Made a book about our trip to Thailand and Cambodia
Jan 3rd, 2009, 02:08 PM
#41
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Another update in case anyone is interested (dogster?).
I got email from Blurb support an hour after I sent them the photos.
The are sending me a new book, free of charge.
Wow.
That's fantastic customer service.
I got email from Blurb support an hour after I sent them the photos.
The are sending me a new book, free of charge.
Wow.
That's fantastic customer service.
Jan 3rd, 2009, 03:31 PM
#42
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Just looked at your Rome book. Lovely, wonderful, excellent! But to give confidence to others...even without your excellent photos, artistic sense, clever text, using Blurb or other book publisher is still good when it has the record of one's own trip or event. I will try some of the suggestions you have made on my next book.
Jan 3rd, 2009, 07:07 PM
#44
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I'm following along here, every inch of the way.
Soon I'll have to put Blurb aside as an unhealthy addiction. I had to abandon computer games and [deleted][deleted][deleted][deleted] and err.. [deleted] for the same reason. lol.
Soon I'll have to put Blurb aside as an unhealthy addiction. I had to abandon computer games and [deleted][deleted][deleted][deleted] and err.. [deleted] for the same reason. lol.
Jan 4th, 2009, 08:27 PM
#45
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Dogster- How's the book coming? Almost done?
Before you upload your book, I highly recommend you check out the Blurb forums and read some of the people's comments and complaints. I really learned a lot in doing that and you might find you want to make some last minute changes (sorry) before you upload.
Before you upload your book, I highly recommend you check out the Blurb forums and read some of the people's comments and complaints. I really learned a lot in doing that and you might find you want to make some last minute changes (sorry) before you upload.
Jan 4th, 2009, 08:42 PM
#46
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Hey Kristina, yeah, nearly there. I keep getting horribly diverted. Once I go into images everything gets more intense. But I'm having fun. I've had to put it aside to concentrate on travel bookings now.
And yup, I'll check out that forum page. I think this is a true miracle. I love it.
And yup, I'll check out that forum page. I think this is a true miracle. I love it.
Jan 5th, 2009, 02:03 PM
#48
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Hi Kristina, I was inspired by your beautiful book. Thanks to you, I have a new addiction -- spent the last three days doing nothing but making a book!
Here's a link to the preview: http://www.blurb.com/books/527926, and here's a link to an abridged version of some of the rest of the book http://www.blurb.com/books/527946. It was a little frustrating in a few spots, but in general, I really liked the tool and enjoyed the experience.
PS: sorry it's not about Asia, but we're not going on our Thailand trip for another 3 weeks).
Here's a link to the preview: http://www.blurb.com/books/527926, and here's a link to an abridged version of some of the rest of the book http://www.blurb.com/books/527946. It was a little frustrating in a few spots, but in general, I really liked the tool and enjoyed the experience.
PS: sorry it's not about Asia, but we're not going on our Thailand trip for another 3 weeks).
Jan 5th, 2009, 02:41 PM
#49
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Judy-
Your book looks awesome! I'm really impressed by the two page photo spreads. That's not something I've tried yet. Was it hard? Do you have to crop the photo into two separate photos?
BTW, my revised Rome book has already been shipped and will be here Wednesday. How's that for service?
Now comes the true moral dilemma; do I give my friends the new one, or keep it for myself? >
Your book looks awesome! I'm really impressed by the two page photo spreads. That's not something I've tried yet. Was it hard? Do you have to crop the photo into two separate photos?
BTW, my revised Rome book has already been shipped and will be here Wednesday. How's that for service?
Now comes the true moral dilemma; do I give my friends the new one, or keep it for myself? >
Jan 5th, 2009, 03:00 PM
#50
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judy, your books are beautiful! that is definitely whetting my appetite to south africa in 2010! nice job on it
here's a preview to my book of my ecuador & galapagos book. it was my 1st Blurb book.
http://www.blurb.com/books/191474
here's a preview to my book of my ecuador & galapagos book. it was my 1st Blurb book.
http://www.blurb.com/books/191474
Jan 5th, 2009, 03:43 PM
#51
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Hi Kristina, the 2-page thing was actually really easy. You just put the same photos on opposing pages, zoom a bit, and line them up! Much easier than inserting text. BTW, what program did you use to create your text JPEGs?
Also, I think you should definitely keep the good one for yourself
Quimby, this was my first book too! I would love to see your Ecuador/Galapagos, but the link doesn't work for me.
Also, I think you should definitely keep the good one for yourself
Quimby, this was my first book too! I would love to see your Ecuador/Galapagos, but the link doesn't work for me.
Jan 5th, 2009, 04:26 PM
#52
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oops sorry, the book was private, here's a better link i hope.
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invit...5997fd4e7c5f63
the preview is mostly of a visit to a cloud forest before our cruise
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invit...5997fd4e7c5f63
the preview is mostly of a visit to a cloud forest before our cruise
Jan 5th, 2009, 05:27 PM
#53
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Quimby-Great looking book too!
From looking at both books, I feel like I need to put more full size photos in mine!
I'm going to edit my Cambodia book before ordering a copy for myself and I'm going to have to put in one of those 2 page spreads too. How much room did you leave for overlap or the book binding?
I use an old version of Photoshop elements to edit my photos and create the text jpegs.
