Canvas Factory Giveaway!! *ended*

I love taking pictures.  I have so many prints that are waiting to go into scrapbooks.  But some of my favorites get put into frames so I can enjoy them daily.  I also love to have my favorite shots turned into canvas prints.  There is something special about turning your 4x6 photo into a beautiful canvas for your wall.

So....I'm excited to be working with Canvas Factory for another giveaway!

Their website makes it so easy to order your canvas.  Just pick the size you want, upload your photo (from your laptop, phone, Insta, FB, Dropbox or Flickr) and voila - you'll have your beautiful, high-quality canvas in days! The process couldn't get any easier.

The canvas on the bottom normally hangs in my son's room, but I moved it here to show both canvases. 

Close up of the latest canvas on the bottom! 

The two canvases in my pictures are both from Canvas Factory.  The top one is my kids on my daughter's graduation day.  The one resting on the mantle is the latest one I've ordered.  It is of my son and two great friends he met at the Duke TIP summer program last year.  I had to cover the girls' faces since I don't have permission to share them with the world, but you can still see the fantastic quality of the print.  The photo that was used for the canvas was taken on my iPhone, no fancy camera or anything!

I love the quality of my Canvas Factory canvases, and the care they take in shipping them.  It was packaged so carefully and I received it in perfect condition.

Canvas Factory is giving one of my readers their own canvas, too! Just enter through Rafflecopter below and stay tuned to see who wins!!
(I have a new IG so be sure to follow the new one as one of your entries, too!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Review ~ Stone Mountain Lasershow Spectacular in Laservision!

Last Thursday we were invited to attend the premiere of the brand new Lasershow Spectacular at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta.  I've lived in Atlanta since 4th grade, grew up going to the park, and I have been to many, many Lasershows since it started more than 25 years ago! I was very excited to see this new production in Mountainvision!!

Unfortunately, Katie had an exam early the next morning, so she had to miss this.  David chose to miss the last day of school so he could see the Lasershow.  Being seven, he didn't miss much - they have a picnic and play a lot!  So Randy, David & I set out on a stormy night for the 40 mile trip to Stone Mountain. 

Stuck at Spaghetti Junction, trying to get on 285! Rush hour + storms = delays!!

 

Our view for dinner ~ sweet!

Delicious cupcakes ~ sweet ending to dinner!

Despite the rain and storms, we got there about 7 pm and checked in.  We ate dinner out on the Terrace (luckily it was covered, because the rain kept coming and going!)  Then we enjoyed some delicious cupcakes while waiting for the darkness to fall.   Kids played on the terrace, and it was a nice, relaxing way to spend the evening!

Finally, the lasershow began at about 9:30 pm! It's not completely new, but that is good.  The fan favorites of Stone Mountain's Lasershow are still here:  Dixie, Sweet Home Alabama, Georgia on My Mind, and other favorites are still played much to the delight of the hometown crowd.   But there are fabulous new additions.  The new, state-of-the-art, multi-dimensional show is amazing!  Watch the mountain open up, and turn into an erupting volcano! Or watch pieces of it "crumble" and fall to the ground.  It's really something to see!  The fireworks were so beautiful, and it was truly an inspiring, feel good show.  We loved it.  It's a little over 40 minutes long, which is just about perfect!

See my little D's head? He sat in front of us and clapped so hard - he can't wait to go back and see the Lasershow Spectacular again!

I never got a truly good shot of the gorgeous fireworks, but here is another attempt!

Here are some facts about this amazing new show:

• The Lasershow is free with $10 vehicle admission to the park.  Or buy a $35 parking pass good for the entire year!
• Mountainvision is four to five times the size of an IMAX screen, taller than the Statue of Liberty!
• Seeing the show in Mountainvision is similar to owning a 5500 inch high definition tv!
• Mountainvision is included in all parts of the show, but there is one section of the show that really shows off the new technology - the volcano, ice cave, and skyline section! It's really, really fun!
• There are some all-time favorite music medleys, along with some new!
• Heroes Salute is a tribute to everyday heroes
• Georgia Artists showcases our fabulous homegrown artists - Sugarland, The Allman Brothers, The Zac Brown Band, REM and more
• The Devil Went Down to Georgia - need I say more?! : )
• An American Trilogy - Elvis segment where the beautiful Mountain Carving comes to life!

And here are some facts about Stone Mountain and the park:

• It's the world's largest exposed piece of granite, home to the world's largest relief sculpture. 
• The carving features three Civil War figures: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, & Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and their horses. 
• The carving measures 90 feet tall, 190 feet wide, and is 11 feet deep.  It spans three acres, and is larger than Mt. Rushmore!
• Stone Mountain Park is Georgia's most popular attraction, and one of the top historical attractions in the U.S.!

