Have you ever thought of giving someone you love the gift of art? I’ve done it a few times in small ways; a print of painting by a favorite artist, a beautiful photograph of a happy memory or wonderful vacation.
I have yet to meet someone who wouldn’t love to receive such a thoughtful gift, have you?
I’ve wanted to turn some photos of my family’s favorite travel moments together into canvas and hang them in a gallery all along the wall up our stairs. Somewhere I would see them every single day, and remember especially on hard days, the great memories we have as a family.
Don’t you think that would be fun?
Like this photo of my daughter surfing for the first time on our ridiculous amazing family trip to Costa Rica this Spring.
You can’t buy the kind of joy shown on her face. In every single photo of her surfing she’s smiling or laughing irrepressibly, completely unaffected and totally spontaneous.
I want to look at that photo every day and remember how happy we were that day on the beach.
Or maybe go a little funky and get a huge canvas of this crazy lizard our trail guide found on our hike to a hidden waterfall one afternoon. He wasn’t quite as amazing as the Jesus lizard who runs straight upright, but he was too fast to catch on camera.
Seriously though, this photo makes me so happy.
What do you think?
You know I want to blow this up and hang it over the fireplace. I love that both my children are wearing khaki, and that my son is wearing a cap given to him by his Dziadek (Polish grandfather) on our first day in Warsaw, Poland last year. In fact, if I had my act together I’d be giving a giant copy of this to my in-laws who would love it even more than I because not only would it be great wall art, but a remembrance of their grandchildren seeing their grandparents’ home for the first time.
Completely priceless.
If you were to take any photo of yours and have it blown up to canvas size, what would it be? Where would you hang it? Over the mantle center stage, above your bed, in the family room above the sofa? I’m totally curious. Is this something you have done already, way ahead of me the game?
// This post is part of a sponsored collaboration with Art.com, an amazing resource for all things gorgeous and wonderful (and the world’s largest collection of art). Now through December 18, 2012 orders of portraits to canvas are 50% off, so you really want to get on that. ASAP like. //
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
The pic of your kids in Poland is the cutest thing I’ve seen in a long time!!! It makes me smile and remember when my daughter was both those ages!! I would like to have that hanging in my house…….and I don’t even know you!! You get that blown up and shipped to the Grandparents….STAT!!!!! Think of the joy!!!……. and get one for yourself!! Give them some extra hugs today….just because you can. Some parents in Conn. aren’t as fortunate.
Cathy, thanks so much! Photos of my children, especially when they’re together – and smiling – are the best gifts in life. I don’t take a second for granted.