enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Bookcover

Have I mentioned that I had a patio garden this summer?

Ah, yes, I have.

Bookspine

It's no secret I was totally obsessed. (Though I've currently lost interest and that patio needs a serious intervention this weekend.) It was a huge joy to plant, fuss over, trim, harvest, water, take photos of and eat our garden over the past six months.

Book10

I wanted to do something with some of my hundreds of photos (I wish I was joking – what I am going to do when I have actual children to take pictures of?!?) and thoughts on having a garden. I didn't keep any sort of "garden journal" this year (but plan on it next year!) so this is a great substitute.

Book1
Book2

I stuck with what I know works – a 7×7 Blurb photobook. You can see my first one here and my second one here. I imported all of my garden themed instagram photos right into Blurb Bookify and uploaded some additional ones from my computer.

Booktemplate

I like Blurb because I don't have to do much work. They have templates. I have photos. I drop in the photos. They print the book. (Their customer service folks are great if you're having trouble with anything!)

Book11
Book9
Book8
Book5

Once again, I decided to add all of my text by hand once the book was printed. I wish I could say I do this because it's artistic, but really, it's because it's so much easier than worrying about creating "print ready" files in PSE with my photos and text.

Bookpens
Bookwrite

My book is 78 pages and I used an acid free Zig Millennium pen to write directly on the pages. I gave the spreads about 30 seconds to dry before turning the page and wound up with no smearing.

Book3
Book4
Book6
Book7
Book12

I didn't add to every page, just where I felt like I had something to say/where I had white space on the page to say it.

Booklastpage
Bookend

Super simple and, perhaps most importantly, complete.

Bookshelf

It looks adorable with its two book friends on the shelf too.

Dottedline

Want to make your own photo book? Blurb is offering a discount code to my readers! Use code "INSTAELISE" by 9/29 (that's this Saturday!) to save $19.95 USD, CAD, $21.95 AUD or 17.95 Euros off your book total
(GBP not allowed). Coupon is valid just once per customer and only on books made by you. This offer may not be combined with other promotional
codes, volume discounts or used retroactively on previous orders. Please note : this is NOT a sponsored post, but links throughout are affliate links which means if you buy a book through one, I will make a small commission on that sale. Thanks! And have fun bookmaking!!

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77 responses to “my garden photo book.”

  1. Lindsey Soulsby Avatar

    Oh my, I love this! I don’t even like tomatoes but you have made them look delicious. I went back through your links to your past books and remembered how cool your old apt was. Forgot since this one is so rockin’. Please tell me you are going to do a book for each place!???? Also- adore the photo where you’re laying down writing in it (so youthful and fun).

    Like

  2. Amanda Avatar

    This is fantastic, Elise! I especially love the back cover!

    Like

  3. susan Avatar

    WOW ! Elise. I so admire your dive in & just do it spirit.
    & what a deal that coupon is !! I’m finally going do dive in myself – would love, one day, a little post on your book making process. Do you map the pages out roughly first ? choose your images first ? I have so many photos that LOVE I find it easy to be overwhelmed by choices. Another Rad project … Rock on you ! xo S

    Like

  4. Heather Avatar

    LOVE that you documented your garden [a big excitement of your spring and summer!] and made a book about it! I recently made a book with all of the photos I took in the prepping and executing a blogging conference [Healthy Living Summit] I helped planned.
    The UPS tracking number tells me that it should be delivered this week and I am SO EXCITED to see how it came together in real life. [I loved how it looked as I put it together on the screen, but I am PUMPED to hold it in my hands, you know?]

    Like

  5. robyn Avatar

    love it! i keep waiting to make photo books and albums and then you post this and it reminds me that i don’t need to wait, i just need to take two or three hours and get one done!
    i see a 7×7 of Owen’s first year in the near future!

    Like

  6. Sabine Avatar

    beautiful photos and wonderful idea to put it in a themed book. I really have to get me up and going on my several photobook projects – sooo many ideas and so little time. 🙂

    Like

  7. mel Avatar
    mel

    I was just thinking about a blurb book and here is your post with a discount for Aussies – just awesome 🙂
    Your book looks fabulous too 🙂

    Like

  8. J3SS1C4 Avatar

    I love how this turned out! You’re photo books are always so much fun! I think it’s great how you just write directly on it, as well… My computer runs way too badly to be able to do the pages in photoshop first at the moment, and this adds so much more interest, anyway! Like Lindsey said in the first comment, I’m hoping to see you do one for each place you live at too!

    Like

  9. rossana Avatar

    very thanks Elise!
    I’ve used the promo code for an order of a my book!
    😀

    Like

  10. Misti Avatar

    It is too easy to take 100s (ok, 1,000s) of photos of a garden….I understand completely. That said, I need to make several books regarding various sets of photos I have and this is probably the time to do so!
    The tomato photos—-mmmm!

    Like

  11. Sandi Keene Avatar

    What a great book! SO inspiring!

