Pixel2Canvas - What's Up Duck?

Do You DigiScrap? This is for YOU!!!

2009-07-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Just in case you didn't know, my background is as a graphic artist - and CB's is as a shooter. I've been using images for YEARS to create press-printed products, and he's been shooting those images for me to use!

When the twins were born, I quit my job as the Graphics Department Manager for Marsh & McLellan to start the most important job of my life - raising my kidlets. Now, with Pixel2Canvas & MyArt4Home, I've been able to keep my chops up in the design areas - and have been bitten by a new bug - DigiScrapping.

Royanna Fritschmann is the brains behind Divine Digital - one of my FAVORITE sites for digiscrappin' files. It's because of HER that I had to go out and buy a 1.5 TB drive!!

Royanna's ENTIRE STORE is on sale - thru July 31! Over 550+ Products available! Get all of her commercial and personal use items -for one low price!

If you design cards for your customers - canvas templates - or just do fun stuff for yourself and your family - these are files that EVERYONE can use!!

BONUS! Buy her store and get Wetfish Designs Entire store for FREE! She's got some of the coolest overlays you've ever SEEN!

Thank you VERY MUCH for heading over to Divine Digital and checking out her store - for $25.00 you will be SO very glad you did!

------------------Roxanne

Walter Goes To Woodstock

2009-07-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know, but one of our very good friends is Walter Ducket. You can find him at www.whattheduck.net. Since HE is a photographer duck, and our "thing" is sending out rubber ducks with every canvas purchase, we've become very good friends.

When he learned that we were planning a trip to Woodstock, he wanted IN on that trip! Seems that his dad knew the dove that modeled for the poster. But we won't get into that story right now. *grin*

On the day we visited, the weather was LOVELY - beautiful blue skies with white puffy clouds. The grass was electric green, lovingly manicured, and everything was fresh and clean. NOT like the rain & mud-soaked Woodstock Aquarian Music Festival of nearly 40 years ago.

One thing that struck me - that I never really thought of - is in that 9 short years - between 1960 and 1969 - how the temper of our music changed so radically - and how it voiced the burgeoning youth of our nation. From sweet "boy meets girl" danceable tunes to folk music to wicked electric guitar - Crazy man! And of course, all of this is inbetween The Bay of Pigs, The Berlin Wall, Cold War, Segregation and Viet Nam.

And over 400,000 people gathered together in the rain for 3 days - and got along just fine.

What does this have to do with canvas? Nothing. Nothing at all. But like my son says - "Peace and love man, peace and love." Can you dig it? I urge you to hit the link in the post below and at least tour the Bethel Woods Woodstock Museum website - so much of our recent history - which grew SO QUICKLY - you'll find ties to there.

Yes, we'll have more pics shortly. The place is HUGE!!! But for now, just have fun with Walter and us.

-----Roxanne

Woodstock was a GAS!!!

2009-07-08T09:45:00.001-07:00

This past weekend when we were in White Lake, NY, we had the chance to visit the Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods. You can click that for the link - it's REALLY cool - and I highly suggest you take a look!

You aren't supposed to take pictures - but of course, I snapped a few with my trusty, OLD SCHOOL 1st generation iPhone (there I go - not letting the MAN tell me what to do!) because they were just TOO awesme not to get.

I'll post later about how really important this event was in our culture - how just going through the museum changes you - really.

Anyway - it's GREAT to be back home - we had loads of fun, and I'll post some images later.

...and I do believe that Walter Ducket made an appearance as well - stay tuned!

------Roxanne

Ava Jane - A Sweet Little Princess

2009-06-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Heather Lickliter has been a customer from the very beginning, and a great friend as well. We've always LOVED her photography - and she was the winner of one of the very first P2C Canvas of The Month awards!

She recently sent in an order, and as usual, beautiful princesses on it. When she called me to thank me for the canvas (we chat all the time), I asked her to tell the tale of these beauties. Ava's story is below.

Our youngest daughter, Ava Jane, is truly a princess who deserves to be treated like a queen. Ava Jane was born on July 12, 2006 with a congenital heart defect that required immediate surgery when she was two days old. After that surgery, doctors realized that Ava Jane’s heart defect was much more extensive, and recommended a heart transplant. After twelve weeks of waiting, Ava Jane received her new heart on October 11, 2006.

She flourished with her new heart, finally having the energy to grow and thrive. Unfortunately, because of her compromised immune system, Ava Jane developed bacterial meningitis in December 2007 and spent her Christmas at Egleston. In order to relieve the pressure in her brain, neurosurgeons placed a shunt in her brain in February 2008. As the effects of the meningitis began to subside, Ava Jane again began to make progress and grow and thrive.

