As some of you may know, I recently had a baby. Well, 5 months ago. And as any parent, I constantly have my camera handy to snap those precious moments. I literally have several hundreds pictures of my baby already. Half of them are still on my camera. I'm at the point....I just don't know what to do with them. There's only so many 5x7's and 8x10's you can put in the house! So when I was given the opportunity to review Mixbook, I was excited! (Do you know how many Mixbook giveaways I've entered and not won?!)
Mixbook allows you to create amazing customized photo books, cards, and calendars. Other items to create include yearbooks, stationary and invitations, and digital scrapbooks. There is no software to download, as all creations are made on the site using a powerful editor with tons of features.
You can use the Automix feature which will automatically place your photos for you, so you can literally create a book in seconds. Don't like the order? Just mix it up again until you find one you like. You have the option of using templates to help with your imagination, or you can start totally blank and make your item 100% customized. Even with the templates, you can still add, remove, change everything, so you can add as many personal touches as you want. There are thousands of FREE creative elements to use such as stickers, backgrounds, and fonts.
Mixbook also offers a collaborative option to create your photo book. This is done by creating a book and then inviting your friends and family to it. They can they upload their own pictures and customizes pages too. You are the creator of the book, so you control every aspect and can edit it however you like, but your friends can still give the book their own personalized touch.
Do you have old pictures stored on Photobucket or Facebook that you have since deleted off your computer? No problem! Mixbook can pull photos from several different photo storage sites and search engines. You can also share your creations by embedding the Mixbook player on your website or blog so everybody can see it! If you don't have a site, you can send them a link to it.
It is completely free to use Mixbook to create and share photo books. You only have to pay if you purchase your project. There are several different options of books to create, from mini soft-cover books, to big coffee table sized books. Prices are reasonable and start at $6.99. You can purchase additional pages for just $1.00
My Opinion
If I could sum up my Mixbook experience in one word, it would be "WOW!" I seriously could have spent DAYS creating my book if I wanted to. The customization options really are in the thousands.
At first, I attempted to make my book from scratch. And let me tell you...it was from scratch! You have TONS of backgrounds, layouts, stickers...endless possibilities. I have to be honest and say that I was overwhelmed, so I decided to get a little help using a prebuilt theme. I knew from the start I wanted a book of my baby, so I browsed the themes in the baby category. I went with the "Scrapbook Baby" theme. Then I had to upload my photos. I uploaded an entire folder with about 80 pictures in it and it only took a few minutes.
You build the book page by page. You just have to drag and drop your photos into the designated spots. EVERYTHING could be customized. You can make your pictures bigger, crop them, zoom, add effects such as black and white, etc. You can also add text wherever you want and there are tons of fonts and colors to choose from. You can use stickers from any theme you want and put them wherever you want. These can also be re-sized.
I did try out the Automix feature, which completed my book in seconds. But I liked having the option of grouping certain pics together and in chronological order. So I started over. (Once you use Automix, you can't rearrange photos, you can just re-mix them). In total, I think I spent about 3 hours on my book! I have to say though that I didn't customize it much. I loved the premade layout so much I didn't have to change anything. I did add some stickers and text. Most of my time was spent just looking through all the little details, like buttons.
I love the 3-D look |
Take a look below at my photo book! Isn't it adorable?! I used the embedded sharing feature, which is totally free to use.
***Win It!***
A 20-page, 11x8.5 landscape, hardcover photo book! (ARV: $29.99)
Mandatory First Entry: Tell me what kind of photos you would fill your photo book with!
Extra Entries: (Available after mandatory entry is completed. Please leave separate comments for each entry).
1. Follow me on GFC (1 entry)
2. Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
3. "Like" me on Facebook (1 entry)
4. Subscribe to my blog via email (2 entries)
5. Subscribe to my blog via RSS/reader (1 entry)
6. Tweet this giveaway. Leave link to tweet (1 entry, can be done once daily for 1 extra entry per day)
" Enter to #win a 20-page, hardcover photo book from Mixbook! #giveaway Ends 6/29 http://tinyurl.com/3n497uz "
7. Blog about this giveaway. Please link back to this post, and leave an address where it can be found (5 entries)
8. Put my button on your blog. Leave an address where it can be found (3 entries)
Giveaway will end on June 29th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen be Random.org and emailed. Winner has 48 hours to respond to email before a new winner will be chosen. Make sure you leave your email in comment or make sure it is visible in your profile so I have a way to contact you if you win! This giveaway is open to US residents only.
I received a 20-page, hardcover photo book in exchange for this review/giveaway. No other compensation was received. All opinions are mine and were not influenced by any compensation I may have received.
96 comments:
I would put photos of our last vacation in a book!
I would put photos of my daughter from birth until now & display it at her graduation party next year!
sbuttercup{at}roadrunner{dot}com
GFC follower
sbuttercup{at}roadrunner{dot}com
follow you on twitter
@Susanbryant1972
sbuttercup{at}roadrunner{dot}com
Like you on FB
sbuttercup{at}roadrunner{dot}com
tweeted the giveaway!
http://twitter.com/#!/Susanbryant1972/status/80737221229035520
sbuttercup{at}roadrunner{dot}com
I'd fill my photo book with pics of my summer and of me and my boyfriend.
nutellaluvah@gmail.com
Id do our family trip to Disneyland.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@yahoo.com
I would use family photos.
vasechick at yahoo dot com
I like you on facebook.
vasechick at yahoo dot com
I follow you on twitter
vasechick at yahoo dot com
I would put photos of our whole family for my photo. His house burned down a few years ago, so he lost all of his family photos.
