Wednesday, July 29, 2009

making a memory book ♥

What do you do with the hundreds or thousands of photo's in your shoe box or hard drive?

it's a fun problem to have, organizing all those precious pictures, if you have this simple and easy application on your computer. Oh, you probably already know about these photo book maker places, but if not, i'd like to share the one i use, and LOVE!

It's called My Publisher. You can download the (free) bookmaker, it only takes minutes and then start on your book. I am telling you about this place for two reasons, first because if I can do it, anybody can and if you decide to make your own photo book you won't have to make the BIG mistake i did the first time i used it. I didn't know to click save. I found out the hard way and now i know and i'm telling everyone, click save all the time and you will be fine! whew!



There are so many options, this book above is the small paper edition. The price includes 20 pages, but you can keep adding pages for a small price. For this book i chose to write descriptions.


It is called the Paper Back Pocket Book. And it's only 12.95 for 20 pages and up to 240 photos!


Can you see what a good time we had at our annual Girlfriends Getaway? I made an extra for a gift and then the best part is you can send the link to everyone and they can order their own after they view it online!



These are the called the Hard Cover Classics. They come with an optional book jacket which you get to design. Did i say how much fun this is?? This next book is the Classic with the Linen Cover, see it in the top right of the photo above?

I think this is a good choice for a wedding album, which is what this is. Our wedding, ta da!

For this one I didn't want too many words and I picked a creamy white for the background. Very elegant, no? :)

The Classic Hardcover with Linen is about thirty five dollars, with each additional page costing .99 cents. This book was a liiiitle more than that, but for good reason, there were a lot of photos! It turned out beautifully and we were able to order more for our parents and share with out of town friends and family to view online.




Next is the honeymoon book! This one has a book jacket, with a new option to personalize the spine along with your photo.





Do you see how it's made? you choose your book size and style. Then you choose the layout, the font, and even the size and number of photos per page. The application's are updated all the time, which makes it fun to look forward to the next improvement. This book allowed for full bleed photos. Like the one above where my new husband and I are luxuriating in the warm crystal clear water of the South Pacific....sigh....


The following year, My Publisher made it possible to do even more on the cover. Here is our book of a family trip we took and I could write on the inside flaps,


Can you see? it's hard to take a good photo of the paper, it's heavy with a high shine, so nice.


This book's style is called The Storyteller. And that's just what I wanted. I took my journal and copied much of it into this one along with the photo's. I made a copy for each of my kids to have, so they can show their kids how they survived a 40 metre drop while white water rafting the Kaituna River (that is my family up there) oh dear...


...see them at the top of that giant sand dune? and see one rolling down? on purpose. :)


My kids have no interest in my journals, at least not at this point in their lives, but I think they'll appreciate my words in their books someday...








The new cover design feature allows you to add a photo and words to the back also. I couldn't get good enough photos to really show how nice these books really are. Making them is a lot of fun, there are really no mistakes you can make because with a click here or there you can change anything. Once you are done and happy with your masterpiece you click preview and then purchase. It might take a while, maybe an hour to upload your book, depending how fast your Internet speed is. Once it's uploaded you'll get an email with a link to view it online. And you can send it to who ever you like. Then in about a week, maybe two, you'll receive your new book!

I think your going to love it.



p.s. if you click on the above photo it should take you to the My Publisher site. They are offering a special at the moment for a free book, good through August 10th i think. That's enough time to make your own, if you like.
Have fun!


♥ lori

35 comments:

  1. What a fantastic idea.
    I've wondered what to do with all my photos and poems and had only come up with putting them on a memory stick! This is much more beautiful.
    Thanks for showing your lovely books
    xx

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  2. This is so cool! I have so many pics and this would be a great way of arranging them. Thank you for sharing this.

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  3. OH OH OH !! SO cooooool! thank you. fabulous. I'm on it.

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  4. Lori, this is a great post, full of information and great resources. Fantastic work you did on your photos and your books. Thank you very, very much.

