Praise for Aussie printing book company

[blushbutter]

I ordered a 60 page 12inch hardbound book of my digital layouts from an Australian printing company called www.myreflections.com.au (http://www.myreflections.com.au/) and two days later the book came. Here is my son Logan enjoying it and an animation of the pages photographed. You can view the pages up closer in the gallery to see if this would be something that you would like to consider doing for yourself. The colours were a little less vibrant than if you were to print them up on photographic paper individually. But I felt the money was well worth spending and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use their service again many times. I also ordered an 8x8inch softcover book for my sister who lives in another state. She had been bugging me for photos for a while now and when I costed the postage and price of producing these layouts from last year I definetly thought it was much better to order a printed and bound book as an alternative gift which they shipped directly to her. So right now I'm planning on my next lot of presents for the family after I finish making all my baby books for my boys. I found their free software very easy to use for making the book, I also chose to upload the high quality pages instead of sending a cd in the mail, which was great as I'm on cable but if your on dial up you may want to consider the cd option.
http://www.blushbutter.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/blushbutter_printedbook_37.JPG
(http://www.blushbutter.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/blushbutter_printedbook_37.JPG)
http://www.blushbutter.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/blushbutter_printedbook_38.JPG (http://www.blushbutter.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/blushbutter_printedbook_38.JPG)

http://www.blushbutter.com/img/blushbutter_pbook_2007a.gif

[marmy]

Thank you so much for this - your book looks fabulous! I am in New Zealand so I will definitely be looking into this!

[Bunster]

WOW thanks for showing us your book. Looks awesome!

[kyl099]

I made one of these for xmas and had the book within a few days I was stunned at the speed and quality huge thumbs up for myreflections!!!!

[Row]

Thanks for posting this!! I actually have the software installed but haven't taken the next step as yet. I definitely need to do this. :)

[blushbutter]

thank's ladies, for the aknowledgements :)
Suzanne is a digiscrapper and her and her partner run the printing business and I just love that fact. Besides the lovely note I was sent along with the book and gift voucher off the next purchase as well as 15% off for my family if they wanted copies of the book also. You just can't beat the service 5stars. I was about to do shutterfly because I heard such good things but I'm very happy I found a closer company as I would have hated waiting the 3-4weeks it would have taken to come to Australia. It shouldn't take you long Kellie to get to New Zealand. I really have to say how cheap compared to printing them all up myself it is. I worked it out to be $1.81 per page including the express post and hardcover. The paper is really thick like one of your best scenic coffee table books quality. The software is basic drag n drop template onto the open page and then drag n drop photo/layout onto the same page and choose next page. Very easy for me. So you don't have to be a digi scrapper to make a book and I can't wait to do my Wedding book, my baby books etc LOL
gee I've gone on a bit sorry , I am just tickled pink by the whole experience :) and would love to encourage anyone like me who is hesitating doing it. Oh another possibility I was thinking is that you could make your own childrens book, hehe tick tick lot's of things going through my head right now. thank's for listening to my rambling ;)

[gemmalclarke]

Thanks for posting this!! I actually have the software installed but haven't taken the next step as yet. I definitely need to do this. :)

Same with me Row..I was waiting to see if there would be more competition for this sort of thing and the quality (not that I know what it is like) would improve. I am going to bite the bullet and get one made up now!

Thanks for posting this!

[blushbutter]

you won't regret it gemma, gorgeous avatar btw :)
I just ordered my third book one for my FIL now.(I'm getting 15% off the full price to)
okay I confess I've looked at my book 50times now or more ROFLMAO
that's sad I really need to start something else now I think hehe.

[suzyanneau]

Hi girls,

My ears were burning, so I couldn't help but pop in and say thanks so much to Vanessa for your awesome review of our Photobooks. Those pictures certainly are so cool and it was a real pleasure to do your books. We love getting digi books here, even Tyler (dh) loves them. The digital community are a bit behind when it comes to getting our books printed. Then again we also get a lot of people that would dearly love to learn how to do digital scrapbooking. Chances are that they would then fall into the same trap.

Cheers,
Suz

[Row]

I've started putting together my book now. :) Are you getting a percentage of my sale Blushbutter? You should be!! :D

[suejones]

Another satisfied My Reflections customer here! Suz's service rocks.

