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Showing posts with label Blurb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blurb. Show all posts

How do You Capture Memories

www.inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com
**I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will 
be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. 

How do you capture family moments during the holiday season?
We have decorated at home for Christmas and have put up our tree
with its glistening ornaments, sparkling bright lights, and golden ribbon.
We have hung our homemade stockings by the fireplace, have put up our 
Jesse Tree and baked cookies that fill the air with goodness and we continue to
make family memories each day.  It all sounds so wonderful, but we want to
remember those lovely moments, and so this is where Blurb comes in.  I have made
photo books in the past and why not create one for the Holidays too.  

I enjoy looking back at our photos from previous family moments while curling 
up by the fireplace as I turn each page.  I love that Blurb makes their photo books 
look like storybooks, except that it is our story.  Not every moment is wonderful,
but I love to look at the changes of each year.

It is amazing how children change each year, how decorating styles change 
from season to season, and it is all captured by images in a book.  
The great thing is that we get to share it with our 
parents, they get to view the moments they have missed due to distance. 

I would not like you to miss an opportunity to make your own memories this year
and share it with loved ones, or even create your own cookbook with Blurb because
even that would make an awesome Christmas gift.  So I am sharing with you 
right now that today until December 12th everything is 35% off. So
you have all day today to get your memories into a book.  Use this code: AWE35

Hurry on over before the sale is over, remember it is only until 12/12/16.

Thank you for stopping by today!


Sharing Creative Inspirations


*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Over the past few weeks I've been sharing how and why Blurb is such an incredible source for
telling your story—whether it includes photos, words, or both. I realize that not everyone has the
desire to write a novel or sell a book of their photos. Some people just want to commemorate a 
trip, an event, your own blog, or a special occasion. Others may want to visually capture a 
business concept or life experience. Whatever the inclination, Blurb makes it easy and affordable 
to realize it. 

Chances are you already have an idea for the kind of book you want to create. But in case you 
need a little inspiration, here are a few ways people have used Blurb to create their own creative 
and useful books: 

Gifts
A beautiful, custom-made book is one of the most thoughtful, meaningful gifts you can give. 
With Father’s Day, graduation, and wedding season just around the corner, this type of book 
can make the perfect gift that keeps on giving. And with Blurb’s cutting-edge book-making 
tools, you can add photos, words, stories, drawings—anything you want—and make 
something that’s truly one-of-a-kind. Ideas include: a favorite recipes book, a baby’s first 
year book, a book of poems, a senior year book, etc. 

Memoirs
You have a story to tell. Okay, so you may not have hiked across the Sahara or been on 
Broadway, but that doesn't mean that you haven’t impacted lives or had interesting life 
experiences. And it certainly doesn't mean that you don’t have valuable insights to 
impart. Even if you have no interest in sharing your memoir with anyone, the process of 
reflecting on your life and writing down some of your thoughts and experiences can be 
incredibly eye-opening and cathartic.  In my experience creating my own book with Blurb, 
I've captured simple everyday memories that I can look back to.

Pet Books
What better way to showcase your best friend than with their very own book. It could be 
something as simple as pictures and quips of trips to the park, naps on the couch, playing 
with a favorite toy, or basking in the sun, to a more in-depth life story book about your pet. 
These can be shared as gifts, sold to fellow pet-lovers, or just kept for your own personal 
enjoyment. 

Non-Profit Fundraising Books
With Blurb, non-profits can share their story with compelling words and images and 
then sell them via Blurb’s Sell & Distribute option to fundraise for their organization. 
For example, Gerrit Greve’s Hearts for Healing book showcases how kids interpret a 
giving heart through art. It also chronicles how Greve’s students gained new confidence 
in themselves and their abilities knowing that their art could make a difference in someone’s 
life and health. This beautiful book is an example of how Blurb’s platforms can be used to 
support a cause that’s important to you. 

