I’m still pinching myself that Project Life really is available on Shutterfly. We love comments like this one from Nicole: Becky, I am working on Project Life through Shutterfly and it is AMAZING! I LOVE LOVE everything and I LOVE most of all how I can customize everything the way I want it but with such ease!
The Shutterfly platform is fairly simple to use but I’m sure it seems quite overwhelming for someone transitioning from physical scrapbooking product. I want to address the questions and comments that are coming in, hopefully resulting in a better understanding about this Project Life option. If you’re ready to dig in and give it a try, click HERE for the Turquoise Edition or click HERE for the Clementine Edition.
{ Note } You can find some of my tips and inspiration for taking everyday photos in the Storytelling section on Shutterfly: Documenting Everyday Life
{ Also Note } I am personally using the Shutterfly photo book version of Project Life for our family’s 2012 yearbook and will happily share some of my own layouts soon, as well as samples from others who have submitted their screen shots. The purpose of this specific post is to answer your questions and address your concerns and as you will see, it’s long enough as it is. We’ll come back to the “fun side” and idea-sharing later.
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I thought the Shutterfly version would be a simple drop-in-my-pictures-and-add-my-journaling approach but it looks more complicated than that.
It absolutely is that simple, actually. The page templates (called “Idea Pages” on Shutterfly) are set up so that all you do is drop in your pictures and add your journaling. That’s it. You only alter the design if you want. I wonder if it “looks” more complicated because of the layouts being less “linear” than what most of our Project Life products are like.
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I’ve looked at it but starting seems so overwhelming. What is the best way to get started?
Since Project Life is designed around ‘bite size’ portions of photos and stories a week at a time, I recommend you set aside “Project Life time” each week to select your favorite pictures and create a spread. That’s my personal approach to creating our family yearbook this year and I anticipate spending about a half hour or so each week creating a spread about the previous week. As for getting started …
1. Select your book size and style (Clementine or Turquoise)
2. Next you will be prompted to “choose pictures for your book”. You can upload the desired photos from your computer, an existing album in your Shutterfly account or Facebook.
3. Once uploaded, “select” then “add” photos to your book. After the photos have been added a pop up will appear with 8 quick tips to making an amazing photo book. If you haven’t made a Shutterfly photo book before, spending a couple of minutes to review these tips will give you a great head start!
4. Your photos will be added to a tray at the bottom of your screen from which you can drag and drop them onto the pages as desired. If you’re adding a lot of photos at once (let’s say you want to make a book about last year), you may want to consider using the “auto fill” feature which places the pictures for you chronologically based on their time stamp. If you choose to do this, start by making sure you’re happy with the way your photos are laid out. Then go back to add captions and any other journaling you want.
5. If you want or need to play with the layout of the page to fit your photos or the amount of text you want to include, go into “customize mode” by clicking on the “customize page” link in the bottom left corner of your screen. Make the desired changes to the template and click “apply changes”. Customize mode allows you to easily move or resize any photo space, embellishment or text box. You can also add more text boxes as well.
That’s it! Oh, one last thing to keep in mind – don’t worry about if you’re making the “right decision” about which Project Life edition to use or which book size you want. You can always change size or style at any point before you order your book! Very cool.
{ Note } When it comes to the nitty-gritty and the technical side of creating your book, please go directly to Shutterfly for help as I will not be able to help you if you leave a comment on my blog, for example. The fastest and easiest way to find answers to your questions is through their FAQs. If you are unable to get the answers you need you can contact their customer service department by:
Email: customerservice@cs.shutterfly.com
Phone: 888.225.7159
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What size is the photo book?
When you get started with a Project Life photo book, the default size is 12×12 but you can change that if you’d like something smaller. Shutterfly photo books are available in the following 5 sizes:
- 12×12 square (hard cover only)
- 8×8 square (hard or soft cover)
- 8×11 landscape (hard or soft cover)
- 7×9 (soft cover only)
- 5×7 landscape (soft cover only)
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Once you start the book how long do you have to complete it? Can I work on it over the whole year?
Indefinitely. And yes, you can work on it as long as you’d like. As I mentioned, I will take the entire year to create our family yearbook in 2012. I’ll do a 2-page spread each week until the end of the year, and then I’ll print the book. I think many people are planning to do something like this as well.
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I’m a dedicated Project Lifer with the physical product but I’ll admit that the photo books intrigue me. It doesn’t make sense for me to do both but do you have any thoughts on this?
What is so exciting about this year for Project Life, is that we have all these OPTIONS now. We have the physical product, the digital product on JessicaSprague.com, and the photo book option on Shutterfly. Pick one that floats your boat. But if you just love the idea of trying a couple options, then by all means – go right ahead! Perhaps you’re using the physical product for your regular, everyday documenting and photos. If you want to try the Shutterfly option too, perhaps you could create a photo book that focuses on a person, trip, or theme. Create a book about the last family reunion, your parents’ anniversary, your daughter’s first year of college, whatever. Anything. The photo books don’t have to be as thick and involved as say, a full-sized scrapbook.
