Photo Organization: Blurb

Are you overwhelmed with all the pictures on your digital camera and have no idea what to do with them?  Do you have boxes full of prints or stacks of huge photo albums that take up alot of space?  I know I used to until I developed this awesome system using Blurb Booksmart.  It is easy to use, so don't be intimidated! 

After years of running back and forth to Walmart to pick up prints, buying stacks of photo albums that wouldn't fit nearly as many photos as I had, I knew I needed to make a change unless I wanted an entire room dedicated to photo albums someday.  That's when I found Blurb and downloaded Booksmart.  It goes right onto your computer and you can open it at any time without Internet connection.

The software tutorial will explain how to use it, but I have found it to be one of the easiest photo book softwares that I have ever used.  
First I will start a book for each year in January: My life in 2011. 
You will choose the size of your book.  For my regular albums I choose the standard 8x10 landscape.

Then as I take pictures throughout the year I will continue to upload them onto Booksmart. 

You can either go back later and create your pages, or do it right away and add journaling with each event.  I try to keep updating the book as I take pictures so that I can easily remember dates and details regarding the event....but I admit, sometimes I get a little behind!

Currently for this year I am already almost up to 350 pages.  Even though it may seem like it is getting large by the end of the year, it will still end up a lot thinner than a normal photo album.  I can spend anywhere up to $100 dollars on an album, however, when I added up the cost of prints and albums that I had been purchasing I found I was actually saving money by doing it this way.

Compared to other albums I have seen at other companies, I really like the quality of the bindings.  I have never had a problem with the pages ripping or coming out. 

I also usually upgrade to their Premium paper which adds under $10 to the cost.

If you search online you can usually find coupon codes that will take off shipping or up to 20% off which helps too.

I also chose to make our wedding album through Blurb.  Getting an album made can be SO expensive.  The cd of pictures came in our photography package which made it much cheaper for us doing it this way.  I love how it turned out and have gotten rave reviews from everyone who sees it.  I love being creative and am glad that I was able to make the album the way I wanted and imagined it to look.  For this album I went with their larger 11x13 size.

I also always choose the hardcover, compared to the image wrap.  I'm not a fan of hardcover books that have the paper wrapped around it because it's one more thing that can get ripped.

When you are finished with your book, it will take you through a spell check and preview to make sure everything is correct.  Then you hit Order Book and it will upload it online to their website where you can then order and choose the type of paper quality you would like.  It should be shipped to you within a few weeks.

At the end of the year I will always copy all of my photos onto a cd, label them, and save in a photo box.  This way if I ever need to go back to get something printed I have it. 

 

It is always an exciting day when I get a new album in the mail after putting it together for an entire year.  I will flip through it numerous times.  Anyone who comes over and looks through it will love the idea.  People are always looking for ways to organizing their photos and journal about events to remember the day, and this is a great way to do it. 

How do you organize your photos?

Have you ever tried another company to make a photo book?

Dresser Project Reveal!

The dresser project is finally finished!!! 

So here is the before....

Here is the after!!!

While the painting was a large project, I think the worst part was having clothes lying all over the house and living in a mess for a week while everything was drying.  I am definitely glad it is over, and am happy with how it all turned out.  Amazing what a can of paint can do!

My Busy Night

I felt like I had a really productive night after work yesterday.  First I got home and did Turbo Fire for an hour.  My friend borrowed me her Turbo Fire videos which I am really enjoying.  I also have alot of P90X videos, but its nice to change things up when it comes to video workouts I think.  She does a lot of squats during her workouts which is great for the butt!   There's also a lot of punching and arm movement.  As sad as it is, my arms are really sore this morning from it.  Shows just how weak I am!

Since winter is coming is seems to be dark by the time I get home from work, and dark when I wake up, so I am using this as cross training for days I can't get outside to run.  The snowflakes yesterday didn't make running outside any more appealing either.  Can't believe winter is coming! 

The worst part of doing the videos is jumping and punching in front of the TV while my husband sits on the couch and watches me.  I am sure I don't look as good or as graceful as the ladies on Turbo Fire do.  haha.

The videos do come with a workout schedule that you can follow.  There are about 10 videos total. 

 After the workout I started the dresser painting project.  I got this primer so that I wouldn't have to do any paint stripping or sanding.  The paint is black from Sherwin Williams. 

First I took out all the drawers and removed the handles.

I cleaned the handles after I took them off the drawers.  I know its a little gross, but the handle on the right is what they all looked like when I took them off.  Then after I cleaned them they looked brand new like the one on the left!  Excited to see how nice the silver looks against the black once I'm done.

Didn't have time to start painting, but I put the first coat of primer on before bed.

Look forward to sharing the finished product!

Bathroom Cabinet Face Lift

Before the wedding Ryan and I spent days painting each room of the house.  Most of the trim we ended up painting a slightly off white color called Roman Column from Sherwin Williams.  For some reason at the time we skipped the bathroom cabinet, so it has been on my list to match it to the rest of the bathroom.

Here is the cabinet when I started.  I removed the drawers and door, also taking off the handles and hinges.

Then I started the first coat with a primer.

After about two coats of Roman Column it seemed to cover the wood grain fully.  Ryan was nice enough to spray paint the handles and hinges for me. 

Here is the finished product.  I am really happy with how it looks now with the rest of the cabinets and trim!

I admit I was getting a little tired of painting by the time I was done.  I'm just too impatient to wait in between coats and want to keep going till its finished!  We have two dressers in our bedroom that I've had paint for for months.  Work is a little slower for me this month, so that will be my next project on a day off.  Wish me luck!

diy: Fall Wreath

Welcome to the Hathaways!  I thought our entry way needed a little sprucing up, so I found some great ideas on pinterest for fall wreaths.  I went to Walmart and bought 1/4 yard of four different colored fabrics, and then followed the fabric rosette tutorial and made flowers in all different sizes.  The wreath at Walmart was only $3.50!  Then I wrapped the wooden H with twine, and hot glued the flowers onto the wreath.

I'm pretty excited with how my first pinterest craft project turned out!