i've been making little square blurb books to document my sabbatical. hoo haw! i don't know why it never occured to me to use the automated feature, whereby your photos are loaded up in the order they were taken. i've always done it manually by drag & drop.
but the automated feature is so easy. if you don't like the order of your photos, changing them is a breeze.
i used photoshop to add some words to 5 or 6 pages in each book.
on some i forgot. no matter, my meticulously placed vinyl stickers are a good substitute.
i used a pen to scrawl on some of the pages with whatever deep or shallow thoughts were in my head. and i made sure to use my finest penmanship.
because i wanted this to be a fast project, i didn't edit the photos for brightness or color or whatever, i just used photos i'd already edited for the blog. but not always. sometimes i just used crappy grainy photos and ignored the warnings telling me my book would totally suck if i didn't fix them.
i haven't had a chance to write on this book yet. unlike the first one, this one is on matte paper. i wanted to try out all the different papers.
this is project life for the lazy person who is not a scrapbook savant and can't possible spend 52 weeks stuffing teeny little vinyl pockets with teeny little photos and other decorations.
the mary ann moss method is way easier and so far i've done 46 weeks in 2 days.
but seriously this is a good way for me to USE the photos i take for something other than sitting around in iphoto waiting for the apocolyptic computer disaster lurking around the corner to zap them off the face of my world.
i'm loving the way the photos compliment each other.
you've probably been making blurb books for eons and know all of this already. but i'm late to the game.
i've made a few blurb books before, but just with travel photos. using day-to-day photos is pretty fun.
right now i'm working on a book that turns the blog posts i wrote from venice into one of these 7×7 square blurbs. naturally it's taking 750 times longer because i'm not using the automated feature and i'm cutting and pasting the text onto the pages. but i like to think it's going to all be worth it. i'll post about it soon. i also just completed an umbrian blurb too. i'm a big believer in striking while the iron is hot. ya know?
okay. time to go draw more speech bubbles and arrows and big important thoughts. while i watch vera.
OK, I think I may have already commented?!? Oh’ well…………I think I need to make a Blurb book. 🙂
Oh Mary Ann… This is so brilliant! PL for the lazy person… <3!
I do PL but digitally. If it’s not digital, I’m not doin’ it. However, I love this idea for older photos. The hardest part for me is deciding what part of the 4x6s gets cut. Too many decisions….and it’s analysis paralysis.
I was a 12″ x 12″ chronological scrapbooker from 2004 to 2009 and still have a roomful of supplies. For 2010 I did my first Project Life, which felt like such a burden. I think it was called Project 365 then. The idea was to make sure and take a photo every day, so you end up taking photos of your everyday life as opposed to events like birthdays or weddings. I never could get caught up and never took a photo every day but finally managed in 2011 to get the year finished. The project made me start a daily writing journal, which I have kept up to this day. After 2010 I said never again but then I lost the will to do the 12″ x 12″ pages anymore and did PL again in 2012 and this year. I love having my daily life recorded and I spend about an hour a week stuffing the vinyl pockets with 4″ x 6″ photos and writing the daily journaling cards. But it is so glorious to have that feeling of being “current” with my scrapbooking. Plus I have photos of things that I probably never would have taken before, like the Bradford pear tree outside Costco yesterday in its full autumn glory. I take a LOT of photos with my iPhone these days. I love doing PL and keep thinking about getting rid of all my patterned paper that I will probably never use. But for now, it continues to take up space. Thanks for the idea of doing a blurb book. I have resisted doing one so far.
Beautiful, fantastic! I agree with Barbara – the Blurb folks should give you a bonus of some kind. As always, you are an inspiration!
The Blurb book people need to give you a bonus for getting everyone over there to make some! Love the way your photos flow and the entire page without a border. You rock M.A.
Well I’m late too. I’ve never even heard of a Blurb book. However, now…..
