DIY Canvas

Pinterest...oh how I love thee!!!  While browsing Pinterest one day, I came across a picture that lead me HERE.  I followed the tutorial and created something I fell in love with!!

I was apprehensive about doing this project with my 12x18 prints I paid money for...and, these prints from a while ago printed out BEAUTIFULLY!! (FYI...for those in the area, I almost always use Kingwood Photo Lab for printing/enlargements!  They have never failed me...my prints always look great when printed there.)  So, I also had an 8x10 printed out to practice on. 

I bought my 12x16 canvases (I couldn't find 12x18) at Michael's...they were 40% off.  Used my already-printed photos to find scrapbooking paper that would match, both color and gender wise.  Bought Mod Podge in MATTE, sponge brushes, and had black paint and a paper cutter at home. 

The hardest part of this project was trimming down the photos.  My trimming wasn't perfect, but it was okay...the painting of the edges took care of those imperfections!  Who likes perfect anyway???  I did all 5 canvases in a couple of hours.  Love, love, love how they turned out!!

8x10 practice round

displayed on the wall in Cade's room

displayed on the wall in Drew's room

I'm sure I will be making more of these!  It's a great alternative ($ wise) to buying regularly printed canvases.  My 12x18 prints were $16.95 each, canvases were about $7 each.  Mod Podge isn't real cheap ($8.99), but goes a long way...I still have 1/2 a bottle left after doing all 5 canvases.  Scrapbooking paper is super cheap, and you only need approx one sheet. 

Happy crafting!!

Shootin' People

I'm working hard to get my photography business {Get a Glimpse Creations} up and moving again.  It's been a while, and I'm ready TO DO THIS!!  Please message me here or go here for more information!! 

I met some awesome families out at Mercer Arboretum this past Saturday.  It was a wee bit chilly, but the lighting was gorgeous.  Here are a few from that session....


First up, a lovely friend (from way back when...elementary school!!) and her precious family...

Next up, a special PREACHER and his family...this preacher happens to be the preacher of the church we attend...

And then there are these two cutie pies...a dear friend of mine that I've only known for a short while, shared her kiddos with me...

It was so nice to be able to have 3 photo shoots in one day, at one place!! 

Thanks to these families for allowing me to be your photographer!!

Photo Wall Continued...

Ahhhh...finally! I take so many pictures of my kiddos, but I don't print enlargements as much as I SHOULD! But, I fell in LOVE with these recent images and HAD to print them out to add to our GROWING photo wall (it now wraps around to the adjoining wall).

You may remember this photo from a while back...


and here is our photo wall TODAY...continuing around to the next wall...






The family picture was taken by a friend of mine (debraparkerdesign.com) and the two of the boys were taken on the same outing, but by yours truly...I know, you've seen these photos a lot lately, but here they are hanging on the walls of our home!

Details:

enlargements are 12X12 from shutterfly.com
frames are from Michael's @ $4.99/frame
wall stickers/quotes from Dollar Tree

This was a very inexpensive project...I think the prints were about $27 including shipping & handling. The stickers were purchased about 6 mos. ago (for $1)...I knew I wanted to incorporate them into our photo wall, but couldn't find that perfect spot for them until now.

This is the other corner of our office...I will continue to add pictures to the walls!

Cannizaro Family

Brrrr...I was really chilly out when we did this photo shoot! Everyone hung in there though, despite the cold!

Indiana Jones & Galveston, TX

So, what have the Maple boys been up to this summer?

Drew has way TOO much fun on a daily basis. He reminds me so much of Curious George. He wonders about how EVERYTHING works, tastes, feels, etc. Drew enjoys driving his trucks through powdered sugar (you know, you just dump the whole box of sugar on mom's new chair and its like your driving down a dusty dirt road). Drew also had a grand ole' time driving several of his trucks and cars through ORANGE paint! Yes, as I was painting their bedroom, I got a phone call that distracted me. I kept hearing this voice in the back of my mind saying, "Drew and orange paint. Drew and orange paint." The next thing I knew, I no longer heard the voice in the back of my mind, but the water running in the bathroom. It was then that I knew Drew was TOTALLY ENJOYING the ORANGE PAINT! Drew + Orange paint = DISASTER! Orange paint was EVERYWHERE! My fault, I know. But he still suffered the consequences! It was one of those moments where I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...so, I didn't do either. I yelled and screamed and then cleaned up what i could :). The room looks precious. I'll post pictures as soon as the curtains get hung.

Last summer I remember Cade always being dressed up in his Power Ranger gear. So much so that the neighbors knew him as "the little boy in the power ranger costume". It didn't matter to Cade that his suit had gotten a bit too short and a bit too snug for his growing body! This summer, Cade dresses up as Indiana Jones. He concocted the costume all on his own. Hence the short pants and the snug shirt...he got them from Drew's side of the closet. After finding pants and a shirt, Cade asked Daddy for a rope, had me button his shirt leaving the top 2 buttons undone, and asked me to roll up his sleeves. We eventually HAD to take a trip to Walmart to get a hat (this picture was taken before the hat came). So, here you have it...introducing Indiana Jones:


The boys and I, along with my mom and another friend, also enjoyed a day together in Galveston. We didn't go to the beach, but ate at Rainforest Cafe and then headed over to The Strand. They were SO WELL-BEHAVED! It was such a pleasant joy to get to spend the day with them! They put up with A LOT of shopping, picture taking, and girly stuff, without any complaints. I rewarded them by taking them to the candy/ice cream shop.

Cade chose licorice...

Drew chose gummy sharks...

Enjoying some candy and COLOR. I loved the look of these doors...

Sitting outside a boutique...

We're almost to the candy shop...
I was surprised to see this red phone booth...I thought I was in London, England for a second or 2.

Remember this photo shoot? Daddy and the boys came along for some fun, too. This is what Cade and Drew did while I completed the shoot... Hope you are having a FUN, EXCITING, & SAFE summer...we sure are!

The Final Countdown...

This photo session was given to this precious couple as a gift...what an awesome gift to give someone!! If you think you know someone you would love to give a photo session to, let me know and I can get you a gift certificate. Baby girl K* is on the way...

Summer, Summer, Summer time...

I was honored to take photos for my cousin's little girls...aren't they gorgeous! We met up at a little beach called El Jardin in Seabrook, TX. It is an excellent option if you want the beach scene, but don't want to travel all the way to Galveston. It is about a 45 minute commute from my house in Kingwood, rather than the 1.5 hr. commute to Galveston. Not to mention, I really fell in love with the added color from the green, flowy grass!

C*A*D*E & D*R*E*W

Since we were already downtown, I decided to look for some graffiti. I have been wanting to do a shoot with my boys and some really cool looking graffiti for a long time now. Finally, I was able to very quickly capture a few!


Drew Street...downtown Houston. Look at the band-aid on his toe :)
This will eventually be put on a large canvas and hung in their bedroom...