This time of year has been bringing back the memories of last year very vividly for me.
This time last year I was just days away from my husband returning from a year in Iraq. Days away from him being able to see our boys who were 4, 3, and 4 months old for the first time since his two weeks of leave four months earlier.
I had finished the Christmas shopping in October. The tree had been up since Thanksgiving. I was ready for Christmas to be here. Now. Because he would be home by Christmas they had said.
I’m usually a stickler for picking out the perfect Christmas card picture from our yearly family portraits but last year I didn’t have the chance…there were no family pictures in time for the holidays, our Christmas cards were a modge-podge collage of iPhone photos.
But a few days before Christmas we did get the family picture I most dreamed of, albeit a fuzzy iPhone one-the picture at the airstrip of a soldier greeting his family after a long year deployed.
This year I wanted pictures. Beautiful pictures. Pictures that included our youngest son at last. I found the photographer, booked the day.
I got my beautiful family pictures.
I was looking through my images on my laptop in the car lane waiting to pick up my oldest from Kindergarten last week…believe it or not I get a HUGE amount of work done in those twenty minutes in the car lane each afternoon! I pick up the school’s wi-fi on my laptop, pop a movie in the van’s dvd player for my younger two boys and get to work knocking out that to-do list. But I digress.
I was able to email my images directly to Snapbox. Seriously. Just email the picture to them and within a few minutes you get an email with a link to complete your order. No uploading, no waiting. You can even send in your Instagram photos.
Once I received my email I clicked the link and chose what size prints I wanted-they come printed on canvas and pre-framed. The smallest sizes-5 by 5 or 5 by 7- are under $10. I chose the 10 by 13. Not bad for a pre-framed canvas print!
Five days later the FedEx man dropped off my pictures. And I love them. Love.
The quality is fantastic and I love the shadowbox-like frame that comes already equipped with a sawtooth hanger.
I decided to gift the portrait of our entire family to my Dad. He’s been asking for new pictures all year and I think he’s going to love it. The other two I can’t part with-they’ll be joining my own gallery wall.
Do you want to win your own set of three Snapbox prints in the size of your choice (and free shipping!)? Just enter via the Rafflecopter widget below-I’ll announce a winner this Friday the 14th! a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Thanks for stopping by!
Follow along with The Happier Homemaker on
){kind=link}
Melissa, I have to tell you “YOU MADE MY DAY!!!!” Yesterday, was it’s typical rainy, cool and damp day here, but what was that package in the mailbox? It was the Magnolia leaves from you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You are just so sweet, sending them to me. After church this a.m., I plan on “digging” right in and making my wreath!!!
And the smell, from them being in the plastic bag – ohhhh, I can see myself right back in the south, where Magnolia’s are so beautiful and plentiful. The fact that my neighbor has one here in PA, is a mriacle… I can’t find the words to tell you how much it meant to me to receive them!!! Bless you for being you and helping to spread good cheer to all!
These turned out beautifully, I would have to gift them, I have no room left on my walls…
I love them! I think I would have to keep it if I won!
Your pictures look great Melissa – you have such an adorable and gorgeous family!! Love the idea of getting these for yourself for the holidays or gifting!
Heather recently posted..It’s Party Time 12-09-2012, Link Up
Great job….what a bunch of cuties. =)
Beautiful Family. Enjoy your holiday Seaon
sarah k recently posted..DIY Advent Calender
Definitely a keeper!
Sometimes, my favorite pictures aren’t the “perfect” ones and I think you picked perfectly for these canvases … SO cool!
keri @ shaken together recently posted..{love this} gingerbread fondue family night with Velata
I think these are fabulous and I know exactly what picture I would send if I win! Thanks for the opportunity!
Ann recently posted..Homespun Christmas Link Party ~ Doors and Wreaths
I tweeted but I don’t know how to get the URL to the tweet. Sorry…just wanted you to know!
Ann recently posted..Homespun Christmas Link Party ~ Doors and Wreaths
I can’t decide if I would keep it because we need some updated pics or if I would give to my parents as a Christmas gift…undecided.
your postings are taking longer and longer to load because of all the ads, and then your postings turn out to be ads also. congratulations on your success so that you are being approached to do these, but it really does take away, for me at least, from your posts.
Betty recently posted..Kitchen Curtain — Burlap Valance
I am so sorry Betty that my posts are taking a long time to load for you-I’m going to look into that asap because they seem to load quickly for me. Are you using Internet Explorer or a different browser?
I’ll figure out if I can improve it.
I know I have had sponsored posts lately but I appreciate your understanding as I recently blogged about how my baby caused a flood in our home that cost us $1K in the deductible. I am trying to contribute to the family funds however I can while continuing to stay true to my readers. I appreciate your understanding and feedback!
Those are so beautiful, Melissa! I hope to add some to a gallery wall very soon!!!