Wow, what a great idea, just loading up the photos in the order they came in! Your book is a lovely souvenir of your year. I love the added sticker and handwritten notes too. I feel the need for a Blurb book of my own…
I love this idea! I think I’m going to make one for each of my girls from our trip to Paris and London from a year and a half ago, because unlike their super awesome Momma, they never finished their travel journals.
Oooh oooh oooh! How wonderful!
Your books are incredibly beautiful and always inspiring! I never heard of blurd books, so I am later to the game than you!
oh man, love love love. your pictures are spectacular as usual, but in this format, even more delicious- if that’s possible. i want to drop every single thing i’m doing and make blurb books now…but as you know, first i have to catch up on my project life, ha!!! and yes, like iHanna said, peeps are doing PL digitally now…of course, true to my nature, i want to do it old school AND new school…damn that racing clock!
you aren’t the last because i hadn’t heard of blurb books either. so maybe next to last 🙂 very cool-now to check it out.
I made a Blurb book out of Instagram photos and LOVED it. Now I’ll have to try this. I love the “just get it done” idea and not stress over the details. You also answered my conundrum about starting PL. I gave up scrapbook several years ago and have the pile of empty books to prove it. This looks like the way to go for me. Thanks!
Brilliant! Love these & the MAM method!
Your photos are amazing!! Love your books… so inspiring! Thanks always for your inspiration and joy in creating!
susan
i have no probs with PL. the idea of it is a good one and i like a lot of the PL albums i see. i am just way too lazy. but hey i love sticking things in pockets as much as the next guy.
this is so awesome Mary Ann! I wish I was so on-the-ball, or even half-on-the-ball instead of falling-off-the-damn-ball! I need to come here every day and have you inspire me. I’m really going through creative withdrawl yet I can’t seem to muster the energy to just do it. I think seeing all this greatness is going to help me. You’re always my #1 inspiration. I have so much to document, but never stop moving to sit down and document it! Love the book. Love your skills! xo
OMG the PROJECT LIFE bit is cracking me up. (True confession time–I am a PFer but I tend to collect the bits and not stuff the teeny vinyl pockets on a weekly basis…..but shhhh…don’t tell the others. I will get caught up. Some day. I will. No SERIOUSLY.)
Very, very cool. 🙂
jan i tried the premium lustre and the proline uncoated. both are really nice and very very different. i do not know what the page count will be until i am finished with the book. both of mine are right around 120 pages. i do not like thin wimpy books. remember 120 pages is only 60 physical pages. of course they are NOT cheap. with shipping included each book was approx. 65 buckeroos.
money well spent i say!
everyone who asked: blurb has booksmart software you get free online and download to your computer to make the books…
These are great, Mary Ann. I love the “everyday life” aspect of these books. How do you decide how many pages for each book? I love the square full page format. Which paper do you like best?
What a wonderful book! I want to make one now. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Wow, I’m impressed. I haven’t done Blurb books myself, but yours might be the kick in my ass! Always uber-inspiring, you! xo
So friggin’ AAAAHHHHhhhhmazing!!!!!! Gotta check it out.Love em!
You’re not the last person in the world… So what? Huh? How do you make these books? Through iPhoto? WordPress? Do tell. Also I will confess to a wicked giggle on reading your comment about project life 🙂
Stunning! Awesome! Beautiful!
And the best thing about these is, that down the line, when you’re back teaching and have a horrendous day, you can come home, get them out and remember how wonderful your sabbatical was and dream about how wonderful the next one will be. I know I’ve told you before, but I am continually so happy for you that you made this happen for yourself. It’s a year you will never, never regret.
Erin in Morro Bay
Oh wow…. !!! I feel like Dorothy landing in Oz…
I am fascinated by you and what comes out of that noggin of yours, like a good mystery you keep me guessing..love the new books!
I too have only done photo books with travel photos. I’m not sure why I haven’t used everyday photos but after seeing this I’m going to do just that! Yours are so beautiful!