However, the months of the illness delayed her development, and as a two year old, she is more like a nine month old in her motor skills. In March 2009, finally feeling better, Ava Jane began taking some steps with assistance and was quick to scoot around the house, pulling down toilet paper in the bathroom and getting into general toddler mischief. She began to slow down by the end of April and after weeks of inconsolable tears, Ava Jane was admitted to the hospital on Mother’s Day. After running tests on every part of her body, doctors discovered that she had ulcers in her colon, the consequence of the immunosuppressant medicines necessary to protect her transplant. She is beginning to feel better, and armed with answers, medicines are being adjusted and plans are being made to relieve her distress.

Ava Jane is a beautiful, social two year old with a quick to smile and amazing eyelashes envied by all the adult women around her. She truly needs a chance to be whisked away to princess land. As her parents, we realize that our times with her may be shorter than we wish, and we would treasure special pictures of her for our family.

Here's the link to the other photos on our blog: http://www.stylizedportraiture.com/a-very-deserving-princess/

Heather Lickliter http://www.stylizedportraiture.com/

We've Been Blogged - And KISSed!!!

2009-06-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

Kevin Swan of KISS Wedding Books is, #1, just a wicked fun guy. We've been hanging out with him and his business partner Shawn Austin at trade shows and workshops for a couple of years now. Have you ever played soccer in a hotel foyer while waiting for the speaker in the room next to you to finish up? We have! They do some of the most WILDLY AWESOME wedding albums you've ever seen. Because they Keep It Simple. Let the image speak for itself.

So, when he came to us asking for a favor, the answer was, in a word, SIMPLE. *grin*

Here's what he said, along with some images -

pixel2canvas: the BEST!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Even though I’ve got mountains of albums to design and wedding images to review, I need to take a time-out to let everyone know how badass Pixel2Canvas is as a vendor.

Roxanne and CB get customer service. Here’s my story for this weekend…

I shot a bridal portrait on Wed and wanted to surprise the bride by having canvases of the images by Saturday. So, Thursday, I call P2C and asked if it can be done. I didn’t have an account or anything, so Caity just said for me to email her the photos and she’d handle everything. They printed everything on Friday, overnighted it for Saturday, and I was able to wow my clients. They totally solved my problem, did it with smiles on, and have been such a pleasure to work with.

Not to mention how completely awesome the canvases look!

I just hung the them in my office (the bride and family want to purchase some of them, but until they come over for that, I’m taking advantage!). Here’s some photos. They’re 20×30, tough to get a feel for the dimensions in the pics.

I’m also showing you another canvas they did for me above my fireplace (photo by Nathan Holritz). Totally custom, totally awesome!

Thanks, P2C!

...our pleasure Kevin!

And for our readers: Go hit their site, KISS Wedding Albums, and his blog and give some love!

What The Duck for June 8, 2009

2009-06-08T12:33:00.001-07:00

Quick blog funny - I'll post more later!

Don't They Look COLD???

2009-06-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

I got this link from a friend of mine on Twitter today -

The caption reads, "Couples Mark Baggett and Sadie Whitelock, Danny Duggan and Caroline Clark, and Kirk Elba and Emma Kingshott walk through Covent Garden, London, dressed only in bodypaint, as part of a challenge for round two of GMTV's 'Battle of the Brides' competition.""

Here's the link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/2551439/Pictures-of-the-day-13-August-2008.html?image=8

Wow. Hot chocolate anyone??? *grin*

Pixel2Canvas Canvas of the Month is BACK!

2009-05-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

We've revamped our Canvas of the Month promotion a bit - and now it's back in full force!

When you order with Pixel2Canvas, there is a little check box to enter your image in the monthly competition. What's the criteria? Just an image that speaks to us - stands out on its own.

We've also changed up the prize. Instead of just winning $50 off your next canvas order, we're now offering a choice of:

1. Old-school iPod Shuffle - 1gb (yes, you can still buy them!)
2. $50 towards your next canvas order
3. $50 VISA gift card - because in these times, maybe you just need some extra spending $$$.

And just WHO is the winner of the April COTM???

Elizabeth Akenhead, of The Birth and Baby Photographer in Bedford, VA.

Her image, "Jack", was great in composition and emotion - what do you think is going on in that doggie noggin of his?

Thank you SO MUCH Elizabeth - your Shuffle has been ordered and is on the way!

Roxanne

Discovering Italy Workshop Tour with Kenny Kim

2009-05-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Discovering Italy - Workshop Tour with Kenny Kim

September 14-21, 2009 - Tuscany and Umbria

Hey Friends!

Kenny Kim is a GREAT friend, uber-photog, and just all around great guy. He recently came back from Italy with Bob and Dawn Davis, and has some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen. He's going to do a workshop for a few lucky photographers - read on and get your passports ready!