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Will there be other designs, or just Clementine and Turquoise?
I would absolutely love to have ALL Project Life designs available on Shutterfly but the thing is … that wasn’t up to me. Shutterfly has a LOT of photo book designs and lots more coming, so they could only choose two designs for now. Depending on how customers like our designs there, we’ll see if it’s possible to add more Projection Life designs in the future.
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How many pages is the Project Life photo book? I want to do a photo-a-day book for this year, which would require 104 pages (1 week per layout x 52 weeks) + title page + last page.
The “default” book is set up to be 20 pages, just like every other Shutterfly photo book, but you can increase the number of pages. Currently their maximum page count is 101; however Shutterfly is working intently to increase the page maximum to 111 to allow for enough pages to create a complete Project Life book with a spread for each week. This should be available sometime in March.
Guess what, Project Lifers? This is due in large part to your voice. We do hear you, we listen, and we are grateful to Shutterfly for working hard to make it possible.
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How does the cost of the Shutterfly version end up comparing with the physical product? If, for example, you were doing a picture a day for a year, would the photo book be more or less than buying the physical Project Life stuff and printing all the pictures?
Excellent question. But I’ll be upfront and tell you – it’s not as easy a question as you’d think. There are several variables that will affect the final cost of a photo book – size and cover are only part of it. First of all, I think the regular price of a 12×12 hardcover book is $54.99 but it goes on sale fairly often. Second, the cost of additional pages varies by size so adding a 12×12 page costs more than adding 8×11 or 8×8, etc. Note: The additional cost is for a ONE SIDED page.
Creating a photo book with one layout per week would total 106 pages (52 spreads x 2pgs/spread PLUS the Title and End pages) which would require the customer to buy 86 additional pages. At $1.50/pg (for the 12×12 size) that would bring the total cost of roughly $184 + tax and shipping. So let’s assume we’re talking about a $184 photo book, which would be without any discounts at all. (I want to point out that discounts and coupons are available frequently, so this truly is the “worst-case scenario” and definitely on the high side.)
Okay, now let’s look at the price of the physical product. Let’s say you stick with just the basics to create a full scrapbook. That would be a Binder + Project Life Core Kit + Big Pack of Photo Pocket Pages. Without any “extras”, we are looking at about $65. Now let’s look at the cost of photo printing. Again, this is variable and we have to keep in mind that the cost of printing photos is different from place to place. Let’s say you print your photos very economically – at Costco, for example. Those prints are currently 13 cents/print. Let’s say you print 365 prints for a full year’s worth of pictures, which would definitely fill an entire album. That’s nearly $50 in printing. So the grand total of physical product + printing your photos = $115.
So you can see how there’s not really a simple answer. Even with the numbers I’m throwing around here, that’s not considering that most photo book makers will likely find a coupon to use, which will bring the cost of the photo book way down. And perhaps your favorite place to print photos costs more than 13 cents per print, which would bring the cost of a physical scrapbook project up. So really – the price comparison could be a wash!
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The page templates provided in the default 20-page book are pretty cool but they don’t all fit my personal style. Do I have other options?
Yes, there are a whole bunch of Idea Pages (page templates) to choose from and you can switch those out as you wish.
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There isn’t a lot of journaling on the page templates. What if I have more to write?
You’re right; the way the pages are set up, there are just little bits of journaling here and there. The advantage to this, is that anyone who doesn’t feel confident about their writing, or perhaps doesn’t want to say much, that’s just fine. However, the text boxes are adjustable and you can make them larger for adding more text. I know I’ll be doing this.
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I was expecting to see the Project Life classic layout (like the Design A Photo Pocket Page) but instead I see a totally different collection of layout designs. Are you planning to add the more traditional layout as an option?
Yes! Based on the desire for this (expressed by many of you), Shutterfly is working on adding an Idea Page (page template) so that you have that option. It takes time to implement and test and they are working on it. We really do listen, we hear you, and we work hard to provide solutions. We are grateful to Shutterfly for hearing you too and as soon as they have that layout template ready, we’ll announce it.
Just to clarify: When Shutterfly adds this classic Project Life “Design A” Idea Page to the collection, you will automatically see that in your page template options, even if you’ve already started a book. In fact, I know many of you will want to create the entire photo book with that layout design so that it mimics the physical product and everything is lined up and organized, and the journaling cards go through the middle and everything. Some of you are familiar with a similar, linear format that we used to have with Ziblio. If you want that, you can certainly have that by making every page the “Design A” template. In fact, I’m contemplating doing that myself, at least on some of the pages. If you want to hold out until that is available, you certainly can. Just keep your pictures in one place and you can quickly drop them in when the time comes (crossing our fingers for very soon).
