ShadowCase Heirloom Shadow Box
Monday Giveaway: Blurb Bookmaking Gift Certificates
145 comments
THE PRIZE
Two lucky readers will each win a Blurb bookmaking gift certificate for $36.95, enough to get you a whole lot of pages in any of their selection of sizes. Yippee!
MY REVIEW
I am thrilled to announce this giveaway because I just finished my own Blurb book and I can’t wait to click “PUBLISH” and get it in the mail! I decided at the end of last year to focus on blogging instead of scrapbooking all of my pictures and our daily lives because I was falling further and further behind. At this stage in my life, blogging is much more practical than scrapbooking and preserving our stories and memories is more important than using pretty paper and fun embellishments. Blurb is my printing solution!
So what is Blurb?
Blurb (www.blurb.com) is a creative publishing platform that enables anyone to design, publish, share, and sell affordable, bookstore-quality books. Download Blurb’s free book design software, BookSmart, to design your masterpiece. The minimum order is 1 book, and you can expect to receive your book within 7-10 days of ordering it. {from Blurb.com}
What this doesn’t tell you is that books are available in 5 sizes and begin at $4.95, that there are video tutorials to help you get started, or that you can “Slurp” your blog to the free software for the easiest transformation from blog to book possible.
When you first start in the software, you choose which blog(s) you want to slurp (Typepad, Blogger, Wordpress, and more) and then which posts from that blog, and it automatically uploads all your titles, photos, text, comments, and date stamp into the software. From there you can mix and match and swap and play until you’re totally satisfied.
Besides slurping, my other favorite thing is how customizable each template is. They have dozens of preset text and photo templates for you to use with all different numbers of photos and placements, but you can also edit their templates or create your own to make things look just exactly how you want them to. I edited quite a bit to make the photos as big as possible on the page and to fit as much in as possible.
The whole process was easy to learn and so fun to do! And of course, Blurb is not just for blog books, but that’s the most enticing application for me…
Here are 3 of my favorite layouts. Click on the image to view larger and see what the software looks like.
The program is intuitive and you’ll have it down in no time. (FYI,when you make your Blurb book, make sure you check the “Display Trim Guidelines” box so nothing important gets chopped off!)
This is the scrapbooking of my future. I have been able to record so much more of my family’s life blogging than I ever did scrapbooking, and I have this easy and affordable way to print it nicely.
A standard portrait size book will fit so much nicer on my bookshelf than those enormous scrapbooks do also…
The benefits in favor of printing a blog book are obvious right now – with all the money I spend printing pictures and on supplies, this is a less expensive option also.
I can’t wait to get mine in the mail and share it with my family. Thanks Blurb!
GIVEAWAY RULES
- Visit Blurb.com
- Come back here and tell me what kind of book you would make before midnight Friday, March 5.
- A winner will be selected and announced at the top of this post on Monday.
- Only one comment per person unless you earn extra entries.
- Giveaway open only to residents of the continental United States…sorry.
- Winners must email me to claim their prize within 5 days.
EARN EXTRA ENTRIES
You may earn up to 25 entries by blogging about this contest and including certain links – click here to read more about earning these entries.
You may earn 1 extra entry each for doing the following (make a separate comment for each thing you do):
- Download Blurb Booksmart and give it a go
- Subscribe to the Blurb blog
- Follow Blurb on Twitter
- Join the Blurb Facebook fan page
- Visit the Blurb tutorials page and check out their videos
- Follow me on Twitter
- Tweet about this contest with link back here (copy and paste http://www.vanillajoy.com right into the text box)
- Facebook about the contest
- Subscribe to my feed
- Sign up for my newsletter
- Add my button to your sidebar
- Comment on any non-contest post (must contribute to the conversation)
GOOD LUCK and THANKS!
{This product was provided to Vanilla Joy for review purposes.}
Filed under: Blog Giveaways
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Tagged With blog book, Blog Giveaways, blurb, win free stuff
I would make the 7×7 book. I have already done 2 and I need to finish up 2009 and print it. This would be a wonderful motivation to get me to finish it!