Buon Giorno! I recently had a chance to visit Italy for two weeks. During this time, I was mesmerized and blown away by the numerous treasures that Italy had to offer. It was such an enriching experience and during this time, I kept repeating to myself, “If I could only share with others what I am seeing right now...” This motivated me to finally come up with a workshop of my own. This is not a typical “sit down in a classroom setting” type of workshop. You will be traveling with me to various parts of Italy immersing yourself in their culture and learning about their way of life. Best of all, we get to capture all this with our cameras!

Whether you are an avid professional wedding photographer or someone just starting out in photography that’s interested in learning more, you will fall in love with Italy. If you’ve never been to Italy, this photography workshop is the best way to capture your experience and document lasting memories. If you have already been to Italy before, then I do not need to convince you to go back - except to mention that you get to travel back with a company of folks that share the same passion as you: photography! This trip will not just help you discover Italy - soon you will be discovering yourself in the process. It really is a life changing experience.

This is an all inclusive trip (lodging at hotels, bed & breakfast inns inside medieval cities, 9 meals (breakfast & dinner and a couple of lunches), ground transportation, guided tour by a professional native italian, model shooting, plus more) We purposely left out the lunches so that you can explore and sample some of the local foods on your own or together as a group. You are responsible for airfare from your city to/from Rome (FCO).

More details about the workshop is posted on the workshop website: http://store.kennykim.com/italy/

KENNY KIM LIFESTYLE WEDDINGS
800.539.1294 kennykim.com web: kennykim.com
2009 Grace Ormonde Platinum List 5 Star Vendor *****

http://www.weddingstylemagazine.com/directory/kenny-kim-photography/s_l3399c1872.aspx

*WHAT'S NEW*

BLOG: http://blog.kennykim.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenny-Kim-Lifestyle-Weddings/108246585482

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/kennykim

*FEATURED IN*

Destination Weddings & Honeymoon Magazines, The Knot, Chicago Social Bride, TV Guide, The RangeFinder & KoreAm Journal

Davis Love Story Workshop - Recap

2009-05-25T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the great fortune to attend a workshop by Bob and Dawn Davis in their hometown of Lemont, IL - not too far from Chicago. It was an intensive, 3-day workshop to help people learn about "capturing the light" - and mastering their flash TTL to make their images SING. Then on the last day, Dawn worked her magic teaching about workflow and how she designs the most beautiful albums - and has for the likes of Oprah, Tyler Perry and Eva Longoria, to name a few.

There were 15 photographers, Kenny Kim (buddy and pal o'mine and photog extraordinnaire) who documented the event, Ed Weiland who is a wicked photog in his own right came along to help coach, Anton Lorimer who did wicked videography, and me - the PA grunt.

The first night, we had a "meet & greet" with a fun high-key, crazy, "shake your wiggles out" kind of session - as you can see, Ed, Dawn and I had NO problems getting silly!

Neither did Bob - Now Walter might have gotten a bit dizzy from being thrown around all over the place...

Here we're taking a bit of a lunch break - even ducks gotta eat!

Some might think that the BIGGER people get, the harder it is to REACH or talk to them - let alone getting them to share the story and recipe of their success. NOT SO with Bob and Dawn. They are hungry to share their knowledge - their passion - and let it infect those with a thirst to learn. They believe that the more you share, the more you get in return. I too was inspired to start working some magic of my own and sharing it with my customers and friends when I returned home. It really does work - when you inspire others, you just want more and more of it!

AND OH MY GOSH - YOU PEOPLE NEVER STOP SHOOTING! Holy cow! Both nights we had to push dinner back about two hours because the busy shutter fingers wouldn't quiet themselves! But with the wicked cool cars, airplanes and models, I certainly couldn't blame them. For LOTS more EXTREMELY COOL photos, please visit their blog at www.lastoriafoto.info.

I had to leave a bit early on the last day to get home to my family. I got to show off our canvases with a beautiful lot taken by Ed Weiland (and that one behind Bob was taken by Kenny Kim). Even before I arrived for the workshop, just spending time on the phone with them I began to sense a fantastic new friendship forming. And now, after spending three fun-filled, HARD WORKING days with them, I know that this is a friendship that will last for a long, long time.

Thank you, Bob and Dawn - for your hospitality, mentoring and friendship. And don't forget to get on the Wii for some Yak Sledding!!! *snerk*

Celebrate Dad - With Father's Day Canvases

2009-05-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. Dads are usually harder to buy for than moms. I mean, how many polar bear & golf club ties can one man wear in a lifetime?

I have seen a HUGE increase in dads w/babies and just dads in general in photo shoots - why not offer your clients a truly unique and memorable gift for this Father's Day.

The lovely and talented Tina Parker of My Lil' Creations designed these canvases just for us - you can't find them anywhere else.

