***Disclosure: I will be receiving a promotional item in exchange for posting. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** There are some posts that are easy to write, and some that just...well... aren't. This, sadly, is one of those posts that I wish I didn't have to write. So if I can't get the words out in the most eloquent way, I apologize in advance. Sometimes, you just can't find the right words. You see, a lot has been happening in my family over the past month or so. I got deathly ill and needed emergency surgery, which was hard enough. I even missed out on spending Thanksgiving with family because I was in too much physical pain to go. Then in early December, we got the news that a cousin's long-term boyfriend was rushed to the hospital and wasn't breathing. Of course at first, we were all very optimistic...He was young...A person isn't supposed to just "shut down" at 23 years of age. Over the next week, the unthinkable happened. After a multitude of tests performed while he was in a medically-induced coma, doctors discovered that he had a serious issue with his heart as well as substantial brain damage from lack of oxygen and a series of strokes and seizures. Sadly, he passed away in mid-December. At the age of 23. One minute he was fine, and basically in the blink of an eye, Nick was gone. He left behind siblings, tons of friends, his parents, and of course his girlfriend, my husband's cousin. It just didn't seem real....or fair....that this was happening. He was such a wonderful, kind person, and we have always enjoyed seeing him at family gatherings. Here he is, with my Xander on his back. Xander giggled and thought he was "touching the sky", since Nick was extremely tall. If I had to guess, I would say he was darn close to 7 feet! Needless to say, everyone is still grieving and very much in shock. I cannot imagine the pain his family is going through...Or the pain our cousin is in. I just wish I could hug her and make this all just go away, but I can't. Unfortunately we didn't have the chance to get to know him as well as many others did, since we live a bit too far away. We always assumed we'd get to know him better during the next family visit. We never in a million years would have thought there would literally be no next time. God, it's so unfair.... I have been seeing a ton of awesome tributes to Nick, both on Facebook and in peoples' lives. One restaurant is holding a benefit for his family to help with medical expenses, (Mt. Airy Inn in Mt. Airy,MD! If you're local and would like to help, pay them a visit on January 13th! 10% of all sales will go directly to Nick's family.) Lots of his friends have also been posting photos of things that remind them of him. Many of these are toasts to Nick, with a bottle of his favorite beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon. The funny thing is, Nick always hated having his picture taken. His girlfriend has a photo-obsession. So of course, to make her happy, he endured posing for countless photos. From silly to sentimental, she has hundreds and hundreds of photos of her love to always remind her of the good times she shared with him. Since we can't be there in Maryland to physically comfort our cousin, my husband and I have decided to do something extra special for her. (So Shhh! If you happen to know of whom I speak, do not tell her!) She has so many amazing photos showing all of the good times she shared with Nick. She has been sharing them a lot lately, reminiscing about all of the joy they shared as a couple. She has even joked that now she is grateful that she "made him" get so many photos taken with her, friends, and family. We will be "borrowing" a few of these images to have some special surprises made for her. The first one? A beautiful, high-quality canvas print from PrintKeg.com. Which photo we will choose is still undecided. She really has a ton of great ones to choose from. We want to pick the one "perfect" shot that embodies Nick as the kind, gentle person that he was, as well as his unwavering love for her. I just wish we could be there to see her face when her gorgeous canvas print arrives, and I hope she hangs it proudly and that it brings her some sort of comfort. Nick's untimely passing has taught us a lot....Life is a beautiful thing, and tomorrow isn't always promised. Be kind. Be giving. Be genuine. And of course, pose for the darn pictures, no matter how much you might hate doing so...You never know when a person could become a memory. RIP Nick...Heaven is a better place with you in it, just like the world is a better place for having been your home for 23 short years. Please continue to look down on those who loved you, especially your Mama and the love of your life. They're really going to need some comfort right now. See you one day, my man. Have some PBR's chilling for us when we get there. Enter to Win Your Own Canvas Print from Printkeg.com : Do you have memories you'd like to immortalize in a beautiful canvas print? You're in luck! The generous folks at PrintKeg.com are offering 3 lucky readers a canvas print of their own! How cool is that?!
Please use this easy Rafflecopter form to enter. This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM on January 25, 2014. No PO Boxes. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!
121 Comments
Amanda Szyszkowski
1/2/2014 10:50:11 am
I would love to get a canvas done for my mother in law of her mother who passed away 12-24-13......She no longer has either of her parents and I feel that she would really love this!
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1/2/2014 12:06:03 pm
So sorry for all you've been through lately! Prayers and hugs for a healthy & happy 2014! I can't imagine what your cousin is going through either..! Prayers for you all!
