Printing A Scrapbook Using A Photobook Service

[BrendaT]

Hello, all -

 

I seem to remember this subject has been addressed before, but . . .

 

Since November, I have been working on an 8.5 x 11 album for my daughter and her friends with pictures from an outdoor photo shoot before their homecoming dance. (It was supposed to be a Christmas present for them - but 42 pages later, it's finally done, or as done as it's gonna be!) Once I talk to all the girls for their permission, I hope to post it in the "Albums" section.

 

Anyway, my plan the whole time has been to print it at Shutterfly. They've done other photo books for me and the quality has been exceptional, but never before have I uploaded jpegs of "done" pages that I've scrapped.

 

So here is the quandary: My 8.5 x 11 pages don't fit their whole-page template! It's evidently slightly smaller so my page bleeds over, and their crop dimensions don't allow you to manipulate the jpeg so all of it will fit. Plus elements that go across the 2-page spreads do not line up. Customer service can't tell me the "true" page size so that I can resize them. And of course, I failed to allow enough of a bleedover for my cover, too.

 

I have a 12x12 album of several years' worth of spring breaks that I was also planning to print at some point, and I wonder if I'll have the same problem with it. My question is whether any of you have run into this, and are there any sites you know of that print "true" page sizes and do a good job. One of the appeals of Shutterfly is that they offer permanent storage and they are always putting on good sales, aside from producing a quality product.

 

Thanking everyone in advance!

[Florida granny]

I just had a photo book printed at Shutterfly. They did a great job, but this is what I learned. They have an 8h x11w size, but not 8 1/2 x 11. I did make 8x11 jpgs -- BUT -- some of the edges got lost in the printing. You don't lose much off the top and bottom edges, but you will lose almost a 1/2 inch off each side. I suspected this might happen (and was warned by another printer website that edges would get lost), so I was careful not to have anything important near the edges. Designs I had going across the pages lined up pretty well, but not perfectly. I hope this info helps you.

 

In your case, you will lose a LOT off the top and bottom because your pages are already a 1/2 inch too big. Re-sizing or re-designing 42 pages sounds like a giant chore! Yikes. Maybe someone will come along who knows a book printer who does your size pages.

 

I have not printed a 12x12 book, but maybe someone can help you with that, too.

 

And if any printing companies are listening.... wouldn't an 8 1/2 x 11 size make sense????

[Barb Eugene]

Could you use the 12 X 12 book size and fill in the extra space with a coordinating/matching color?

[MariJ]

I actually kind of did what Barb suggested when I had the same problem as you. What I did was to take one background, size it to 8x10 or whatever size their page is listed as.

Then I dragged my first layout onto the page and resized it smaller so there was a border all the way around. You might need to add some extra on the side you already know is too small.

I did this for each page, cover, etc and saved as a jpeg then uploaded to the printing company. It wasn't always exact around the edges, but at least I ddin't lose any of my photos or layout.

 

Hope that helps and good luck. I can imagine how frustrated you must be after all your work.

[Cheri T]

Here's what I would do...I would buy an 8.5 x 11 album (eg. We R Memory Keepers brand) online or at a local scrapbook store. It will come with true-to-size 8.5x11 page protectors. Have some place like scrappingsimply.com or persnicketyprints.com print your 8.5x11 pages on real photo paper (it's about $1.89 per page unless you sign up for their newsletter and wait for a sale.) I don't know about Persnickety, but Scrapping Simply has 2 sales per year of 25-35% off printing costs. You will lose just the teeniest tiniest bit of the edging sometimes, which has only ever been noticeable to me if I had eg. 1/8 inch border around my whole page, sometimes it'll be just a bit off center when printed.

 

Then going forward, you'll know to check the printing specs before starting the project:) (Ugh...things should always just be perfect...I know!)

 

HTH!

[April Showers]

I've had a similar problem with my Project SG albums. The first two years, I created 12x12 pages and they really do a 12x12.5 page with a 1/4" bleed. It took some time to get the pages to work right with the page size, but I love how they printed.

• First, I opened the psd file of my page and pulled all the layers into a new document that was the right size with the bleed lines marked.