Photo book for my dad. I left it out of my previous comment. Oops!
I would fill it with vacation photos.
hewella1 at gmail dot com
I'd use it for a genealogical project of my mom's family.
nineteen19 at blackfoot dot net
rss/ reader follower
nineteen19 at blackfoot dot net
From Lisa Shults. I would LoVE to win this book to make of my Sons Journey as a United States Navy Sailor! :)
I would make a book celebrating my brand new Granddaughter Alice.
Connie
CGruning at aol.com
I'm a google friend connect follower
Connie
CGruning at aol.com
I subscribe via email
Connie G
CGruning at aol.com
1 of 2
I subscribe via email
Connie G
CGruning at aol.com
2 of 2
I have your button on my blog
www.peanutbutterandwhine.com (right hand side)
Connie G
CGruning at aol.com
1 of 3
I have your button on my blog
www.peanutbutterandwhine.com (right hand side)
Connie G
CGruning at aol.com
2 of 3
I have your button on my blog
www.peanutbutterandwhine.com (right hand side)
Connie G
CGruning at aol.com
3 of 3
i have so many pending photos of my kids to put in a photobook...i will first put the photos of their last activity in school :)
1. Follow me on GFC (1 entry)
followed you already :) jesselyn lising
followed you on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/jganlising
Liked you in FB - https://www.facebook.com/jes.lising
im a subscriber using jganlising@yahoo.com
Tweet about it! :D
blogged about it http://ishiethanstore.blogspot.com/2011/06/mixbookcom-giveaway-end-629.html
your badge on my side bar - http://ishiethanstore.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/Susanbryant1972/status/81810918132031489
sbuttercup{at}roadrunner{dot}com
I would fill mine with photo's of my daughter's two years. mommy2rylie@ymail.com
I would fill my photo book with pictures from my vacations.
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/83408551934046209
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
I would fill it with vacation photos.
I would fill my book with photos of my travels.
hlee99 at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/83666284876795904
hlee99 at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/83851174368911360
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
tweet; http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/83886908110934016
hlee99 at gmail dot com
I would use my kids of course.
google friend follower
twitter follower
mcapel4444
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/84351882507714560
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/84374636191694848
hlee99 at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/84786907749416960
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/84793376691597312
This looks great. Thanks for the review. If I won I would use it for my daughter who just got her TKD black belt. I've always wanted to put together a scrapbook from when she began and each color belt test.
Thanks, Susie arteachersusan at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/85513635174170624
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/85523120605233153
hlee99 at gmail dot com
I would put photos of my parents as they are both deceased now.
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
I follow with GFC
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
I follow on Twitter~Deb55106
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
Email Subscriber
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
1
Email Subscriber
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
2
I'd love to do a book with pics of my daughters artwork! That way I don't have to keep another box of stuff, just a book!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I like you on Facebook: Cori Eckstrom Westphal (facebook.com/coriwestphal)
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I'm an RSS subscriber via Google Reader.
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Tweet: http://twitter.com/coriwestphal/statuses/85581973090869248
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I would fill it with photos of our kids.
shawnac68@hotmail.com
Photos from our trip to NC a couple of years ago
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/85810563904585728
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/85842191536238593
hlee99 at gmail dot com
I would put together a book from our last camping trip. Would be great for the kids.
chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com
Follow you on Twitter @chipdip2010
chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com
I'm a RSS subscriber.
chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com
Tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/85862642169823232
chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com
I'd use wedding photos. hanovertomato at yahoo dot com
I'd use wedding photos. hanovertomato at yahoo dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/86095813096386560
eugeniewu at gmail dot com
I would put our wedding photos in it. trinitygsd at yahoo dot ocm
i would fill my book with our family photos from our summer vacation this year
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
I would put photos of our last family vacation :)
I followed u on twitter @cubbiecutie1 :)
I liked u on FB :)
I'd make my book full of photos from my recent wedding
rugerpuppies at hotmail dot com
Follow on GFC (snowluvnferret)
rugerpuppies at hotmail dot com
Follow on Twitter @snowluvnferret2
rugerpuppies at hotmail dot com
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/86146340219920384
hlee99 at gmail dot com
I have been making photo books of my BFF's new baby, so I'm always looking toget free codes and make more of little Aviva growing.
knycks1(at)aol(dot)com
Our oldest just got married. I would make a photo book.
msurosey@yahoo.com
I follow with GFC (mail4rosey).
msurosey@yahoo.com
I am an e-mail subscriber.
msurosey@yahoo.com
I am an e-mail subscriber.
msurosey@yahoo.com
x2
I would love to fill the photo book with my daughter's 1st Birthday pictures.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I'm following you on GFC.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I'm following you on Twitter @lisalmg.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I like you on Facebook user Lisa Garner.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I'm subscribed to your emails. Entry 1
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I'm subscribed to your emails. Entry 2
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I Tweeted this giveaway. http://twitter.com/#!/lisalmg/status/86262746114564096
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I would put baby photos in it.
I'm a GFC follower.
I'm an email subscriber.
I'm an email subscriber. 2
Post a Comment