And let me tell you a little about Tina - earlier this year (February to be exact) she had brain surgery to remove a tumor that was pressing on her optic nerve. Now, whether you're a graphic designer or not, that's something that you'd rather not have in your noggin. Tina came through her surgery with flying colors, and is back to designing some of the most gorgeous templates for photographers that you've ever seen! She has templates and papers for cards, books and seniors, from girly grunge to sweet babies & seasonal items. You have GOT to run your little mouse as fast as you can over to My Lil' Creations and see all the digital splendor she has to offer!

Father's Day #1 - 12x12 or 20x20 Gallery Wrap

Here I wanted something a bit more grungy and contemporary - and again Tina came through. The wording is, "My Dad, My Hero, My Friend." And that's my husband, CB, with our son and our beloved Samson. You can choose a vertical or horizontal image - just tell us in the customer comments when you place your order. Photo Credit: Jenny McMasters Photography, Tustin CA.

Father's Day #2 - 12x12 or 20x20 Gallery Wrap

I wanted something traditional but at the same time new and different - which is exactly what Tina has designed here. The wording says DAD SON FRIEND STRONG FATHER BRAVE UNCLE LOVING BROTHER HERO GRANDFATHER - repeated over and over along the bottom. You can choose a vertical or horizontal image - just tell us in the customer comments when you place your order. Photo Credit: Kathleen Miller Photography, Huntington Beach, CA

These are already up on our site - just order through the Special Products page. you don't need to download the template - just upload the image and we'll do the rest! Be sure to place your order by June 12 to allow for shipping by Father's Day!

Like Food? Check out The Kitchen Klique!

2009-05-16T13:16:00.001-07:00

My SIL, Rindy Robberstad, is one of the most dynamic and strongest women I know. January 25, 2007 she was diagosed breast cancer - just like her mother. And she beat it - just like her mother. Now she's a SAHM raising two BEEEEEEEEEEUTIFUL girls, and has created this really cool blog - The Kitchen Klique. Go take a look and leave some love. Hey - I'm sure you'll find lots of yummy stuff on there too - I know I have!

Now HERE' an Enterprising Client!

2009-05-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

One of my friends/customers, Julie Walton Shaver of Julie Walton Shaver Photography in New Jersey - she's known for the "unfamily portrait" - posted this on a forum we both belong to. I thought it was TOO GOOD NOT TO SHARE - so she graciously said yes, and here it is!

...and she just got back from Japan - so after she's done editing her 7,000+ images, I DO EXPECT to print some kickin' cherry blossom pics! *grin*

So - here's her post - enjoy - and take a look at her site!

I have launched a new 5-year program of family lifestyle sessions called The Wonder Years. It's expensive @ (edited out). But SO worth it. You get priority scheduling, varied seasonal sessions, slide show, high res images and a canvas after each session, online ordering, and a coffeetable book at the end of the 5 years.

I launched the program about a month ago and response from regular clients has been really great, better than I expected!

One client from last summer called saying she had to "sell" her husband on signing up for the plan. She made a powerpoint presentation of snapshots she has taken of the kids, along with posed pictures from Wal-mart and some shots thrown in taken by grandma, etc. Then at the end, she linked to the summer slide show I had done for them, and she added a final slide, fade to black, "THIS is how I want to remember my life with you."

She said she turned to look at her husband and tears were streaming down his face when he said, "Book it."

It's days like this that make it all worth while.

Do you not love it!?

My First Video! Warning - High Cheese Content!

2009-05-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

Curt got me a PINK Flip video recorder for Mother's day. Yep - you're going to be seeing a LOT of my mug on our website and the blog. Just for giggles and to make sure you don't get tired of me, I'll make sure to have guest appearances by friends, photogs (same as friends) and of course, my kids!

Don't worry - I'll get the hang of this pretty quickly. How's about a video that actually has canvas in it? *snerk*

Meet Twitter. Yes, Twitter.

2009-05-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

We have some new neighbors two houses up. They have a 10 year old girl and 4 year old boy. My two have had a BLAST getting to know their new friends.

The other day, my two came home, breathless, trying to get out a story about a bird's nest, dead birds, ants, eggs (you get the picture). So off I go to see what all the fuss is about.

Our neighbor girl is holding this little one in a plastic grocery bag. The nest was INSIDE the dryer outflow (nice warm air) but too high for me to reach. SO - the rescue begins.

I take him home, wrapped in my shirt. Mind you, as you can tell by my finger in the picture, he's not that big. I put him in a plastic container with a washcloth, place it on top of a heating pad on low, and Google baby sparrow.

Did you know?

Never give them water. They might aspirate it and drown.
Cat food is good. Mushy, oogy cat food. They will get their moisture from that.
They will eat every 20 minutes. DID YOU GET THAT PART!!!???
Oh - and almost every time they eat, they poop. NICE.