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Holly Thomas
1/2/2014 05:37:03 pm
I would like to get a family portrait.
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Tari Lawson
1/2/2014 07:42:41 pm
I would love to have a photo of the day my two boys met made into a canvas.
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Vicki F
1/2/2014 09:19:00 pm
What a wonderful tribute. The canvas prints are so nice and they have become so affordable. Thanks for sharing this story!
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cheryl s
1/2/2014 09:28:06 pm
I'd get a picture of my son pitching from his no hitter
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kathydetweiler@gmail.com
1/2/2014 09:33:14 pm
I have several bird photos I'd love to get put onto canvas
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Laura
1/2/2014 10:21:51 pm
We are hoping to start our family this year. I'd love to have a canvas of our baby when that day comes this year!
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Robin
1/2/2014 11:34:17 pm
I would love to use the picture of my 12 year old first time flying a plane. His grin was priceless.
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Kortney Picker
1/3/2014 12:07:23 am
We just had a family portrait taken, I would love to have it printed!! Or I would also love to have one of our wedding photos done (we have been married 4 years and haven't had it done yet!)
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Mia R
1/3/2014 12:42:38 am
a photo of my granddaughter and her best friend
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Christina Foley
1/3/2014 02:29:04 am
Last Christmas was the 2nd one after my dad passed unexpectedly, but he passed just before the holidays the year before and it was all a blur, so in a lot of ways it was like our first Christmas without him. We decided to away, we took a family trip to a mountain cabin in TN - us, my mom, sister & her family and my brothers kids all met to spend the holiday together. It was hard (I wished my dad was there with us & that we'd done something like that but he passed so unexpectedly) but it was special being together too - something that doesn't happen often enough. I have a picture of all of us with the snowy mountains in the background that I'd love to give to my mom.
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Jessica Fortner
1/3/2014 02:43:27 am
I'd like to put a photo of my older son holding his newborn brither shortly after birth.
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Kim Burnett
1/3/2014 03:14:58 am
I would love a canvas of my kiddos!
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anne perry
1/3/2014 03:34:57 am
Our holiday spent in an Earthship.
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Ms Gretchen Ann Luper
1/3/2014 04:49:07 am
i would love to have a canvas made of my 4 grandkids all together.
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Paige Chandler
1/3/2014 04:58:03 am
I want to capture my new adorable pug puppy.
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1/3/2014 05:37:46 am
First let me say that I am terribly sorry for all that you and your family have been through lately! I hope 2014 is one of healing and joy. As for what memory I would like to capture on canvas. . . I have a beautiful picture of my two kids playing hide and seek that I would like to have blown up on canvas.
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Amanda Szyszkowski
1/3/2014 06:21:48 am
I said before I would really love to get a canvas for my mother of her mother or maybe both parents because she no longer has either f them
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lsia
1/3/2014 09:09:45 am
would love a canvas from our wedding
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Mindy Fink
1/3/2014 01:51:22 pm
I would love to have a picture of my kids and all of their cousins made for my grandfather.
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Lauren Olivia Wood
1/3/2014 07:15:49 pm
I'd love to have the picture of my whole family blown up in canvas.
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STEPHEN
1/4/2014 01:53:17 am
Yes there is. It is of my son playing golf!
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Ashley C
1/4/2014 08:12:30 am
I'd love a pic of my parents, my brother, me and my husband, and our 2 kids!
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Ashley Chassereau Parks
1/5/2014 07:04:32 am
I would love to have a canvas print of my 2 daughters (#2 is only a week old!) to hang in our living room! :)
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chrissy c
1/5/2014 08:35:38 am
I don't want a specific memory I just want a good pic of my kids!
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chrissy c
1/5/2014 01:37:37 pm
I would get a picture of my kids! Winning this would give me a reason to do a photo shoot with the kids!
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Sherry Compton
1/5/2014 09:02:57 pm
My family....I'd love to have a portrait with my kids and grandkids all together...It'd be really great if they smiled.
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maria rose
1/6/2014 07:52:02 am
A photo of my grandparents
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Ashley Chassereau Parks
1/7/2014 03:19:18 am
I would love to have a canvas print of our new family of 4! :)
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kathydetweiler@gmail.com
1/7/2014 09:27:25 am
I love to have one of my bird photos printed on canvas for our new home
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chrissy c
1/8/2014 01:32:15 am
I would get a canvas of my kids getting along.......that's a memory I want to preserve :)
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kathydetweiler@gmail.com
1/8/2014 09:41:22 am
One of my butterfly photos on canvas would be really nice
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Teresa Mccluskey
1/9/2014 01:38:08 am
I would like to have a family photo from when my youngest was born
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Kelsey S
1/9/2014 02:22:24 am
I have a picture of when my son was about 5 months old that I took myself and have always wanted to canvas it.
