It took me a year to complete, but I finally finished my first Blurb book. There is no correlation between the length of time to complete and the difficulty of using the free BookSmart software. It’s fairly simple. I just put it down for months at a time and got distracted by other projects, like living and working and traveling and working. You know…the usual stuff.
It’s a private book, not for sale. I only had 2 copies made, but thought I’d share a few of the pages with you here. I added some favorite quotes about Lisbon along with writing from our travel journals, but mostly it’s photos.
I like the look of the full-page photos.
My sister will be wondering where her copy is when she reads this post. She’ll probably call me and ask me why I haven’t mailed it yet. I’ll probably be outside when she calls. I probably won’t hear the phone ring. She probably wouldn’t believe my story about the pack of wild dogs at the post office last Monday when I went to mail her package. She’ll probably plug her ears when I tell her how they were snarling so loud I couldn’t get out of the car. too dangerous! I probably won’t bother telling her that the exact same dog pack was there again on Friday. They’ll probably have moved on by Monday. I’ll try again.
There are a lot of nice people in the world. Some of them read this blog. Since I mentioned my upcoming trip to Istanbul in late August, I’ve received some cool magazines & ephemera for my travel journal.
I marvel at each thing. Ideas are percolating in my mind. I like it
when that happens. I like it a lot.
I’m doing a little beaming about the recently published book I have a few journal pages
in. This one has interesting matte paper. Very unusual. I dig!
Love the book! You could make a little mint…
🙂
Congrats on being included in this wonderful book!
and
I am a blurb fanatic, just for the record:)
x..x
Congrats on your gorgeous book. Aren’t we the lucky ones, getting a preview before Sister. I know she’ll forgive you though. That’s what sisters do – after they’ve told you what-for!
ooh ooh ooh i LOVE YOUR BOOK!!!! I am about to embark on that plan!!! I’ve had the idea in mind for 6 months, and still haven’t been bothered to learn the software 😉 But, once I’m done with my trip in a few weeks, I guess I will be forced to learn. I lOVE the look of it!
take a raw steak with you and throw it at the dogs and get yourself into that post office and mail me that book stat!
That is sooo awesome! (your travel book) What a great idea! And I totally believe your story about the dog pack. There is aways a similar pack at my post office. I shudder to think about it and therefore avoid the PO like the plague! Thanks to technology, though, I now print all my postage online and even have US priority boxes and envelopes delivered to my door! No reason to ever leave the porch! i LOVE technology!
wow, I love all the comments you get! so many people with good taste.
blurb is one of my next goals. for a girl who has gone from 65mph every day to about 37mph, it could happen by the end of the year. i’m working on my paris journal, but i don’t think that will go to blurb. blurb will probably be about my defunct blog, and i wasn’t sure if i was completely sold on the idea, but now that you share your great experience with blurb here, i think that seals the deal for me.
love it….can’t wait for Istanbul…..I am addicted yes!!
Cool book. Too bad it isn’t for sale. More inspiration…..
Thanks for the link to the online classes list.
Your book is amazing Mary Ann. Your sis is gonna jump head over heels when she gets her copy. IT’s worth the wait. VBG. And HIGH FIVES on being in Creative Wildfire. I had a borders coupon and a 5.00 gift card and got my copy on Friday night and spent last night reading it by flashlight and candle light…power went out after some storms moved in…what is one to do without power? Make a frosty cocktail and read a good book. And today after the power came back on and I could check email, I was so pleased to see that you had designed an ever so cute button for us ROD junkie Monkey’s for our blogs. Have an awesome week.
Thanks for sharing your book pages here! I love blurb and know that making a book takes a lot of time, but oh how fun when it arrives right?! 🙂
Love the published book. Such fine photos you took and put them together in such an amazing way. Your sis is gonna love it, esp. the photo of her looking AT the landmark, instead of standing in front of it… Oh I love that photo.
If you just send her that Copy of this beautiful book and forget about the dog, you know she deserves getting it by now…lol
Love creative Wildfire. Love your blog and your musings, and your art, your travels, and did I mention the book? I had a student at my workshop yesterday and she shared a journal she made in your online class..a stunning journal.
XOXOrly
Last Fall, I was on a 12 day cruise through the Med and we went to Ephesus, Turkey. What a fabulous place and totally amazing! If you make it there, be sure to go through the tour of the terraced houses as it’s unreal. The people are so so nice and most speak English as they have to take it in school we were told by our guide. Yes, indeed, I even bought a small turkish rug after touring a factory and seeing the amazing process. We had a conventional Turkish lunch too and once again, delish! I know you’ll love it there.
Great book and amazing photos!
I have to say that I really like the Creative Wildfire book and almost every time I saw a page that I said.. oooh I really love that style.. it was your page.. lol -congrats on being in it..
susan,
in my opinion BLURB software has more creative options. Adding text is much easier and you have more room to do it. If you change your mind about which photos you are using after you pull the initial set over to begin, you can STILL add more later. With IPhoto you cannot. I did use Iphoto to make a school class book this year though and will continue to use Iphoto for smaller projects. I like Blurb for the meatier books. Having only made one book though Im far from expert.
Is publishing the photo book through Blurb cheaper than through iPhoto? How are they different?
Love the book! Must investigate Blurb. Congratulations in being published in Creative Wildfire … I have flipped through the pages so far – great book.
oh it is a fabulous book, and the pictures are amazing – you are so talented Mary Ann – your artistic eye see so well!!
I purchased “Creative Wildfire” and am loving it!! And thanks for the info on the site about the classes. Will most certainly take a peek!!
That book you made is awesome!
I bought the book creative wildfire just last week – love it.
Great book. I am sure your sister will understand about that pack of wild dogs, who wouldn’t. Thanks for the class blog link, very cool.
Love your photo book! When do you go to Turkey? It’s on my list of travel wants. I can’t wait to hear about it!