So - he made it through the night, we called the local shelters & bird rescues, and took him to a very nice lady who rescues all types of birds. From the sounds coming from her garage when we took little Twitter over, he'll be in good company.

This was my kids' first rescue operation - I'm glad it went well, especially after having to put our precious dog, Samson, down in January. So - yes, it will be scrapbooked (there are already MANY pics - more than I need to share here), and I hope will turn into a fond memory for my younglings, who were happy to "take care of one of God's creatures."

HOLY COW! I WON MOTHER OF THE YEAR!!!

2009-05-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

This is my little sister Kelley. She TOTALLY rocks. Not because she nominated me, but because we're, like, TOTAL BFF's (insert valley girl accent here) and I love her! This was at her wedding - and we can thank the wickedly talented team at Ohana Photography in San Diego for their awesomeness! Kimmie and David and everyone - Mahalo Plenty!!!

She nominated me for Mother Of The Year - and I actually WON!!! Click the link below to watch the video... I love you leetleseestermeester!!!!!

Click HERE for the video...then go hug your mamma!!!!

Dogs, Ducks & Drawings

2009-05-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

My good friend Susan Braswell of Susan Braswell Photography posted this on her Facebook page, and linked us to it. For those who can't read the text, it says:

"I play with my dog duck". Those infamous ducks are the ones we collect from Rox & CB of Pixel2Canvas. Simba (their dog) loves them, tosses them up and chases them. He drops them at our feet and wants to play fetch. He even knows, when you say DUCK, exactly what to look for."

No, Susan isn't the artist *snerk*. Her sweet daughter Bethany drew it - how FUN is this! Notice the "duck toss" and the route it takes! This is more than refrigerator worthy folks - it's CANVAS WORTHY! Thanks for sharing this Susan!

May Day Thoughts from CB

2009-05-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ususally, I'm the one doing the posting/blogging, etc. But today I want to share with you some thoughts my husband, CB had.

He posted this on one of the forums we belong to - and sure enough, was quickly getting replies of tear-filled thanks, and of mothers wanting to go hug their children a little tighter. It's not sad, mind you - just a heartfelt tome from my sweet, thoughtful husband.

...and I'm sure tomorrow he'll be back to normal. *snerk*

Hi, for those of you who thought you might read something from Rox...sorry to disappoint...its just me...CB here at P2C. But this is not about canvas...or products or anything. Only a post of reflection and thanks.

So, I looked at the calendar this morning. Its May 1. I'm not quite of the ancient variety as of yet, but I'm not as young as most of you spring chickens around here. I recalled how when I was young, my mother would take us around and we would pick wild flowers and put them in little baskets and take them to the neighbors houses. I think we called them May Baskets...Does anyone remember those?As we get older, go through school, find out that the traditions of May Day may be more closely related to that of the communist workers celebrations and most certainly not politically or ecologically correct since we are picking wild flowers and killing them... But I have such vivid recollections of little green construction paper baskets (really just paper folded and stapled with a loop to hang on the door) filled with dandylions and anything that wasn't 100% green that seemed to grow in the area. But...lest I ramble too much...back to the point.

Things are difficult right now, there is no denying it. The tv and radio blare nonstop about how bad things are and how we need to share the pain. Well, I have decided that as of today, I will no longer share pain. I will no longer share doubts about the future, and I will no longer bow my head to the fears that knock on my door. I think we can all look around and realize that while we may not be able to purchase our kids the latest wii game or console, we can share with them the gift of our time with a visit to a local park. We may not be able to afford the big family vacation this year, but we can pitch a tent in the back yard and grill hot dogs over a fire, a hibacci grill...or whatever is available to burn. We can watch the sunset while our kids sit on our laps or next to us, or run circles around us while they giggle till they cry (parent always know that the giggles and laughing are all precursors to the crying...it just works that way).

I am amazed every day how my kids are soaking up the world like a sponge. I see them learning things, feeling things, and asking questions about concepts that they do not understand. Poverty, Death, War...should six year olds know of these things? I then thought back about my own childhood...Russia had the bomb and we were all gonna die any day. Vietnam was a word heard everyday on the news, not just a place mentioned in a text book or a name on a black granite wall. And yet...somehow...I managed to grow up, more or less healthy, and well adjusted. Heck, my mom didn't even use a car seat... ( i will however mention, that I feel my ability to survive my childhood was likely vastly improved by the fact that my father really liked VOLVO's and did not succumb to the purchase of a Pinto).

So, thinking back, my memories of childhood were not those of impending doom from the evil red devil, the nights when we ate Mac and Cheese or Pasta with Margerine and tomato sauce...They were of running around, playing with my friends, making may baskets on May Day, catching baseballs with my buddies, and putting playing cards on my bike tires with clothes pins to make it sound "cool". I remember my first car, my first job, my first date, my first kiss...But why have I forgotten all those other things?

