2015 Photobook! A Blurb Review

One of my goals for 2016 was to make at least two photo books with the hundreds of photos I've taken over the past few years. At the end of February I finished my first one, not too bad! I worked on it on and off for several months, so I'm not sure how many I'll be able to get to this year, but I think I will at least meet my goal of two!
I decided to make each book cover one calendar year and started with 2015. I didn't feel like I took that many photos last year, but this book ended up being three hundred and eight pages! Woah! I was so nervous waiting for it to come in the mail, hoping the quality would be good. I have used Blurb before to make two smaller books, but never something I invested so much time into. Here is how it turned out. Spoiler alert: I'm in love!

I went with an 8x10 hardcover book because of the size. I had a really hard time trying to pick something for the cover! If the book is about an event or a trip, you just pick a favorite image from that, but what kind of photo can represent an entire year? I googled lots of examples, and in the end decided to go with some of my favorite instagram photos from the year in a grid. Next time I think I'll add the year as well.

One of the few things I'm not happy with is how the title isn't centered on the side. When it is on the shelf that is all you can see, and I think it looks silly.

I picked a few more instagram photos for the title page as well. Since my book was so long I couldn't upgrade to the premium luster paper, but the standard paper feels fine. It is thick and my photos printed really nicely. Even the instagram photos! I was concerned they would be pixelated, but Blurb warns you if you are making something too big. I left one photo even though I had a size warning, and it was fine. I have only noticed one printing error, a tiny white spot in one photo (on Travis' face), but that is no big deal.
The templates were easy to make and use as well. I edited a few of the ones provided, then saved them and used them over and over in the book. Next time I need to name them better so they are easier to pull out, but that is my bad!

I did full bleed photos (up to the edge of the page) on every layout. Most of the examples I saw online had more white space and I worried about how it would look once it printed. I love it and I'm going to do something similar with the other years. The important thing for me is the photos, and I want to fill each page with them. The only text I added was a date and what was going on at the beginning of each section.  I also did a "best of" instagram at the end of each month. That app has become such a part of my life, I wanted to include it.

Another layout I love. Maybe I should have titled it Rae and Travis (and Crystal and Marc) 2015. They are in most of the book!

Some reviews I read complained that the sides of the book weren't white when you did full bleed images. Who cares?? Another thing I was worried about was if the book was really thick, would it be hard to flip through, or flimsy. That was something I couldn't find much about online for some reason. It worked out great at 308 pages and the binding feels very strong and sturdy.
Another thing I agonized over was picking too many photos from each event or place. This book is for ME! Why do I care? Haha! I did a full page of photos of us standing in front of that striped wall because I loved them all.

This month, July I think, there were too many good instagram photos to choose from, so I did a two page spread. Over the years of blogging I've learned that I love looking at photos of the little things, like what my house looked like, things I saw at the flea market, pictures of our street. In ten or twenty years I'm going to like seeing those things just as much as seeing photos of big events so I tried to include a lot of those kinds of photos in the book.

The biggest complaint I have is that one of my photos just didn't print at all. That left page was a full page image (one of my favorite from the year) and it just didn't show up. It is in my file that I sent to Blurb, so I don't know what happened. I'm going to email them about it, and if it comes too it I guess I'll glue it in? Not a HUGE deal but still annoying.
But all in all I'm really really thrilled with how my book came out. I finished it right when Blurb was having a 35% off flash sale so I got it for $79 including shipping. Not bad at all!
As far as shipping, I picked the standard shipping which was $5 I think. The book came almost a week before the projected delivery date, which made me really happy! I might have screamed when I saw the box waiting for me on the kitchen counter.
I think this book will last for the rest of my life, and now I have a way to see what I got up to last year without digging through my external hard drives. This book makes me feel so happy and I can't wait to complete a few more, and maybe even finally do something with our wedding photos!

And just in case anyone is wondering, this isn't a sponsored post or anything. (I wish!) I made this thing on my own time with my own money. Even with the little mistake I'm giving Blurb an A+!

