun catchers, sunbeams, laser pens, mirror balls, etc. I have yet to figure out a way to rid him of this habit.

I was excited to get this book to see if it had any specific tips for me and photographing him. In the chapter on behavior challenges it goes into neurotic behaviors very briefly. I was hoping for more in depth, but what this book did tell me was still helpful in my situation. It told me to get his energy out before the photo shoot so that maybe he would be more calm and relaxed. It also said to try to let the pet be themselves how ever silly, energetic, or neurotic they may be. If I let him be himself I could capture more of his personality.

I also re-learned a whole lot about photography that I had forgotten from my photography class I took in college and some stuff I hadn't learned about digital cameras and more on editing in Photoshop. I edit my photos in either Gimp or Picasa so I am not as familiar in Photoshop as I'd like to be, but everything seemed very straight forward.

So, here are some of my results...

This picture was washed out because of the lighting and time of day that I was shooting. In Picasa I hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, then brought up the highlights a little and brought the color temperature all the way up.

This photo was Prince at play and one of my favorites I shot. He just pounced toward his rubber chicken toy and I caught him in the action just as he had landed and cocked his head toward the camera. If you look you can see his long floppy ears are still up a little as the wind caught them and as he tossed his head about :)

Here is my mini pony Gizmo. This book also has a short entry about photographing and working with other animals like: horses, small furry rodents, birds, and reptiles/amphibians.

This book taught me a lot and proved to be a very useful guide to photographing animals in a creative way. I am glad I got this book for free to review. It was fun to photograph and experiment with different settings and things. I still have a lot to learn, but this book was definitely a great starting point for beginning pet and animal photography.

BUY IT
You can purchase this book from different retail places for around $17. If you are going to try to photograph your pooch, feline, or other pet friend this holiday season consider this book.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a copy of Beautiful Beasties by Jamie Pflughoeft.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Global Influence for sending me product for free to review and letting me giveaway one. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Canvas4life Stretched Canvas Print Review

I've been wanting to get my 2011 family Christmas photo hung on my wall ever since I got my Christmas cards done up with it. The picture just turned out so well. So when I was approached by Canvas4life I didn't turn them down. They let me get a custom 20"x16" stretched canvas print. It was so simple to order on their website.

All I had to do was upload the photo I wanted to use. They have quality detection software that will automatically detect the resolution and pixel dimensions of your photo and only allow you to choose sizes compatible with your image quality, ensuring top quality canvas prints each and every time. Once my photo was uploaded to their Canvas Builder I could select the canvas layout (single panel, split panel 2, split panel 3), size, print finish (uncoated, matte or satin), depth (.75" or 1.5 deep frame), bleed (bleed, no bleed, mirror bleed or gallery look and/or border/edge color), virtual frames (a number of them to pick from if wanted at all) and if I wanted PhotoPerfect (if checked yes Canvas4life can adjust the photo to help enhance end result). These choices did not cost any extra no matter what selection I chose. I could see every change made by me also done to my photo in real time in the virtual preview.

Then I could also click on the Advanced Editor and fix the image positioning, cropping, depth, bleed choices, photo effects (black & white, sepia, etc.), adjustments (brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, blur), and/or add text.

You can also click the Living Room Viewer and add in furniture, people, pets, etc. then change the color of the walls and floor so you can view your canvas all in a virtual room setting. I kinda wish they had more variety of things you can put in the room because my virtual living room turned out kinda boring and really didn't look anything like my living room. You could also view the canvas in 3d and have it rotate 360 degrees so that you can see how it would look from front to back and all around.

After playing a bit with the settings and getting the canvas exactly how I wanted it I was ready to order. It was fun creating this work of art! Once I received it in the mail I saw that it was expertly packaged so that it would arrive to me safely. Once I opened it up I saw the same exact work I created virtually come to life. The canvas they use is 100% cotton and weighs in at 400gsm and the inks they use for printing are HP Vivera inks which are archival standard guaranteed to last over 75 years. Every canvas from Canvas4life arrives stretched over real artists' stretcher bars and has corner wedges in every corner on the back to ensure the stretch does not sag over time and lasts a lifetime. Also their SuperSaver shipping is absolutely free and they have a 100% money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied. When I opened up my canvas print I also found two $10 gift cards for their store and information on how to care for my canvas. Wow! That is great customer service!!

