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 :).

 

Comments

[Julie]

How wonderful - such care and design skill has gone into this, such a special gift to have given yourself and family! x

[Mary-Lou]

Beautiful. I could see a volume or two of all your wonderful previous Time for Tea posts in this book format and of course for sale at any leading book sellers.

[Honoré]

Tempting. Inviting. Beautiful. Published. Congratulations! You have inspired me to give it a try..plus I think I have an idea for a focus, hmmm.
I'm sure you will have many pleasurable hours revisiting the memories in this book and making more - both memories and books.
Cheers~

[alexandra sirugue-macleod]

Yeah! I share your excitement Alexa. Your book looks great and yes, very elegant and professional!
Your idea of documenting 6 months in a 81/2 by 11 sounds very interesting. Thank you for all the tips you have shared with us!
xx

[Susanne]

I love that wide smile of yours. Your book looks beautiful.

[Karen]

It's just gorgeous! Top on my list for 2017 is to finally get a Blurb book done of our trip to Istanbul and Greece. All the photos are organized, and the journaling is written. There's no excuse except fear....

[SandrinEve]

It's really a beautiful book!!

[Debs]

I love photo books and yours is beautiful. I feel the need to put together one showing the first few months of baby Leo!

[Mary]

Wow - it's gorgeous! I've made a few blurb books, but none recently - you've inspired me!

[Sian]

It's absolutely beautiful! Some of those are iphone photos? What an inspiration for all of us who use our phones...if I thought I could make a book like that (tho I'm not sure that I could!) I'd pull out my phone even more frequently than I do already. It's stunning.

[Kathy]

Hi Alexa love your BLURB photobook. I've used Blurb for my photo books and love them. I printed my "Project 52" photos for 2014 on paper (can't remember which one) and then did the 2015 book on the thicker luste photo paper and it's so much better because it feels like photos rather than magazine paper. I am sticking with the luste paper the top quality and price as I figure I'm only going to print the book once and I still want it to feel like photos. I'll be ready in about 2 months to print my 2016 book so I'll have 3 years of this project which is so easy and I love it. My yearly books...umm...well 2014 photos are sitting in templates on my hard drive haven't started 2015 or 2016 but one day. I think if I just focus on 4 weeks at a time eventually they'll get done but I love Blurb and the quality is great. My 2014 year book they accidently printed a couple of pages out of order and it was confirmed it wasn't my fault (just sent pics) and they happily reprinted the whole book and sent me a new one. The kids can have the first book and I can have the 2nd book.

[Ruth]

It's glorious! Looks just like a glossy magazine!

[Melissa]

Your book looks fantastic Alexa. I love your clean design style. Kathy, I'm glad to hear you were happy with the lustre paper, I just sent off a book for printing on Tuesday and selected that paper.

[Linda]

Oh the book looks fabulous! Well done:) XXX

[Melissa Gross]

It looks lovely! We have several photos books & have been pleased with them.

[Beverly]

I have been doing photo books of our travels (inspired by the fact I never get around to scrapping) and love them. Yours is beautiful, it will be enjoyed for a long time.

[Rosie Radcliffe]

Your photo book is so beautiful, your photographs are always beautiful, but your graphic skills in putting the whole look together are just Awesome.

[Missus Wookie]

Lovely - what a great memory keepsake. Thanks for the review, when I get around to printing I shall remember :)

[Barbara]

Just popped over from Sian's blog, your photo book is beautiful, something to treasure.