My mom makes mini photo books with Shutterfly for my kids every time we spend a weekend together, so we have a whole bunch of them. She is/was a creative director at her own ad agency, so she’s pretty darn good at it. But the hardbound books that Shutterfly is promoting now are in another league. I saw them in person last month, and I was impressed.
What I like the best was the approach to storytelling they shared. It has helped me stop thinking that a photobook has to be a comprehensive summary of the whole year or even a whole vacation. This template, for example helps you create a top 10. How easy is that? Only ten photos needed!
It doesn’t even have to be a Top Ten of the year. It could be “Top Ten Things about Julian’s 7th Birthday Party” or “Ten Things Scarlett Does Everyday” or “Top Ten Adventures in Our First Ten Years of Marriage”.
Another direction: This template is for “A Year of Firsts.”
Yet another example: Catherine from Weelicious made a book documenting how to make a particular kind of cookie. The whole book is photographs of the recipe steps with instructions. I think this would be fun to send to a niece or nephew. I was hoping the photos I took of Julian making slime could be used as a How to Make Slime book. (See exactly how Catherine’s book came out on Shutterfly’s site.)
Note that these templates live on the “Storytelling” tab of the Shutterfly site.
GIVEAWAY! Now that you have tons of ideas, and know that the bar might be as low as collecting 10 photos with a theme, here’s your chance to win $150 dollars of credit to use on Shutterfly. We wanted to make sure that if you make a book, you can buy multiple copies and have them shipped directly to your loved ones. (You know what I wish someone would do? Make a book of their baby doing every activity on our list of 52 challenges for rookie moms! Shutterfly, can you help us make that happen?)
UPDATE: Giveaway now closed (1/2/12). Winner will be notified on 1/3/12.
I would document the 10 ten pet tricks my dog does.
I love the year of firsts book. I could give a copy to my son’s grandparents on his first birthday.
I make these books as often as I can afford, I love them. I would do a top 10 cute milestone pictures from the first year.
I love the idea of doing a “year of firsts” for my little girl’s birthday
I love making photo books! I made one documenting my little guy’s first days after he was born. I’ve also been keeping a journal of “firsts” and plan to make that into a book when he’s a year old.
I would make a “Top 10 Places Baby Has Been” book, including everyday spots like the coffee shop as well as more fun places like an Eddie Vedder concert (though that was in my belly!)
I love these! I would do the top 10 moments of my baby’s day.
I’m thinking Top Ten things that make my baby laugh because that is my favorite sound in the world.
I love the idea of a top ten faces my baby makes!
Top ten moments of my daughter’s life so far!
I’d create a top ten vacation moments photos book.
top 10 family memories – from vacations to birthdays to holiday get togethers!
My top ten would have to include my daughter – maybe the top 10 messes? I can think of 3 or 4 I have photographed so far – making cake, eating Daddy’s ice cream, playing with unrolled toilet paper, coloring all over herself…
Hmmm, top ten events of 2011 (or 2012) would be fun.
I’ve made books for every few months of my 20 month old’s life on Snapfish, but have just switched to Shutterfly b/c I like their options better. The templates look great, and I’d like to make a year of 1sts for our new baby girl (and many others!)
I like the idea of top 10 things in a day in the life of my son – for my family since we do not live near them and they are missing some great moments!
Top Ten reasons we’re a family- all the special things that make us “us”.
A year of Firsts for my daughter that I could share with the grandparents too!
I would love to make a book of my top ten acopmplishemts at Army Basic Training. HOAH!!!!
top 10 messes my toddler makes
I think it would be fun to make a top ten family traditions book. Or a look at ten hours of our day– I think that would be fun for the kids and maybe their grandparents would enjoy it too.
I would do a Top 10 events from my son’s 1st year
Top 10 ways your family celebrates the Christmas season would make a great book!
I would do a top 10 family vacations.
Top 10 Family Adventures in 2011. Or Top 10 favorite foods with recipes!
I think i would do the either the top ten things that make evie laugh, or her top ten favourite activities (right now, strangely, dishwashing would be at the top of the list)
I’d make a book of top ten things to do on the weekend – going to museums, playing in pjs, sleeping in, etc.
I’d make a book of my baby’s top ten friends/caregivers as we gave been so loved and supported during her first few months of life!
Top ten things our family likes to do together.
My heart melts every time I see my two little girls holding hands, snuggling, or just playing well together. So I think I’d do a top ten ways to love your sister book. I think it would be such a nice keepsake for the both of them to have when they’re grown. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would do “10 People I Love” for each of my daughters. On a related note, I asked my mom to create a Shutterfly photo book for my daughters with photos and stories about every single one of our known ancestors (on my side, anyway). It took her 4 hours a day for a whole week, but the book (which reaches back to 1863) is something my girls will treasure for ever.
Given that my 8 year old sons don’t have baby books (oh the guilt!) I would make them each a Top 10 Adventures of their first 8 years which would a) give them *something* and b) get me rolling on filling in the gaps.
i LOVE photobooks, they are so much better than albums. my favorite thing for photbooks is a year in the life of our toddler. this will be our second year doing them!
I would do a top 10 things my daughter loves about visiting each set of grandparents (one in CA and the other set in Chicagoland, we live in Boston). Each time we visit I feel we end up doing the sme things because she loves them so much, it would be great to share with them.
This is so much more doable than scrapbooking. I wonder if there is a way to make a photobook, but also add a little pouch for momentos. I really want to chronicle my trip to England, but have some tickets and concert programs to include.
I would list the top 10 family experiences of the year.
Since our son is learning his numbers, I’d make it a counting book with pictures of his toys/books in each amount!
I would love a top 10 of 2010 (yes, I am a full year behind on doing anything with photos). Our kids love looking through “year in review” type photo books, especially since our family lives far away. it is a great way to help them “see” family every day.
Top Ten Hikes we did w/ our kids this year.
I’ve got photos from my daughter’s first year of life waiting to be turned into a book. The storytelling format is so much more fun to me than the scrapbook format. Count me in!
I made two year old son a Top Ten Reasons Mommy Loves You book using this format for Christmas this year.
I love documenting the everyday things. In fact, I did the RM challenge with my first. Now, I’ve got infant baby #3, and I think I’d to the Top Ten Things Big Sisters Do to the Baby (hug him too hard, pull his arms, brush his hair with doll brushes, etc.).
i would love to make a top 10 of my daughters acomplishments at basic training
We are going to Disney in June, so I would make a book about our trip.
I would just love to make a photo book of the top 10 things I am learning at AIT training.
My mom sent me to this giveaway. I have enjoyed looking through your blog.
thank you
PFC Marchetta Lora
I would love to make a book of the top 10 words my baby says now that he has started to speak.
Top Ten favorite family recipes!
I would for sure do my favorite art projects my son has done, either scan them or take good pictures to add to the book.Grandparents can have the copies, I can have the real thing!
Top 10 mommy/baby or daddy/baby fun times. Like dad teaching son to hi 5 & son doing it at 8 months. Or when mom holds hand to 9 month old mouth to open it do she can pat while baby makes mouth echoes
small moments but my top 10!
I would do “Top Ten Faces” that my baby daughter makes. Cute!
Once we live close to our families again, it would be cool to do a top 10 moments of baby with grandpa for my dad! He would love that!