2009 Travel Book

In what just might be a new all time record from decision to fruition for me, I have actually finished and ordered the Blurb book I was theorizing about in Friday's post.








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All 90 pages of it! Gasp.

Let me tell you, it wasn't as easy as just throwing in all my photos. First I had to decide what to include: Everything from 2009 or just travel? Looking at how many photos I had to include from just the trips, I decided to limit it to that. I had to really reign myself in from adding more of a proper design the pages. I would have liked it to have a little more zing/panache/whatever. Ultimately I knew that if I went that route, this whole project would have taken me much longer and I may have never quite gotten around to it. Instead, I let the photos stand on their own and have their say. And then deciding what to include/exclude and what deserved a full page vs a partial wasn't as easy as I thought. But I actually finished it! A special place on the bookshelf has been reserved. Hooray.

And thanks to all of you who shared your photo organizing strategies (or lack there of). I bow down to all of you have a system and stick to it. I am just not that disciplined. I do have a flickr account which I try to keep tidy but its not the same as having something to hold in my hands, you know? I hope this book thing is something I can stick to and is worth the time and money invested.

I think it works for travel photos for sure but Im not sure how to tackle the non travel photos. Should I just throw all my favorite random events and photos in a book as well? I don't have the same affinity for my at home photos as I do for my ones abroad but they are no less precious in terms of memory. But it feels kind of weird to have a random collection of photos all jumbled together to me. Should I just forge ahead or do you have some other ideas? What do you think?

25 comments:

  1. I myself am getting up the courage to try a Blurb book. I hope you'll post here your opinion on the final product!

    Another method I use for the "around the house" photos is to print my favorites (just plain 4 x6 glossy prints), put them in chronological order, and bind them together with two binder rings. I add a front and back cover out of thick cardstock, then add captions to some of the photots to remind me of when/where the photo was taken. My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary last year, and I made one in honor of all we'd done that year together. He loved it so much, and it was so fun/easy to make (not as time-intensive or as big and expensive as a "real" scrapbook) that I plan on doing a book of our "extra" photos each year. I also add things that I keep throughout the year, like ticket stubs to football games, etc., and incorporate those into the "book." The whole thing is fairly small (4 x 6, just like the photos), and stays on our coffee table.

    Longest comment ever, but maybe it's an idea you can use/adapt for your own photos!

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  2. I've been meaning to try this for ages, and it just sees like such a daunting task. I would try to make a book a year, and since my idea is family oriented, I would be less likely to edit text or photos...just a fun recap of our year. As a designer, it would be an easy project to do for someone else, but doing it for ME is another matter!

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  3. Here's a link to a book like the one I mentioned in my original comment: http://foundpaperco.blogspot.com/2009/09/nyc-mixed-paper-journal.html.

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  4. P.S. I just checked out your book and it looks fantastic! Congratulations! I'm wondering if you used one of the Blurb templates, or created it yourself and uploaded it? Also, I was wondering if you added text to your personal version. I'm intending to do that when I create mine, as I want it to be more of a photo diary for my son. I think it would be fun to see comments about all your exiting trips.

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  5. Mrs L, I would totally own this book, if you were selling it! What great pictures and inspiration! After I read your post on Friday, I thought about gathering pictures from all my close friends weddings and making one book of them to remember the fun times. So I think if you do a "2009 Random" book, it would be a great way to remember the years and little moments.

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  6. My photos are such a mess. This is an inspiration.

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  7. Wow, loving the photo book! & kind of loving blurb.. will definitely remember to check out for my next photo book !

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  8. Danielle: You can purchase if it you would like one. Just add it to your cart on the blurb site.

    Heather: I used mostly the blurb templates and made some slight edits to them where I wanted a different layout. I didn't include any text because I would have no clue what to say, it would require a lot more proofing and thought and I just wasn't up for the task. I really only care about the photos - I remember what happened during the trips without writing it down.

    Annie: Love that journal you linked to. Its adorable but I know I would never get around to finishing that. But its a great idea for those that keep those little scraps of paper and other keepsakes from trips. (i throw everything away)

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  9. I love the "clean" book and I'm sure the private one is just as spectacular! Your artist inside is probably cringing a little because you didn't/couldn't take the time to arrange them in a more Limestoney fashion, but I really like how the pictures tell the story of a place but would be greatly enhanced by anything you want to add conversationally. That's exactly how a coffee table book should be. I second @Danielle and Clint - I'd totally buy it for use as a bucket list.

    As to personal photos - I think you, being you, have a few options. You could do a series of time line style books of each year in which your favorite photos are arranged chronologically. You can also do a book of just fabulous party ideas and photos, another of DIY, and a renovation one based on your blog. I would love to see just about anything you turn out!

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  10. I think your book is fantastic. You've really motivated me to do this with my photos now.

    One question: is the book paper glossy or matte?

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  11. OMG! Thanks for letting me know! Some of the places you have traveled, I have also, so it's neat to see a different eye on the sites! I went to London about 10 years ago and Madrid about 7 years ago.

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  12. Solange: I picked the premium "lustre" paper whatever that means. I didn't want it to be completely flat b/c photos look good with a little gloss but I don't want super shiny either. Hopefully the lustre will be a nice middle ground.

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  13. I love blurb. And I previewed your book... it's incredible! What a great year!

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  14. Looks incredible, of course! I had never heard of blurb before but now that I know about it I kind of want to try it out for myself.

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  15. Good for you for getting it done! I still need to create a wedding album (nearly 2 years later), and want to put together an album of our 2009 vacations to Scotland and France.

    I'm hosting a NYC-related giveaway today. Stop by to check it out!

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  16. Turned out amazing - congrats on taking the first step in getting your pics organized - this is something I need to get on board with!

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  17. Love the book! I hope you'll share your thoughts about the finished product once it arrives. I've been researching the different photobook companies for a while but haven't decided on one yet. Blurb is a bit more expensive but I have a feeling there's a good reason for that.

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  18. Such a great way to showcase photos! You'll have to keep us posted on how it all turns out.

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  19. I did a Blurb book for my mother for Christmas. It was all photos of her only grandchild. She loved it, of course.

    Your photos are just gorgeous.

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  20. Gorgeous! Great work :)

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  21. Hey Lady! Thanks soooo much for your comment on my space...you know I appreciate your words!

    tam

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  22. Love the photos! I'd never heard of blurb, but now I'm having fun designing potential books in my head!

    Just ignore me if this is something you've already done, but could you do a post/answer some questions about how you plan your travel? Like, do you prefer having a guide? Do you go through travel agents/buy packages of everything together/book everything separately by yourself? Etc.

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  23. Blurb is just Heaven. I did a post on my blog about it after I made a book from my trip to Spain. It's SUCH a great way to keep all those memories. Thanks for sharing!!

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  24. Hil: I have answered a few of those questions before (plus loads of others). You can see some answers here: http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/search?q=whadya+wanna+know

    But if there is something I haven't answered already, feel free to drop me an email.

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  25. Mrs.L, the album came out absolutely gorgeous. I know you use a Nikon D90, but would you be able to tell me what lenses you use? Thank you

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