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I was hoping to see more Project Life Journaling Cards.
Because we are adding the Design A page template, it makes sense to add some Journaling Cards as well. Note: Shutterfly has completely maxed out the number of embellishments that we can offer per Project Life design. In other words, we are pleased to at least be able to squeeze in 10 Journaling Cards per design, but unfortunately we’re not able to add ALL of the journaling cards that you find in the physical product (Core Kit).
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What do you do about the memorabilia and the “stuff” of life? It doesn’t seem like I can implement this into a photo book like I can with the physical product.
You’re right, to an extent. There are pros + cons to each option, and that’s why you have to choose what works best for you. Can you include actual, physical, dimensional “stuff” to a photo book? Well – not really. Can you scan or photograph those items (receipts, movie tickets, programs, awards, ribbons, etc.) and make them a part of your story in a photo book? Absolutely. That’s what I do.
Let’s say you strongly prefer the photo book (personally, I love that the end result is a skinny, professionally bound book simply because we already have so many full-sized scrapbooks in our home from being a lifetime scrapbooker). Let’s say that you also don’t want to let go of the “stuff”. Solution: Get a 12×12 Binder + Big Envelope Pages (currently sold out but available again early February) and keep a binder with a Big Envelope Page full of memorabilia for each year – or however you decide to use them. Naturally, organizing + displaying memorabilia in our Photo Pocket Pages is also a great idea. Having a 12×12 binder specifically for all the “stuff” that doesn’t fit in your photo books would certainly be an option to consider.
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I’ve created other photo books on Shutterfly and there are certain design elements I like from other designs. Can I use them in my Project Life photo book?
You bet! In fact, two of our very own Creative Team members have also designed books for Shutterfly (Ali and Liz) and I bet they have very cool elements that many of you would love.
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Will you still be able to do the cover of the book as a single photo like you did for your family yearbooks? I loved that look, and am ready to jump in and try Shutterfly.
You have as much flexibility with the cover as you do with any of the other pages. Shutterfly makes the whole experience customizable. Again, I want to re-emphasize that you do not have to be creative or spend time altering pages in a Project Life photo book. It’s designed to drop in your pictures, add a little journaling, and be done.
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Will there be a school version available in the future?
Let’s hope! One step at a time, my friend. : )
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How true-to-color does the finished product from Shutterfly come out?
Color calibration and resolution is different for every computer so it’s hard to judge what your expectations are based on the computer you’re looking at, but Shutterfly print tests every style to ensure the final product accurately reflects the designer’s intent and their color palette was developed specifically with accurate, high quality color in mind.
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Can I save each page as a jpg on my computer for printing?
Shutterfly is introducing a new feature in February which will enable you to download a pdf of your book for easier proofing before you order. The pdf WILL have a watermark and is intended for proofing only.
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I want to print my pages outside of an album and use them for a hybrid album. I don’t see the option to just print pages in 12×12 format.
Unfortunately, you can’t print the pages in your book one-by-one. They only come in a bound album. If you’d like to create digital scrapbook pages for say, a hybrid scrapbook, you will love the Project Life products available in digital format at JessicaSprague.com.
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Do I pay for it only after I order it? I’m assuming I keep working on it until it’s done and then place the order and pay.
Yes, you are only charged when you order. Take as much or as little time as you’d like to create the book. As I mentioned, I will literally build upon our family yearbook a week at a time in 2012 and will print at the end of the year.
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What is the maximum file size for pictures when uploading them? Can you upload RAW format, or does it have to be jpg?
Only jpg formatted photos can be uploaded. I don’t think there is a maximum size but the bigger the file the longer it will take to load. Shutterfly recommends a maximum file size of 4-6MB.
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Does Shutterfly ship internationally? I live in Australia and am curious about that option, and the cost.
Yes! Shutterfly does ship internationally. Shipping costs are based on book size and can be found HERE.
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I have trouble with the captions. I can’t seem to get them the right size.
You can resize the text boxes by going into ‘customize’ mode and changing the size of the box. Additionally, you can change the font size by clicking on the text box.
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Is there a way to have plain white boxes with rounded corners to use for journaling that can be adjusted to ANY size? I played with the grid ones that I found and they can be adjusted in size but have to maintain their proportions it seems. If I want a square or just an itty bity rectangle that is wider than it is tall I want that option. You don’t always need or have room for the proportions of the grid ones on there.
Unfortunately, you can only change the size of embellishments (including the journaling cards) in proportion to their original size. However, if you don’t see what you want in the Project Life kit, you can also search Shutterfly’s extensive palette of embellishments to see if something closer to what you want is available there. There are several shapes and sizes of tabs or frames that could fulfill your need.