Here's how I did it:
Clicked in the photo box on the blurb page to see the optimal size.
Then I created a new file in photoshop of that dimension and filled it in with the same color background as the background page in blurb (you can look at the color profile and match up the RGB numbers).
Then I put in white text in the same font and size as I would have used in the text box in the book.
Make sure you leave a good sized margin on all sides so you can zoom up if needed.
Then I saved it as a jpeg and dropped it in just like a photo.
From looking at both books, I feel like I need to put more full size photos in mine!
I'm going to edit my Cambodia book before ordering a copy for myself and I'm going to have to put in one of those 2 page spreads too. How much room did you leave for overlap or the book binding?
I use an old version of Photoshop elements to edit my photos and create the text jpegs.
Here's how I did it:
Clicked in the photo box on the blurb page to see the optimal size.
Then I created a new file in photoshop of that dimension and filled it in with the same color background as the background page in blurb (you can look at the color profile and match up the RGB numbers).
Then I put in white text in the same font and size as I would have used in the text box in the book.
Make sure you leave a good sized margin on all sides so you can zoom up if needed.
Then I saved it as a jpeg and dropped it in just like a photo.
Jan 5th, 2009, 06:13 PM
#54
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hi kristina, i would say leave at least 1/4". i would select pics that don't have too much going around the edges or if the info was superfluous, like the pics i have. in a previous book, i had a pic of me in the corner of a vista of machu picchu and i couldn't put the pic on a full page without lopping part of me off. grr.
Jan 5th, 2009, 07:04 PM
#55
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Kristina, I don't have the finished product yet, so not sure if I left enough room. In general I just tried to make it looks like one photo. I'm assuming print the same way it previews? I uploaded all the 2-page spreads and did have to make a bunch of adjustments.
Jan 7th, 2009, 07:29 PM
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Another update:
My second copy of the Rome book arrived today. Can't believe how fast that was!
It looks good in terms of the quality of the printing and there are no faded spots.
One oddity however is that the spine of the book is distinctly larger than the last one, almost to the point where it it too large for the number of pages. The last book seemed to be sized better. Both books still have the problem where the front cover photo wraps around to the inside of the front flap.
In all, I'm very happy with them and will be making and ordering more books for sure.
Dogster, we're all waiting on a preview of yours. Have you uploaded it yet?
My second copy of the Rome book arrived today. Can't believe how fast that was!
It looks good in terms of the quality of the printing and there are no faded spots.
One oddity however is that the spine of the book is distinctly larger than the last one, almost to the point where it it too large for the number of pages. The last book seemed to be sized better. Both books still have the problem where the front cover photo wraps around to the inside of the front flap.
In all, I'm very happy with them and will be making and ordering more books for sure.
Dogster, we're all waiting on a preview of yours. Have you uploaded it yet?
Jan 7th, 2009, 09:00 PM
#57
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Not yet. I'm having a battle of wits with India at the moment, trying to book the next trip.
It's all laid down, but, cos I couldn't work the formatting, I have to go thru and put all the accents back. Soon. It's very time consuming - and it's 380 pages, AND I'm anal-retentive and IT MUST BE PERFECT.
You'd think I'd know better than that..
It's all laid down, but, cos I couldn't work the formatting, I have to go thru and put all the accents back. Soon. It's very time consuming - and it's 380 pages, AND I'm anal-retentive and IT MUST BE PERFECT.
You'd think I'd know better than that..
Jan 9th, 2009, 10:58 AM
#58
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I am quickly making a book for a sick friend. Using MyPublisher since I have used it before. Now that I have looked at Blurb, I amazed at how limited MyPublisher is. I just hope all the options in Blurb do not make me crazy when I get to use it. The sample and for sale books in Blurb are beyond..
Jan 10th, 2009, 05:55 PM
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I have made six photo books to date; using Shutterfly, VioVio and Inkubook. By far the easiest to upload and the least expensive was Inkubook. They have a great support group, and the site is very easy to use - as opposed to VioVio. Shutterfly is easy, but more expensive.
I always upload a full page, not using their templates. That way I can use my own photos as backgrounds, and put as much journaling as I want. My philosophy is that one should not have to explain the photos in the book, there should be enough written description to do that.
I also write travel journals, printing them on the computer and have them bound at Staples into a hard cover for $12.00.
I always upload a full page, not using their templates. That way I can use my own photos as backgrounds, and put as much journaling as I want. My philosophy is that one should not have to explain the photos in the book, there should be enough written description to do that.
I also write travel journals, printing them on the computer and have them bound at Staples into a hard cover for $12.00.
Jan 11th, 2009, 06:13 AM
#60
I'm not sure whether to thank you or hate you! This is SO addictive, and I really didn't need another computer addiction... I spent literally all day yesterday putting together a 30 page book on Austria for a friend's birthday, and my neck and shoulders are really complaining today.
I didn't do anything fancy, like pix in pix or print on pix, we're old enough to need clear print, so my text is all 11 pt San Serif in black on white. Did I read that there's no way to change the font for the whole book at once?
I didn't do anything fancy, like pix in pix or print on pix, we're old enough to need clear print, so my text is all 11 pt San Serif in black on white. Did I read that there's no way to change the font for the whole book at once?