These are just a few ways that you can use Blurb to share your story or promote a purpose, 
but know that there are many, many others. Get creative! Honestly, the most important part 
is just clicking on the “Get Started” link on Blurb.com. As you start the process of creating 
your own book, you’ll be surprised at how quickly the creativity floodgates open!  

And when it does and you've created your own book, be sure to tell me about it—if you’re 
okay with me doing so, I’d love to promote it to other readers. Who knows? You may inspire
someone else to create a book of their own! 

Just In!
Exciting news! Starting today, you have to check out the Blurb Flash Sale! You can get 35% off now through Monday, May 18th, when you use code MAYFLASH35. That is right - 35% off any Blurb book you make! I'm talking photo books, cookbooks, trade books, magazines ... whatever type of book your inspiration calls for! Here are the details: 

Offer: 35% off at Blurb, five days only!
Valid: 5/14 - 5/18
Code: MAYFLASH35

So hurry on over to Blurb and start creating! This offer ends soon!

Effectiveness & Quality of Blurb (Part 3)


*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Thus far you've heard the Blurb story and learned a bit about the extensive tools and resources that Blurb makes available to their book-making customers. While all that is impressive, what’s really remarkable to me is how they offer all of that and provide visually stunning books made on photo-quality paper—AND do it all at such an incredibly affordable price. It’s really is something to marvel at. 

Since day one, Blurb has been praised for their unwavering commitment to quality, which is why renowned photographers, graphic designers, architects, artists, and other creative professionals repeatedly choose Blurb to display their works of art. That speaks volumes in my book (no pun intended) because, if they trust Blurb to showcase their work, then it just seems logical that I should too. 

Professional-Quality Books and Magazines
Whether you’re creating a photo book, a trade book, or a magazine, Blurb allows you to choose from a wide range of trim size, covers, fonts, layouts, and paper. Paper type is actually really key to any book which displays images. Other book-making platforms may have some nice quality paper, but you’re going to pay out the wazoo for your book. Others use recycled paper, which is good environmentally, but not so great for producing visually-rich images. 

Blurb, on the other hand, provides customers with several paper options, including standard paper that has a smooth, semi-matte finish on 80# stock, to un-coated Pro Line semi-gloss paper on 140# stock that’s ideal for high-end photography and design books. 

Digital Books/Ebooks
Blurb is actually one of the few book-making platforms that gives you complete control over creating an ebook. Blurb lets you make ebooks in both fixed-layout (Apple iPad®-only) and flowable formats (iPad and Kindle devices). You can even convert any book or magazine you create into a gorgeous ebook so you can share and distribute it in a way that’s easy, affordable, and earth-friendly! 

Price
If price is a factor (when is it not?), Blurb is bar none one of the most affordable printers out there with one of the lowest price per page available – especially when you consider their quality and array of creative options. So that you will know exactly what you’re getting at what cost, Blurb developed a Pricing Calculator. I mentioned their pricing calculator in my last post, but to recap, this fantastic tool lets you see what your price per book will be based on the selections you choose (e.g. soft cover, 7 x 7 photobook, on Pro Line un-coated #100 paper). 

You can also compare the pricing of different types of books (trade book vs. magazine, vs. ebook, etc.), covers (hard or soft), sizes (7 x 7 vs 13 x 11), paper type (matte, glossy), etc. 

Although their pricing is already impressive, take note that Blurb is generously offering you 15% off any book you create from now through 5/30! Get started now

I recommend sorting through those pictures on your camera, smartphone, Facebook feed, or Instagram page and start creating your very own book. You’ll be so excited with the results that you’ll probably want to make a copy for all of your friends and family (I’m speaking from experience here!). 

If you need some inspiration, I’ll be sharing examples in next week’s post of how some people have used Blurb to create their own creative and useful books—so stay tuned! 



What You Should Know About Blurb




**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

So last week I shared a bit of the Blurb story and how they came to unleash the power of self-publishing. But Blurb is actually way more than a self-publishing platform. They are really a tour de force of creativity that strives to help give your story – your inspiration – a stage.  And they provide some really incredible tools to make that possible. 