To search, click on the “embellisments” tab to the far left of your screen. Then click on the link for “get more stickers”. This will bring up a search box that includes EVERY embellishment available in all 70+ styles Shutterfly offers! For your particular search, click “Categories” then click on the boxes for “Frames” and/or “Organizers”. All sorts of options will appear. Click on the ones you’d like to add use, then click “Add to Project”. These will now appear in your project’s embellishments palette on the left side of your screen. Remember, these can also be re-sized using customize mode.
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Will we be able to use coupons or Shutterfly discount codes to purchase the book?
Absolutely!
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I’ve been creating a book on Shutterfly and overall, I love it. But there are a few things with the program that make it difficult. 1.) No zoom 2.) No copy + paste 3.) No undo when you are in customize page mode 4.) No redo anywhere . Any chance you have connections with Shutterfly and can get these things addressed?
These are all great ideas. #3 is on the short list to address in the next couple of months (however just to be clear if you haven’t already “applied changes” you can just click “cancel” to undo any changes you have made to the page). Shutterfly will definitely look into your other requests as they plan for future enhancements.
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Where is the copy function so I can duplicate pages?
Shutterfly does not currently have a “copy” function but is currently working on one which should be available in the coming weeks.
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I am loving it but it doesn’t auto save. I lost tons that way and had to redo it all.
Shutterfly is in the process of reviewing an auto save function to make sure it will work as intended and expect updates shortly. We encourage you to save your project frequently on your own to avoid the loss of work.
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Please beg Shutterfly to upgrade their iPad app. I want to do my Project Life on it soooo bad!
The current creation path is built in flash which doesn’t work on the iPad. Shutterfly is DEFINITELY working on opportunities to create books on the iPad (and other tablets) but due to the extensive work required to accomplish this and ensure it runs smoothly, it’s probably not something that will be available this year.
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Can I order more than one book at the end of the year? I know my girls will want their own copy. I understand you can order more pages, I didn’t see where you could order more than one book. What would be the cost of each additional book?
Yes! You can order as many copies as you want at any time. You will select the quantity you need when you begin the order process. One of the biggest advantages of creating your book in Shutterfly is that you can even order the book in different sizes for different recipients! So if you want a big, beautiful 12×12 book but your girls only want it in 8×8 – NO PROBLEM! Isn’t that so cool? Shutterfly also SAVES your project indefinitely so if you decide you want to order more copies of your book as gifts at Christmas or for a birthday or Mother’s Day or whatever, you can go back into your account and just order another book (again, in any size). Costs vary by size but each book of the same size will be the same price. Prices do not vary with quantities.
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{ Once again … } If you need tech support or have specific questions about your project (or prices or coupon options or other questions), please do not ask here on my blog or contact our Customer Service, as we are not the experts. Shutterfly is all set up with customer support for anyone creating a Shutterfly book. You can contact their customer service department by:
Email: customerservice@cs.shutterfly.com
Phone: 888.225.7159 (Monday – Friday, 6am – 5pm Pacific Time)
Tags: digital Project Life, shutterfly
Hi! I just wanted to say how impressed I am with Shutterfly’s customer service. I put together my 2011 album in about 3 days (3 very long days) and then ordered. I waited with growing excitement as the estimated delivery date arrived… and passed. I knew that shipping to Canada can have unexpected complications so I waited another week, checking my mail daily in hopes it had arrived. At the end of the week I called customer service hoping they had some way to track the shipment. Alas once it crosses the border it goes blind. They checked my order log and immediately suggested that they re-order and re-send my book at no additional cost. They were super polite (as was I) and resolved my trouble even better then I expected. I was sure I’d at least have to pay for shipping it a second time. They new one is supposed to arrive next week. Fingers Crossed, but either way Shutterfly’s customer service really made my day.
I’m so happy to hear this. I looooove good customer service too, and I know that it can make all the difference in the world to a customer.
Hi there,
I completed my first PL using the Ziblio version last year and am just waiting for it to arrive to me in Australia.
Can you please tell me how/which options I would go about to create a very similar product to the one I will recieve this year? As in book size and layout??
Does ‘Design A Photo Pocket Page’ mean the same layout as last year’s PL. i.e 7 photo spots, 7 journalling cards and a title card??? Should I wait for that? If so, is there any timeframe on when Shutterfly might have it ready???
I really really really want to get all started but if I can’t create a similar book to what I did this year i’m not really sure that I want to….
Please help me decide Becky!!
Thanks in advance!
I am with Linda. Is there any page option that will mimic the layout from last year? I’d like my books to be consistent. AND, I liked that all the photos were the same size.
Thanks!
I agree! I feel like several people have asked this question, but this post did not make the answer clear.