Gwen recently posted..Peace On Earth {Printable Art}
love these canvases!!!
Amy Renea recently posted..3 Ways to Gift Canvas PhotoArt and Photographs with SNAPBOX
I really love these! They are such a great price. It might be fun to spell something out and hang it on the wall! I have the letters of my name from an old rusty sign that I use as my cover photo on my facebook page. I might just have them put on canvas to hang in my studio!
lucy recently posted..DIY Food Labels for a Party
I’d love these for family gifts.
If I won, I would keep it!!
I’d be keeping!
I would keep it for myself!
I wpuld gift this to my mom
I would probably gift it.
With 3 prints I’d keep one, and gift one each to my parents and my in-laws. Love this!
Probably keep – maybe gift one to grandparents if feeling generous.
I would definitely keep them
Hilary recently posted..Pearl West Feather Earrings Giveaway
i would love to give these as a gift
I would gift them!
I would keep them! I have to jazz up my empty walls!
I would keep them! Our wedding is June 8th of this year and I’d love to frame some of our photos.
Oh I would keep them! So neat! I have some fall pictures we took of Carter this fall playing in the leaves…they would be perfect for this! Oh just love it!
I’d keep it. They’re beautiful!
I’d keep it.
I’d keep it.
I would definitely keep these for myself! I have lots of pictures of our newborn baby that need to be printed & framed!!
Can one ever have too many framed pictures on the wall? I love them! I would be giving these away for Christmas though….grandparents would love it!
Liz recently posted..Melissa and Doug Terrific Twenty List and Giveaway!
I’d Keep them for myself. I love pictures, but I just may give them to g-ma for Christmas.
I would like to keep them
I’d use these for gifts.
I would probably keep them, but I might gift them to my mom.
Hmmmm. I’d want to keep them but I might feel a little guilty. I’d probably gift them to my mother or mother-in-law.
I’d keep them
keep it!
I’d probably keep these to have some nice framed pictures of my family!
Would be wonderful for pictures of the kids!!!
I would keep them for my family
Gift to the hubby but keep them in the house!
I would gift it… to my mom who has everything and does not need ot have any wants! I would do it with my 3 kiddos! Thanks for the chance!
I would gift them
I’d keep one and give two using photos from our daughter’s wedding on 11-10-12!
I would keep it
BusyWorkingMama recently posted..Enjoying Cabo San Lucas, Mexico #WW
Money is tight this year so I would probably gift it. Maybe…
I would keep it!!!!!
I would keep it
I’m afraid I’d have to keep this.
I would keep it
I would probably keep them!
I would keep them
I would keep them. I already got the grandparents framed prints for Christmas, so these would go in our hallway.
i would actually gift these to my mother in law who needs and loves pictures of our kids/family.
I would gift them.
I would have to keep these!
I would keep them
I would keep it.
i would give these to my daughter and she would treasure them
I would keep for myself.
both keep and gift
I think I’d give it as a gift to my parents!
keep
I would give them to my mom to hang in our living room! She’d love them.
I’d definitely be keeping it.
Ashley recently posted..Some News
id keep it
I’d keep one but gift the others….we don’t have kids yet, and we only need so many pictures of us. Ha.
Would love to gift them to the grandparents or my sister of pics of my kids! But might have to keep them for us. I could keep one and gift the others!
I’d keep on, give one to my FIL & 1 to my Daughter – pics of the Grands!!!((HollyC) Thanks for the chance….
keep it for sure
I’d keep one and give the others to grandparents.
I’d keep them! I love pictures on my walls!
depends on if I can get stuff done up before Christmas day
Give it to my sister in law who is getting married in June!
I would keep these! They would be perfect for my new wedding photos!
Congrats in your wedding and good luck with the giveaway, thanks for entering!
We would probably keep it.
I have a long hallway where there is pictures hung of all the family. When I have family get togethers they always check the wall to see if there is a new picture. I would keep this gift but would share it with the rest of my family by adding to the wall
I would keep them!
I would probably keep one and give one away!
I would keep! Thanks.
Lisa recently posted..October Books and Movies
I think I would probably create three photos to hang in my daughter’s room, so I’d be giving them away.
I would keep them! I’m a little obsessive with pictures…
I would give as a gift to my coworker Karen.
I would keep these for myself – 1 with a picture of each of my boys!
Jennifer Crum recently posted..Last Minute Quick DIY Gift Ideas
Iwould make a wedding photo into one
Your story made me cry.You have a beautiful family. God Bless you all. Please tell your husband Thank you for protecting his country.
I have 2 canvas’ and I’m so addicted to these wonderful pictures. I’d keep it for myself. I already know what pics I’d put on them. Thank you for the awesome giveaway!
I’d gift them!
I’d gift them to the grandparents!
Definitely gift it!
I would keep it.
I would keep it.
I would keep them…