I have downloaded Blurb Booksmart
Blurb facebook fan
Subscribed to your feed.
Visited the tutorial page. There are so many good tuts on there!
I’d love to do this for my blog in a 7×7 book
subscribe to your feed
I am working (slowly) on turning our blog from last year into a book with blurb. I like the 8×10 size because it allows you to see the pictures more clearly, but of course that makes it more expensive, as well. I would love the gift certificate!
Oh, how I’d love a blog book! Wonderful.
I subscribe to your feed.
I receive your newsletter.
I visited the Blurb tutorials page.
I comment on your other non-contest posts.
Blurb is awesome!
I subscribe via email!
lisag
I would love to try this as I’m terrible with photos. I like the larger photo book.
lisag
facebook!
I would make a large landscape blog book. I have made one and have 3 more to do…I LOVE this company and am so pleased with the final product I received it around valentines day..it can hold a ton of photos! For one year of my blog book it has over 1600 pictures, seriously! I love it
thanks for such a great giveaway!
I would like to make a photo/geneology-family history picture book with my mom.We visit my parents each summer in NC and this would be a great activity she and I can do together. We have tons and tons of old family photos from my great great relatives and this would be a better way to preserve them so my kids can learn about their family history as well.
Joined the Blurb Facebook fan page
I have already Downloaded Blurb Booksmart and actually made a book for my sons birthday last year. It turned out great.
follow you on twitter (cthmommy)
cthmommy
follow blurb on twitter
I subscribed with google reader.
watched some blurb tutorials
I Follow Blurb on Twitter
@zebastyandylan
I Joined the Blurb Facebook fan page
Dana J Valle
I follow you on twitter.
@zebastyandylan
I would make a scrapbook of my 3rd childs first 2 years. I have heard amazing things about this company and would love to try it out…I may even have to make a recipe book-oh the possibilities!!
http://www.vanillajoy.com Two lucky readers will each win a Blurb bookmaking gift certificate for $36.95 less than 20 seconds ago via web
cthmommy
tweeted http://twitter.com/cthmommy/status/9881073374
have Blurb Booksmart downloaded
I get your newsletter via email
I have your button on my right sidebar
I receive your e-mail subscription
tweet
http://twitter.com/zebastyandylan/statuses/9881192440
I’m a blurb FB fan!! :D
I posted link on my FB page.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/dana.valle?v=feed&story_fbid=337547327438&ref=mf
Dana J Valle
I receive your newsletter.
I have your button up.
(right side under great sites)
I subscribe to your feed through google reader.
posted on facebook
I would make the standard landscape. I want to work on one for my little boy, and would like to make one for the whole family.
Just downloaded the software…and starting to work on the first book!
I blogged with links to craft room organization. #1
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to craft room organization. #2
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to craft room organization. #3
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to craft room organization. #4
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to craft room organization. #5
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to scrapbooking furniture. #1
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to scrapbooking furniture. #2
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to scrapbooking furniture. #3
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to scrapbooking furniture. #4
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I blogged with links to scrapbooking furniture. #5
http://zebastyandylan.blogspot.com/2010/03/blurb-bookmaking-giveaway-at-vanillajoy.html
I would make 8×10 yearly photo books.
I would probably try a blog book…it sounds like a great site!
I subscribe to your feed.
I subscribe to your RSS feed
I downloaded Blurb Booksmart
I checked out the tutorials
I would definitely make a blog book! I have done it in years past and I love it…
This would be the perfect motivation to create my blog book!
I subscribe to your feed
I downloaded the software already!
Joined the blurb facebook fan page
I follow you on Twitter
I’m signed up for your newsletter
I downloaded Blurb!
i follow blurb on twitter now!
I would LOVE a blurb book! I blog so much that it was going to be pretty expensive. So winning a book is right up my ally! I would make a blog book. It is my version of our family scrapbook and would love to have it in print!
I subscribe via Google Reader
I also downloaded Blurb onto my computer! YAY!
I would make a blog book a square one too cute! Thanks for the chance!
I downloaded it and tried it , It’s awesome!
I follow them on twitter now
I follow you on twitter
I am their fan on facebook
I would make a blog book. What a great product!
