I’m way ahead of the game this year when it comes to selecting Christmas gifts for my mom, Christmas gifts for my dad and Christmas gifts for my sister.  But in case you’re still racking your brain for the perfect gift for a loved one, here’s a great idea: Instagram canvas art from Canvas Pop.

I know canvas prints aren’t that novel of an idea, but Canvas Pop prints Instagram photos! And y’all know how much I love Instagram. You can select from either a 12×12 or 20×20 canvas, and their “picture perfect” technology ensures that your prints won’t be pixel-y.

If you like the idea, act fast. You need to order by tomorrow, December 8th to ensure delivery by Christmas. Another reason to jump on the idea of Instagram canvas art? Prices are seriously discounted right now. Canvaspop is currently offering the 12×12 canvas print for just $29.95 (marked down from a whopping $79!)!

So seriously. Buy this for your artsy, hipster parents, siblings or significant other. And buy me one while you’re at it!

Remember months ago, back in March when I was contemplating whether or not I could afford / should splurge on a new Digital SLR camera?  Well back then, with my dad’s words weighing heavy on my mind, and my bank account balance lingering below a number that I felt comfortable with, I decided to hold off on making such a big purchase. Disappointed yes, but my irrational, impulsive side would just have to take a back seat to my penny pinching.  So, for a few months now I’ve been really, actually saving money, with the clear intention of saving until I could afford this camera.

And the time has come. After months of saving and research I purchased a Nikon D3000.

Now all I need to do is learn how to use it.  This weekend I’m planning a scenic trip north, past my hometown of Portland to my camp on Wilson Lake in Wilton, Me.  I’m also considering (since I’ll already be in Wilton) to take the 45 minute drive north to the most beautiful place of all – Sugarloaf.  In the summer you can still take the Superquad Chairlift up the mountain and either hike higher, or just explore the trails by foot, and I think the views will be spectacular in the summer.

My camera better be ready for all of this beauty!

Okay, so in less than one week, 6 days to be exact, I’ll be boarding a plane with my bff (not to be mistaken by the BF) and heading west to Los Angeles.

And in 2 days, I’ll be driving 5 hours north to spend a wonderful weekend at the boyfriend’s grandparents sprawling farm. Yes, you heard me correctly.  A farm.  You know, the kind with a big red barn and tractors and animals and fresh eggs and vegetables.  And of course, lots of dust and dirt.  Forget not, that before city life and Chanel came along I was, and continue to be, a Mainer.  A good ol’ fashion Mainah.

See?  I even shot a gun.  Me, I shot a gun, and I wore orange.  Anyways, that really isn’t the point.  The point is that my entire life I’ve had a serious overspending problem, and my choices as far as when I buy what have never really been too appropriate.

Like now for example.  When I’m working for a tiny non-profit, making minimal amounts of cash money mula and continuing to live my not-so-minimalist lifestyle – if you need me to spell it out more clearly, I’m broke.  I’m broke, and about to spend a week in Los Angeles where I will undoubtedly make plenty of inappropriately timed and unnecessary purchases.

I’m broke, about to embark on a vacation, so logically, what would this overspending gal decide to do?

Get ready folks.  I’m buying a new camera! A nice, big, fancy, DSLR. This all started only a week ago when I decided that I really, really want to take pictures like Heather and Ashley and the rest of the SLR using photographer bloggers out there.  But really, you know, I can’t afford a $700-900 camera.  And unfortunately, I have nothing huge and exciting like a wedding or graduation coming up, from which I might be able to receive such a gift.

So I started doing some Consumer Report reading / googling to see what the world is saying about point and shoot cameras for those of us who just can’t quite afford the SLR yet.  And then, my next step was to talk to Dad.  Dad loves all things geeky: cameras, TVs, computers, cars.  Anything that he can research, buy and then play with – he loves.  So Dad sent me some CR articles.  Great.  Knew he would.  But what I didn’t know, was that the next day he would actually go out to a camera store and talk to some camera store people who know their camera stuff.  And, even more exciting, and (maybe not so) unexpected – Dad informed me that he would help me finance such a purchase.  Which, has all of a sudden thrown the dreamy SLR back into the cards.   Can you believe it?!

Now I realize any such purchase is going to set me back a bit as far as saving goes, but this is a quality investment, right?  Stay tuned as I hope to purchase, and figure out how to use this bad boy by the weekend!  (Ha, yea right) But no really, it would be fantastic if I were able to purchase this by LA, and even more incredible if I could have my hands on this guy by the weekend.  The farm is beautiful, and I’d love to capture the true landscape of Maine.