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John Brindisi
1/10/2014 12:22:34 am
Perhaps my wife
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Judy Mitchell
1/10/2014 08:03:56 pm
i have a picture of my mother and 7 siblings at my little brothers wedding that i owuld love to own on canvas
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STEPHEN
1/11/2014 12:29:07 am
My son playing golf for the first time!
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gala
1/11/2014 11:52:15 pm
our trip to Grand Canyon
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Michele P
1/12/2014 07:42:54 am
we usually visit relatives in Guatemala, so I think I'd get a photo canvas of our trip there.
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STEPHEN
1/12/2014 08:45:40 am
My son and wife at the natural park
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Holly Thomas
1/12/2014 05:07:48 pm
It would be fun to get a picture done of all the family pets.
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gala
1/12/2014 10:12:41 pm
the picture of my kids' first day of school
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Samantha Mauk
1/13/2014 05:19:58 am
My child's fourth birthday :)
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Michelle Weaver
1/13/2014 07:43:08 am
I would love to have one of our wedding pictures put on a canvas!
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Ashley Chassereau Parks
1/13/2014 09:15:26 am
I would love a picture of my girls to hang in my bedroom. :)
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Michele P
1/13/2014 09:59:32 am
I'd love to get hubby a photo of his mom on canvas.
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chrissy c
1/13/2014 10:44:44 am
I just want a picture of my kids turned into a canvas!
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Walter Kappeler
1/13/2014 01:16:13 pm
This would be great using many of our pictures.
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gala
1/13/2014 10:03:49 pm
any of my husband's pictures
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Sherry S.
1/14/2014 05:09:19 am
I would love to have a print of my nieces.
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gala
1/14/2014 11:19:35 pm
my son's graduation
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kath g.
1/15/2014 05:47:10 pm
i have a great picture of all the little ones in the extended family sitting on the couch that would be a great choice for canvas.
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gala
1/15/2014 09:46:01 pm
my daughter first steps
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Mindy Fink
1/15/2014 11:36:40 pm
Our new family pic.
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chrissy c
1/16/2014 12:17:38 am
I just want a picture of my kids getting along........it seems to happen less and less as they get older!
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Katy Fink
1/16/2014 01:33:57 am
I would love to get a picture of my girls done on canvas.
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gala
1/16/2014 10:14:27 pm
beach vacation's pictures
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STEPHEN
1/16/2014 11:13:29 pm
My son swinging a golf club!
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1/17/2014 05:29:00 am
What sad news about your cousin's bf ... We lost a young one to domestic violence last year, and it would take everything in me to write a post on it; I think you're very courageous to do so.
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Julie Moore
1/17/2014 08:41:14 am
the moment I first held my daughter at 10 months old when we adopted her from Guatemala
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John Hutchens
1/17/2014 12:16:06 pm
photo of my significant other and I when we first met
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Michele P
1/17/2014 10:28:29 pm
I have some really pretty photos from Antigua Guatemala and the volcanoes which would be a wonderful canvas print.
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STEPHEN
1/18/2014 03:07:49 am
One of my wife painting! She's so happy!
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hedgehogi
1/18/2014 01:07:49 pm
My little girl holding her little brother.
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terra
1/19/2014 02:37:47 am
I would like to have a picture of our family by the ocean.
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Holly Kennedy
1/19/2014 05:43:52 am
I'm getting married so I would love to have a great engagement print.
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gala
1/21/2014 10:50:30 pm
my kids' first day of school
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Michelle Weaver
1/22/2014 01:23:47 am
I'd like to capture our honeymoon.
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STEPHEN
1/19/2014 08:16:59 am
Hopefully one of the family photos from the outing tomorrow.
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Michelle Weaver
1/20/2014 01:39:30 am
Our family photo at disney would look great!
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Heather Garcia
1/20/2014 02:21:28 am
My first grandchild will be here in June!!!
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Michele P
1/20/2014 04:38:42 am
a really nice photo of my cat to put on the wall in the family room, since he considers himself family too ;)
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Jennifer
1/20/2014 04:40:09 am
I'd love to get a canvas of my boy's sweet smile. :)
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STEPHEN
1/20/2014 05:01:26 am
My son running on the beach!