I know now, as a parent, that while all those other terrible things really did exist... The gas lines and energy shortages, the recessions and out of control interest rates, the war in Vietnam and the schism that created in our country, and the evils of Disco and Early 80's punk rock...Well, for the most part, my parents didn't saddle me with the worry...They answered questions and kept my world spinning just fine. They answered questions while we were on the swings at the park, they gave me no cause for alarm while we sat at the dam with a fishing pole, and they cheered my success when I almost made it to home plate in T-ball. They love me and my sister...the way that they knew how... not perfect...not by a long shot...but I tell you what, they didn't allow me to fear when fear was all around.

So today, with flowers bursting through the ground, and sunshine once again warming the earth, I make a commitment to answer the tough questions, but focus on the joys of life. I will not shrink from the difficult situations, but I will also protect my kids from my own uncertainty.

They carry no responsibility for paying the bills or figuring out what to do next. And while their lives are now Bakugan and Mario Brothers as opposed to GI Joe and Cowboys and Indians, I am committed to providing them with the memories that I hope they will look back on with the same warmth and appreciation that I do of my own childhood. In closing, I want to say thank you to all of you who bring joy and excitment into our lives each day. We laugh with you, cry with you, and revel in your triumphs and commiserate in your less than perfect days. We want to say thank you to each of you who are friends as well as customers, and we hope that your today is filled with wild flowers and little green baskets.

CB over and out

Chris & Katie Humphreys - Jet Settin' Photogs with a SICK studio!

2009-04-24T12:41:00.001-07:00

We got to know Chris and Katie through a forum that we're on and love - Open Source Photography. At that time, they were living in Carpinteria (about 15 minutes from Santa Barbara, CA) and we did some canvases for their studio. When we saw their images we were SO exited to print something unique and awesome! All of their work is incredible.

So now, our neighbors "up the street" (we're about 3 hours South of Santa Barbara) have moved to Denver, Co., and have a wicked cool studio - lots of hard wood floors and brick. It doesn't really matter WHERE they hang their hat however - as they fly ALL OVER God's creation to take awesome images!

We printed some new canvases for their rockin' new digs - enjoy the images, and PLEASE!!! Go visit their site and blog - leave them some love, and tell them that P2C sent ya! www.chrishumphreys.com. (of COURSE it's linked!) *snerk*

Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai - Goddess of Black and White

2009-04-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

My husband, CB, was a film shooter. Lots of time in the darkroom. (I'm not EVEN going there). One of his icons is Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai. This is how she describes herself on her website:

I'm a dinosaur. I work entirely with B&W film and older (sometimes vintage) cameras. I tend toward dark, brooding imagery with a twisted sense of humor. I especially love images that hint at a story without giving away the ending. I love Cocoa Puffs and red wine, not at the same time. I believe music should be listened to at top volume, or not at all. I don't wear anything pink. Ever. I like feeling misunderstood. I am moderately deaf and ridiculously blind, which may explain my love for photographing textures. I have more ideas than I could possibly fulfill in ten lifetimes, which is my way of saying that I never sleep.

She doesn't DO canvas. Until now.

You can imagine our elation when she ordered the canvases for this WONDERFUL project, "YouthBiz". Following is an image and what she had to say about it:

I wanted to share a snapshot of my first canvases (yes, ever) along with a giant thank you to Curt and Roxanne of Pixel2canvas. As a dedicated film shooter, I typically only do handmade fiber prints, but this job called for something different.

The canvases were made for a non-profit organization that teaches job skills to inner city at-risk youth. It's called YouthBiz, and it's a remarkable program. The kids actually run their own T-shirt printing shop, including all the tasks from actual manual labor up through marketing, finance, and management. They are so successful that they've were able to buy and renovate a large building downtown. The designed the main entrance specifically to showcase the images I shot for them last summer.

My challenge was to make prints that were large enough for the space, lightweight, glass-free, and durable. In my mind, canvas was the only way to go, and I only had just over a week to make it happen for the grand opening. Pixel2canvas came through for me in a big way. I am extremely picky about my prints, but the quality of these canvases blew me away. Deep, inky shadows and well-controlled highlights, as well as a true B&W without any traces of green or magenta.

The entire YouthBiz crew loves the new prints and asked me to pass along their thanks to Curt, Roxanne, and their team.

Here's the entry with six 24x36 canvases. Not pictured yet (I'll try to add it soon) are the two 30x40's directly behind the reception desk. Please excuse my stringy hair; it was a blizzard outside. ;)

RUN your fingers to your mouse and her website. MAKE SURE YOU SEE "THE REGULARS"

Thank you Cheryl - so VERY much! We look forward to more collaborations - and I'll wear pink for the both of us! *snerk*

Luxe Canvas - Come and Get It!!!