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  5. I want it, I want It!!!!!!Thank you so much Lori. That has made my day.
    Lotsa love, Natsyxx♥

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  6. Wow! How awesome... I'm gonna have to check it you

    Lori I think you could write about toasted cheese sandwhiches and I could still feel that radiant glow which surrounds you,

    Much love my friend,

    M

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  7. I'm with Maithri.... you could pretty much write about anything
    :)

    Awesome book ideas.
    Thanks so much for sharing this.

    best wishes
    Ribbon

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  8. Mandy i just found out there is a UK and Europe version, it's at the bottom of the page, i think i should go put that on the post. let me know what you think!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Des,
    you are welcome, i think you'll have fun with it, there are so many companys out there, but i've had very good luck with this one!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    tam, there is a uk and eu version, one of those may be more compatible for you, i hope!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Rosaria, oh thank you, it really is user friendly and they have a great customer service, i hope you'll give it a try.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    natsy, i hope hope hope it's available in australia, maybe the U.K. version? Think what you can do with all your lovely photos!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Maithri, haha, thats a funny nice thing to say. toasted cheese are one of my favorites. ☺
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Ribbon, ☺ ♥, i'd make more signs, but thats all i know how. thank you love.

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  9. Now there is a very useful idea and one well worth investigating. So, does that mean when you get your African Adventures all sorted and published, we can get a copy....wink, wink! Where do we place the orders.

    I think I may follow suit if this cycle/camping trip turns out to be something I do more of. There is a lot to see in my own "backyard" and well worth investigating. Another couple of months of cycling like this and I will be ready just in time for the hockey season. Thanks for the heads up Lori.

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  10. This looks like such fun! Thank you so much for showing us yours and giving us the link. I can't think of a better present for my 96-year-old mother-in-law for her birthday this year.

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  11. fabulous! i've been meaning to find a website that does this kind of thing. you just made it super easy for me! thank you!

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  12. Lori,
    this was superb. I am checking out the Europe version as soon as I send this out. Are you working on the African journal, or do you feel you have to get better before approaching the subject? How are you feeling btw?

    I loved this gracious post and the loads of tips and info in it. I agree with Maithri, you'd make writing about grilled cheese sound like poetry. That's because you're an angel.

    Love the graphics and glimpses of photos. And those honeymoon shots... to die for.

    Hugs,
    Lola xx

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  13. PS: clicking on the image doesn't link...


    Here it is, but I can't make it into an html tag because I suck at html...
    http://www.mypublisher.com/

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  14. PPS: "BookMaker software is not compatible with Mac computers.

    MyPublisher does not have plans to develop a Mac compatible version of BookMaker at this time."



    Oh, poo.

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  15. I love this. I am going to try this. we are going on a 10 day trip next week. A couple of days in St. Augustine, FL - then 5 days in Disney and then on the way back a couple of days either at Myrtle Beach or Outer Banks -haven't decided yet. I am going to make one of these when I come back.

    so cool - thanks for sharing.

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  16. Lori I love this. The books are beautiful and oh yes, your kids will be very interested at some point.

    Love Renee xoxo

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  17. what an amazing idea, thanks for sharing it with us! Hope you are feeling much better xx

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  18. bogey,

    i don't know about that...☺. sounds like you are having too much fun on your bike, canada is beautiful, i'm sure there is much to see!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    nancy,

    i'm sure she will be tickled pink, it will make a lovely gift. i hope you enjoy making it as much as i'm sure you will enjoy giving!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    kavita,

    they have a wedding style one...☺!
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    lola,

    oh poo is right. i'm so sorry i didn't check that out beforehand. there must be a comparable company that serves mac users. i'll look around. and i don't know what happened, the link was working, i double checked. but thank you for telling me i've fixed it so it should work now.
    computers + me = :(
    but i AM glad you liked the idea!!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    bhavana,

    your trip sounds fabulous! your girls would probably have fun making it with you, what a great family project!i hope you'll let me know how it turns out.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    renee,

    thank you. and if they don't thats ok. maybe their kids will. it makes me happy any which way.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    karen,

    thank you, ear is getting better ☺ working on the rest...

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  19. FANTASTIC!!!
    Thanks for sharing.
    xxx

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  20. PS - done an Ostrich blog just for you
    xx

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  21. hello lori ann, i can feel your enthusiasm and i love how you make it so fun to share. i've put a few of these albums together through kodak easy share and everyone loves them. what a treasure for
    $ 30.

    lori ann, would you stop by my blog when you can? i'm hoping you might like to move into a new neighborhood on blogland lane.

    xoxo

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  22. Neat. Pictures and stories go together. Your books looked very very interesting. It's a family treasure.

