Mypictales photo books

I got my books from mypictales on Thursday. I was so excited, I could hardy wait, and thought FedEx would never get here. *giggle* They were later than they usually are too, naturally. But I lived and opened them up and looked at them right away. Opening those FedEx boxes wasn't easy either, I thought I'd never get into them, and it was made worse by the fact that I WANTED in them NOW!! ROFL Please excuse the photo's, I was in a hurry when I took them, and didn't feel like going back and trying to do a better job on them, to not get the bright spot. (Shame on me. LOL)

There were a few things I had an issue with, but they are getting taken care of, and I'm sure its not something that happens often. They do have a 100% satisfaction guarantee so you really can't go wrong ordering from them. I would like to mention a few things I really like about this company and a few differences I found between them and Shutterfly.

This first photo is the cover of my 2007 book...I just learned yesterday, how I could make the photo be in a better spot, and will share that with you later in the post. Its not all that bad, just could have been tweaked a bit.

This next photo shows the difference in color, I noticed between Shutterfly who made the top book, and mypictales who made the bottom one. Had I not had a shutterfly book to compare it too, I don't know that I would have noticed the difference. I admit I'm partial to the color of the shutterfly book, but that's a small thing when you think about all I liked better about mypictales. I also noticed that color wise, the blue's seemed to be the most different, or at least they were what stood out as the most different.

The only other thing I didn't really like as well about mypictales was trying to get the covers so they would look good...spaced wise, when printed. I didn't do a perfect job on them, even though I redid them 7 times, however just yesterday in an e-mail with the company, I got an inkling on how I SHOULD have been doing them, and I think they would have worked way better, and I'd have gotten the cover done much faster.

The way I did it, was to make what I wanted on the cover, be in one png file, and then move it around on the background and test it, then move it, then test it, till I got it so it looked ok in the software. Took forever, and as you can see, wasn't perfectly placed. The way I just now figured out, (I'm a bit slow at times *giggle*) is you have your background in the size you need it, put it on the cover then go to the template tab pick the one that has one large spot on it, and slide it over onto the page, then slide that png file you have all together with everything you want on the front on it, over onto the page, it will go into the template spot, and be sized right for it. I didn't know you could use your own cool background and have it cover the book, then do the template thing...like I say, I'm a bit slow. I tried the page template thing, before I did the background, and naturally the background went into the template, not all over the page. Anyway, thanks to Sean from mypictales for mentioning something in the e-mail yesterday, that made it click in my head enough, to go try again!! Course now I keep repeating to myself "Duh!!" every time I think of it!! LOL

So needless to say, IF indeed that does work, and I HAVE figured it out, my next book will be much less painful to make, and the cover will be way more perfect! LOL Live and Learn I guess. And that takes my biggest objection to mypictales away....if its that easy to get a good cover. Cause I have to admit I found Shutterfly much easier to get a perfect cover....before I figured this out. Course I still have to get another book, to know for sure, but I will, once I get the layouts for 2006 finished up....as soon as I have enough money for it anyway. :)

So those are the only two things I really had against the books...color and cover...besides a problem with the black paper not getting down where its suppose to be, but they are going to fix that for me so that's not a problem, the man that e-mailed me yesterday about another little problem (that's going to be fixed too) said they want me to be totally happy with my books. And if the cover problem has finally been figured out by slow little O' me, I really have no complaints left. LOL Now for the good, wonderful fantastic things about mypictales!!

First off, even before I ordered, I knew I was in love with them because they would let me do a custom cover on 8.5X11 books, AND I could do it landscape, OR portrait!! How cool is that!!! Then I had to ask them how many pages they allow, because as you all know, (read this entry here, if you don't know. LOL) 100 pages for me, is next to impossible, and makes me tear my hair out, trying to narrow it down to 100 pages. I also wouldn't really like having to have two (or more) books, for each of my yearly books, and sure couldn't cut them down, as that would be like leaving out part of our life's story. Just not something I can do. So I was over the moon when they said I could have an unlimited number of pages, with the customized covers.