52 Lists: 2016 Goals!

It isn't too late to make some goals for the year right? I've had this list since the first, I just have been too distracted with things like watching tv with the dogs, and going out TOO much. That photo is from Bowie Night at the Stone Fox last Friday. I went with Ryan, Travis and Jamie.
Last year my only goal was to learn to do eyeliner and wear it, and I did it!
I think new year's goals are really fun to make as long as you make them about something fun, not about something you hate about yourself, or something that makes you feel guilty. I haven't had a big list in years, but here are some of the things I want to do in 2016:

1. Post more on my blog // Last year I posted less than I have since I started blogging back in 2001. One of my favorite things to do is look back through my blog and see what I was doing and thinking at different times. Even if it is embarrassing! So this year I'm going to make time to post more. I think part of the reason I did less last year was people don't interact on blogs as much anymore.  I'm as guilty of anyone as reading but not leaving a comment, so I'm going to try to do that more too on the blogs I read, and on instagrams I love.

2. Go on an overnight hike with Travis //  Travis loves the outdoors and usually goes on an overnight hike or two with friends every year. It isn't really my thing, but I've commited to doing it with him at least once this year. I've told him to plan one that isn't TOO challenging, and we'll probably take a few friends. I am making some little walking goals to get ready, and plan to walk a mile or 2 a day. I'm excited and scared to do this!

3. Make at least 2 photo books // I take lots of photos, and though I put them on the blog, I don't do much else with them. I want to put them into photobooks using blurb, and print them. My goal is to do at least 2 this year. I'm already half through a book about 2015, so I might even make a few more! We'll see. I don't want all my photos to just sit on hard drives forever.

4. Read 100 books // This is my usual book goal. I only made it to 80 last year, but I'm going for 100 again this year. I'm on my 6th right now.

5. File quarterly taxes //  This is kind of boring...but I want to write it down! I am doing lots of independent contractor type stuff right now, and I think it will be a good idea for me to do my taxes quarterly, we'll see if it is too complicated since we usually file jointly. I'm going to talk to a tax professional about it.

6. Make some stuff // Going with the theme of making goals that don't make me feel guilty, I'm keeping this vague. I love it when I make time to do something creative, so I would like to do some of that this year. Not sure how this will play out, but I have lots of ideas.

7. Hang out a lot // Not going to a regular job makes it easy to hibernate and not make plans. I want to keep seeing all my friends that I love and not just hole up in my house. We're doing really well at this so far!

A Simple Resolution.

Oh man, the end of the year really got away from me! Usually I like to do a big recap post of some sort (my favorite ever was my "what I ate in 2011" list) but I just didn't get around to it. I'm pretty excited for 2013 though! I just found out someone I love is having a baby, and one of my best friends got engaged on New Years Eve! Here is a grainy photobooth picture of us right after midnight. We rang in the new year with lots of Just Dance (Travis gets the high score EVERY TIME!) and sparkling apple cider. 

I kept my resolution simple last year, and I feel like I was pretty successful. I'm much more confidant and I really can't say I'm shy anymore. Part of that is my job. Talking to vendors has given me a lot of confidence somehow. This year Im keeping it simple again, and not making a resolution that makes me feel guilty or bad about myself. I saw this print a little while ago, and I just love it. I'm going to buy it and put it on my dresser so I can see it every day. I can be really unsympathetic when it comes to others, and especially when it comes to me. So that is what I'm going to work on this year! 

[source]

We have been doing GREAT with our lifestyle change and I'm still feeling amazing. I've got a little recipe round up to share with you guys sometime soon. It is amazing the amount of energy I have, and even how my mood has been affected. I can't wait to see how I feel after a few more months. We made it through the holiday season, so I think the rest of the year will be a breeze!

My Goal in 2012

Here is my one goal for 2012. I was working on a list of goals/resolutions and realized they all kind of had to do with the fact that I let self doubt get in my way all the time. So this is my year to follow the advice of the great Kanye West.

I also read a great post by Amy Morby about resolutions. She said don't make resolutions that make you feel guilty, or are inspired by things you hate about yourself. Make resolutions that will add something to your life!

So this year I want to do at least 2 creative projects a month. I used to make stuff all the time, but I let that stupid self doubt get the best of me, and I stopped. But I had so much fun making those ornaments and wreath last month, I really want to make time for stuff like that regularly.

I think 2012 is going to be an incredible year.