...there was a girl named Marnie who loved books. Reading them, buying them, and making them. A few years ago, she made a photobook for the first time. It was much trouble and maybe even more than a few tears were shed whilst she labored at the computer. But when she was finished, she was pleased with the outcome.
But when the grandma needed her copy, and the aunt wanted a copy, and the uncle another, and the four cousins four more, instead of the usual cries of anguish, great whoops and hollers of delight could be heard round the globe. For all that was required was a re-order. Not printing, not cutting. No assembly. No blood, no sweat, no tears. Just a credit card and a mailing address and voila! 7 more could be ordered. At that very moment, like turned to love, and there would be no turning back.
(Not) the end.
I have since fallen deeper and deeper in love with photobooks. I love watching my kids flip through them. I love how neat and tidy they are on the shelf. But my favorite aspect remains the ease of the re-order.
(By comparison, when Nigel was small, I made my mom a little mini-album of my favorite Nigel photos. When Mr. Hercules asked where his mother's book was, I hurried to make another. And then, realizing I wanted one too, I ended up making three. Whew! What a lot of energy. And time. But no more!!)
I know many of you are more than proficient enough with photoshop to make your very own book. Oh I know there are templates you can use, but sometimes they are just too expensive, or too tacky (yes, I said it!), or just not what you want. Making your own is a fantastic option. And not that hard. I promise.
This week we will work together to assemble a photobook. Each day will have (1) an assignment, (2) some photobook eyecandy and (3) a little downloadable goodie.
For those of you who like to plan ahead, here will be our "school" schedule this week.
Monday - select your theme, ready your photos
Tuesday - choose your paper and embellishments
Wednesday - assemble the page backgrounds
Thursday - give.away.day.
Friday - add photos and embellish
Saturday - assemble and upload to photobook site
Now, I know many of you have plans on Saturdays, and I have discovered that some of you never read past entries (really??!!) so I wondered if I may schedule you for a quick drive-by date on Saturday. (You can even honk from the driveway and I will come out. I promise not to chitty chat in the car, or make you kiss me on the porch. It can be the fastest date ever. This one time, I won't mind...) I just don't want you to miss the icing! Cupcakes are great, but frosted ones are better! Photobooks are also great, but if you never upload them then, well, it's just not the same... :)
Photobooks are a terrific way to showcase favorite photos, to burn through a whole stack, or to preserve events. Today please think of some photographs that you would want to preserve. If you need ideas:
- check out the Shutterfly community gallery
- click on the minialbums category to the right in the word cloud
- find an old Special Issue from Simple (MiniAlbums in an Evening and Album Shortcuts come to mind as good references). You are not looking just at photobooks, but rather a mini-album that would lend itself to being published as a photobook.
Once you have an idea of the kind of book you want to assemble and the photos you want to use, you may put a check in the done column and relax until tomorrow.
Here is The Original Photobook.
The cousins on my side live way too far apart, so I made this as a means of them staying in touch. I meant for there to be one a year. Mmm. I sense a good project for the week ahead...
Everyone loves a little free stuff. And I spent hours (wish it weren't true) making some book labels for you. If you print them on sticker paper you can use them to mark all those books that have just come home. One is for the tweenage boy in your life! The other, more all purpose! Enjoy and we will see you back tomorrow!
Before I go, could you please leave me word as to your level of photoshop experience, which photo-editing program you use, your level of proficiency for digital scrapbooking, and if you have any experience creating photobooks, with or without using templates? It will give me an idea on how detailed the explanations should be! Thank you!
A demain! (Until tomorrow!)
