Posts Tagged ‘cool stuff’

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Contrast

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

I don’t know why I love these canvases so much, but I do.  I’ve always been partial to black and white photography…but a little flash of color can make a canvas something different and fun!  These twin sisters, Emma and Izabel, will love long this heirloom far  into adulthood!    Their mother, Laura, told us when she ordered the canvas that it was taken at their first visit to a pumpkin patch. “The service was excellent and the canvas was even better!: she added.    

Darren also used similar contrast with this photo turned to canvas of his two children.  “It was taken on a cool December day in the prayer garden outside of preschool. We were trying to get a nice Christmas picture with both kids looking at us at the same time, which was no small task.  The final canvas surpassed my expectations!  Thanks!”   

Dyan had two very old black and white photos.  She told us “they were of my husband’s father from his days in Mexico in a mariachi band.  We had red added to the bowties for effect and had them enlarged to 18 x 24. The canvases turned out beautiful. We are so happy to have these memories preserved in such a fantastic way. Thanks for all your help with this project!”

At Canvas on Demand, we have always believed that our best teachers are our customers!  How creative!  How fun!  So here’s an idea for all of us to consider when we want a canvas with a spicy little twist.  Mom

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Here’s to Vacations!

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Today I am celebrating one of the most amazing vacations of my life.  It has lasted 5 months, covered 21 countries, and extended more than 30,000 miles.  It was a trip of a lifetime, backpacking around the world! I am writing this post from Quito, Ecuador.  Tomorrow I return home.  As I was preparing to write a post for the Canvas on Demand website, I saw three canvases that I found quite exciting, because they are images that I to saw during my around the world trek.  

The first is an image of one of my favorite countries, Iceland.  Daniel captured a great shot of Goðafoss, or Gods Waterfall, an Icelandic water source into which all the ancient Scandinavian god statues were cast when Iceland became a Christian country in 1000 AD. He told us that this image was one of a series of photographs taken and later stitched together to create a panoramic scene.  It’s a spectacular and powerful canvas, Daniel.  I also appreciate your comments posted on our testimonial site:  “Canvas on Demand not only did a superb job of creating this panoramic pictorial with panache, they expertly shipped the long package (52″) all the way to Hawai’i without a scratch. (Looking forward to seeing frames for the “odd” sizes.) Overall amazing job COD Gang!” 

Colonia, Uruguay

Now on a much more peaceful and serene note is Victoria’s 10th anniversary photo that we turned to a lovely canvas.  It captures the quaintness of Colonia, Uruguay.  I was there last month, and this brings back fond memories.  Did you also have a cup of mate’ while you were there, Victoria? 

Finally, Murni’s canvas of Machu Picchu in Peru is striking.  She tells us that it captures the ancient ruins during a morning fog.  I saw the same surreal fog when I was there just last week.   Beautiful!

Machu Picchu in morning fog!

 

Well, my long and remarkable vacation is about to come to an end, but perhaps yours is jut beginning.  It’s summer time and vacation time…and it’s a beautiful world out there.  So start snapping away on your next vacation.  You never know which memory will end up hanging of the wall of your home or office.  Mom

Iceland Waterfall

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More Than Vintage

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Our Customer Showcase has several categories like Family, Kids, Nature, Vacation, but the one that draws me most often, is the one titled Vintage.  Ok, I admit it; I can be pretty nostalgic and reflective.

Rosa's Typewriter

And I love recalling the past and noting how things have changed.  So it’s no wonder that I am delighted at how our customers can put a twist on the theme.  Take Rosa for example, who tells us simply:  “A personal photograph of our old typewriter.  And Canvas on Demand wowed with great quality!”  That canvas is wonderful and edgy and retro!  I love it, Rosa.  Please tell us where you will hang it.

I also think you will enjoy this melancholy one by Kyle.  It certainly grabbed my attention.  “This photo pays homage to my late grandfather and his favorite cocktail. The day I received the news, I decided to made myself a Manhattan in honor of Grandpa, and while I was sipping on it, I had a vision of this scene. After taking this photograph and having it printed on canvas, I think the Manhattan has become my favorite cocktail too.”  What a touching way to honor your grandfather.  It made me wonder what I would combine and photograph in memory of the dear ones in my life.  Perhaps they aren’t with me anymore…but the canvas would serve as a reminder.  Thanks for a great idea, Kyle.  He also wrote a testimonial: “Your website is very easy to use and, more importantly, the finished product looks exactly like what I imagined, which is no small feat. I’m very satisfied and have already recommended Canvas on Demand to my friends.”  Kyle, I think your grandfather is smiling!