BUY IT
Canvas4life is giving an introductory 10% discount offer to my readers. Try it out, just click on the link to access the site. http://bit.ly/N2AxAe OR put in PROMO CODE: eclecticwoman25 and get 25% off!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Canvas4life for sending me product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Shutterfly Family Photo Days and Photo Taking Tips

The holidays are just around the corner and with that comes family photos. Let's face it sometimes it is just so difficult to get the perfect memorable shot of the whole family looking their best. In an effort to inspire and educate you on ideas on getting that perfect family photo early so you can place it into a fantastic card online, Shutterfly is having "Family Photo Days" throughout November. On their “Family Photo Days” website you can use the creative ideas on the website, share and discuss more ideas with others, and then take those ideas and making them your own. So get going and create that spectacular moment on camera then come back to Shutterfly because they have some great personalized Holiday Cards that you can put that photo into.

I have some great tips that I have found to be invaluable in taking the best family photos that I am going to share here with you now:

1. Plan ahead! Pick a day and time that isn't stressful for everyone. Make sure everyone can be available at the day and time picked and everything is set up and put together before the big day so no problems will arise. Children have their own times when they are at their best and happiest. Make sure to plug that into the equation too. Make sure clothing is set out the day before and haircuts are done a week before at least. Try to maintain your composure even if you are a little stressed because kids pick up on this easily and their reactions could derail the whole event. Arrive at the portrait shoot a little early with a clear, rested mind.

2. Lighting is very important. There are a lot of lighting techniques that professionals use. Shoot outdoor photos when the sun is low in the sky, either in the early morning or late afternoon so that the lighting isn't too bright or way too dark. If you are photographing in sunlight, try to position yourself so that the sun hits your subject from the side. You can also position your subject in front of the sun to give a great back-light effect, but don't let the sunlight flare in your lens because the contrast will be messed up. If shooting indoors use as much light as is available. The flash sometimes can make nasty shadows on the wall behind the subject. If this happens it is best to try to position the subject in from of a dark wall or getting them as far away from any walls as possible. No one person should stand out more than the others. You could also buy studio lighting for your own indoor setup or go to a studio that has one, but know that lighting is very important!!

3. If red eye or blemishes prevail, fix it with Photoshop or a paint program. Don't fret the small stuff. There are some awesome red eye removal and blemish editing techniques in a lot of photo software these days that quickly and painlessly get rid of unwanted red eye and blemishes.

4. Dress Code and feeling: Coordination, comfort, and simplicity is the name of the game. Too much print, pattern or color will take away from the faces in the photographs. Nice solid color shirts that match are the best and simplest way to go. Remember darker colors are slimming and generally more flattering. Comfortable clothing is better if the photo shoot is going to be a long one especially if there are young children involved. So go ahead and go casual! If; however, you do want to go fancier then try to get the pictures with the kids out of the way first so there isn't a lot of waiting in fancy uncomfortable dress. Know the feeling and theme you want to convey in the pictures ahead of time and make sure everyone participating knows and agrees.

5. Get creative with settings, props and backgrounds. There are some awesome scenic places that you could have as your background or setting, but sometimes getting everyone there is the hard part. Be creative and spontaneous. Sometimes the best photos could be set in your own backyard or home. A solid color sheet or large blanket could be used as a great backdrop. You could have your little one hug a favorite stuffed critter or ride a wooden pony or use a toy to get the child to look at you. Just think outside the box!

6. Take closeups and get close. Family is all about closeness :) So get everyone in the picture to squeeze together as close as comfortably possible. This makes the pictures seem more warm and inviting. Get closeups of individuals and couples too. It is all about capturing facial expression and the face is the greatest asset in your pictures! Sometimes blurring the background is a good thing because the main focus is on the subjects instead.