I get the 8x8 layflat albums done. I've had two of them done and then for Christmas I got some A5 albums done for grandparents.
Fantastic service and fantastic to see my stuff in print!

[blushbutter]

I've started putting together my book now. :) Are you getting a percentage of my sale Blushbutter? You should be!! :D
giggle, your to funny :) when I find something I love I really have to open my mouth and rave can't help it LOL
besides I've been hunting for so long and I'm still looking at my book! hehe
Guess what? I showed my Mum and Dad today they came for a visit, and my cousin a respected graphic designer in the industry dropped in for a cuppa to and the book was a huge success so I'm tickled pink :clap
it's so hard to get even a little attention around here it's nice to finally get some appreciation, they really look at the book differently.
It's nice to see you in here Suz :)
hey Sue have you got pics of your book to show off?

[Ann-Marie]

Oh TY soooo much for sharing this. I have been wanting to print up a book and wasn't sure who to go through, My Reflections or Momento ... I haven't ever seen a book made up so your thrill at yours has me decided ;) Thanks again :)

[Row]

I put my order in last night. I can't wait for it to arrive!! :)

[suejones]

hey Sue have you got pics of your book to show off?

No photos - sorry. But I love the 8x8 size because it fits in my handbag and it's a perfect size for the little miss to handle.
Hang on, just remembered I have a photo of my oldest and her bf looking through one....

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k131/scrapping_sue/2006_0824DSC0125.jpg

[suzy]

Thank you so much for posting this!!! I was also looking at shutterfly just the other day and wishing there was one a little closer to home!! This is perfect timing!

[blushbutter]

only too glad to help Anne Marie(love your name backwards hehe) and Suzy :)
thank's Sue for posting photo, gee your daughter is pretty!!
8x8 sounds like a great size for the handbag. I don't know how many times I've been asked about what I do when out and have nothing to show them as an easy explanation for it. I get confused head bobbing and those obvious expressions of yes I know what you mean just to shoosh me up, because they haven't a clue, hehe. Having a small book on hand would be the greatest! :)

[suzyanneau]

Hi Row,

Your gorgeous book is in the mail (Special thanks to Blushbutter :-)

Suz

[suzyanneau]

Hi Sue :)

Tyler was looking over my shoulder and we both commented how pretty your daughter is. I love that top she's wearing.

Blushbutter, Tyler and I were just discussing that it's the tactile response of a printed photobook that really gets the ohhs and ahhs. I often email the odd digi scrapped page around, but it's the printed books that get people's attention.

We often take digi scrapped books to shows and have to wonder how many people we convert to digi scrapping. People either love em, or hate em.

[suejones]

Thanks Blush and Suz for your compliments on my beautiful daughter. Of course she takes after her mother rofl :lol:

Actually it's a dress she's wearing in the photo but it wouldn't matter what she wore - that girl would look great in a potato sack! ;)

[Row]

I can't wait to get it Suz! :) (It's got your products in parts of it Sue. Surprise huh? :))

[fazzbech]

Hey Suzy, remember me? ;) Another satisfied customer here! I got an A4 wedding book made up and I love it!
http://www.annettefarrelly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/dsc_3261-custom.JPG

I plan to order a book for every year of my kids young years, and was just waiting for my son to turn 2 so that I could do 2 books at once - well, he turned 2 at the end of Jan, so now I have to get my act together! Mine won't be scrapped pages, but since discovering digi scrapping I don't print any 6x4's any more, so these photobooks are the perfect answer, and the fact that they are so nice and thin is ace for storage!

[suzyanneau]

Hi Annette,

How can we forget you. You were a life saver for us.

You will be pleased to know that version 1.2 is due out within a week or two. We will now have the text generating over photos and have customisable coloured backgrounds. You can finally centre the text and change the colours. The scrapbookers will be pleased that you will be able to generate an entire book with full bleed templates, so you don't have to drag a template on every page. We will also have new A5 hardcover books and new colours in the layflat wire bound books. This includes metallic pearl baby pink and blue, silver and black.

