Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Mixbook Review and Giveaway!

When I was contacted by Mixbook to review their photobooks, I was really excited. I took a quick look at the website and was really impressed with it. With Mixbook, you can create your own photobooks, cards, announcements and photo calendars on the web. You create or customize the design for free using their design software and then you have the option to purchase your final product. Hubby had previously created a photobook a few years back using the Mac software, and we enjoy having it around to show people, so we were really excited for the opportunity to create a new book. I would have loved to have done a book for the baby, but he was not yet arrived. Instead, Hubby and I decided to design a book about us, using photos from our travels and various adventures.


A page from our book
When creating a photobook, it is essentially online scrapbooking. Mixbook has a whole array of templates you can choose. Then you just upload your photos and start arranging. Or, you can also use the auto mix feature and the program will arrange everything for you. I loved this option, since the templates look great. They have gorgeous backgrounds and stickers and even appropriate quotes already arranged for you. Since I am not a scrapbooker, I would have chosen this option. However, Hubby had a vision of what he wanted, and he also had a ton of fun playing with the software, so he created our whole book from scratch. Basically, he chose the photo layout for each page and then customized it all. My job was to go through after he was finished and add some quotes, stickers and other design elements to make it look purty. We were really happy with how it turned out, and it is the perfect coffee table book. The shipping was very quick, and I have to say that the  customer service has been phenomenal!


More of our book
Things I really loved about Mixbook:
  • The software is super easy to use, and it looks sharp! 
  • You have the freedom to create something from scratch or to just add your own photos to an already designed template
  • The colours on the photos turned out exactly as they were on our computer (one of the drawbacks we had with using the Mac program on our other book). 
  • The Mixbook software will tell you if your photo's resolution is too low to turn out in print, if you have margins which won't look nice once printed, etc. It's basically a goof-up protection plan. It's fabulous, and you don't find it out at the end when you've already arranged it beautifully; it tells you as soon as the photo is uploaded. 
  • The quality of the book is awesome. I was very impressed.
They also have a ton of wedding invites, save the dates, birth announcements, etc. Their birth announcements look awesome. They have a ton of great designs, and most are double sided, which I think makes them look much more high-quality than the ones with just the plain white photo paper backs. We will be ordering a bunch once we get some nice photos of the Peanut. 

Head on over to the website and check out their current promotions

They are also offering my readers a special discount of 20% off any Mixbook product!! Just enter the code UPMOMC20 at checkout! Woo hoo! 




The Giveaway!! 
**The giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering! **
One lucky reader will receive one free 20 page 11x8.5 landscape hardcover photo book with free shipping! It's a great way to show off travel photos, or create a fun wedding album or a personalized baby book. 


To enter: 
Leave a comment below telling me what you would create with your Mixbook. 


For bonus entries (leave a separate comment for each entry): 

The giveaway will be open until Monday, August 29th at 5pm MST. I will choose one winner randomly from the comments posted here (using random.org). Contest is open to both Canada and the US. Woo hoo!

Please note that I received a free photobook so that I could write a review on the product. All opinions are my own, and are my honest feelings about the product. Just want to be honest! 

25 comments:

  1. I would make a book about our house renovation. If I share this then I'm less likely to win. Haha, kidding!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would love to make a book about my family vacation in California! What a cool idea!
    rebthecatsitter at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would create a mixbook of our first few month in our new home in Switzerland.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like Mixbook on Facebook! (Rebecca Roberts)
    rebthecatsitter at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would create a book of pictures with our new baby boy Austin :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would create a mixbook of my friends, past and present. Unfortunately that would require me to have photos of these lovely people. My focus is always on spending time then taking photos. I should really hire a paparazzi to follow me around, it would make it easier to capture these moments :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I tweeted!
    http://twitter.com/#!/RebTheCatSitter/status/106795536153194497
    rebthecatsitter at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am following Mixbook on Twitter! @rebthecatsitter
    rebthecatsitter at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I would make a baby book with pics of our baby Austin

    ReplyDelete
  10. I liked mixbook on fb

    ReplyDelete
  11. I liked mixbook on fb

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would love to create a book of pictures of my son who just turned 2months old :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would put together a book with the family photos we just had taken (they are on a disk) but haven't printed yet!
    denimc{at}gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I follow Mixbook on twitter @thesehappydays
    denimc{at}gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I would make a book of places that I visited this summer.
    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like Mixbook on Facebook.
    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Shared the giveaway on Facebook
    http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=158178917598096&id=100000413913778
    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/108026489366257664
    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I would like to create a book of my family.
    hlee99 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I like Mixbook on Facebook - Patrick Howell Lee
    hlee99 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/lee.howell.p/posts/250087978364260
    hlee99 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/wizardhlee/status/108031268486266880
    hlee99 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Like your book! I would like to make one with family photos.

    I am a new follower. Looking forward to reading more of your blog.

    I would love if you came and followed me back at Free eBooks Daily
    http://www.freeebooksdaily.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Looks awesome! I love photobooks. I'd definitely make a family album with summer photos. :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. The Giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! They make my day!

ShareThis

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...