Here are a few of my faves:

  1. Free book making tools – This one may be obvious, but there’s more here than meets the eye. Blurb offers multiple easy-to-use bookmaking tools and templates to give you complete creative control and customization:
    BookWright: The only desktop publishing software built for creating professional-looking print books, magazines, and ebooks. It’s super simple to use, which means you won't need to hire a fancy designer, know a line of code, or buy expensive software. BookSmart: A user-friendly book-making tool that allows you to create beautiful, professional-quality photo books, notebooks, and planners.
    Adobe InDesign Plug-In: If you use Adobe® InDesign® then this Blurb plug-in is for you. It lets you create and lay out books and magazines directly within InDesign and output in both print and digital formats. It also includes free professionally designed starter templates for photo books, cookbooks, portfolios, and magazines.
    Adobe Lightroom: This book creation tool is fully integrated into Lightroom, so users can make a gorgeous photography book without needing to leave the Lightroom workflow. It also includes 5 paper choices, including high-end photo-quality paper from Mohawk Fine Papers®.
  2. Online photo books – With this tool, you can create your very own online photo book in less than an hour. The online templates and layouts are gorgeous. All you have to do is drag & drop your photos from your computer, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
    Instagram Photo Book: Blurb allows you to make a little 7 x7 book that’s as unique as your Instagram feed. You can start with up to 60 images and go up to 240 pages! It’s like a tiny museum devoted to your style!
    Facebook Photo Book: Now you can turn those favorite socially-shared memories into a book-store quality book! You just curate your photos and any Facebook comments you want to include and voilà! You’ve got a beautiful 60-page book of shared experiences.
  3. Step-by-step Tutorials & Webinars – If you ever get stuck on how to do something or just need some creative inspiration, you’ll definitely appreciate Blurb’s interesting and informative Webinars and Tips and Tutorials sections. So helpful.
  4. Free Tools to Use - Not sure what size book you want? Blurb shows you what a 10 x 8 book would look like versus a 13 x 11 with their creation and layout tools. You can also see what different paper types would look like, such as Premium Matte or Proline Uncoated and what makes them different.
  5. Pricing Tool – Blurb’s Pricing Calculator will save you from pricing surprises. You just select your book type, number of pages, type of cover, and paper you want and this tool calculates what your book will cost. They also have special pricing on large orders (e.g. 300+ books).
I encourage you to take some creative time for yourself and explore Blurb’s unique and valuable book-making tools. And remember that from now through 4/30 you can get 20% off any book you create, just use code: APRILLIGHTS! If you are thinking of self-publishing or starting a fundraiser use code: BIGAPRIL and get 20% off 20 or more books! 

What are your favorite Blurb tools? 


An Intro To Blurb

Blurb Designer Photo Books
**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

I really enjoy Blurb and the quality of their books, and yes I know that there are other companies out there that do the same, if not similar work.  But having seen other books, Blurb tops them all. 
 I want to share with you Blurb's story.  

Like many great companies before it, Blurb was actually started by accident.  In the early 2000s, Eileen Gittins, Blurbs' Founder, rekindled a passion for photography while trying to figure out her next career gig. 

She wanted to compile her photos into a nice coffee table photo book, but she only wanted to print a handful of copies. The conundrum was that every publisher was quoting her hundreds of dollars for each book! She found this curious – and frustrating.  So she asked herself, are there other people like me who want to affordably create their own high-quality book from their photos? The answer, of course, was yes, and it changed her life – and book publishing – forever. 

In 2006, Eileen launched Blurb, a simple book-designing platform and a publishing process that could quickly produce beautifully made books at game-changing price. 