    Like

  12. jennie Avatar

    aw man! just put together a big book with new york instagrams, inspired by you. now i’ll have to think of another to score with your discount! thanks for sharing.

    Like

  13. Janet K Avatar
    Janet K

    I LOVE this! I had plans earlier in the summer to make a book of my container garden this year. Unfortunately, with the hot, dry weather here in Denver this summer…..my garden didn’t actually amount to anything. So, it was great to enjoy your garden book…looks fabulous!

    Like

  14. Allison Avatar

    Great idea Elise! I made my first Blurb book a few months ago. It’s a great way to preserve photos.
    http://www.thrifted.ca

    Like

  15. Rose Avatar

    That is a stunning book, Elise. What a great idea to capture your summer of growth!

    Like

  16. Danielle Avatar

    Love how this turned out!

    Like

  17. Ashley Marie Avatar

    Another GREAT book, Elise! I love Blurb and have been wanting to order one for awhile now. I just wish the promo code was good for at least another week! I did a photo shoot as a groom’s gift and the pictures won’t be given to me until after the weekend. Oh well, I will still be ordering from them later!

    Like

  18. Skye Avatar

    This is gorgeous! I love all of your Blurb books. What a great way to document something you have lots of photos of. Even though you do the text handwritten for convenience, I think it adds just the right personal touch and it looks nicer than printed text would. I just thought of something… I could totally do this for old events that I’ve been meaning to go back and scrapbook, but might never make the time for – this looks so simple. Can you put more than one photo on each page in their uploading system, or would you have to combine photos in PSE first? (I went to their site but can’t find a quick answer.)

    Like

  19. rachel swartley Avatar

    I love that you made a book about your garden! The large photos and very simple layouts are just my style.
    I know you’ve mentioned your Zig Millenium pen on a number of occasions. Do you ever use a white pen to write on dark backgrounds? If so, I’d love to know what you recommend.
    Also, that promo code is so tempting!!!

    Like

  20. josie Avatar

    love this! and just wait to you have those babies! That is the one thing I am overwhelmed with! I do project life for the family and I have done most of her first year with a few layouts added…but there are always more pictures : )

    Like

  21. Carrie K Avatar
    Carrie K

    Great book!! Quick question…what color are your nails?? They just look so cute i have to know!!

    Like

  22. angela Avatar
    angela

    What type of paper did you use? Was it just the standard or a premium type of paper?
    Thanks! 🙂

    Like

  23. elise blaha Avatar

    I used the one that is pre-selected at checkout – I want to say it is matte lustre?

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  24. elise blaha Avatar

    essie ole caliente. the best of the best. 😉

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  25. elise blaha Avatar

    not usually! I have not found a white pen I am wild about. 🙂

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  26. Kirsty Mitchell Avatar

    Hey Elise I was just wondering, do you ever feel overwhelmed with all your projects that you are working on, both business and personal.. If so how do you deal with this? xxxxx

    Like

  27. elise blaha Avatar

    You can! If you look back at my instagram book (http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/golden/2012/03/material-2-of-27-photos-into-a-book.html), I have tons of pages with a quadrant of four photos. There are oodles of options, I usually just stick with one, two or three layouts to keep the book organized.

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  28. elise blaha Avatar

    hey Susan! I do not map it out. once you are in the book making app, it is really easy to see all of your photos and all of your pages at once and make changes. I just do everything right in the system.

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  29. elise blaha Avatar

    Thanks so much! I will for SURE be making a book for each place.

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  30. elise blaha Avatar

    great question. Yes, of course I do sometimes. But I keep tons of lists, set deadlines and stay VERY organized. Work stuff (posts for this blog, articles for other places, design stuff, mailing out stamps, etc.) comes first. Then all the fun projects. I work very quickly and rarely second guess myself. That helps a bunch. This post (http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/golden/2012/04/reader-question-getting-from-idea-to-reality.html) if you have not read it before, is a good one about how I budget my time so I can take on new projects. I will think about this more and see what else I have to share for a future post. 🙂

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  31. Joy Avatar

    I love things like this! I also take way too many pictures, so this is great! 🙂 Thanks for sharing. I like the hand written notes inside too …make it more personal.

    Like

  32. Em Avatar
    Em

    That you had enough garden photos to fill a full photobook is just awesome.
    And I’m right there with you with “What’s gonna happen when I have children to photograph too!?” although my problem is my cats — and I’ll have even more cats when that finally happens so… Hopeless much?

    Like

  33. nihal Avatar

    love how you are obsessed (in a good way) to document your daily life. i am like only when i am out traveling and would like to take more photos in daily life. my blog helps me to achieve that but I am still shy take photos in my hometown(s).