2009-04-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

We have had SUCH a fantastic response to our new Luxe canvas, we thought we'd drop the price on a few sizes for a little but - kind of our own Economic Stimulus package! *grin* Go to the Special Products page to find the sizes and sale prices.

You've heard it said, "you've got to show it to sell it." And it's true! Have you EVER tried to explain a gallery wrap to someone who's not in the industry??? Not always an easy task right? This is the perfect time to get samples as well. Try to budget one sample per month - maybe one every two months. This way, in 6 months to a year you'll have a great representation to show your clients. And yes - they will FINALLY UNDERSTAND that a 16x20 is NOT BIG AT ALL! *snerk*

For the next few days, we're going to be talking about wall galleries, how to sell galleries, and heck - just even how to sell canvas! When people finally get one, they fall in love, and want one from nearly every shoot.

A few posts ago, I detailed the difference between our new Luxe canvas and our traditional Legacy canvas. If you haven't already, take a minute to read up on the two and also look at our finish options -

We're the only canvas provider (that I know of) that offers TWO types of canvas, TWO types of finishes, and THREE depth sizes - add that with being able to do ANY custom size - even over 6' long - and I think we have more options than pretty much any provider today.

Oh - don't forget that we're a GREEN shop - NO OBA's, we use biodegradeable coatings, and our wood comes from USA reforestable farms. And, we just totally ROCK at what we do. And I'm wicked serious about that.

AND ONE LAST THING - Don't forget to order your FREE 5x7 ART PRINT whenever you place an order - go to the Special Products page to upload your image. You can give it to your client as a thank you gift, or keep it for yourself - it doesn't have to be the same image as your canvas order.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU - to all of our customers and evangelists - it means the world to us - that you trust your memories -and your client's memories - to Pixel2Canvas.

Kudos, Clones, and What Not

2009-04-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Good Friday!!

I wanted to share a couple of cool things with you. First off is an email from our friend Charlie Thiel of Charlie Thiel Photography - he writes:

"To the management and staff of Pixel2Canvas: You have once again proven to me why I use your company. My client was surprised that I use a California based company for my canvas prints when I am based in Charleston, SC. The reason is you guys make it work, every time. Katie and Roxanne helped pull together a large order for me, and do it in very short order. They took my jumbled notes and images and made it all come together in a coherent order. In addition, the fact that my $2000.00 order was just over $1400.00 with Roxanne's birthday discount, I am a very happy man! Both Katie and Roxanne were extremely helpful, but also really enjoyable to talk to. What a great company, what great people!"
Charlie Thiel
Charlie Thiel Photography

Thanks Charlie! He had some LARGE canvases for a trade show booth in North Carolina - this is a furntiture trade show - he promised to send images after the show.

Now - for The Clones!

Linda Hawkins is AMAZING. Her photography and PS skills are off the charts! She recently had her work shown at a gallery in Rhode Island - here is her post on a forum we belong to:

"The clones have entered the gallery! LOL! As most of you know, four of my pieces, including three from my clone/multiplicity were selected to be shown in the SENE Film, Music and Arts Festival in Providence RI. When I arrived at the gallery the gallery people couldn't wait to get their hands on them! LOL! They love them! They were calling them deep, emotional, spiritual and...my favorite....poetic! Wow! And I was worried they'd think they were wacky and psycho! SO, they are there, the doors opened at 1:00 today and I will not see them until Saturday night at the Artist Reception in the gallery. That is when I will see them on the walls! Very exciting stuff! Tonight is the opening night gala and it's being held in a movie studio here and there will be a lot of big film makers and producers there including Michael Corrente. One of my Haven Brothers shots from the NBC Today Show will be hanging at that event! My work is for sale and the gallery will handle everything...they don't even take a cut! I hope I sell something! But then my hubby said, what if you walk into a restaurant and there on the wall is the picture of you naked in the bathroom....yikes! Never thought about that! LOL! This is RI, that IS a possibility! LOL! Maybe one of the out of staters will buy it..then I won't have to worry! They are expecting people coming in from all over for this event!"

(Note - I didn't include the bathroom one she's talking about - sorry!) You'll have to check her website for that one!

Here are her images...

This last one, Mad Tea Partyis our FAVORITE - it's getting printed BIG on canvas for her! You can check out her work on her site, Linda Hawkins Photography.

Mother's Day Canvas -

I want to thank everyone for the great response with our first ever Mother's Day Canvas template! Did you find the .pdf file helpful? How are you marketing this to your clients? I would love any feedback you have on the template and the .pdf - bring it on people!

And yes - we're coming up with a Father's Day template too - Moms can't have ALL the fun!

Exclusive Mother's Day Template from Pixel2Canvas

2009-04-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

We have two BEAUTIFUL canvas templates created by Sarah Gourdie exclusively for us - and your customers - for Mother's Day!