I’m in agreement on riding the wave with Violet Cadbury 🙂 Have already informed the husband that I’ll be making books of my last two years of Instagrams with Blurb. Do you SEE these things that you get started?? LOL – great work 🙂
Any plans on offering a couple for sale? For those of us who don’t take such great photos or travel to such wonderful locations …
Asked with fingers crossed:)
Deb
Okay-love your books–but sorry–where does one go to make a blurb book????? (she said crawling out from under a toadstool)
Your blog didn’t post links, here they are anyway
http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/2013/09/how-to-make-a-photo-book-for-week-in-the-life/
http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/2013/10/photo-book-week-in-the-life-2012/
I love seeing the way you so effortlessly put together your awesome photo books miss Moss! Your photos lend themselves perfectly to book making, and I think you should make at least one that you also offer for sale, with travel photos maybe. I’m so inspired by these photos, thank you!
I put together a tutorial for Blurb photo books when doing Project Life, and also a post where I too show yummy photo spreads from that book if you want to take a look.
Good luck with the next one!
Blurb is fun. I do like the use of full page pics.
I’ve made several books, including my nephews wedding album.
Love your journals.
Christy
Lil Bit Brit
I love this beyond words and your take on Project Life — hysterical as usual.
~Dawn
I’ve only done these for “special occasions – but what a great idea for everyday as well! Fu !
What a FAN-tastic idea! I have never made a Blurb book but have thought about it. I did have an email for a similar “free” Shutterfly book. I decided to make a gift for my bff with pictures of all the cool art stuff she has made for gifts over the years. Not wanting to fall into the “free” trap and end up spending $$$ anyway, I adhered strictly to what was included in “free” and did not upgrade to better paper, different size, more pages, or nicer cover. I’d show them. Just before I hit the order button, I decided I’d better order an extra copy for myself. Between the second copy and shipping on 2 books, the free book cost me $40. But… no regrets. I L-o-v-e the book – only problem is I have to wait til Christmas to give my friend the gift and it is Killing me!! Thanks for sharing.
Oh my MY~~~~~~
Your books are Fabulous, Mary Ann! Have wanted to use this for some time
but being naturally curious and , also, cautious, I wanted to see real results.
And now I have.
Well…I’ve just run out of excuses why I can’t do it…HA
Thanks for the heads up….they look Terrific!!!!!
xoxo
Sass
PS> Should you give a class on this, I would love to join in..Hint, hint….
Love the books! I believe you are a Mac user? Do yourself a huge favour—buy a big hard drive and set up TimeMachine. It will back up everything automatically at intervals as short as 15 minutes. You will thank yourself if your computer ever dies.
Late to the party, as usual..I’ve never heard of these little books either. Yours are gorgeous!! Will definitely be checking out this idea 🙂
More awesomeness! Your drawings, your photos and that giant lemonade – just awesome. I’ve made several of these books,never through Blurb, but LuLu and other companies, but none have the flavor of yours. They are fun. And by the way, I got “Vera” for Xmas last year and watched a couple episodes, but never finished…time for me to ferret that DVD out and finish! Oh, and I just looked out the window – we have over an inch of snow and it’s still snowing. Wish I could send you a box of it!
Love them! So…how does one make a blurb book? Is there a website?
Fantastic. I especially like the idea of writing over them! I’m so going to do this with some of my photographs! I have two backup harddrives, just in case both my computer and one of the harddrives crash. That’s how paranoid I am about loosing my pics. 😉
In any case you now have a wonderful photoreport of your sabattical, fabulous memories no doubt.
Too freaking cool!!! Woweee. I have never even heard of blurb books and I certainly do like that lady’s idea that you could do a class for us. Oh, yeah!
Totally AWESOME books! I’ve never seen them done better. I’m going to give it a try myself one of these days. Thanks for sharing!
I love your book! What a great way to save those special memories.
How cool is that! I have been wanting to do something similar but I am photo book impaired. Maybe you will take the reins and produce an online class where you have done all the thinking and I can just ride the wave with little effort? I think that qualifies as a big idea