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This weekend I created my first digital scrapbook at Shutterfly- can't wait to see the finished product. I've also got alot of Disney themed projects that I would like to create but can't on Shutterfly. I know that CM has Disney software, but the cost of the software, plus the Storybook Plus software is a bit pricey and then the costs to print the books at CM is quite a bit higher than Shutterfly.
So....
1. Is there another alternative to using CM to create a Disney themed hardbound book? (I'm VERY new to digiscrapping so I have no idea what else is out there):confused:
2. Is the CM software and costs worth it vs. what you pay for the more gneric Shutterfly books? Sell me on the virtures of the CM software!:-D
1. I have actually seen Disney pre-designed pages on Walmarts photo center. Not sure if you are looking for something pre-packaged like that or to create from scratch.
2. CM's software, Storybook+, is def worth it! Actually the prices of books between shutterfly and CM photo center isn't much different. With SB+ you have total creative control of your pages. You can also just get prints printed up anywhere, then slide them into a scrapbook. Much cheaper this way. I have use ScrappingSimply.com to print pages (99 cents for 8x8, 1.99 for 12x12) and they are fantastic quality.
Just fyi, the CM software is only one purchase as far as SB+ for about $60. Then there are digital kits you can purchase to make pages. Is that what you are referring to as Disney software? Its not actually software, but a downloadable file. And with the digital kits you can keep them forever, reuse them as many times, change colors, etc. Also there are a lot of free resources out there for downloading digital elements, though it may not be exactly Disney, i'm sure you could create many coordinating pages.
I also have a Shutterfly book and was pleased with there product for a quicker, pre-planned page job. You should find a CM consultant who is very familiar with SB+ and watch some demos before making a decision. I first had a consultant who did not know much about the software and gave me wrong info on printing, pricing, abilities, etc. Then i found a consultant who was well versed with it, and i saw all the possiblities and had to have it!
Its really about how much creative control you want. The price is really not much different.
Thanks for your thoughts. As for pricing, I'm not really interested in printing individual pages, I would only be printing/creating the bound books. In comparing Shutterfly to CM, there appears to me to be a big difference, and that's assuming I don't have a Shutterfly coupon, which I always seem to get. On the 8x8 books, Shutterfly is $10 less and on the 12x12 books, their printing costs are $20 less. To me that's a big price difference.
Guess what...you can print your own persoanlly made digital scrapbook pages in a shutterfly bound book. So if you have the CM premade disney pages you can upload those pages to shutterfly and print them in a book without having to buy the software. When you go into shutterfly to make your book there is an option all the way at the bottom that says create your own digital scrapbook, then you just upload the scrapbook pages you have made (with pictures in them already) and print it as a book. Hope that helps! If you are looking for a drag and drop book of disney only, I think the disnye website is just about the only place that offers that...however that is way more expensive than CM or shutterfly!
Oh and i have been creating digital pages in MS publisher, probably doesnt have the same features and benefits of the CM software but it is doing the job!
I have bought many Shutterfly books before, only one was using the templates available on Shutterfly, all the rest were with my own pages that I create in Photoshop. You can get design software and the Disney template downloads, you put in your pictures and then you upload to Shutterfly - and you have a totally custom, Disney (or any theme) book, with the software and your own pages. There are thousands of kits out there you can download, and Lisa Minor has some awesome Disney stuff for $1 per kit. I can give you the link to her site if you want.
There is also blurb.com
Very basic drag & drop into predesigned pages, or do some minor changes. Not as creative as CM, but much cheaper if you are just looking to get photos into a book.
I use CM SB+, love it. Although I did find the books expensive to order. After shipping, taxes & $10 off, I still paid $70 Cdn for an 8.5x11 book. But, I guess it's comparable to buying a traditional album, pages, page protectors, stickers, paper, and developing photos!
I saw that you are looking for a local CM consultant, I know you live in Cincinnati Ohio, but I was just talking to a CM consultant for Mount Vernon Ohio that has been using the CM software for a while. She showed me some of the ins and out of the software, and I think I am going to purches the software now. She is great! She answer every question that I had about the 12x12 pages and the the hard back books. If this is something you are intereted in I would say it would be worth your time to contact her to have her show you the software. If you would like you can contact her: Chris Light [email protected] or at 740-427-2767.
At this point, now that SU will be releasing their digital software package I think that I'll wait and see what it can do and go from there. I've had several people email me information about Disney themed papers, etc that can be downloaded elsewhere and used in conjunction with other scrpabooking software, so hopefully I will be able to do this with the new SU software as well.
using a large black circle and two small circles for the ears and making your own rudimentary Disney like Mickey ears. We just got back from disney world last month so I'm just waiting, like you, for the My Digital Studio to be released so I can see what I can do with it. Luckily it should be out by the time that I get all settled in on the west coast--we are moving there soon.
erica
CM vs. Shutterfly for Bound Books
