Spring and summer come with an inevitability: rainy days. While there are always plenty of items to knock off the to-do list when stuck inside, sometimes creative pursuits can fall to the wayside.
That family cookbook? I’ll get to it one day.
Those photographs I’ve been compiling? I’ll turn them into a book eventually.
By just setting aside a few rainy days this summer, that book project that once felt out of reach could become an easy, enjoyable pursuit.
We find that a lot of people looking to print a photo book have a lot of the leg work already done, simply by having photos organized on their computers and phones. If you are looking to print a photo book and don’t know where to start, organization is key!
Start by creating a folder with sub-folders for laying out your book into sections. Once all the photos are compiled, you can start to format them into a book using one of our free book templates or with your own design program. The photos will need to be set up to the size you want them to be in your book and at a high-resolution, so they print crisp and clear. If you have questions about layout and formatting, contact us, and we will get you on the line with one of our expert pre-press techs!
Use the organization process as a time to reflect on the memories the photos bring – not a bad way to spend a rainy day inside!
Like making a delicious dish, a big part of the cookbook process lies in the preparation. The task of obtaining family recipes can feel like a slog. You have to ruffle through recipes written in cookbooks, note cards from long ago, or shared notes apps with family members – the sources are all over the place. Wherever you find your recipes, it will take some time to transcribe the measurements and instructions for each one.
We suggest picking a few recipes at a time and saving them for a rainy day. Have the recipe and a laptop handy and make notes as you go. By the time you’ve finished making the dishes, the transcription process will be easier, and you’ll have family meals to enjoy as a bonus. 48 Hour Books has a free cookbook template that you can download at the link below for easy formatting!
At 48 Hour Books, we see a large increase in family history book printing during the holiday season. Creating and writing a genealogy book is a big undertaking. Not only is there a lot of writing involved, the research and archival work needed to compile the book takes a lot of time.
To break the process down into a task that feels more digestible, consider choosing one aspect of the family history to tackle each rainy day. For example, if you want to concentrate on the earliest period of your family roots, use the day to compile the information from every resource you have including dates, family members, geography, photos, ancestry apps, etc. Take the physical materials, put them in a folder, and archive them, then do the same with your digital materials on your computer.
When you go to write and format your family history book, the leg work will be done and you can share fun insights with family along the way.
Whether your summer goal is to finish a family history book or design a planner in time for the holiday season, take advantage of the rainy days ahead and get started! And when you’re ready to print, 48 Hour Books will be there to print a high-quality book with unmatched customer service to boot. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions along the way!
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