Then of course there is the price. Granted the price of the custom cover on the 8.5X11 makes the 20 page book a little more expensive, but since I can't usually do just a 20 page book, we have to look at the big picture. Each extra page is only $0.50 at mypictales, as opposed to $1.00 at Shutterfly. That really adds up fast, so before you get to many extra pages, you come to realize that mypictales is going to be WAY cheaper. That right there, would be enough to swing me in their direction.

Once I started working with them, trying to get my books uploaded, I found out that they had great customer service! That's something that means a lot, because you know they care enough to try their best to make you happy. The fact that they were trying to help me, when the problem was on my end, makes it even better. And their great customer service doesn't stop once they get your money either!! If you have a problem with one of your books, just let them know, they will fix it if at all possible. I really have gotten the feeling that with this company, there is someone there who cares about their customers, where with some company's, you never know if there is a real person on the other end who wants to help you, and wants you happy.

Once I got the books, and had a chance to look them over real good, and get past the covers needing tweaked (which again, was my fault), I noticed that their pages seemed easier to turn. I had to wonder why, and got to looking, and noticed that the paper they use, is a tad more glossy...which I suppose could account for the pages turning easier, cause they could be a little slicker. I myself like a glossy paper for my pictures, they look better, so I like the paper they use better, because I have pictures on almost every page, which means it makes my photo's shinny the way I like them. Its not major gloss, mind you, but enough to make me happy. Plus I like not having to sit there trying to get ahold of the next page so I can turn it....just a little thing, but an added bonus. As far as I can tell, their paper is as thick as shutterfly...DH thought it may be a little thicker, but since I couldn't tell for sure, I'm going with it being the same thickness.

In short, a few things I've noticed I like about mypictales over Shutterfly:

1)Price!!
2)Ability to customize the 8.5X11 covers!!
3)Unlimited number of pages!!
4)Great, wonderful, fantastic helpful staff. (customer service)
5)Love the paper they use!

So all in all, I'm happy with mypictales, and can't wait to get another book, so I can try what I learned yesterday out!! LOL Feel free to ask me any questions, if I didn't cover something you wanted to know! And if you go to making one, and have questions, go to their website and click on the contact us page, and send them a message, they will be more than willing to help you, I'm sure!

As you can tell, since I had layouts going both directions (portrait and landscape) we got the portrait book, because we figured it would be easier to turn the book sideways to see the landscape pages, than it would have been to turn a landscape book sideways to see the portrait pages. However this year's layouts (and beyond), I'm trying to remember to just do them landscape, so we can get a landscape book, and not have to turn it...unless I change my mind, which is always possible. LOL The 2006 book will have to be like the 2007 one though, since I have both kinds of layouts.

I think the 8.5X11 size layout stands out more than the 8X8. I REALLY like those little 8X8 books, cause they would travel well and just seem to be a really nice size, but everything looks so big and in your face in the 8.5X11 books, that once you get used to seeing things big, its kinda nice. So while I've wondered if I should go to the 8x8 for everything, because I just love that size book, I don't know that I'm ready to do that yet...so I'll just keep that thought in the back of my mind, and do it, when and if I decide to. I may keep the 8X8's for special projects, and do the 8.5X11's for my yearly albums. Course that would mean, I need to redo my wedding layouts that I've got done, into 8x8's since its a "special" project. LOL Not that I have so many of them done, that I couldn't redo them easy enough. Guess that's another decision I'll leave for a later time.

FYI - I am not affiliated with Mypictales in anyway, I am just a satisfied customer, who wanted to share my experience for any of you who may be interested in doing your own photo books. I know how scary it can be to spend that kind of money with a new company, and not know if you are going to be happy with the outcome. They seem to bend over backwards to help you out, and make you happy, so in the end, you really can't go wrong.

Thanks to Prathibha and all her staff, who helped out this silly very BLOND at times, woman who didn't seem to know what she was doing half the time. It was really appreciated.

Well I better close for now, I hope you all have a great weekend!! Stay Safe, and enjoy that extra day off, if your lucky enough to get it!