Honoring his grandfather

And I had to share this one with our readers, especially the women.  Anthea told us: The photo was shot in 1977 at the Winton Place along Lake Erie at a hair show that my husband, Scott, held for fellow stylists. The hair was cut in front of an audience and photographed at the show. Canvas on Demand did a terrific job and we had the front view of the photo done also. They hang side by side in our hair salon in Beachwood, Ohio: Full-Circle-Studio. What fun!  Thanks for sharing this story with us, Anthea. Those are two stimulating pieces that you are using commercially and bringing lots of smiles and memories to your customers at the same time. 

 

Vintage, Commercial, and FUN!

If you want to take a stroll down memory lane—and get some great ideas for your own canvases—visit our Vintage Showcase by clicking the following link.  Mom  http://www.canvasondemand.com/showcase/vintage/1/

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A Little Bird Told Me

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Quote: God loved birds and invented trees. Man loved birds and invented cages. Jacques Deval 

I enjoy birds, especially in the wild.  And obviously, many of our Canvas on Demand customers do as well.  I was just on the Southeastern coast of Iceland, and though I tried, I wasn’t able to see any of the strikingly bright puffins, so this canvas by one of our customers named Brooke, caught my attention.  

Brooke's Puffin

She told us:  “The photo is one of many taken on the Southeastern Coast of Iceland. Puffins are very photo friendly. My granddaughter liked this one. And Canvas on Demand never fails to impress me and my family. The ordering process, shipping and of course the quality or work is excellent!”  Brooke, he is spectacular sitting so proudly on that cliff!  

So Brooke’s canvas inspired me to start looking for other canvases of wild birds, and I came across a colorful image by Jason taken in Costa Rica.  “While vacationing in Costa Rica with my family this past January. I was able to capture many great photos of Flora and Fauna. I was actually shot this photo more for the Heliconia plant, because my wife is a florist and loves working with tropical varieties. Then out of nowhere, this green throat Hummingbird flew in for its portrait, making for this great canvas, I heard of CanvasAnd thanks to you, Jason, for sharing this wonderful testimonial and awesome canvas with us.  

Jason's Surprise

on Demand through Groupon Orlando, when they ran a great canvas special. I would highly recommend Canvas on Demand to pro and novice photographers alike. Thanks Canvas on Demand.” 

Then finally, I came upon Mary Lou’s canvas from a photo she took in her secret place.  “Ssshhh. It’s my “secret” place in Delray Beach, Florida, where there is an amazing variety of birds .I don’t want the whole world to know about this fabulous nature preserve called Wakodatchee.  Also, this is my second canvas done by you. You make me feel like I’m an artist with my photograph turned into a beautiful piece of art. I’ve been getting so many compliments on my first canvas art and I’m sure this will also.” 

Mary Lou, we won’t tell a single soul about your secret place!  But you never know…a little bird might tell them!  Mom

Mary Lou's Secret Place

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Grandchildren, Flowers, and Summer

Monday, June 13th, 2011

Grandchildren and flowers and summer go together beautifully.  And these canvases prove it.

Texas Wildflowers

Judy snapped this one in a field of Texas wildflowers.  “It’s my granddaughter.  “A friend told me about Canvas on Demand.   I loved this picture and had it put on canvas for her mother’s  birthday. She loved it. I couldn’t believe the service.  Not only were you very friendly but you offered discounts.  The delivery time was unbelievable too–5 days from order to receipt. The quality is wonderful.” 

A customer named Elenor sent us a photo of her two grandsons.  “Loden was 3 ½ and Reece was 1 ½.  It was taken in the spring when the flowers were in bloom.  It had so much color, and the boys were touching the flowers.  The service was a 10!” 

Teresa told us: “This is my granddaughter, Landyn Juliet! We took her to this garden, and she had a great time.  See the twinkle in her eyes. I loved this photo of her, and thought it would make a good canvas.  Ordering was easy, and I was able to send the photo file directly to Canvas On Demand. Once they began work on my order, they determined that a different format would be better suited for my picture. They upgraded this work complementary. The canvas arrived in perfect condition and with excellent packaging. I will definitely use your company again.

Grandmothers, are you inspired?  Now grab that camera and those precious grandkids and head to the garden.  The flowers are in bloom!  Mom

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An Alpaca, a Dog, and a Cockatoo Named Kiya

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

I have learned that I just can’t go wrong posting an article about pets.  Just look at the faces on these pet canvases! 

Kelly asked us to make a canvas of her “am amazing little boy alpacas named, Gandolf.”  Just look at all that beautiful fleece!   Her husband used photoshop to give the image some interesting layers.  She and her hubby raise these great animals in Utah.  If you want to know more, she says you can search on the web for Acres Wild Alpacas.  She also said that she “absolutely LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her canvas.  We order with you with complete and utter confidence. You do a wonderful job! “

Henri

And don’t you love this little guy?  Bradley, our customer, told us that this is simply, “Henri in one of his finer moments!”  Enough said; the canvas says the rest!