There are LOTS of different layouts- many that look very similar to the PL Design A- click on the button that says “Add more layouts” and pick which one speaks to you. You can use that on every single page.
I’m sorry I didn’t make this more clear. I went ahead and added more to that particular answer, hopefully making it even more clear. Thank you for your feedback Lindy.
If you want to make a book as similar to the old Ziblio format as possible, you would use the new page template that Shutterfly is working hard to add very soon, and repeat that on every single page. And if you liked that size as well, the 8×11 landscape format is the one for you.
Yes – the Design A Photo Pocket Page is designed for 7 photos + 7 journaling cards and that’s how it will be when we get this set up. It’ll make even more sense once that specific Idea Page is actually set up and I can show you first-hand. Thank you for your patience while we make this happen. We don’t have a release date yet, but trust me – Shutterfly is working hard to prioritize this, while also launching new products right now too.
Thanks so much for your response Becky. All my questions are clearly answered.
I’ll just keep taking pictures and wait for Shutterfly to get this option up before I start the book! It’ll be quicker than me manually creating each page!
Thanks again,
Hi Becky. I wasn’t sure what the best way to contact would be so I thought I would start here. I’d love to host a PL blog hop if it wouldn’t in any way conflict with what you’re doing.
This is my fist year of PL and for the first time in a very long time I’m excited about scrapping again!
You can contact me at jillconyers@gmail.com and/or if you’re interested in seeing where the hop would be hosted my blog is here [Fitness, Health and Happiness]
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks for answering all the questions! I have used Shutterfly in the past for different photobooks and was really pleased with it, so I’m excited that Project Life is available there. I am also thrilled to hear that Shutterfly is working on a classic layout, because that’s how I’d like to use it. I haven’t printed any pictures from the past couple years and want to be able to quickly complete it on Shutterfly, and I think the classic layout would be the quickest (since you don’t have to arrange/crop photos as much). Also, it would be absolutely wonderful if a template were available similar to photo pocket page Design D, so it would accommodate vertical photos.
Shutterfly will review this again in the coming months but for now Design A is the only page being added. Please keep in mind however Shuttefly offers almost 500 different layouts in total from which to choose! You can easily change any page to the layout that best suits your needs and if we still don’t have what you are looking for, Custom Mode allows you to create exactly what you want.
Thanks for all the answers. Your old digital book company printed the books in the USA. Does Shutterfly print in the USA, too?
All of my shutterfly stuff has been printed right here in Phoenix.
YES! Shutterfly owns and operates two state-of-the art, world-class printing facilities right here in the US.
I would love to offer my two cents, if that’s ok (well, maybe more than two
I have done a Family Yearbook on Shutterfly every year for the past 4 years. I’ve never tried PL because I just couldn’t get myself to jump ship- I’ve been so happy with our yearbooks and with Shutterfly in general. Shutterfly + Becky Higgins = a very happy marriage and a very happy me. Many of the existing photo books on shutterfly were just too “cutesy” and embellished for me… I was often designing my own from scratch that was more neutral and simple. I love the Clementine photo book and that is what I am using this year. That being said, even Clementine had a few too many embellishments for my taste– and I like to have more than 7 pictures per layout (a 12×12 book can DEFINITELY support more than 7 pics in a layout)– so I am using Customize Mode on each and every page. Last night it only took me an hour to get my photos off my camera, edit them in Photoshop, upload them to Shutterfly, and create 4 pages (2 layouts) for the first two weeks of the year. And that is with a lot of customizing… choosing different layouts, changing some of the backgrounds, deleting embellishments, etc. The final product is a book that is 100% me, my taste, etc. Awesome. I love that you can select different layouts- this means that for weeks where I only have a few pictures, and each one needs a separate journaling entry, I can select a layout that has 4-6 picture slots + text box for each and use that. I have added a lot more layouts to my arsenal for this purpose. For weeks where I have several pictures of the same event, and don’t need a separate text box for each one (thinking holidays, birthdays, vacations, or my layout last night all about “potty training”)… I can select a layout that has up to 10 or more pictures with one large text box. I also did a layout that showed a “typical morning in our house” that included 12 pictures with one large text box that talked all about our typical morning routine. The standard PL layout of 7 pictures with journaling for each wouldn’t really allow for that kind of thing, and that’s what I love about Shutterfly- it can be whatever you want it to be.
As for pricing, I order mine in early January when the books are usually 40% off. I had an email coupon for an extra 12% off for 2012 and you can stack discounts- so I used that too. Plus a free shipping code- the total for a 12×12 book with the current maximum of pages- 101- was $100. You would definitely hit $100 with physical PL when you take printing pictures into account. Plus, if something were to ever happen to our yearbooks- natural disaster or otherwise- it would be as simple as reordering them. You honestly can’t put a price tag on that peace of mind.