Everyone from award-winning photographers, to couples wanting to commemorate the birth of their child started using Blurb – and they continue to do so today. Even after almost a decade, people are still blown away by Blurb’s user-friendliness, quality, and affordability. People trust Blurb to create every kind of book imaginable, including:
Blurb doesn’t just help people make books and magazines, they also help market them by providing publishers with their own dedicated sales page. Blurb’s dedicated sales pages allows authors to:
  • Make their book or magazine available to the public or by invitation-only
  • Write a compelling book description
  • Customize a preview of their book
  • Share their book with others on social media
Blurb also created their publishing platform to work seamlessly with Amazon and Apple iBooks Store so authors would have even more options for how they sell their books. 

There are so many remarkable things to share about Blurb – too much for just one post! So keep an eye out for next week’s post, because I’ll be sharing some of my favorite Blurb tools and tips -- which, if you’re like me, will leave you thinking … “I didn’t know Blurb could do all that!” 

Oh! And I almost forgot to mention that now through 4/28 you can get 20% off any book you create! 

Can’t wait to see what kind of book you create! 


Big Savings Just in Time for the Holidays:Blurb

(This post contains affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after you click the links.)
Inspirations by D

I've been making little adjustments to this holiday's decor.  It gets simpler every year, so the only thing I have been decorating is our tree and well that's it.  Not to mention a wreath on our front door. 
I usually add little something here and there as the week progresses, but I'll just have to wait and see.

With the Holidays rushing through and with so much to do, I wanted to let you know that Blurb has added an extra promotion to make sure you can still save big on your gift books.  Make your gift giving easier this year.  Now we have the time to gather our photos and make a gift book.

Save 30% off print book orders $175+ with code:BLURB30% or 25% off print book orders $150+ with code: LARGEGIFTS through 12/9. Now's the perfect time to create those gifts!





Save with Blurb's Black Friday Sale

(This post contains affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after you click my links, thank you.)



I have been thinking about gifts this year and what do you give someone who doesn't need anything?I've got it!  How about a book created especially for that person on Blurb!  I am thinking of creating a book with fun memories of past times with photos, family stories and poems for a beloved relative such a grandparent.

Some of the best gifts we've ever received have been books made by our family and friends. With Blurb, you can create your own present for someone special to you. You could make a photo book with memories that last a lifetime. Another idea is to create a book filled with your child's artwork or make a cookbook consisting of old family recipes. The gift-giving possibilities are endless at Blurb.

Since it's Black Friday, you can get 20% off print book orders with code: CYBER20 from 11/26 through 12/1. Now's the perfect time to create those gifts!


Publishing & Selling Books in the Blurb Bookstore

(This post contains affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after you click my links, thank you)

Many bloggers out there have worked hard on their blogs and even use the means to promote 
business or their personal stories.  Today I want to help you take a step further and show you 
a way to create your own book and sell it to your readers. 

If you have an idea for a book, but don't know how to get it published you are in the right place. 
Self-publishing tools like Blurb BookWright are helping independent publishers just like you 
become successful authors. If you’ve been working on a novel, cookbook, craft book, 
or your blog, now’s the time to finally publish it!  

Publishing couldn’t be easier with Blurb BookWright. Not only can you easily publish your 

book, you can sell in the Blurb Bookstore with the help of Blurb Direct Sell. Through it, 
your book will get its own page in the Blurb Bookstore and you can use the Personal 
Storefront widget to promote your book to your readers. You can even sell your book on 
Amazon when publishing with BookWright. Self-publishing a book has never been easier! 
If you're ready to try it and sell your book, download BookWright.
I hope that this helps you get started! 


Inspiration via France - You're Never too Young to Create

(This post contains affiliate links and will compensated only if you make a purchase after clicking my links.)

On my last post I introduced you to what Blurb is doing this fall.  I told you that each week, Blurb will be highlighting makers all over the world and that they will be focusing on each person's craft, on their culture, on their traditions, and on their favorite moments right? 

Today they share with you someone from France.  When we think of France we think of taste, elegance, and style. Some of the greatest art, design, and fashion in the world has a French accent. That's why they turned to France to see what the next generation of creative genius will look like. 