[blushbutter]

that girl would look great in a potato sack! ;)
I can see that , shes very model like :eek
Hi Annette!! :wave gee it's been awhile I think since digitalscrapbookhaven, I love your wedding photo book very elegant!(must check into your gallery and see what you been upto) I should do what your doing especially with this new version of texting atleast like you said I'd get my photos done. I don't develope my photos anymore, I just didn't see the point in doing it anymore unless some journalling and manipulation was added to the album. My old 4x6inch 50page photo albums are so boring!!:duh No dates and most certainly no journalling,titles,quotes or poems. Making photobooks of my boys without the digi pages might be great atleast I'd finally get them done and it would free up my time to design a little more to. ummm I'm certainly no speed scrapper that's for sure! I've got that many photos of every year since getting my digi camera, I'd love to organise them into a book. Okay so I'm downloading the fresh software in a few days when it's ready and until then I better go an organise which photos I want LOL:clap
Now Row don't you forget to show us your book when it gets here and if you have someone home get them to take a pic of your face as you open it :p :happydance hehe

[suejones]

I
Hi Annette!! :wave gee it's been awhile I think since digitalscrapbookhaven, I love your wedding photo book very elegant!(must check into your gallery and see what you been upto)


Oooh, I was there too! lol

Row, let me know how it all looks. I've seen my earlier stuff printed up but not my later stuff so that sounds way cool!

[fazzbech]

I'll definitely wait for the new software now Suzy, that'll give me some time to get the photos together :)

Hi Vanessa, Hi Sue! Wow, it feels like a bit of a reunion now, LOL!

Make sure everyone posts photos of their books, would love to see them!

[HillsCass]

Suz, I would love to get some books printed... but as far as I can tell your software won't support in Mac.... *pout*

I think your books look awesome though!

[blushbutter]

Hi Cassie, my cousin just bought a newer Mac and it comes with the windows program in it or software to make viewing windows available. I'm not sure how expensive that is but that might work out for you if you found alot of services not available to a Mac computer :)
Waving to you Annette loved your photos of Caleb on your blog and wow!! those photos are so gorgeous, what's your secret? I know your pretty savvey with the photography but do you have a particular camera that cost an arm and a leg? and could you recommend a budget good one for me, I'd like to save for a better camera now :)
waving to you to Sue (hehe almost forgot you)
thank-you :)

[fazzbech]

Thanks Vanessa, but I know a lot of girls who take WAY better photos than me! It's something I really want to keep improving on. I've got a digital SLR, a Nikon D70, which I have to admit cost about 2K AUD when I got it a few years ago. I just read today that they've got a D40 now, which might be a bit cheaper. I love the DSLR's for their fast shutter speed - with a lot of the point and clicks, by the time it takes the photo the moment is gone. But I think a lot of the automatic cameras now have improved a lot too. So, I'd fully recommend a DSLR, but would understand if it wasn't in the budget!

[shazzt]

Hmmm - I am quite interested to read this. My son's teacher just asked me if I would do a wedding album for her (very brief conversation with her but it will be a very small low key wedding) so something like this might be useful to investigate). I have the site in my bookmarks now and will keep an eye out for the next version of the software. Good to hear that shipping to NZ is not a problem :)

[Row]

Mine came today!! Talk about happy dance. They look SO wonderful printed and bound all together. Nothing like how they look on the puter at all. In a good way.

I thought 12x12 might be too big (I do 4x4 usually) but they look awesome.

I encourage anyone on the fence about this to just go for it!!!!! :D

(I'll take pics later OK :))

[Anita Richards]

wow the book looks fabulous!

will definitely have to check them out.

[blushbutter]

*thank's Annette, researching eBay as we speak hehe fingers crossed!

*Can't wait till you get the photos up Row! So exciting and be honest how many times did you flick through it?! LOL

* Sharon I'm working on my wedding one to :) (I have cute wedding kits if your looking hehe) sorry had to plug me...shameful I know sorry :)

[Row]

Hmmm, about 7. :)

[blushbutter]

that's cool I lost count now hehe ;)

[gemmalclarke]

Did someone mention new software for My Reflections?

I definitely want to try this. As I don't do many two page layouts I was thinking of Putting an image on one page that demonstrates the event/issue that is featured on the opposite page in the scrapbook layout. I want the pages to seem like they have their own focus. Does that make sense?

A question...I create my layouts as 6x6...do you think the quality will suffer if I print them at 8x8 or 12x12?

Maybe I should start making them as 12 x 12 or 8x8?

Thanks in advance for your input!