I order a 12×12 for the family that will stay with me. I then create two copies- one for each of my kids- and spend an hour or so customizing it to them. For instance, big sister won’t need an entire layout about her little sister potty training, and little sister doesn’t need a whole page about big sister’s first day of school. I delete a few pages, sometimes add extra journaling (I copy and paste from my own journal that I keep on the computer). The end result of that is a book for each child that is primarily the same as the family book, but just has those extra touches that make it all about her. Obviously, the easiest thing would be to simply order 3 copies of the same book, and that would be great too. But with very little extra time, I have yearbooks for each child that look customized to them.
Thanks for the details on how you do it! That’s the biggest thing I need right now: lots of different ideas on how people manage the process.
What do you do with the “stuff of life?” I have lots of scraps and little things here and there I”ve been collecting. Do you scan? I have that capability but wondered if it would still look the same/as good.
Thanks again!
Thanks for the info Becky!! Was working on my 2011 PL traditional album last night and thinking maybe not doing a Shutterfly book as I had originally attended. But, I’m very excited to get it a try now! Appreciate you!
Thanks for the update Becky. I am excited about the options Shutterfly will be adding and I will move forward with the Shutterfly option for my PL this year. I can’t wait to see the Shutterfly examples from others out there and yours too! And I agree that Shutterfly’s customer service is excellent! I’ve had questions working on my PL and they answered my questions quickly and helped me learn more about the customization mode. Thank you for addressing all of our concerns about this option.
I use shutterfly all the time and they ALWAYS have coupons! You can even do a google search and 90% of the time find a coupon even if its just for free shipping it helps! A great coupon that I’ve seen a LOT this year is buy one photo book get TWO FREE!!! Yeah you heard me right… buy one book and get TWO FOR FREE!!! There books are great quality and I have made quite a few in the past! I can’t wait to get started on my PL album here too!!!
I just tried 5 coupon codes I found on the internet & none worked
It seems as though there were some great photo book coupons at the end of the year in 2011. I wonder if they are better in the later part of the year in general??
I am so glad that Design A may be available..this will definitely open lots of opportunity for me personally. I do the physical book and I love it, but I wanted to do both this year to see if going forward, I’d be happy with the photo book version. I just don’t want to reinvent the wheel with different templates, I want to duplicate what’s in my physical album quickly and easily. Right now I’m uploading things to shutter fly as I go in anticipation of the basic design being available. I liked ziblio because of that easy flow about it.
As a suggestion in the meantime, Jessica Sprague has the templates and the kits in digital form. We can always do a digi page on PSE or whatever and upload that as a jpg to the blank 12×12 page in the shutter fly book.
Yes, yes, yes!
I have used Shutterfly since 2006 for creating photo books and I have always loved their quality and ease of creation. And as one of the other ladies commented above, when I did have a problem once with not receiving one of my books, their Customer Service was incredible and sent me a new one immediately at no extra cost. Unlike some other services I have used where the Customer Service has been very unhelpful. Then PL came along and I was back to paper scrapping in this wonderful new simplified format, which I absolutely love. Now, the best of both worlds — PL and Shutterfly combined! I have already ordered my physical kit for 2012 in Cobalt, but had not done PL for 2011, so I have been working on and off for the last two weeks at creating a 2011 Year in Review book in Clementine on Shutterfly. It is turning out so beautiful and I can’t wait to finish (hopefully tonight) and get it ordered. What Becky and others said above is true — it’s as simple or as complicated as you want. The cost can vary so much depending on what sales are running, what coupons you may have, etc. Books are currently 20% off and I have a coupon (that expires today) for an extra $10 off, plus there is free shipping right now for orders over $30. If you sign up for an account (free) on Shutterfly, you will start receiving coupons in the email almost immediately. And if you start working on a book, you will inevitably receive photobook coupons. They definitely cater your coupons to what they see in your activity. Great product – great Brand — Love it all! Thanks Becky for listening to your customers and for always getting us the info we need.
Honestly, I’ve used Shutterfly for YEARS – mostly for photobooks. I’m at the point where Shutterfly sends me codes for FREE photobooks (8×8) every few months or so. I wanted to test try this Project Life product – so I worked on a small book for 2011 – I did the whole thing in 2 days – it wasn’t 101 pages – more like 30 when I was done, but I just wanted it as a quick summary of this past year. I couldn’t be happier! It is supposed to arrive today and if it’s anything like all their other photobooks, the quality is really great! (Much better than other photo sharing website’s photobooks). I used the turquoise product, but since I didn’t want any repeat layouts, I used some of the clementine layouts as well. I love this as an easy to use alternative – even if you’re not technologically savvy, it’s simple to do! I agree, there are some drawbacks with Shutterfly – the fact that depending on your computer, it can be really small and impossible to zoom, but I’ve been using them for years and they are CONSTANTLY upgrading their system – so I have no doubt that this will only improve in the future!