Meet Tolly Dolly—a fashion blogger with big ambitions and an impressive resume of brand partnerships and press coverage. Her goal is simple—to be a fashion designer. She already has her first design contract—all this and she's just 14, wow! Here we talk inspirations, ambitions, and all things festive. For the full interview click on the image above to read how this young girl got started.

The holidays are quickly approaching, save 15% off any order (no minimum spend required), and 25% off Landscape and Portrait photo books ($100 minimum spend required)
which is great news if you're planning to make a gift. This deal ends November 25th.

Sweet Gift Making Inspiration From Paul Lowe

(This post contains affiliate links and will compensated only if you make a purchase after clicking my links.)


This fall, Blurb is highlighting makers all over the world. They will be focusing on each person's
craft, on their culture, on their traditions, and on their favorite moments. One of those people 
is Paul Lowe, creator of Sweet Paul magazine. 

Sweet Paul magazine features spectacular food photography, scrumptious recipes, and 
inspired crafts. His work is truly amazing! In Blurb's interview with Paul, he discusses 
his childhood in Norway and provides a delicious recipe. You'll love Paul's stories of gnomes, 
trees (and tree-related disasters), food, family, and memories. At the end of the interview, 
Blurb features great gift books reminiscent of Sweet Paul. Read the interview here
I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!

Save 20% on photo books with code OCT20%, which is great news if you're planning 
to make a holiday gift. This deal ends October 31st. 


Photo Book Design Secrets from the Pros, Compliments of Blurb

This post contains affiliate links and will compensated only if you make a purchase after clicking my links.
Hey friends!  Have you been taken plenty of photographs the last few months, years?
I'm pretty sure that your photos are stunning, because you snapped them. 
Your photo galleries are sublime. You've spent hours sorting and editing your shots 
into individual masterpieces, and are now ready to take the next step—
publishing them into a printed collection of your art. 

Before you jump online and start pouring your pictures 
onto the blank pages of a photo book, take a look at this video from Blurb.  In this video, 
learn graphic design secrets to create a clean, high quality photo book—such as how 
to avoid falling into the "gutter".  Blurb will help you turn your photography into the 
magnum opus that graces your coffee table, as opposed to just another book of pictures. 

Ready to start publishing? Save 20% on photo books with code OCT20%, which is 
great news if you're thinking ahead to the holidays and making your work of art 
into a gift to send.  Special offer for new customers only—save 25% on photo books 
with code OCT25%… even better for those of you who are new to Blurb books. 
Just don't wait because these deals end October 31st, so get going.
I hope that you enjoy these tips as much as I did.  
What photos will you include in your photo book?



Getting Started (Making a Book)

*This post contains affiliate links and will compensated only if you make a purchase after clicking my links.


I've wanted to make another book, but the idea of starting it is pretty daunting. What should 
I put in it?  How do I get organized? (Don’t get me started about getting organized.) It seems 
almost easier to just give up. That’s why this Blurb video was so great to find! It answered 
all my questions (well, most of them) and got me pretty much squared away to make a really
sweet photo book. Check it out for yourself and see what you think. And, if you make your 
purchase by 9/30, you can Save 15% off photobooks at Blurb with code SEPT15%

For NEW customers; New customers save 20% off photobooks at Blurb with code 
SEPT20%

I hope that you enjoy your book making experience!


A Place for Your Travel Memories

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
www.inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com
Traveling during the summer is a great time to make memories that you can cherish forever.  A trip to the Grand Canyon, to the lake or the mountains, serves as a canvas for awesome photos.  I remember heading over to the Disney Parks as a child with my family.  My dad could not always make it to our vacations, but we were able to share our adventures with him. We looked over the photos that my mom took of us on our outings and we recollected every moment. Those were the albums of the past and not in the best condition today. You can't bring everyone with you while traveling, but you can share what you loved about a place in a one of a kind travel book.  

This is the summer to create the book and preserve your memories, a custom travel journal documenting your favorite adventures—even to sell and fund your next trip.  Get step-by-step instructions and book ideas from great travel books created with Blurb to help you make a book you'll be proud of.