7. Make sure the subjects all have their eyes open, are smiling (unless you want serious, romantic, etc.), and look like they are having fun. Nobody likes a picture that someone: is squinting, looks like they are in a daze, looks like they are not having fun at all, or has their mouth wide open. We've all had pictures taken like this. Try to make the photos fun to dissolve boredom. Have the subjects jump in the air or tell them a funny joke to make them laugh. Don't be afraid to try something new to make it more fun. Make the subjects feel confident that they are having a positive experience. Don't tell them that it just isn't working, instead say, “Great, lets try a few more positions.”. Emanate positivity and it will be more enjoyable for all participating.

8. Take both formal and candid shots. Candid shots give more emotion, are more relaxed and usually can tell a story. Formal shots tend to be posed and manipulated more. Take both even if someone wants only one or the other.

I love the holidays! I love decorating, remembering the true meaning of Christmas, giving gifts like these neat Photo Gifts, sending out my yearly happenings newsletter, and personalizing cards with my family photos to send out to family and friends. This is truly one of my favorite seasons!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about Shutterfly's Holiday Cards I am getting 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

Shutterfly's Photo Book Review and Giveaway - 10 winners!

Shutterfly has an all new Custom Path to make your very own photo books your style, your way. This is different from their Simple Path photo books. You get more control and get to make it exactly how you want. The Simple Path photo books are instantly made for you by Shutterfly. The Simple Path is a lot quicker, but you have less options to choose from. With the new Custom Path you customize your photo book page by page. You can now pick either one, each has its advantages.

Custom Path:
* Add, move and resize pictures and text anywhere
* Extensive collection of new backgrounds, layouts & embellishments
* 1-25 pictures per page (up to 1000 pictures)
* Five sizes starting From $12.99 $11.04

Simple Path:
* Pictures arranged for you. Then easily rearrange or add captions
* More than 20 styles with preset backgrounds and layouts
* 1-4 pictures per page (up to 400 pictures)
* Five sizes starting From $12.99 $11.04

I love to capture memories by taking lots of photos! I have so many photos of my family that I have taken with my digital cameras I have had over the years. I have just started to make photo books with some of my favorites. These photo books are wonderful for gifts and are so much fun to make! I love flipping through the pages and reading the captions over and over again. I am thinking of doing one for my son Delbin's first 8 years of life. Delbin is my first born and currently I do not have any photo books featuring him made yet. Since he was baptized when he turned 8 years old I figure that is a great stopping point for the photo book. Shutterfly has a great photo book maker, online. They allow you to easily arrange your pictures with a variety of layouts, different backgrounds, text boxes, fun embellishments, and cover options to choose from. You can also see exactly how the pages are going to look before they are printed. I am very excited to use them to make my next photo book!

Besides photo books Shutterfly also offers photo storage and sells prints and customized invitations, announcements, calendars, photo gifts, etc.

Do you have a blog? Sign up for a chance for a free photo book from Shutterfly.

Go to their special offers page to see what you can save on. Right now you can save 30% on Photo Books and Centerstage products, 20% on Notebooks, cards, and select photo gifts.

WIN IT:
Stuart from Shutterfly has generously offered a Photo Book for ten of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Shutterfly webpage and tell me by commenting on this post what your favorite photograph you have taken is that you might add to this photo book if you win.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (3 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (GFC) on the left sidebar and/or Networked Blogs Let me know what your user name is. (2 extra entries each)

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Shutterfly in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

5. Give me a brief POSITIVE review on Alexa and provide me with your user name. (3 extra entries)

6. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

7. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog Linky/Link-up and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

10. Write about this giveaway with a link to this post on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, or other social media website besides Twitter. Let me know where. (2 extra entries for each)

11. Comment on one of my regular (not giveaway) posts. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

12. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

13. Tweet this: @finamoon: @shutterfly WIN Photo Book - 10 winners #giveaway http://bit.ly/nguOaA (Daily Extras are Available)

14. Fan/Like Shutterfly on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

15. Follow Shutterfly on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Don't forget to leave a comment for each task and the correct amount of entries for each task. This contest ends on Friday August 17, 2011 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. Only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about Shutterfly's Photo Books I am getting a free 8x8 hardcover Photo Book with 20 pages from Shutterfly. Thanks to Shutterfly for providing me this promotion information, free product, and giveaway free for my readers. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review and giveaway.

