My Favorite Person

Did you know that Blurb might give you $2,500 to read about your favorite person? All you have to do is make a book about a loved one filled with kind words, creativity, and insight, and if selected, you could win the grand prize!  For every book you make (there are seven different categories, so seven different chances to win) you will receive a 30% discount on the printed product.  Go to Blurb to check out the details of the contest to see what the categories are and when the entries are due.  The 30% discount on My Favorite books will be applied at checkout when you use the promo code: MYFAVORITE.  (And, even if you don't enter, you can still get 30% off on all My Favorite books or save 15% on all printed orders through April 30th!)

Not sure who to write about?  For some inspiration take a look at what some of the people at Blurb say about their favorite people.  Or, you know, you could always just write about me and how utterly modest and not egotistical I am.

 


Good luck!

p.s. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on them.

Photo Shoot Tips

Fact: Many people who read fashion blogs are fashion bloggers themselves, so I know this next paragraph will most likely pertain to 98% of everyone reading this.  Have you ever thought about taking the gorgeous photos from your blog and compiling them into a book that you can pull out 20 years from now and say,  Oh, man, did I dress well.  Or maybe you want to make a book to sell; perhaps something along the lines of How to Dress Well (written by A Well-Dressed Blogger).  Whatever your level of vanity, there is a Blurb book just waiting for you to publish it.  And the friendly Blurbians (that's people who work at Blurb, if you didn't know) have put together this helpful little list of tips for a perfect fashion photo shoot.

1. It’s all about lighting. To make your fashion really pop, choose natural light or studio light with a soft box (you can even make one from a lamp and last season’s white t-shirt). If you’re using a flash, you’ll probably want to bounce it or stick a diffusion filter on it.

2. Make a shot list. This is a critical step, and even more important if you are photographing models. Even if your model is just your best friend who owes you a favor, they’ll appreciate it if you know exactly what you want to shoot. Think about the poses you want to capture, the outfits you want them to wear, and the details that you want to highlight in every shot. 

3. White balance (WB). Accurate color and skin tones come from making sure the WB function on your camera is set to your lighting situation. 

4. Choose the right lens/zoom setting. If you’re using a wide angle, you’re going to lose your beautiful lines. If you have a camera with different zoom levels, zoom out to minimize lens barrel distortion. 

5. Keep it stylish. It’s a fashion shoot, after all. Play music, keep things moving, try new angles. Attitude, attitude, attitude. 

6. Dress it up. Make your book as fashionable as the clothing featured in it. Choose a simple design that doesn’t upstage the clothing, but still looks chic. Pick a size and paper type that showcases the work brilliantly.

Start your Blurb book now and Save 25% on print book orders of $75+ at Blurb.

Wham! Bang! Pow!

 

When I was younger (college age counts as young, right?), I had a brief stint writing comics.  Never mind the fact that I wasn't, and probably never will be, a reader of comics besides the occasional Bazooka Joe (my sense of humor is strictly sophisticated and highbrow).  I drew comics because I liked to portray exaggerated versions of the shenanigans my friends and I would get into.  If only I'd kept some of them for myself instead of tearing the finished stories out of my sketchbook to leave as gifts slipped under dorm room doors or hidden in friends' notebooks.  If only there had been some way for me to keep those comics so I could enjoy them for years to come, instead of lamenting about how they're all now just a distant memory.  If only I'd had Blurb!

With Blurb you can create your very own comic book  They've even paired up with one of the all time comic book greats, Paul Rivoche, known for his illustrations of Batman and Ironman, just to name a few. Take a look at this video.  I dare you not to get inspired to write your own comic book right now!

• Save 25% on print book orders of $75+ at Blurb (until March 27)
• Save 30% on orders of $150+ at Blurb (until March 17)

This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase after clicking, I may earn a small commission.

Blurb-spiration

Remember a few months back when we spoke about Blurb?  You know, that awesome place you can go to publish your own books?  Well, I'm here to share with you this little video about Kal Barteski; maker extraordinaire whose creativity knows no bounds. She’s a working designer, painter, storyteller, book creator, TEDx speaker, and calligrapher who can now add “video star” to her resumé with the first of Blurb's Canadian book-maker profiles. Here's the first installment in the Canadian Author video series with a look at Kal’s process.  Her energy and creativity is so contagious, you just might be inspired to make a Blurb book of your own. 