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  23. what a beautiful book.
    it couldn't be nearly as beautiful without such an amazing life as subject matter.

    My next gift to myself is going to be a Canon digital camera. So perhaps I'll make life appear pretty when it is ordinary.

    Thank you for your thoughts on my situation Lori. In a world where some of my 'friends' think I've done the wrong thing it's very nice to have support.

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  24. What a gorgeous idea! Thank you, that's solved some of my holiday gift giving questions.

    I emailed you, but wanted to tell you that I have a Wu Lu that I'd be happy to give you. You can also order them online...I can search a source if you like.

    best,
    Diana

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  25. Where was I? Janet had to tell me about this post of yours! To me this sounds incredible and scary. I am still such a beginner at internetting. Can I order any of your books? (all?) And when will you publish your African one? But how do 3000 pics fit into a book of 240? I am as usual too bewildered to try it out myself, but think it SOUNDS fantastic!
    And I LOVE each of your photos. You have such a beautiful family (including new-found husband!), and including YOURSELF!

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  26. Janet,

    i'm on the hunt for some ostrich biltong!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    kj,

    then you know how fun these are! and your right, don't they make great gifts?

    today i am going to be spending some time sewing new curtains for my new house on the beach at blogland land! i forgot to tell you how much i love yours. tre` chic!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    housewife,

    it is a treasure, and the best part is it's easily shared! what could be better? ☺
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    dear meagan,

    nothing is ordinary, and everything is. i think that's a good idea, getting a camera, you'll see things in a different way. please email me if you need someone to talk to, i am a good listener. take good care sweetie.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Diana,

    thanks so much,i did reply back to you, did you get it? i'll go check my email and make sure. Have fun with the bookmaking!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    geli,

    i can show you how to do it one of these days, okay? it's really simple, very user friendly, there are even tutorials that walk you through. but like my kids tell me, just do it!!

    oh, all those photos will surely not go into my africa book, i have learned ruthless editing. well, mostly. and, i can just send you the links, you can view them online!

    xoxoxo ☺

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  27. Thank you for the recommendation. I think I will use it as a gift for people's birthdays.

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  28. Wow, you are very organized and productive. What a beautiful way to save and share your lovely memories.

    I'm going to bookmark My Publisher so it will be handy when I get around to being organized and productive.

    Thanks for the nudge. And the good tips. But all that funky stuff from the front of my fridge is going in a box.

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  29. sammi, i can't wait to see how you like it, have fun!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    pat,

    oh no, i'm not organized, this only got done because i like to do it, and there are still so many more...

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  30. Wow! Lori! How utterly wonderful...oh my goodness what an amazing life you've got recorded in those gorgeous books for posterity. I want to sit down with each of those and take time to page through and delight in every picture. It is genius...and so beautifully put together, too.

    It's exactly what I was talking about in my comment on your last post - a coffee table type book to treasure forever. Now you've shown us all - thank you darling Lori!

    When you do your African one, I must buy a few copies. Please, please? I know about a million people who would love a copy!

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  31. thank you for this - what a totally fantastic idea, as is your wonderful blog ! Can't believe I've only jsut discovered it !!!

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  32. tessa,

    bless your heart, thank you for such sweet words, these books are special to us, i'm glad you think so too. will you make one of your own?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    elise,

    thank you for the visit and the lovely comment! you are so welcome, i hope you'll try it out.

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  33. I have made some books through iphoto, I will definitely look into this! Your books look fabulous, I am sure the kids will cherish them, one day.
    LL

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  34. i just made my first book! can't wait to get it in the mail. thank you again for finding this for us. :)

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  35. Dear Lori,

    I can't believe I've missed this post, fantastic.

    Can you believe in the UK we only have the small cheap flappy versions and they charge around $50 for them?
    I've been holding out for a quality version. I adore yours, so touching, interesting and beautiful with the full bleed photos. I think your kids will appreciate it, in time, God willing. Lovely!

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xoxo lori