Are you ready to get started on your travel book? Use promo code AUGUST15 and Save 15% on all purchases now through August 25th.  

Save also 25% on print book orders of $75+ on 1st purchase only, now until August 25th. (New Customers only)  Use code TRYOUT. 



Enjoy creating your book!

Instagram and Interior Design with Lori Andrews

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Today I want to share with you my awesome Blurb find.  As you know, I’m a big fan of Blurb, I love their products due to their wonderful quality and just everything they offer.  Blurb is my to go place when it comes to creating any kind of book.  And I love to hear the stories behind the amazing people that make their books with Blurb

Recently I came across this video profile of interior designer and Instagram star Lori Andrews. She draws her inspiration from colors, patterns, and Wonder Woman (yes, the comic book hero!). In fact she even has a Wonder Woman costume of her own.  She is a great inspiration when it comes to being creative.

Check out her video below and if you’re as inspired as I am, you can make your own Instagram Photo Book book with your Instagram photos on Blurb



Now through June 30th, Blurb is offering 20% off purchases with no minimum! This offer doesn't last long so hurry to get 20% Off at Blurb.  The code to use at check out is CELEBRATIONS.


Impressions of Keyhani - Blurb

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I have thought about placing my creative work in a book.  I have already created a memory book and think that a book featuring handmade items will be a fun thing to do. It is an excellent way to gain more exposure to the blog and handmade shop.  I have also considered recording the progress of updates in our home; although it is a very, very slow process, it is nice to have a book with all the before and afters. 

This is something that can be wonderful for a blog, online shop, crafters, painters, artists, home makeovers, or just family photos and all creative minds.  I love this idea because you are the artist, the illustrator, writer, photographer even. Blurb has had the opportunity to help create this artist's work in his own book.
Let me share a little inspiration with you and see if you get any great ideas for your own book.

Mostafa Keyhani is an extraordinary painter. Drawing from the Impressionist tradition, his work is alive with color and texture as he uses thin washes, areas of bare canvas, and thick impasto to impart an expression of organic life. While his paintings fetch high prices in galleries across the United States and Canada, his self-published books give each of his fans a chance to own his art. Keyhani is a Canadian resident born in Iran, and has had a journey as fantastic as his art. In this video, Blurb captures a glimpse at Keyhani's remarkable creative process. Perhaps it will inspire you to make your own book with Blurb.  View the video for your next inspiration and tell me what would be something you would want to put in a book.




Making Magazines with Blurb’s BookWright: An Interview with Trevor Ehle

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.



Recently, I had the chance to chat with Trevor Ehle, the Senior Product Manager at Blurb who’s been working on BookWrightBookWright is a great new way to make a book, and more importantly, a magazine. Let me share his insider information about the new things you can do with Blurb that make it pretty easy to make a magazine—whether you’re an experienced designer or not.

Apparently, building the foundation for your magazine using words and images in BookWright is pretty much the same process as making a book—but there are some differences, according to Trevor Ehle, that you should keep in mind before you start. 

Here are Trevor's tips for making a stunning magazine...
  1. "The magazine format has the option of printing images and/or text on the inside of the front and back cover. We think this is a nice design addition that is exclusive to this print format. You’ll find it in the 'Covers' section of BookWright."

  2. "To keep printing costs as low as possible, Blurb requires that all magazine page counts be divisible by four—so keep that in mind when setting up the content for the pages portion of your book. You can always add blank sheets at the end to make your magazine fit this page count. But don’t worry—BookWright will let you know on upload if your magazine’s page count is incorrect."

  3. "The magazine’s spine is relatively small, even at larger page number counts, so it might be best to use an image, background color, or texture on the spine in place of text. Given the limited space that is available and the variation of the printing process, you are more likely to get a final product you are happy with if you stay away from using text."