I didn’t see this tip mentioned in Becky’s FAQ’s–For those of you doing 2011 retroactively–try out the Storyboard button. It’s just above and to the right of the photo strip. I spent a ton of time sorting through my hundreds of pictures, placing them, editing, etc. for a two page layout (not because the technology isn’t good–just because it takes a long time to sort through so many photos at once). Then I discovered Storyboard. This allowed me to quickly order/group the pictures the way I wanted them, then hit a button, and poof, they populated into the book. Then I just had to go back through and do some minor tweaking and add journaling. LOVE IT.
Now, if you’re creating as you go for 2012, I’m not sure this is helpful. It’s just a great way to overcome having 100s of pictures to organize at once.
This is hugely helpful, thank you.
I’m planning to do digital books after scanning a small mountain of photos from my grandparents (so none of them will have anything useful in the metadata). I think this option will really help streamline the process.
Thank you, Becky, for all the info. I’ve been waiting with baited breath before I take the plunge into my plan for a Shutterfly book. I am still disappointed at not having at least one option there for a page layout like the one from last year in Ziblio. But enough grumbling about that and now I’m ready to move on. And like you say, they are planning a Template A design. That will be a great help. But I don’t want to wait any longer to get started. I have still been taking and saving my pictures and an ongoing journal.
I am still wondering where and how I get those discount coupons. But I guess I have a whole year to figure that out.
So this is my plan . . . I will purchase the Jessica Sprague Cobalt edition. I LOVE that one this year. I did Turquoise for 2011 so don’t want to repeat that and Cobalt just isn’t “me.” Then I will use either the traditional Template A or I’m seriously considering Template D for a change – or maybe a combination of the two throughout the book. I will make my page and save the entire thing as a single jpg. I will then move that into the Shutterfly book as if it were a single photo using their single page format. Presto! I hope!!?? Will have to come up with a plan for the cover since I can’t use a Cobalt cover.
I just received my Ziblio 2011 Project Life book yesterday and it is FANTASTIC!!!! I can’t believe how great it turned out. Everything is printed so beautifully and the text is so clear and easy to read. That is my first digital book and I am so impressed. Thank you so much for keeping a digital version of Project Life going. I love my traditional scrapbooks and continue to make them. But I love this thin, sleek book. Like you, I have enough of the thick, heavy scrapbooks.
OK – here I go. Time to purchase my Cobalt kit and take the plunge!!
replied to your cover issue in comment below.
If you have a shutterfly account, they send out coupon codes via email quite frequently. The products vary all the time, but the books come around every month or so.
You can create your Cobalt cover by creating a jpg using photos and Jessica Sprague Cobalt templates and then simply upload and use as your cover photo! Problem solved!
Yes, Lis, absolutely. Thanks for sharing this fantastic tip!
Regarding Text:
I’ve tried it, YOU CAN USE COPY-PASTE. You need to use the keyboard commands for your computer: Control C, Control V for windows; Command C, Command V, for macs.
Also, under the Add More Layouts, at the bottom of the left box there is “add a text box”. You can make it however large or small you’d like. So for example, start with a layout from their page ideas that looks most like one you would like to use. Click on the text box to delete it. It will now put you in “custom path mode”. Simply add a new text box and resize it to fit your page.
Thanks for your help, Liz.
Dang it. You’re convincing me to double my efforts and create a digital version this year too.
I’m not trying to convince anyone to do anything. I am just sharing information so that you’re aware of your options. : )
Thank you SO MUCH, Lis. I didn’t even think of that. That is what I will do for sure. Yay – you made my day!
I used project life paper/binder 2011 but this year I am doing shutterfly. I like the idea of having a book instead of another big binder. So pleased that you were able to make this an option.
I am having so much fun doing my pages. I have used your basic design with a few changes. One of the changes is making room for more journaling. I would love and it would make it much easier if shutterfly could make the box you type in, show more than a few lines at a time.
sandra
Thank you for variation. I like the actual product when it comes to scrapbooking, so I am doing the product version of PL. However, we are building a new home, and I wanted a seperate book to keepsake that. This is the perfect way to document it, and know that it will be similar to the albums I am making.
I also plan to tell others who I know are stuggling with keeping up on real life scrapbooking to choose the digital version.
Thanks again!!
I have used Shutterfly for years for processing photos and making photo books to give as gifts or to capture special events and love their quality products and service. Last year was my first year using Project Life and have just loved it, as well. I knew you were introducing a Shutterfly version of PL, but went ahead and ordered the new Cobalt kit and do not regret it a bit, but I am so excited to expand my focus this year. I decided to go ahead and utilize PL like I did last year (a-week-at-a-glance) but ALSO create a digital Shutterfly version as well. I’m already uploading photos and ordering them, I might as well duplicate the layouts at the same time. This way, at the end of the year, I have an album I can print off for the grandparents that took me very little extra time. I am SO excited to have this option.