    Like

  34. Debbie Avatar

    I LOVE your garden book! Oh my, its gorgeous. So I have yet to order a blurb book though I do have a couple specific projects in mind… Since you said you are using their templates and are just dropping in your photos, will you please tell us how you are prepping your photos? My process is to edit an image (for exposure, color, contrast, etc.) and then I save it as an “edit”. If printing a photo I take the edit, crop it to size, and sharpen for print. Part of my hang up with ordering books is not knowing what I need to do to prep my photos. Would I just take my “edits”, drop them in and go, without worrying about the sharpening part of it? Any advice would be appreciated, thank you!

    Like

  35. Jen Avatar

    Hi Elise, LOVE this book. I was so inspired by your first instagram book that I’ve been working on a summer book that I’m basing off yours. And now with the coupon I’ll have a deadline and actually get it finished 🙂
    I have a question that’s totally unrelated, but seeing the title of your book brought up something I’ve been thinking about some lately in my own life. My question is, do you ever do Paul-centric projects? I know you’ve done many about you, or the two of you together, but any about just him?
    I ask because lately I’ve found myself doing a lot of Jen-centric, or family-centric scrapbook pages or projects, but I’m finding myself wanting to make something that’s just about my husband. I’m thinking of doing a book of just his photography or something similar. Which I know you have to go where the inspiration takes you. Just curious if you’ve ever thought of doing a book or project that’s just about Paul?

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  36. Skye Avatar

    Awesome, thanks. I wasn’t sure if you did that yourself separately. Glad you don’t have to! 🙂

    Like

  37. JillT Avatar
    JillT

    Technical: love this book, the documentation and the handwriting
    Other: love your enthusiasm and that you go into (as far as WE know–might be a good blog subject 🙂 everything whole-heartedly

    Like

  38. elise blaha Avatar

    Great question. The answer is … not really. Paul is awesome. And totally deserves his own book though. Trouble is, I know I would be writing it, not him. 😉

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  39. elise blaha Avatar

    thanks so much! Other than the photos in the book that were from instagram (and had filters applied), I do not edit my photos. Sometimes I will have iPhoto or PSE boost color, but that is it and happens on only 5% of the photos. So really, I just upload the original files to Blurb. If you like to edit your photos, you totally could, I would just create a file of those photos and upload the whole thing. I do not know anything about sharpening, but I bet the folks at Blurb could help you out. 🙂

    Like

  40. elise blaha Avatar

    haha – this totally made me smile. 🙂

    Like

  41. simplemittens Avatar

    What a fantastic idea. I need a good reason to make one of these..

    Like

  42. Hannah Avatar

    I’m making my photo book right now, and I noticed that all of the pages in your book (at least the ones pictured above) have only one photo. My book is going to be a 7×7 book, just like yours, and I’m wondering if you think the pictures would end up too small if I stuck 2, 3, or even 4 photos per page.

    Like

  43. Debbie Avatar

    Thanks Elise! I appreciate your reply. I’m guessing that since you are not doing anything to sharpen, and you are happy with the results, then that just isn’t an issue. I looked through your first two books and wow, do I feel inspired! Thanks so much for sharing and encouraging the rest of us!

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  44. elise blaha Avatar

    It will look great. Click the links in this post to see my second book – it has samples of four photos per page. 🙂

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  45. sophie Avatar

    thanks for the RAD coupon code! i’ve wanted to make a second book of some pre-wedding stuff from last year and now is my excuse. i just want to go in my backyard now and plant tomatoes… but since summer is over i’ll take on this project next year. thanks for the inspiration!

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  46. Lucy Avatar

    I just love these little books that you do–each one keeps me inspired to do my own…someday.
    As a book-nerd, seeing your bookshelf was what really caught my attention (I know). And now I’m wondering: What is Food & Mood? Have you read the other Ruth Reichl books (and don’t you LOVE her?)? Is the Design Sponge book gorgeous and inspiring or overwhelming?
    Also? Love how the pics of you holding the book on pages where you’re holding something show your commitment to ole caliente.

    Like

  47. Ashley Marie Avatar

    I have been on the hunt for a white pen. Most I have hated. So far, the one that worked the best for me was the Sanford Uni-Ball White Gel Impact Pen. I used them to hand address our wedding invites. They turned out beautifully and the one pen worked for all 100 envelopes.

    Like

  48. Betsey Avatar

    Love your book! I’ve been enjoying your blog for some time — so inspiring, love you get it done spirit. I used that inspiration to make a blurb book last night (something I’ve been meaning to do for a long, long time!) of a vacation we look back in May. Awesome! Thanks for the discount code!

    Like

  49. Brianna Avatar
    Brianna

    I love it. It’s a great way to showcase a specific project. I’m much more into photo books and art journaling than I am traditional scrapbook. I like that you do your own journaling – it adds a personal touch.

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  50. elise blaha Avatar

    I thought the Ruth Reichl book was pretty good! have not read others. Design sponge is fun to look through, I admit I have not read a word. Food and Mood is a book I have had since college about how what we eat changes how we feel. 🙂

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