Other attractions to see at the Park include:

• Crossroads - a village of shops, restaurants and activities!
• Yogi Bear 4D Adventure - new for 2011, this is a 12 minute experience with 3D film and 4D special effects!
• Mini-Golf - 18 holes of fun!
• Paddlewheel Riverboat - 150 passenger authentic paddlewheel boat cruises Stone Mountain Lake
• Ride the Ducks Siteseeing Adventure - the only place in Georgia you can ride the Ducks!
• Scenic Railroad - fullsize 1940's locomotive with open-air cars takes you on a five mile excursion around the mountain
• SkyHike - a treetop adventure course!
• Summit Skyride - high-speed Swiss Cable Car takes you to the top of the mountain for stunning views - on a clear day you can see for more than 40 miles! 

There are also hiking trails, picnic areas, lodging and camping areas!  The park is open from 6 am until midnight daily!  Access to Stone Mountain's natural areas is free with parking admission.  There are options for annual passes, day passes and more - check out http://www.stonemountainpark.com/ for all of the details!

The park now offers VIP Terrace seating, with snack or casual dining options.  Reservations can be made online at http://www.stonemountainpark.com/.  The new laser show runs nightly now through August 7 at 9:30 pm.  August 13, 20 & 27 it runs Saturdays only.


Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post.  We did receive free admission to the park, plus dinner with my family to view the premiere of the new Lasershow Spectacular.  This review is my honest opinion of the show, and I would have said the same thing whether we had to pay to see the show or not - it was fabulous!!

Very proud mama!!

Yesterday was a great day.  We took both kiddos to my husband's office down in Atlanta for a very special Artists Reception.  Both our kids submitted drawings to a Christmas card contest his office sponsored back in October.  David drew a really cute mantle & Christmas tree scene, and Katie drew a lovely pastel church on a black background with a full moon shining above, and snow everywhere.  And lo and behold, she won the grand prize!! Her drawing was selected to be the company's Christmas card this year, going out to vendors, customers and others.  David didn't win for his age, but the company still honors each artist at the reception.

First the kids had their pictures taken in front of a large board that had all of the pictures mounted on it.  They received name tags that had a color copy of their drawing on it too.  We joined the other families in the office's cafeteria for a delicious light lunch of Zaxby's chicken fingers, veggies, and Christmas treats.  Then it was time for the awards.  Katie was called up first, she received a savings bond and a $100 gift card to Target.  She also got her original drawing matted and framed ~ so lovely!! And of course, 25 copies of her Christmas card, which credits her inside, and has my husband's name as well - he is very proud!! We met the company's President, who congratulated Katie for winning and thanked my husband for having the kids participate.   Soon it was time for David's name to be called.  He was very happy to receive a $10 Target gift card, which he will totally spend on books! That boy loves to read!

Katie with her winning pastel drawing. 

DH missed getting a shot of David getting his certificate & gift card, but he did get Katie clapping! ; ) Luckily, the company photographer took pics, hopefully we'll get copies!

Before we left, we went downstairs to the Children's Christmas party his office was hosting right after the reception.  David got his face painted, made spin art, a pinecone Christmas tree, decorated cookies, got a doggie shaped balloon from a clown, plus they each got a fantastic goody bag that had lots of Christmas silly bandz, which both kids (yes, the 16 year old AND the seven year old!) LOVE!!

Decorating sugar cookies - yummmmmmm!

Katie's yummo cookie!

David's face painting - run gingerbread man, run!

It was a great day.  I was very proud that both kids participated, that both kids used their creativity to create their drawings, and that Katie won! This was her first time entering, and David's second time.   I have to tell you, both kids can't wait to enter again next Fall!!

My kiddos - they are my life, and my heart!! (this is last year's Christmas picture - I'd better get busy on this year's!!)

And Randy & I are so very blessed to have these two sweet, talented, loving & amazing kids.
Thankful, thankful, thankful.  Thanks for letting me brag on them!!

Kitchen Memories

I've been doing a lot of work in the kitchen lately, what with counters being painted, walls prepped, etc. This little recipe box is one I see many times a day, and I've become so used to it being a part of my kitchen.



It belonged to my Grandmother. She died in 1994, exactly one month before my beautiful Katie was born. She was 86. My Dad brought it to me about six years ago, before he moved to Charlotte. It means so much to me to have and use this special little box of memories. I love the vintage graphics on it, and the pastels that were quite the rage when this box was new.

Inside, I've added many of my own recipes. But I'm rather lazy about them. I prefer to cut them from magazines, or print them off the web. Handwriting them is a pain to me!





It is so special to me to have so many recipes Grandmother wrote out. And to see that she was just like me, cutting them from the paper or a magazine!





I love these two - one from my Mom in her handwriting (Taco Salad), and one from Grandmother, (Chicken Corn Chowder) in her handwriting. They shared a love of cooking and often shared recipes through the mail. Seeing my Grandmother's handwriting brings back so many memories.
 



Grandmother was quite the entertainer. I have several gelatin molds she used for fancy-schmancy molded salads at her bridge luncheons. Check out this recipe...


Frankly, I'm glad those have gone out of vogue! Not a fan of gelatin, y'all!


Here are a few more:


And here is one from an English great-great-great Aunt!



I don't use most of the recipes in Grandmother's recipe box, but I can't bear to part with them, either. Just knowing they are there is comforting to me!

So now I'm curious. Where do you keep your treasured recipes?  Who gave you your most treasured recipe?