• I selected the background layer and re-sized it to fit the page.

• Next I selected all the other layers (click the bottom one, hold the shift key and click the top one) and re sized them together to fit within the bleed lines.

• Then I saved the file as a jpg. After finding several typos after uploading the book, I started saving the psd files too so it was easier for me to edit the altered page.

That may be more than you're willing to do, but it worked well for me.

 

It took me two albums before I started creating my Project Life pages in the right size for the template in the first place.

[BrendaT]

Thanks, everyone -

 

Just now have had a chance to check back (Senior Prom Friday night!), and I appreciate all the responses - they are all helpful and give me a place to start. I so enjoyed putting this project together and feel like it turned out so well that it really is frustrating to think that a) I'm not done with it yet, and it's not going to look like I made it - without a lot more work (see "a").

 

What makes it more confusing is that I went back and measured a book I previously ordered from Shutterfly using one of their templates. The cover from edge to edge measures 8.75 x 11 3/16 inches. The book I have has a black edge that went over the spine. I guess I could just use my cover design in one photo on the front with a colored border around it. I had imagined the cover over the entire front.

 

The inside pages on the book I ordered before measure 8 7/16 inches x 10 15/16. I laid all my psd files out as double page spreads (except the title page and last page). I'm just sitting here thinking about whether I can go back in and resize the backgrounds on a new template - I have page edges and masks and blends and all kinds of stuff going on, and elements that bleed over the edges. Hmm. Don't think I'm going to make it by Wednesday (50% off sale expires). Can't afford to print multiple copies without that. Oh well - back to the drawing board!

 

This is (was going to be!) my cover:

[BrendaT]

To Florida granny -

 

I found the info on the Shutterfly site re the scrapbook page uploads and specs, 8x11 just like you said. Will let you all know how it turns out . . .

[BrendaT]

Here's an update:

 

I went back to the Shutterfly site and did more looking and found the templates and instructions to work with digitally scrapped pages. I did lose a bit of the edges on the 8x11 book but my elements across the pages lined up pretty well, considering. I guess I'll be able to live with it . . . I've done the resizing and ordered 1 book to see how it turns out before I order any more. I will let you know how it looks.

 

Love you guys! Thanks again!

[BarbaraC1977]

I think you'll probably find it beautiful! May I offer a suggestion for future? Try to keep important content out of the outermost 1/4 - 1/2". That way you can tolerate a little bleed for printing. Looking forward to hearing how your book turns out.

[Cheri T]

I'm glad it seems to be working out well. Your cover image is gorgeous!

[bjc]

i use blurb but have only printed 12 x 12 of all my years layouts .... they are amazing books... i have also used shutterfly but just for some quick books that i use their templates for

 

not sure what sizes blurb does but they do a variety of sizes and do sometimes have sales..they arent as inexpensive as shutter fly but the quality of papers and binding is excellent

 

here is a link to my book for 2012

 

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/3382199/ce4a60e164990929eadce392fb8f65453d8c04e3

 

and as mentioned before just be careful what you put in the 1/4 inch around..blurb as a line they show you which is pretty conservative...it usually doesnt cut off that amt usually less

[Monika13]

Shutterfly has templates that you can download. These are blank pages with lines or borders that server as a guideline to make sure whatever you want to be printed goes inside the borders. I use these templates all the time. I know they have 12 x 12. Here is a link to the templates

 

http://www.shutterfly.com/digitalscrapbook/scrapbook-design-specs.jsp

 

Hope this helps

[marti {pezadoodle}]

I am wanting to print a 5 x 7 brag book and am having trouble figuring out shutterfly. I have downloaded the 5x7 template from the link above but it has no marking that show me where to keep my stuff inside of. In addition I am doing double page spreads so I see the option where I can make a 5x14 LO and when adding it to the pages of my book it has the option to add as a spread but then it cuts off way more of the outside edges UGH! feeling frustrated. I have been reading their FAQs and they are not helpful either. for example it says to turn off vivid pics and auto crop but i can't find what they are showing anywhere on the site....any help? ideas? advice? i tell ya i would pay money for some shutterfly download templates that would make this easier!