I’ve been wanting to join the flickr-nation and with this new Lulu feature, I had nothing stopping me from creating a photo book.  If you haven’t given Lulu Studio a whirl yet, here’s a step-by-step of what to expect when you merge your Flickr account and Lulu Studio to create a photo book.

So I logged into my flickr account.  If you don’t have a flickr or photo bucket account, sign up for one – either or, whichever you are more comfortable with.  Once you’re all set up, start uploading photos to your hearts desire.

So I put my photos on Flickr:

Now if you already have a flickr or photobucket account, you can skip this step and go to the fun part – creating your Lulu Studio™ photo book or calendar.

So off to Lulu Studio I go:

From there this is where it used to get tricky.  All those photos you uploaded to flickr or photobucket would be stuck there and you would have to go through the process or re-uploading all of your photos.  If you only have a few that may not be a big deal but if you have hundreds or just hate having to do the same thing twice, then this is a good thing.  With the new photo site uploading option, Lulu cut out a few of those extra steps and made it easier to get to the fun part – creating your project:

From there allow Lulu access into your photo site account and let Lulu do all the work:

Voilá! Your photos are ready to be added to your Lulu Studio™ project.
Now I’m off to finish my photo book. With my photos transferred over like magic, I have more creative energy to make the perfect photo book for my friends.

Let me know what you think of this and the other new enhancements to Lulu Studio.

Best,
Lauren

If you’re like me, then you probably still have all the pictures from that fabulous vacation you took last year taking up memory on your digital camera, or if you were really productive, then you might have transferred them to your computer. Now they’re sitting in your “My Pictures” folder, and you’re wondering what to do with them.

Fortunately, we have an answer; publish a photo book on Lulu!

Recently, I took the pictures from my trip to Europe last spring (yes, as in 2007) and made a book using the Lulu studio. I was amazed at how easy it was. The entire process took less than two hours of my time, and most of that was choosing which pictures I wanted to use. Did I mention I had a lot of them?

With the Lulu Studio photo book tool, you can control

• The binding and trim size
• Which of the different themes you want to add to the style and look of your book (ex: modern, wedding, summer vacation, holiday, etc.)
• The various formats for each page complete with allotments for captions and text.

Once you’re done, voila…you have designed and published your very own photo book. Not to mention, freed up a little more space on your memory card.

Helpful Hint: Remember to edit your pictures, if need be, before uploading them.

With that in mind, I would like to pass along some of these finds to those of you still searching for that perfect gift for your special someone this Valentine’s Day. Lulu’s marketplace is a wealth of great gift possibilities that you can purchase or use as a model to get your creative juices flowing. For example, 50 Reasons Why You Should Marry Me and 51 Reasons Why I Should Marry You is a photo book created by Lulu user Cameron Kelly to propose to his girlfriend. Photo books, which are like scrapbooks minus the glue and the time-consuming process, are very quick and easy to make so that your gift doesn’t appear last minute.

Another way to surprise your sweetie this 14th is to compile a collection of your favorite recipes to cook together. Your personalized “couple’s cookbook” is sure to make your Valentine swoon. Seal the deal by cooking an entree or two from your new publication.

A final gift suggestion is to publish the story of how you and your significant other met. Use illustrations, clip art or photos to add special details such as what color they were wearing on the first date. This sweet gift can be a meaningful keepsake that will last much longer than any flowers or candy.

Still stumped? Take a look at Beyond the Roses and Chocolates: How to WOW Your Sweetheart on Valentine’s Day by Buffy Johannsen for more gift ideas.

Also, be sure to check out some of our other fun Valentine’s-themed goodies to get in (or out) of the holiday spirit this week!

• Spread love while giving hope to others by purchasing Love Is What We Do, a compilation of poetry on love. All proceeds are donated to the American Red Cross.
• Sarah Meadow’s I Shot the Cherub is a single woman’s survival guide for Valentine’s Day that offers craft ideas, delicious recipes and theme-party ideas to help non-attached females get through that often dreaded day of the year.

Feel free to post any other fun Valentine’s Day items you find on our site in the comments section.

Shannon