[blushbutter]

Hi gemma,
hmmmm, I think that you can do that what your wanting even with the current software of myreflections. About the upsizing , I think it can all depend on what quality you saved them at. I'd suggest to try it first on the computer resize the layout to 12inches and then look upclose at the picture quality it may make the picture too pixellated to print. I think that my pictures actually print out at the 33% screen size of view rather than the 100% if that makes sense. Maybe you could upsize the layout and then put the photos in fresh so the photos are true quality.
I make all my layouts at 12inches and if they need to be smaller I don't lose the detail. What program do you use that makes a difference to?
I think Suzzanne would be the better expert on this one though.
Oh just a thought try and do it and print it out at home and see if it makes a difference, even if you print it up on A4 paper trim a portion of the 12inch layout to fit the A4 photo paper and see if you lose detail. Now I'm thinking of it I'd do a test to check for myself before sending off for a book.
If I've confused you more I'm sorry I do try to be more explanatory, I admit though I'm hopeless at it :)

[Row]

A question...I create my layouts as 6x6...do you think the quality will suffer if I print them at 8x8 or 12x12?

I would *guess* yes, but the software actually renders your images rather than sends the original files, so maybe not. Are they 300dpi? Again I would trust Suzanne's word over mine.

I chose layouts that fit together in some way... they were both me, or in the case of the girls, taken on the same day... and the continuity isn't so bad although it does suffer in a few glaring spots.

I like your idea of the focus, but I wouldn't do that when I could get a LO there instead. ;) I'm too cheap! :D

[gemmalclarke]

I like your idea of the focus, but I wouldn't do that when I could get a LO there instead. ;) I'm too cheap! :D

LOl you are too funny Row!

[Row]

It'd be funnier if I was joking :D

I've taken pics now, I just need to make a montage or something.

[Row]

OK pics are done! I just did the usual, and made a LO from them. :)

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=76415&ppuser=1939

[blushbutter]

thats a great book Row, love the layout you made to show it off! well done! Your pages are really pretty! Are you thinking of your next book now? :)

[suzyanneau]

Hi Cassie,

We do print books from Mac computers. You just need to send us a disk with your layouts in the order you want them printed, plus a cover photo 98x66mm. You should allow a 2mm bleed area around the outside for trimming, or in the case of a Layflat (wire bound) it tucks under the window. Just make sure you check out our products page for the sizes, colours and prices and number of pages. If you have any other questions, just give us a call or send an email. There is also a thread with more detail on our forums.

If you don't want to send scrapbook pages, you can use iPhoto and just send us the PDF. You will need to check the forums for instructions, as iPhoto doesn't support Australian sizes.

Suz

[suzyanneau]

Oh and most importantly, allow space in the binding area. This means keeping your text away from the area that will be bound (about 1 cm for hardcover or 5mm for layflat). You also need to allow at least 2mm for trimming around the outside edge. This goes for all pages you will have bound into a book, so it pays to get used the thinking about it before you create your pages.

[suzyanneau]

I just went back to read some of the posts I missed.

We print at 300 dpi, so if you drop a 200 dpi page into Photobook Designer, it will be resampled to 300 dpi. This should be fine to print, but of course 300 dpi is optimal. Most people wouldn't notice.

If you dropped, let's say a 300 dpi 6x6 image, into a 12x12 book, it will still be optimised, but remember your image was essentially 150 dpi because it was doubled. I hope I'm making sense here.

We are prepared to offer an A4 or 8x8 test print, posted within Australia free of charge for those that are concerned. Please don't ask for free 12x12 prints, as these need to be posted at parcel rates.

Cheers,
Suz

[gemmalclarke]

I just went back to read some of the posts I missed.

We print at 300 dpi, so if you drop a 200 dpi page into Photobook Designer, it will be resampled to 300 dpi. This should be fine to print, but of course 300 dpi is optimal. Most people wouldn't notice.

If you dropped, let's say a 300 dpi 6x6 image, into a 12x12 book, it will still be optimised, but remember your image was essentially 150 dpi because it was doubled. I hope I'm making sense here.

We are prepared to offer an A4 or 8x8 test print, posted within Australia free of charge for those that are concerned. Please don't ask for free 12x12 prints, as these need to be posted at parcel rates.

Cheers,
Suz

Suz

I am still waiting on your response to my email asking if I can pay for the test prints to be sent to me?

Or perhaps you can strecth the images to 12x 12 but only print part of them on an A4? Does that make sense?

Thanks