Thanks Becky and Shutterfly!! Fan for Life!!
I’ve also been a happy Shutterfly customer and regularly get free coupon codes. In fact, I made our Christmas 2011 photobook last night and used a $20 credit they had sent me. I’m loving that we’ll have the Design A template to use so the Shutterfly PL looks like what I’m used to, but my question is about the journaling cards. I don’t see them under embellishments or text boxes. Are the 10 Becky mentioned in her post not available yet and will come online with the Design A layout, or are they already there and I’m just overlooking them?
The 10 cards for each design are coming in February, I believe the same time we get the Design A template on there.
So I have a saved project in Ziblio that I would like to buy but at $100!? It seems high to me, should I move over to Shutterfly as I discovered I can copy and paste my journaling from there to Shutterfly? Also, can I have text on the spine at Ziblio?
That’s completely up to you and honestly – they’re both great products, about the same price, and you’ve already done the work.
Yes, you can have text on the spine at Ziblio. When you’re working on your book and you see the drop-down menu for page numbers, go all the way to the bottom and you’ll see “spine”.
FYI :: A note from Shutterfly:
“Confirming that we do not offer any type of prepaid plan for photo books, nor can a customer redeem a coupon before they finish a project and place an order. However, we do offer frequent discounts so most likely there would be a comparable offer available when they are ready to order. Based on the # of pages we’d expect in the Project Life books and the corresponding price, I think it would also be safe to assume the order would qualify for free shipping (generally offered for orders over $30).”
Another note from Shutterfly that may be helpful to some ::
Something to keep in mind as customers are waiting for the “design A template” but want to get started now:
Because our platform offers so much flexibility and you can change layouts or book styles with just a click or two, customers could choose one of our current layouts with 4 photos and use that for every page. Then when Design A is available they can just select that as the new layout for each page. Since the “for placement only” layout and Design A both use 4 photos the same photos they have placed on the page will just appear in the new Design A layout. They can easily swap positions if desired once the new layout has been applied.
Once they’re in the book, they can use the palette on the left side of the screen to see all the layouts available. Just click on the layout tab, then down at the bottom of that column click again on “get more layouts”. Click on the box for 4 photos and ALL of our available layouts with 4 photos will appear. They just scroll through until they see something they like and add that layout to their project.
promotional products…
[...]shutterfly: understanding more about this option « Becky's Blog[...]…
As I think about the digital photobooks (which are THIN and so are my choice for this year) and memorabilia (which is something we have to do without when we choose digital), I’ve decided I want:
A slip-in plastic bookcover for the 12 x 12 photobook.
Clear plastic.
So I can see the cover through the front.
But…like the slip-in book-style report covers I used to use,
I’d love for there to be an additional “envelope pocket” in the back.
So that I can turn the book over, open the envelope, and pull out any memorabilia inside that is related to the year in the photobook.
Wouldn’t that be cool?
[...] that is). I’ve done some Shutterfly Q&A in the past (very helpful information in this post) but I think it’s a good time to address more questions that have come our way lately. So [...]
[...] available as photo books at Shutterfly. We answered lots of your questions about this new option in this blog post (please note our digital products are now available at AC Digitals rather than jessicasprague.com [...]
I never talk to people on the computer. I hate kits. They never fit my needs. I can never do them right. They are never the right color. I am never pleased with the included titles. After saying all that I want you to know i did order your project life. I have had scrappers block for a while. I have four grandkids. I am making 12 x 12 books for each individually. I take lots of pictures because I want them to know how much I love them and all the cool stuff we did together. I am way, way, way behind. Tonight i decided to try my hand at a page. I choose pictures from 2005. I can hardly remember what to write about the pictures. I want you to know how amazing you are. I took pictures about reading books at different times. I grabbed a title and a journaling block. That page went together so quick and easy. I am amazed. I put it in his book and it fits right in. It was so easy that I did another page just as quick. In the time it would take me just to pick out the paper, I put two pages together. The thing that sold me on trying the kit was Lisa saying and showing the different pages about no time, a little time, and a seasoned scrapbooker adding embelishments. It is very late and I do not want to go to bed. I can’t wait to see what else I can do with your help. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for making scrapbooking fun again. It’s not all the embelishments or all the supplies we think we need, its just the pictures. They can’t be seen in a box waiting to be done. Yes you can spend some time on a page every now and then with all your stuff but you don’t have too. I feel free and I am having fun again. Thank you. I have missed you and Lisa. Thank you for coming back.