  4. "BookWright has soft proofing built in. If you have ever visited our [color management page] you know how complicated this can be—yet it’s an important part of your book design process. We’ve takenBlurb's ICC Profile for color management and integrated it directly into BookWright to help save you time and make it available for everyone—regardless of technical ability."

  5. "As you drop images into your book, we automatically apply the color profile to help manage colors more closely. (However, this can also be disabled in your Preferences view, if you wish to work without it.) If you are designing an ebook, BookWright will disable the profile automatically so you see the true colors, since digital files do not, obviously, need to be calibrated for print."


  6. Are your creative juices flowing? I know that mine are.  Are you ready to publish the next Life magazine? Bookmark these tips, then head on over to Blurb. Right now, Blurb is offering 15% off on all printed products for returning customers and 25% off for first purchases made by new customers through May 31st! Simply use the code MYFIRST at checkout for new customers and 15%SAVINGS for returning customers. These deals expire next week, so if you're going to grab one, you better hurry! 


Blurb GIVEAWAY (Winner Announced)

Thank you for participating, the winner for the Blurb giveaway was selected by Random.org.
Miranda said...#15




I would make a book full of baby pictures of my daughter.
July 8, 2011 5:47 PM


Happy Friday!
I have received my Blurb book in less than a week and I am thrilled with how my book turned out.  I worried that the pictures were not going to print well, but they are gorgeous, they show great color and sharpness.  The binding and cover are durable.  It was fairly simple to create the book.  Blurb provides many templates, but for my book I used photo templates only.  I love my book!
As I stated before, Blurb is a creative and marketing platform that unleashes the creative genius in everyone.   The Blurb platform makes it easy to design, publish, market and sell professional quality books. 
GIVEAWAY
To celebrate the weekend, Blurb is giving away to one lucky Inspirations by D reader 
a  $ 75 Free Book Coupon so that YOU can create your own book! 

Think about all that you can do, a blog book, cook book, wedding book, 
family book, travel book...the ideas are endless.

How to Enter
To enter to win $75 Free Book Coupon Giveaway, just answer the following 
question in the comment section of this post.  What will your book be about?  
Please leave your email so that I may contact you if you win.

Contest ENDS  Friday 7/15/11 at 8pm CT. Winner will be selected by Random.org.
Good Luck!
This giveaway is now closed.
Don't want to wait?
Create your book now and Save 20% On Your Entire Blurb.com Order (Code BLURB20)

Blurb Review

Have you heard of Blurb?
 It is a site where you are able to create your very own "anything" book. 
You will find all the tools you need to make your own photo book, cookbook, baby book, travel photo book, blog book, story book...and so much more.
They offer quality printing and binding with a range of choices from hard to soft cover paperbacks.  It also provides an array of trim and sizes.  Best of all, once you publish your book, you have the choice of selling it online in their bookstore and receive a profit.  Doesn't that sound GREAT!

I have taken the opportunity to create my own personal book with Blurb. 
My book features family moments which I decided is not for sale.  I published it for our family to enjoy and I am sure that creating your very own would make a great gift for your family as well.
Blurb's software is full of layouts, designs, ideas and more.  At first it was a bit overwhelming, but once I got going, it became a fun project.  I can't speak for the written portion of the software, because I only used photo pages and I played with different layouts to see what worked best for me.
The software is pretty easy to use.  Make sure your computer runs fast and smooth before downloading the software, otherwise creating the book may be delayed on a slow computer.
Although the software can automatically adjust the size of my photos, I found it to be a bit challenging only because I was hoping to have full page photos in my book.  Due to the size quality of my pictures, that was not an option for me, so I had to settle for smaller photos.  Over all, it was a great experience and I enjoyed working with the Blurb software. 
I can't wait to receive my book!
I think that my next creation with Blurb will be a story book for my little one or maybe even a craft book, who knows.  There are so many ideas.
Will you be creating a book of your own?
I hope you do.  Have fun.

Create your own book and get 20% off your by using code: BLURB20

(Disclaimer) This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Blurb.  All Opinions are 100% mine.




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