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Pauline Milner
1/20/2014 11:59:01 am
I love a photo I have of our Son and I when he was six months old. We were both dressed all in white and he was playing with the long pearls I had on. Thank you for another super giveaway opportunity. Keep up the terrific blogging.
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gala
1/20/2014 10:49:56 pm
picture of my sister
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latanya
1/21/2014 12:55:28 am
a wedding picture
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Jennifer
1/21/2014 09:26:07 am
I'd also like to get a family portrait on a canvas for our living room
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hedgehogi
1/21/2014 12:22:38 pm
I would love to get a picture of my husband and my daughter!
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latanya
1/21/2014 09:55:10 pm
a family portrait
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STEPHEN
1/22/2014 08:24:18 am
A man and his son peeing! (from behind!)
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Samantha
1/22/2014 09:50:02 am
One of our engagement pictures we recently got.
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gala
1/22/2014 10:16:28 pm
one of our our Christmas picture
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Michelle Weaver
1/23/2014 12:13:17 am
My siblings and I at my wedding.
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Lilia Kharabora
1/23/2014 01:00:12 am
Yes! My daughters first steps would be a good one! Thank you :)
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jennifer
1/23/2014 03:09:07 am
I would get a print of my son when he was a newborn!
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courtney hennagir
1/23/2014 04:25:35 am
I would love to have a print made of my dad (rip) and my son together when he was a baby.
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jennifer
1/23/2014 04:28:08 am
our awesome family portrait
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Julie Moore
1/23/2014 06:13:07 am
OUr first family picture when we met our daughter in Guatemal
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gala
1/23/2014 10:53:29 pm
picture of my wedding
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Michelle Weaver
1/24/2014 12:49:57 am
Our kids playing out in the leaves. Great picture.
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Cassandra Davis
1/24/2014 01:01:39 am
I would like to get my grandma and grandpa's wedding picture done for her.
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Samantha Waters
1/24/2014 09:53:27 am
I have a wonderful picture of my daughter with her great grandparents that I'd love to put on canvas!
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sky Evans
1/24/2014 10:09:17 am
I'd love a pic of the city.
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Angela Newsome
1/24/2014 01:15:03 pm
I have a picture we took this past Summer & it has all 3 of my Children in it. I'd love to have it put on a canvas!
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Gianna
1/24/2014 02:53:40 pm
Last month's Christmas pic was awesome!
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Bonnie Caselman
1/24/2014 06:09:24 pm
I'd love to have my daughter in her graduation cap & gown made into a canvas.
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Derek Timm
1/24/2014 07:53:31 pm
No, I have a couple scenery pictures I took that I would like on canvas.
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Rosey
1/24/2014 09:56:08 pm
I'd like to have a picture from my son's wedding on canvas.
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Rosey
1/24/2014 09:59:18 pm
I'll focus on my dissertation.
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Michelle Weaver
1/24/2014 10:18:40 pm
My sister and I with my grandma at my wedding.
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Kathy Pease
1/24/2014 11:47:38 pm
id love to use one of my sons basketball pictures :)
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Brenda Elsner
1/25/2014 12:08:00 am
I have a family picture I would love to put on canvas.
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mary gardner
1/25/2014 12:50:10 am
I have a photo of all of my grandchildren that we took on a family vacation this past summer that I love!
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Tanya White
1/25/2014 02:29:16 am
Yes a picture of my kids on Easter last year.
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Samantha
1/25/2014 02:56:35 am
I want to capture our engagement pictures we had taken this summer!
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LaTanya
1/25/2014 03:12:20 am
a pic of my mom, my sister, and I together at Thanksgiving
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Kat Emerick
1/25/2014 04:19:31 am
I have a picture of my granddaughter swinging on a big porch swing.
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Donna Kellogg
1/25/2014 04:44:53 am
I would capture a picture of my daughter and grandson together
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Amber Mejia
1/25/2014 05:11:27 am
Vacation picture I have in mind
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Jane H
1/25/2014 05:53:30 am
My children hugging each other. Thank you so much for the chance to win.
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1/25/2014 07:16:05 am
I have a picture of my Mom having fun with her friends on a Cruise. I would love to get this on Canvas.
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Kristin Sims
1/25/2014 08:57:36 am
i would love to get one of our family portraits (four generations), that we just had made, thank you!
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Dusty Schnur
1/25/2014 10:59:21 am
I would love to have the picture of my husband and I on our honeymoon on canvas.
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Buddy Garrett
1/25/2014 11:21:11 am
I would like to have our daughter's graduation picture put on canvas.
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Rajee Pandi
1/25/2014 12:07:49 pm
love to capture our family disney pictures
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
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