Create Something One of a Kind with Blurb Books

Over the years when trying to shop for a hard-to-buy for person, I've found that photo gifts seem to be a hit. Anything personalized, monogrammed or that reminds someone of really wonderful memories is a winner. Photo books have a way of telling a story, they make for a beautiful accent for anyone's coffee table also. Out of all of the companies I've come across, blurb seems to provide the most polished looking final product.

As the leading indie and self-publishing platform, Blurb has an entire online bookstore full of unique books by an incredible array of undiscovered, self-published authors, artists, and photographers. And while these books probably aren’t in your recipient’s bookshelf, many of them should be. So, if you’re thinking of giving unique gifts this year, consider these titles below. Each costs around $40 USD or less:



Cookie Cravings by Maria Lichty and Heidi Larsen
We all have cookie cravings. Popular food blogger Maria Lichter decided to put them into something deliciously original: A baking book featuring 30 recipes you won’t find anywhere else.


Dog by My Side by Adam Schnitzer
This charming collection of original, vintage photos shows us that as long as there have been cameras, we’ve wanted to photograph our canine best friends. As a special bonus, there’s a glossary of the early photographic methods used in the original images. 


Food Stories by Elena Scott
A short, wonderfully illustrated collection of recipes (and food stories) that will inspire you to pick up the knife and spatula—or just pen and paper. 

Things I Love by Carol Nehls and Jessica Rose
Illustrated and written many years apart by a mother and daughter, this sweet rhyming story told by a fox is pure joy for all ages.


Patent Pending by Jordan Natyshen
Chicken goggles, air-conditioned rocking chairs, monkey jockeys for greyhounds… humankind has invented and sought to patent some amazing and crazy things. Illustrator Jordan Natyshen illustrates some of the strangest in this history of odd inventions. 


Tiny Horses are Everywhere by Thea Lux
The perfect stocking-stuffer for fans of off-beat humor, this undeniably nutty book is based on a Tumblr blog and combines simple photo collages of small horses in human environments with incredibly funny captions.

Rouleaux by Anastassia Elias
What can you do with an empty roll of toilet paper? If you’re French artist Anastassia Elias, you create tiny dioramas inside of the discarded tubes. Inspired by art and movies, these pieces are beautifully crafted, fun, and unbelievably detailed. 


Low Fidelity by Bobby Grossman
If you, or someone you love, listened to New York punk and new wave in the 70s, chances are your favorite artist can be found in this book. Bobby Grossman photographed Iggy Pop, David Byrne, The Ramones, Debbie Harry, Andy Warhol and many more. This book is a time capsule of—and a love letter to—a legendary time, place, and sound.

These pre-made custom books aren't your only option of course, you can  use your own photos to tell a wonderful story such as a recent family vacation, your wedding day or even sharing how much your kids have grown over the year. If you order a few printed books with all your recent fancy Thanksgiving pictures, you can have them in time for Christmas! Blurb even allows you to use your Facebook and Instagram pictures to help build up your books, which is bonus in my opinion! 

*For a very limited time, get 30% off all books until 11/30/13 using code: SAVE30 ***Offer valid until November 30, 2013 (11:59 p.m. local time). Valid for print books only. A 30% discount is applied toward your product total with a minimum order of USD $60, CAD $60, GBP £60, EUR €60, or AUD $60. Maximum discount is USD $100, CAD $100, GBP £65, EUR €75, or AUD $100 off product total. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with volume discounts, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Thanks for Reading!

XO




*image sources: (1), (2) and (3)

**This is a sponsored post however all opinions and thoughts are my own.

September Sponsor Spotlight

This is one of my favorite times of the month-when I can take a moment and thank each and every one of my lovely sponsors for being a part of this blog. I appreciated having you all on board for September! As you know some my sponsors often have special deals and coupon codes too, so be sure to look for those below, because this month there's even a free giveaway for you too! :)

Stella & Dot

I absolutely adore all of the pieces by Stella & Dot  -you simply must pop by their online jewelry shop! Their pieces are regularly worn by celebrities but their collection is affordable and you're going to love them! If you're looking for a side business to make some extra money in this economy or while the kiddos are in school-this might be a great option for you. Did you know that Stella & Dot offers 3 different starter kit options to launch your very own fashion business by becoming a Stylist? You'll get hundreds of dollars worth of gorgeous jewelry pieces for a fraction of the cost! Plus, you can run your own business from home-perfect for stay-at-home moms, working women who are looking for extra income or those who just want to expand their accessory wardrobe!

