I've mentioned my fondness for
Blurb before, and how I make a yearly photo book for our family with photos and blog entries from our family blog [
last year's pictured here]. For me it is quicker and easier than making a scrapbook or ordering the pictures and putting them into an album. I can't say enough about the quality of these books, especially considering how reasonably priced they are.
This year, I wanted to make a little yearbook for the grandparents that captured our year in pictures. Fortunately for me, Blurb now lets you upload a PDF, which means that I can design my album in InDesign and then just upload it to the site. This brings me much happiness. Here are some snippets from this years photo yearbook [
cover pictured above]...
And I did make another blog/photo album this year...here's the cover:
Next up, I'm going to try to figure out a clever way to store and save all the beautiful holiday cards we get every year...I just couldn't bear to throw away all those sweet pictures. Any suggestions?
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12 comments:
I seriously HEART your books. How I wish I felt inspired to make some for my own family! Want to do it for me? Tee hee! It's been THREE YEARS since I printed photos. They're all organized on my computer, but no prints or books. :(
As for Christmas cards, I know someone who wallpapers her garage with them (staple gun, no messy adhesive). People love her garage walls!
thanks, linsey! and great idea for the cards -- i bet that is the most fun room to look at!
Hey Alston!
What service do you use to make the books? Or do you do it on your own?
My mom in law used the cards and pics to wallpaper her laundry room...same idea as the garage. That is, if one is so lucky as to HAVE a laundry room or garage...
ha! there aren't many of those up there! it's more like the laundry closet or corner...or laundro-MAT!
i use blurb [blurb.com] for production of the books. they also have software called booksmart that you can download for free from their website that has a bunch of templates, etc. it is very user-friendly. let me know if you make one!
WHen you think of a good idea for old Christmas card pix let me know. I have thousands from years past and I am sooooo NOT a packrat. I love to simplify. I almost threw them out 5 times since Christmas while I'v had good clean-out days and spring cleaning. I just can't quite bear to do it though. I so love receiving them that I can't bear to throw them out. Your books are gorgeous. I think I'll check into Blurb. I want to know more about how you paste straight from blog.
good to know i'm not the only one with the christmas card dilemma -- there's got to be a way!
definitely check out blurb, amanda -- they will take all the images and text from your blog and pull it into their formatting software. they call it "slurping"! [more info on that here]
Alston, I have a couple of card ideas that I've used. May not be what you're looking for.
The past two years, I used a bulletin board with the ribbons criss-crossed on it (what the heck is that called?) and worked in all the picture we had received. It was a great conversation piece, and it also reminded me to pray for friends and family.
With the actual Christmas cards (printed with Christmas pictures or what-have-you), I reuse the picture parts the next year by putting them on gifts (they look great on top of plain colored wrapping paper and cut down on the need for ribbon). I also sometimes use them as gift tags the following year but punching a hole in the corner and tying it onto the gift. I learned that trick from my mom. I think she was ahead of her time in the recycling department!
I put Christmas cards in a photo album b/c I hate throwing them away. But, if you're trying to get away from the bulk, then that won't work so well. Maybe scanning them all in eventually and making a blurb-type book of Christmas cards?
I love your yearly photo books and every year wish I made one when I see you post about them. Did you make both the 2008 and 2009 ones this time around? What would you suggest for someone like me who is completely uncommitted to her blog and therefore doesn't have a blog to turn into a photo album?
you need to start blogging more, sara! just kidding. you can use the software on blurb to format your pictures and then write captions if you wanted to or a short story introducing a group of pictures. it would definitely be more time consuming, but worth it in the end. I'm always amazed at how quickly I can forget the little details about a time period!
i'm a year behind on books, so i'm working on 2009 now...it's easier for me to do it that way because then i know i've got all the material i need to complete it. plus, everything is already written down, so i'm not worried about forgetting!
this post is PERFECT timing for me! i'm working on a little book for reese and matson just to play with since it's my first time. i'm going to do the blog books soon, i hope. anyway, i clicked over here to look for that post of last years books and how convenient to find that you posted on this very topic TODAY! thanks! i needed inspiration and i found it! the only problem is it takes me so long due to my perfectionist tendencies!
GREAT JOB on your books! they look wonderful!! i'd love to sit and flip through them with a cup of coffee - and you! ha!
by the way, i'm so jealous of your boys' hair. we just cut matson's (see my blog) and i'm so so sad. :( i'm never cutting it again!
two more things: how many photos did you use in your books? i have a million and find it hard to eliminate!
can i copy some of your books??? i love how you have all the months listed and one highlighted. very creative!
thanks, hilary!
i just looked over at matson's haircut -- such a precious little boy. don't worry -- the curls will grow back if you want his hair long!
i wish you could come over, too! feel free to use whatever ideas i posted. winnowing down the pictures is definitely hard -- i was trying to keep this book at 40 pages [20 front and back] because that is where there is a price jump for blurb, so that helped. also, since i was making a longer one for us, i wasn't as worried about including every one. good luck, and let me know if you make one!
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