I have been wanting to print my blog for a while now! This would be perfect! I think I would go with the “standard landscape” book. Thanks!
I also follow you through my google reader account!
I have downloaded the blurb software. I would love to make the large square book!
I would make the blog book. I have been wanting to do this for my family to give as Christmas presents! Now you really have me motivated!!!
I downloaded the blurb program onto my computer.
I subscribe to your feed.
I receive your newsletter.
I have your button on the sidebar of my blog.
I joined the Facebook Blurb fanpage.
I would make a little square book of pictures from my sons first year.
I hope I win!
Stop by my blog to enter to win a pair of sassy boots!
I would love to print out my blog in standard portrait.
I downloaded the blurb software.
I commented on a non-contest post.
I would make an 8x 10 book out of my blog from the last couple of years. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, so the gift certificate would be great to get me motivated to make a book!
I LOVE blurb.com! I’m currently using them to make my blog book for 2009 and I really like the new layout editing feature. I’ve also used blurb to make memory books for my husband and best friend. For each of their 30th birthdays I collected 30 memories from 30 different people and published them in a book with pictures and all that. They LOVED the books.
Thanks for the giveaway! (…..pick me!)
I subscribe to your feed.
I subscribe to blurb’s feed.
i have your button.
I facebooked about the contest.
I have blurb’s software downloaded.
I would make a standard landscape blog book. I’ve been wanting to make one but haven’t made the time for it yet. This would be wonderful!
I subscribe to your feed.
I receive your newsletter.
I would love to make a book of my blog!
I downloaded the blurb software
I have been wanting to get one of these mabey winning one would bet my behind going!
I follow you on Twitter
i added your button to my blog
I am following Blurb on Twitter
Became a fan of Blurb on facebook
I just signed up for your newsletter – I love all the patterns you have!
I keep hearing about Blurb and would love to try it. I’d probably do a standard size book; need to do baby books for both my kids.
I also subscribe to your feed.
I would probably make a wedding book, for my poor sister who’s been waiting over a year for me to finally put hers together.
i’ve been dying to convert my blog into a book! this would be perfect!!
I would love to make a book for my parents for their 50th anniversary chronicling their life together thus far. Very cool.
I downloaded the Blurb BookSmart.
I follow Blurb on Twitter.
I am a fan of Blurb on Facebook.
I visited and check out the tutorials.
I follow you on Twitter.
I subscribe to your feed.
I get your newsletter.
I commented on the felt puzzle making post.
I Facebooked about the contest.
i subscribe to your blog on my google reader does that count!
became a fan on facebook of blurb!
i have downloaded their booksmart
What an awesome idea. I love scrapbooking – but this would be an awesome addition to a coffee table.
I need to print two years of my blog. This would help!
I would do 7×7s of my kid’s blogs for them and for me! How fun… thanks.!
I want to make a book for my sweet hubby for our 5th anniversary of pics and stories from the past 5 yrs! :)
The standard landscape for sure!! Can’t wait to try it!!
I just followed you on twitter. I can’t believe I didn’t think to do that sooner.
Does it count if I already subscribed to your RSS feed?
I’m one Sunday away from finishing my ‘09 book! Pick me!
I would make a photo book definitely but I’m keeping it in mind for a cookbook too. Great site, i’ve never heard of them, but the books look great. I’m bookmarking this one for future use. Thanks
I would make a book(s) of my personal blog for 2008 and 2009! I started using Blurb and have made yearly books, but for while they weren’t supporting Typepad so I’m behind. I had contacted them and they told me they were working on it. I’m so glad to hear I can use Book Smart again!
I have Book Smart and it is easy to use!
following Blurb on twitter (someluckydog)
Blurb Facebook fan (someluckydog)
subscribed to Blurberati
I watched the tutorial video What’s new in Blurb BookSmart
follow you on twitter (someluckydog)
I tweeted.
http://twitter.com/someluckydog/status/10032626579
shared on Facebook (Cindy Brooks)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SomeLuckyDog?v=feed&story_fbid=342634751818&ref=nf
newsletter subscriber
button on right sidebar of my blog