Canvas sizes are 12x12 GW and 20x20 GW. Colors are Pink or Sage.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to email your client list, and let them know about this awesome gift. Their shoot is already done - just choose an image, and the canvas will be delivered before Mother's Day! Of course, we'll drop ship too. NO P2C branding, invoices, or ducks. Grandmas, Aunts, Sisters & Cousins will certainly cherish this as well!

We've created a .pdf file for you to download and add your information to so you can email it to your customer base. Go to http://www.pixel2canvas.com/, hit the Downloads tab, and save the .pdf to your computer. Add your contact information and email it to your customer base. All they have to do is choose the image, and we'll do the rest!

Please have your orders in by May 1 to ensure delivery by May 8th. Drop Shipped orders, as always, have NO P2C BRANDING WHATSOEVER! No invoices, no P2C labels, no ducks.

The text is the 2nd half of a poem by George Cooper, and reads, "Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn, Hundreds of bees in the purple clover, Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn, But only one Mother the wide world over."

My mom's getting one. *grin*

Oh - If you haven't seen Sarah's work, you MUST GO - RUN - DON'T WALK - to her website - www.sarahgourdiedesigns.com - she creates the most amazing templates for photographers!

Is Your Canvas OBA Free? It NEEDS to Be!!!

2009-04-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

P2C Says "NO" to OBA's! (Optical Brightning Agents)

Pixel2Canvas has always worked to ensure that the canvas artwork that we produce will last beyond our lifetime. This means that we use only the BEST products, from the canvas we print on to our frames and our backing Tyvek.

We view the collaboration of your imagery and our artistry to be the highest possible representation of your art. We take pride in what we do!In the past, people have asked all types of questions about our product, but one question is coming up more and more these days. It concerns the use of OBA's or Optical Brightning Agents in our canvas prints.

We can say with confidence that our canvas is, and has always been OBA free! But you might ask...why does it matter? OBA's are used to artificially enhance the brightness of a canvas media. They are typically found in less expensive canvas products. The problem is that over a short period of time...These OBA's break down and can cause significant deterioration of the image. Problems such as yellowing in white areas is a common problem when using OBA canvas. Even when protected with a UV coating, these additives in the canvas will cause a faster deterioration over time.

This is why we use only stable OBA free canvas for all our canvas prints!

So the question then comes up...how can I tell if my canvas is OBA free? Simple. If you have teenagers in the house, or on your street, you can likely find a way to obtain a BLACK LIGHT. Pass the black light over your canvas. If you see really no reaction, your canvas is OBA free. If it lights up like a white shirt in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the canvas is coated with OBA's and you will see it glow or flouresce. This glowing is a clear indication that your canvas was printed on OBA enhanced canvas.

If you are interested in further reading, check out Wikipedia.org : Quote "The Global OBA production for paper, textiles, and detergents is dominated by just a few di- and tetra-sulfonated triazole-stilbenes and a di-sulfonated stilbene-biphenyl. These are subject to fading when exposed long term to UV, due to the formation of optically inactive stilbene cis-isomers found at the center of the molecule.""...continued exposure to UV containing light will actually cleve the molecule and start the process of degredation."

The long and short of this story is that you want to make sure your canvas is OBA free...if you want it to LAST! When we say our canvas is archival and is made to last around 100 years, we really mean it!

We pride ourselves on being a GREEN SHOP. Our canvas is OBA free, our wood is cut from renewable, USA resources, and our coating is non-solvent and biodegradeable.

It's My Birthday Today!!!!!

2009-04-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

It's My Birthday - and YOU get the present! Well, you and your customers!

Yep - 48 years ago, my birth mother thought she was going to deliver a boy. Then out I came, and they asked her if she had thought of any girl's names! Fittingly, April 1st is my birthday - and for those of you who know me, you know that it suits me to a T!

What's your present you say? Our last 30% sale for a while I say! From Tuesday, March 31 through Friday, April 3rd at Midnight PST, use coupon code ROXY30 to get 30% off your entire order from Pixel2Canvas. This includes EVERYTHING - except the Special Products. You may use this code as many times as you wish during the sale.

As always - use a placeholder to upload your image, and email us the image later - that way you can buy a few at this price and offer them to your clients as a sales incentive! And remember, you don't need your logo on the front to take advantage of these great sale prices!

And what AM I doing for my birthday? Well, I just picked the kids up from school, and we went to Cinnamon Productions and got a dragon chocolate cupcake, a Hello Kitty chocolate cupcake, a single Triple Chocolate Cheesecake and Triple Chocolate Decadence cake.

CAN YOU TELL THE THEME HERE???? *snerk*

Thank you to EVERYONE on Facebook, Twitter and those who have emailed and called with birthday wishes. You've certainly made my birthday wonderful!

Ok - off to Dave & Busters to bust loose on the SkeeBall machines!!!