 
{Watch the video on youtube}

Now through the end of the month, Blurb is offering all new customers 15% off.  The offer ends on February 28th, so if you want to save 15% on that book filled exclusively with photos of your cat you've been meaning to make, or the scrapbook of wildly complicated macarons you have no intention of ever baking, you better act fast!

Compensation was provided by Blurb for this post.  As always, all opinions are 100% mine. 'Cause that's how I roll.

Holiday Gift Ideas with Blurb

I think we can all agree that your friends and family love getting really creative, one-of-a-kind gifts for Christmas. Gifts like books that elicit a “where did you find that!?” kind of response.  Well, a little bit ago I introduced you to Blurb's customized photo books, but did you know that Blurb also has an entire online bookstore full of unique books by an array of undiscovered, self-published authors, artists, & photographers?  And while these books probably aren’t on your recipient's wishlist, they totally should be. So, if you’re thinking of giving unique gifts this year, consider these titles. Each costs around $40 USD or less:

Cookie Cravings by Maria Lichty and Heidi Larsen

We all have cookie cravings. Popular food blogger Maria Lichter decided to put them into something deliciously original: A baking book featuring 30 recipes you won’t find anywhere else.

Dog by My Side by Adam Schnitzer

This charming collection of original, vintage photos shows us that as long as there have been cameras, we’ve wanted to photograph our canine best friends. As a special bonus, there’s a glossary of the early photographic methods used in the original images. 

Around the World with a Toy Camera by Giorgio Giussani

Perfect for the photography or graffiti-art fan on your list. This book is an explosion of gritty color that explores the wonders of street art and analog photography. 

Food Stories by Elena Scott

A short, wonderfully illustrated collection of recipes (and food stories) that will inspire you to pick up the knife and spatula—or just pen and paper. 

Things I Love by Carol Nehls and Jessica Rose
Illustrated and written many years apart by a mother and daughter, this sweet rhyming story told by a fox is pure joy for all ages.

Patent Pending by Jordan Natyshen

Chicken goggles, air-conditioned rocking chairs, monkey jockeys for greyhounds… humankind has invented and sought to patent some amazing and crazy things. Illustrator Jordan Natyshen illustrates some of the strangest in this history of odd inventions. 

Tiny Horses are Everywhere by Thea Lux

The perfect stocking-stuffer for fans of off-beat humor, this undeniably nutty book is based on a Tumblr blog and combines simple photo collages of small horses in human environments with incredibly funny captions.

Rouleaux by Anastassia Elias

What can you do with an empty roll of toilet paper? If you’re French artist Anastassia Elias, you create tiny dioramas inside of the discarded tubes. Inspired by art and movies, these pieces are beautifully crafted, fun, and unbelievably detailed. 

Low Fidelity by Bobby Grossman

If you, or someone you love, listened to New York punk and new wave in the 70s, chances are your favorite artist can be found in this book. Bobby Grossman photographed Iggy Pop, David Byrne, The Ramones, Debbie Harry, Andy Warhol and many more. This book is a time capsule of—and a love letter to—a legendary time, place, and sound.  

Compensation was provided by Blurb for this post.  As always, all opinions are 100% mine. 'Cause that's how I roll.

Blurb for the Holidays

I just booked my travel arrangements for Thanksgiving.  I'm going to stay with my sister in Florida again (happy dance!) and while we were on the phone yesterday discussing flights, our T Day menu, and the possibility of doing a costumed 5k Thanksgiving morning, we also decided to officially start the Christmas season by decorating her place, trimming the tree, and going to one of those winter wonderland drive thru light show thingies as soon as I arrive.

I guess you could say I have holidays on the brain.  Which brings me to my next topic:

 Christmas shopping.  (Is it ever too early to start?)

We all know there's literally tons of gifts you could give, but there's just something extra special about a photo book that you've custom made yourself.  Some people are amazing at scrapbooking, or even at printing photos out and gluing them into a book.  But I am not one of them.  I'd much rather choose pictures & captions, and then let someone else do the dirty work.  That's where Blurb comes in.  They have a whole line of fully customizable photo books for you to choose from.  Or for something a little different, they've got a Blurb Family History Book, a Blurb Baby Book, and even a Blurb Food Book.  Still stumped?  Then check out the Blurb Gift Center for lots of inspiration and even more ideas.


{And from now until Nov 11, you can save when you create at Blurb:}

Use code: MORESAVINGS to save 20% on orders of $40+

-or-

Use code: EARLYSAVINGS to save $25 when you spend $100+

(please see Blurb website for details)

This post sponsored by Blurb. I was provided compensation in return for this post, and as always, all opinions are 100% my own.