And then Pam’s order caught my attention too.  “This is my Black Palm Cockatoo, Kiya, who is 1 1/2 yrs old.  I had her beak fully shaded black like it will be as an adult bird. She is a very sweet bird.  She talks, sings, and dances. Canvas on Demand did her to perfection.   I’m so satisfied with this beautiful piece of art.  You are very professional and I loved the very fast service.   I am working on my next photo to send you right now.”

I love her, Pam.  Can you teach her to say Canvas on Demand?  Mom

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Heroes and She-roes

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Our young people look up to us. Let us not let them down. Our young people need us. Saving them will make heroes of us all. Gale Sayers

We all need heroes.  Sometimes they are a famous football player or a popular actress or a super hero…and sometimes they are someone right in our own family.  Marcia told us about her’s…

Here’s the love of my life on his 3rd tour to Iraq. I’m so very proud of all that he does every time he’s away. He’s truly our hero and my one true love.

Christopher snapped a great photo of several Philadelphia Highway Patrolmen who were keeping watch over 4th of July festivities in Philly. “I liked their blue shirts against the beige

background and figured it would make for a great addition to my apartment. Your service was super fast and you have a great awareness of how photos will look on a canvas surface.  The finished piece looks awesome!”

Look at this canvas to the left.  Now that little girl sure knows who her hero is!

But, of course, not all heroes are men.

Maya Angelo says our world has heroes and she-roes!  When you look at the canvas to the right, you can see a little boy who sees a she-ro in his mom, Kirsten.

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Come Follow Me Around this Small World

Friday, February 25th, 2011

I have never posted a re-run of one of my blog articles, but today it seems appropriate. My entry here last week explained that I am about to depart on a six-month backpacking trip around the world, and I promised to give you all the details of my personal blog so that you can follow the trip.  Well,here it is.  Just click here to go to the website–http://fullcircletrek.com.   Please subscribe so that I can see some of our wonderful Canvas on Demand customers on the site…and so that you can get regular updates of my adventure!  And while you’re on the site, make a comment so I know who you are!

I will be traveling with a friend from Chicago who is also a woman in her mid-60s.  As sojourners on this adventure, we will visit more than twenty countries and traverse nearly 30,000 miles.  Yes, if you’re doing the math correctly, that is 5,000 miles more than the actual circumference of planet earth.  And let me emphasize that this will NOT be a vacation.  No fine restaurants, comfy hotels, or suitcases on wheels.  We will travel on the proverbial shoestring. The packs flung over our shoulders will contain only the essentials, and at day’s end, we will be reminded that home is where we unfold our bedrolls.  We are preparing physically and emotionally to have our bodies, our patience, and our perseverance stretched to the limits.  We will eat food we won’t recognize and often sleep like sardines in backpacker bunkhouses alongside fellow-adventurers of every stripe and from every corner of the globe. 

So in preparation for our departure this coming Tuesday, I am posting a re-run of one of my favorite “On-the-Road-with-Mom” entries below. These images and these customers will serve as an inspiration to me as I snap away for the next six months.  The article is titled:  It’s A Small World…

When you hang a spectacular canvas of shot you took in some far-flung corner of the globe, you realize that it is, indeed, a small world, after all.

Consider this canvas belonging to Michael from Gold Canyon, Arizona.  He explained that he took this wonderful image a few years ago during a trip to Papua, New Guinea.  “We were able to visit a Huli tribe in the Highlands region. Some of the men commit to growing out their hair for 18 months to 2 years in order to make a ceremonial headgear known as a wig. Thus they are called Huli Wigmen and the wigs are worn during ceremonies. This photo shows a Wigman with exotic feathers adorning his wig, preparing his face paint for a ceremony.

And here’s another one belonging to Belle, a customer from California.  Her co-worker took the photo from inside the tour bus in a rural region of China.  “That co-worker highly recommended Canvas on Demand, so we decided to give you a try. We were extremely satisfied with the final product and the personalized attention your crew gave us. They notified us right way after receiving the picture file to let us know that a customized size would be a better choice…and they were absolutely right!  The end product was just beautiful. THANK YOU.”

Here’s another canvas belonging to Belle, a customer from California.  Her co-worker took the photo from inside the tour bus in a rural region of China.  “That co-worker highly recommended Canvas on Demand, so we decided to give you a try. We were extremely satisfied with the final product and the personalized attention your crew gave us. They notified us right way after receiving the picture file to let us know that a customized size would be a better choice…and they were absolutely right!  The end product is just beautiful. THANK YOU.”

