trimmingthesails

Navigating November...

Whatever happened to November? December's nearly here, and when I am able to dip into the creative online world, it seems full of excited glitzy planning ... In what can feel like chaotic instability out there in the world, and constant unpredictability here at home as we try to find a way forward with Dad's dementia, the wide-angled lens of creative goals for next year and scrapbooking projects for January or beyond feels dizzying. I need the small, the totally do-able, a one-step-at-a-time kind of focus ...

I'm drawn to the old, to things that might be shabby but which have endured despite everything. To simple uncomplicated moments, like collecting the windfalls on our side of the fence. To escapes, however brief, into the consolation of natural world. To things which are warm, comforting. You'll see that my December Days is a traveller's notebook size - that's as good as it's going to get this year :). Missing the camaderie, but hoping to keep in touch with you all through perhaps shorter posts, with warmest regards, Alexa.

This Is Life Photobook ...

Well, it's here! Too excited to ask Himself to take a photo while I wrestled with the tightly wrapped cardboard package that had popped through the door while I was at work, there's no visual record of that moment to share. But there is this ...

Am I pleased with my 8"x10" Blurb book? Resoundingly, yes :). It may only be a slim volume, three months worth of our life, but it exceeded expectations. The cover is smooth and looks elegant, and choice of a heavier paper was a good one - there is no 'bleeding through' from one side of a page to the other ...

The colours? They're bright and sharp, and very close to my monitor - the sheen in the photos here from the heavy paper doesn't quite do it justice ...

Larger photos right across a spread worked beautifully - these were taken on my iphone, not my usual little Canon SX700HS, and the definition is great. The print size is perfect, and the font (Avenir Light) easy to read ...

Would I do anything different next time? I am very happy with my design, and I had allowed a slightly wider margin towards the centre gutter to compensate for the gluing of the pages. This could possibly be increased slightly - the book does feel stiff when opening towards the middle. I might go for a matt paper, just to see the difference. Since Bob's Books here in the UK are now doing an 8.5" x 11" size, which opens flat in the middle, I am tempted to consider a six-month one (January to June) for 2017 just for comparison. But all in all, so very worthwhile. And for any of you contemplating a photobook, I'd say 'Don't hesitate - go right ahead!' You really won't regret it :).