Shabby Apple  

What I love about the Shabby Apple line is that each of their pieces is so ladylike, elegant and classy. They are very well known for the fit and comfort of their dresses, regularly featured as editor's picks in many fashion magazines. If you haven't heard of them, they have such a lovely collection of not only dresses but skirts, tops, swimwear, jewelry and they even have dresses for young girls and maternity wear too that are all modest! View their top-selling customer favorites HERE.

Maidenform

It's so important as women to have well-fitting bras and lingerie to support our bodies and what I love about Maidenform is that they offer elegant designs that are budget-friendly too. They have been at the forefront of women's undergarments for 90 years! Just this year they created a Limited Edition vintage-inspired intimates collection. Everything from bras and panties to shapewear and hosiery can be found at their online shop. Click HERE to save up to 75% off at their end of season sale.

Zinc Door

 Zinc Door is and online home decor shop offering a variety of gorgeous furniture & accessory pieces to decorate any space. What I love most about their store is that while on trend, you won't see the same types of pieces all over the web. If you're looking for that one-of-a-kind looking mirror, writing desk or wall art, they aim to please! I have enjoyed including some of their pieces in my e-design mood boards while decorating rooms for my clients. 

Lot 26 Studios

Lot 26 Studios features a wide range of wall art which includes family rules signs, city signs, wall decals, canvas wall art, memo boards and more! Customize any space with inexpensive and unique art that suits your style! Perfect for dorm rooms or temporary spaces such as apartments, these works of art add a chic look and a lot of personality to any room and are easily removable. One of my personal favorites is this chalkboard wall decal.

Blurb Books

My next sponsor has cute name-Blurb. They're an online shop which allows you to easily create your own custom professional-looking photo books. Think wedding albums, trip of a lifetime memories, baby's 1st years, a milestone birthday, coffee table books and more! You can literally put together a book with all of your Facebook or Instagram photos too! ***For a limited time anyone in Canada, U.S. and Europe can get a FREE 7x7 Instagram photo book created by importing your Instagram pics using the bookify book making tool. Offer covers up to $19.95 U.S., $17.95 EUR, $21.95 AUD or $19.95 CAD. Use code: INSTAHEART (tax & shipping still applies). Ends Oct.3, 2012 11:59pm EST.***

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All of My Love for All of My Days

Danette Dillon is the writer behind her personal blog titled 'All My Love for All My Days', she is a mother, wife and lover of Christ. She is passionate about helping hurting people, sharing her own journey through life and loving others. Who doesn't need more love in their life? Covering a multitude of topics, her light-hearted blog will leave your feeling happy and inspired. I hope you'll stop by to visit her and say hello!

C. Wonder

C. Wonder offers an entirely new retail experience: clothing, accessories and home decor products of outstanding quality and astonishing value in a setting that excited and inspires. While they have fun retail shops you can peruse, you need not live nearby for the experience, their online store hosts a variety of pieces.  Their customers adore how they pair timeless design elements with fresh twists, such as unexpected colors and patterned linings. Their collection is pared down to must-haves that enhance a room, refresh a wardrobe or inspire a memorable experience.  I am personally a huge fan of their jewelry! Enjoy an extra 50% off of sale items with code: FallFifty at checkout. Click here to see their sale items.

NYC, Style & A Little Cannoli

Rosemary is the author of the blog NYC, Style & a Little Cannoli. Growing up with regular visits to the big apple as a child, her blog features her favorite activities and adventures in New York City as a woman who now resides in Pennsylvania but visits NYC every chance she gets. She knows all the best restaurants, cafes, shops & activities to enjoy a day trip, vacation or even a lifetime in NYC. Her love of desserts and Italian background mean you're guaranteed to get a regular dose of sweet sugary eye candy. Do visit her and  also follow her on Twitter where she shares her favorite must-see places and must-eat treats!

Layla Grayce

Have you ever visited Layla Grayce? I'm a huge fan of their online shop! If you haven't seen their goods before, they offer gorgeous items for women, babies, children and the home. Everything from lighting and jewelry to cribs and monogrammed dishware. This shop is filled with everything girly and delightful. One of my favorite collections of their jewelry line is the Kirra Tate jewelry collection-it's so stylish and super affordable. Their earring collection is divine! Save 15% now off their entire store with code: LG8YRS until 10/31/12.

Once again a huge thank you to all of September's sponsors! Thank you to many of you who have already renewed your ad space for October and those who have purchased multiple-month ad spots! :)

Are you interested in becoming a sponsor of this blog and having your ad proudly displayed in our sidebar? We'd be honored to have you join us for October. The next 5 people who purchase our small ad space (150x150 size) will get it at 75% off using promo code OCT75! Click {here} for all of the details..it's a great way to try it out for just $5 and you'll be featured in a post just like this too at the end of the month!  :)

XO