Creating a Photo Book
With Valentine's Day fast approaching and so many of us thinking of the perfect gift for friends and family I've found a new way to enjoy gift giving even more, with photo books! I had no idea how easy it is to create a "gift from the heart". With so many options out there you can easily create a personalized book with as little as twenty favorite photographs.
First you will need to decide where to make your book. I use iphoto on my computer. If you prefer you can use any of the online photo book services or your favorite drug or discount store.
Simple Steps to Making a Photo Book
1. Select your site. Download application if needed.
2. Select the photographs you will use. I drag mine into a folder in iphoto
Create
1. Select your style, size, theme and cover. Hard or soft, book jacket or not, then give your book a title.
2. Select photo for your cover and your inside flap. You will want to write something here, maybe a description.
3. Pages, decide on backgrounds and colors for your photos. Add any captions, descriptions or artwork.
4. Create the back flap cover the same as your inside flap.
Some of my photo books
I hope I've stirred your interest in making a photo book. Just go to your favorite site and try it. Options are different at each site and it's easy to find what works for you. Just remember, it's fun, creative and the sky is the limit. Let yourself go, you might just be surprised at how easy this is. The first time I clicked the buy book button I had no idea what to expect in the mail, I was delighted. Try it, see how creative you can be!
Linking
Emily, Martha's book is beautiful and you know she is going to be thrilled with this gift. What gardener doesn't love to look back at the fruits of her labor. I've just finished a gift book, and love using this idea as a special gift for friends and family. I use Mixbook. Love it because it has wonderful templates. Thanks for sharing your books. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI have to go back to the post now because I could not wait to comment to let you know that the music has taken my heart captive and I could barely see. :) Sigh...Mr. Darcy...
ReplyDeleteLeave it to you, Emily, to ALWAYS know the music I love AND exactly which tune and when I need to hear it. :) Listening now.
Hugs
Beautiful photographs.
ReplyDeleteXOXO's
The garden one is a marvelous idea. Would be a great garden journal of sorts. Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo books, I have done a few digital books but always enjoy traditional scrapbooking. Good job and nice tutorial.
ReplyDeleteEmily how wonderful! A great idea that will hold so many special memories for the recipient.
ReplyDeleteKeep me in your prayer as on Monday I will have another surgery and then go to a rehab facility for at least a couple of weeks..
Love and Hugs,
Karena
2013 Artists Series
What a great idea! I'd like to try this with some blog posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily, I have thought about doing books like these but I've wondered about the quality of the photo transfer and binding and paper...now I will definitely try it. I use iPhoto too, and then picasa before I upload the photos to my blog. I am still having other trouble like getting email notices of blog posts (yours, for example) and I can't get mine to email to anyone. I wonder if it is the Google/Apple war. Beautiful pictures of your grandson! Linda
ReplyDeleteEmily, I think this is a wonderful and thoughtful gift. I've never made one of these, and I've always wanted to do so. Thanks for your inspiring post. If I have any questions about the process, I'd love to be able to ask you!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend!
xo,
RJ
And speaking of gifts from the heart, Emily, my friend, you are the guest chosen to receive one of the Somewhere in Time shoe tags. Yay. :)
ReplyDeletePlease email me your forwarding info when you have a chance.
Thank you for playing along.
XOXO's and BEAUTIFUL weekend to you.
Oh, Emily, that book is just a TREASURE! I'm sure Miss Martha will love it. The books with your family are just wonderful too. You can make whatever, whoever the star of the show to have a BOOK made about them. Thanks for sharing that great idea.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that I stopped by and that you shared this. What a wonderful idea. I've seen the ads for books but never indulged - didn't know what to expect mostly. Now that I've seen one ... got a dozen ideas floating in my head! One of which - wondering how my mom's vintage embroidery would do in a photo book (I made it into a book for real). That was last Saturday's pink post. Funny, I even think the altered book I'm working (parts of it) would be great in a photo book too. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteHappy Pink Saturday! Enjoyed my visit and appreciate that you took time to share this. Jenn
I've often thought about doing a photo book. Yours are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteNice book to read.
ReplyDeletePlease come and peek at my PINK.
Your comment is always a joy to read.
Emily, you have inspired me to look into doing this. All my photos are in iPhoto and a photo book would be a nice project to work on. You have created some fun pages.
ReplyDeleteJudith
Your photography is stunning! I love this post! HPS and enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteYou have definitely stirred my interest! These are amazing. I had no idea that it was that easy. Just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteKaren
photo books are certainly a wonderful way to share images that would indeed stay languishing on our computers. ANd they you are right, they make wonderful gifts. I keep telling myself to make some. Perhaps after your inspiration I will!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week. I am linking up to you through Mosaic Monday.
Great idea. I've been wanting to try this. Thanks for the info to help us get started.
ReplyDeleteCindy
This looks wonderful. I have done a few BLURB books and 2 are shown on my blog. They are fun to do, make great gifts and it is also a way to keep and share your most special images~
ReplyDeleteWow, I am totally impressed. YOur photos are stunning, beautiful book to enjoy them in. Thanks tons for joining TTT. Hugs, marty
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea and your photos are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteJody
My daughter gave us a photo book for Christmas of our 15 month old grandson from birth. It was by far my favorite gift...love, love this idea!!
ReplyDeleteI may have to try this. It is such a unique idea for a gift.
ReplyDeleteI have used Shutterfly but not iPhoto. I will have to look into this! Thanks for the tip! You have a lovely book!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds awesome. My daughter made one for our anniversary once and it was adorable.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Your books looks great! I've been wanting to make ones of my kids' art work and of a few trips for so long now :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting site and love, love, love the idea of making a photo book. Great images for gardeners. Great family images.
ReplyDeleteJoyce M
GOOD MORNING EMILY! HOw fabulous it is to make books, on ANY SUBJECT. This is my passion...I want to publish one day.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for coming over to visit and for your kind words. BLESS YOU! Anita
This is so beautiful! I know a family that has photo books made for every big family gathering and it's displayed on the coffee table to be enjoyed by everyone! Blessings, Tammy
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photography and great idea for a gift ~ lovely ~ adorable child! You are also very creative ~
ReplyDeleteCarol of (A Creative Harbor) on Blogger ^_^ visiting from Outdoor Weds.
Gorgeous, Emily. I've been into photo books for awhile and they are wonderful to remember vacations or as I do each year, a Year Book -- the fave moments and best pix of the year. I don't have a Mac, but I really love the design platform of the macbooks, which I think look nicer than many of the others. I love yours -- beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely books. You've inspired me to think about making one. I made a few years ago but I have so many photos I could use now and one of the beach and ocean would be special to me! Sweet hugs!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are lovely and what a great personalized gift!
ReplyDeleteMary Alice
Thanks for sharing your sweet photo books. I've seen lots advertised about these but have never made one. As a side note, your flower book reminds me of the books my great grandma used to make for me and my cousins. She would cut out pictures of flowers from magazines and catalogs and glue them onto paper...then glue the paper into a little book. How special those were!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up!
Hi, new follower here! These photo books are fantastic. Great photos, too.
ReplyDeletewww.decoratevintage.blogspot.com
Emily, photo books are fun. I have a couple of them. Never thought of making one of my garden. Now, that I would love and so would my children. Thanks for the inspiration. Your photos are all so wonderful! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Wow! These are really marvelous - what a wonderful idea! I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
ReplyDeleteKathy
In Davos, that's more than enough for a hearty round of applause.
ReplyDelete