How small the world can become when you incorporate pieces of it into your personal living space or office!  Mom

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On the Road with Mom Again. REALLY on the Road!

Saturday, February 19th, 2011

I love traveling to visit many of our Canvas on Demand customers, gathering the stories behind their canvases, and reporting those stories to our readers via this blog. Well, I suppose the simple truth is that I just enjoy all of you very much–our staff and our customers. And OK, I admit it, I LOVE to travel too!   I am posting today to tell you that I’m about to “hit the road” again–but this time in a major way.  A longtime friend from Chicago and I are putting on our small backpacks with only two changes of clothes and taking off on a six-month trek around the world. Really!

We are both women in our mid-sixties and have decided that this is a trip that shouldn’t be put off.  We are calling our adventure “Full Circle.”  While I am away, I will continue posting about your amazing canvases, but I will occasionally update you all on my travels too. When we return in September, Canvas on Demand will create 24 canvases from our best photos and that collection will become a traveling exhibit.  I will inform you of those venues when the time comes.

We leave the States on March 1st.  Before we depart I will share our Full Circle website (which is now under construction), so you can follow us if you like.  As sojourners on this adventure, we will visit more than twenty countries and traverse nearly 30,000 miles.  Yes, if you’re doing the math correctly, that is 5,000 miles more than the actual circumference of planet earth.  And let me emphasize that this will NOT be a vacation.  No fine restaurants, comfy hotels, or suitcases on wheels.  We will travel on the proverbial shoestring. The packs flung over our shoulders will contain only the essentials, and at day’s end, we will be reminded that home is where we unfold our bedrolls.  We are preparing physically and emotionally to have our bodies, our patience, and our perseverance stretched to the limits.  We will eat food we won’t recognize and often sleep like sardines in backpacker bunkhouses alongside fellow-adventurers of every stripe and from every corner of the globe.  We will rely on hand-gestures and maps when language skills fail us, and we will trust our instincts regarding confusing currency that will change with each destination.

I am sure we will be threatened by unforeseen dangers and disheartened by challenges beyond our control.  But we know our lives will be inextricably changed and our visions broadened as we draw into closer relationship with our global brothers and sisters.  We want to witness creation and life beyond what we have yet experienced.  We are going now while we are still physically able and while many countries still welcome us.  A world of mountains and plateaus and oceans and fjords and canyons and deserts and rain forests await us.  We will see an abundance of wildlife from polar bears, puffin, and whales within the Arctic Circle to blue-footed boobies, miniature penguins, and marine iguanas in the Galapagos Islands.  We have arranged rare nights aboard a junk in Indochina while looking forward to a few days of reflection at a mountaintop Buddhist Temple in Japan.  We will travel by many modes, including bamboo rafts and elephants and camels.  And we will straddle the equator with each foot planted in a different hemisphere and point out the Southern Cross on clear star-studded nights.

We both have our cameras ready to snap any surprises that come our way.   After all, that is a lesson I’ve learned from all of you!  Mom

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Today is 1-11-11…so pick ONE and begin!

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Today is 1-11-11.  Isn’t that a perfect time to launch ONE of your New Year’s Resolutions?

If home redecorating, reorganizing, or updating is on the 2011 list, we suggest you THINK BIG.  We’re talking really BIG!  Take a tour of Great Big Canvas, one of our online departments at Canvas on Demand.  You’ll find an amazingly eclectic collection of beautiful and LARGE canvas prints of spectacular skylines, sunsets, beachscapes—panoramic images of anything you can imagine, from animals to fantastic trains to beautiful gardens.   In short, no matter what you are looking for, if you love art and enjoy thinking big, think Great Big Canvas, your source for large wall art!

Not only can you choose the size, you can also choose how you want it stretched or framed and whether you want one panel, two panels, or three.  I’ll give you just a sampling here.  Just imagine this spectacular 60 X40 blue butterfly on birch!

Or what about this amazing and colorful display of hot air balloons in New Mexico?  You can order it up to 60 X 30 for that area in your home or office that is shouting for something BIG and BEAUTIFUL and COLORFUL.

And when it comes to landscapes, our selection is outstanding.  One of my favorite landscapes (because I’m headed that direction in a few months) is this one below of Patagonia.

There is even a category to choose from called tiny landscapes.  This peacock feather is an example of our many striking macro images.  I’m showing it off here in both a single panel and a triple panel.

It’s 1-1-11, time to pick ONE of those home decorating resolutions and get started by clicking here for a grand tour of Great Big Canvas…www.greatbigcanvas.com.  Mom

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