Shutterfly’s Holiday Cards Review

With Shutterfly you can create some really neat personalized photo creations from the photos that you can store online on Shutterfly. They have Photo Books, Cards & Stationery, Prints, Calendars, Photo Gifts and Home Décor. I think their photo books and photo gifts are my favorite. I would definitely love to make a photo book with my daughter Tatiana in it as a memorial of her someday. There are so many personalized photo creations you can choose from. Shutterfly even has some new holiday cards for 2010. Order your Christmas cards soon so they can be shipped and get to your friends and family on time! You can also get photo Christmas cards which make great keepsakes for years to come. Depending upon the style you choose they can be printed on high quality matte or glossy photo paper or premium cardstock. When Zari was born I was sent free samples of birth announcements in the mail that Shutterfly could create. They were of great quality!

Go to their special offers page to see what you can save on. Right now you can save 30% on holiday cards. Select gift tags and address labels are also 30% off. Don't forget photo ornaments for your tree this year, they are 25% off. There are more sales too, but hurry these sales end December 1st!

Bloggers can get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly! http://bit.ly/sfly2010

My favorite holiday cards from Shutterfly are the Merry Blossoms, We Heart You Holiday Card, Cinnamon Candy Lane, Pretty Poinsettia Print, Kaleidoscope Noir, Our Ornaments Story Christmas Card, Elegant Cranberry Damask, What A Year Christmas Card, How Holly Story folded card, How Holly Story, Cheery Blossoms, Town Of Bethlehem, Confection Dazzle, Christmas Birdie, Merry Mistletoe, Santa's Sleigh, & Nativity Blue. I will be hard to choose which one I will use this year because there are so many great ones to choose from! I love the holidays! I love decorating, remembering the true meaning of Christmas, giving gifts, sending out my yearly happenings newsletter, and personalizing cards to send out to family and friends. This is truly one of my favorite seasons!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about Shutterfly's Holiday Cards I am getting 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

CardsDirect Giveaway

Time sure does fly by. It seems that just the other day I was just learning that I was pregnant. Now I am about to have my baby and the holidays are also just around the corner!! Some people I know have already made their holiday plans, done their shopping, and are putting their final touches on their Holiday Cards to send to family and friends. With everything else going on in my life it is hard to find the time to do all that and get ready for a new little bundle of joy.

CardsDirect.com makes it simple to order, send, and personalize all types of cards, whether it be Christmas Cards, Photo Christmas Cards, or Photo Cards. I am excited to be using them for my cards that I will be sending out to people, although I haven't decided yet if I will be using them for my Christmas cards or for my Birth Announcements or both. They have a great selection and lots of styles to choose from. There is bound to be something to tickle your fancy.

WIN IT:
Amy and Shannan from Global Influence Network has generously offered a code that is good for twenty-five cards up to a $50 value at CardsDirect for one of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the CardsDirect website and tell me by commenting on this post what cards you would love to get with the code.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (2 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and CardsDirect in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

7. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog giveaway linky and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

8. Post this on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, and/or StumbleUpon. (2 extra entries for each)

9. Comment on one of my regular (not giveaway) posts. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

10. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Tweet this: @finamoon: WIN 25 cards up to a $50 value @CardsDirect #giveaway http://bit.ly/bQr3rz (Daily Extras are Available)

12. Fan/Like CardsDirect on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

13. Follow CardsDirect on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 29, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. Only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Global Influence Network and CardsDirect for providing me with the codes for this giveaway and for my own code to redeem for twenty-five cards up to a $50 value at CardsDirect as a thank you for participating. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this campaign.

Wordless Wednesday Family Photo Christmas Cards

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