Sunday, February 06, 2011

"It's not too late to stay organized in 2011" Giveaway!

So I thought all the weekly planners were dealt with, but I had a sold one returned which was undeliverable and the buyer no longer wants it. So I'm going to give it away to some lucky blog reader or Facebook fan, yay! Here's how you can get your name into a random draw for this weekly planner: Tell me what you think of the new product photos in my Etsy shop. Leave your feedback as a comment either 1. Here on my blog or 2. On my Facebook page Also be sure to leave enough information so that I can contact you if you win. I'll do the random draw on February 14th - this is the planner that you could win! This weekly planner has a wrap-around leather cover and is bound using a longstitch sewing, visible on the spine. The wrap-around cover is soft honey yellow cowhide leather. There is a leather strap to wrap around. Book size is about 6¼" x 3¾" (or 16cm x 9.5cm). This book contains: * a 2011 calendar with a 2-page spread for each week * other standard pages for personal info, phone numbers, conversion charts, important dates, 2011 & 2012 at a glance, reference maps, etc. * a set of pocket pages at the back * lots of blank pages for notes * an attached ribbon bookmark --> Comments for this Giveaway are now closed - winner will be announced shortly!

84 comments:

amelieandatticus said...

The photos are very atmospheric! Beautiful work!

Tivoli West said...

I like the photos. My question would be, are the colors in the photos true(ish) to life? I always like photos of handmade items in a natural setting with natural light but your photos look lovely.

MyHandboundBooks said...

Periwinkle, I know what you're saying. I had been photographing my books outside and I always got good colour representation that way. I think the colour is still accurate in these new photos - at least, on my computer monitor, it looks good. Hopefully it translates well to others!

Angie in AZ said...

First of all, your books are really beautiful. I think the photography is really nice. I can still clearly see the color and design of the books even though the lighting isn't bright. The setting you have put the books gives a cozy, old world feel. The books appear to "belong". Very nice. And gosh, I'd sure love to win one! thanks for the chance.

Amy said...

Great work, I love your books and they very much suit my own aesthetic. This one is my fave of the new ones: http://www.etsy.com/listing/62962517/leather-diary-replica-medieval-limp but this giveaway one would be so absolutely perfect for me seems I am about to start at univeristy!
xo

Taylor said...

Wow, beautiful!

I actually collect leather bound journals. Great work!

Taylormadeblog@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I like your photos - I particularly like that they are in a setting (rather than alone against a neutral background). Very enticing.

:) Linda

Anonymous said...

I like the photos in their natural setting, but would love them a bit brighter.

Thanks,

Niki
nitika.nagpal.1 at gmail dot com

Elsina said...

I think the photos are great, also showing many different shots of the same product. I also love you state international shipping prices (many sellers don't and than I need to send emails asking for it etc.). Your prices are very reasonable and your items look great. I heart your store for sure! My favorite is the Leather Diary - Replica Medieval Limp Leather Book Structure! Awesome!

The Leader said...

I'm totally loving all of your products and the photos are great :)

Aimee said...

I love your books, and the photos are fabulous. I like the atmosphere, they really do look nice.

Rybiooka said...

Hello, delight me your work. The pictures are in order.
I'm from Polish - just learn to sew.

Anonymous said...

I love the photos! They look vintage. They look like old magic books.
vena.nedkova at gmail dot com

Gintare said...

i like the photos - especially that dark lightning, which is perfect for your books. although they are too detailed (which would be good for your product itself) because i can actually see all the dust on the table. i would recommend too remove all that with photoshop or other editing program to make picture look more clean. still nice job :)

gintare[dot]amber[at]gmail[dot]com

MyHandboundBooks said...

Thanks for all the great feedback, everyone. I think I can make them a bit brighter and still have the same 'ambiance'. I will try that.

Gintare, oh dear, the dust! I really did dust that surface before I took the pictures - I think most of the little marks are scratches in the wood - I will have to see if I can work some photoshop magic on those little marks!

Aino said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I think that overall, you have good photos. Great props and settings.

However, I do feel that the vignetting is a bit heavy - especially when it covers your actual book. It actually distorts the color of the book a little. Maybe you can lighten it up if you still have the working file?

Thanks for your generous giveaway!!

breakchop [[ @ ]] gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I like how the journals are on a desk. I am able to visualize the journal on my own desk. I love your product!

cerissa
cerbev@gmail.com

Melody said...

Love the photos, they give a great feel to the journals, like they're sitting in an old fashioned study or library.

As far as colors go, I hope the other commenters know that how those photos appear on screens will vary widely, so no one can guarantee the colors will be true to life.

Melody.DuValatgmaildotcom

Vicki Holdwick said...

I like the photos of your newest journals. I particularly like the ones with the "belt" rather than the wrap.

I especially like the fact that the books are photographed very clearly and simply.

xoxo

HereBeDragons said...

The leatherbound are my favorite. I Esp. like the wrap.

Sara said...

I think the photos do a great job showing off your art. You make lovely books!

Thank you for the chance :)

Amber said...

Your books are gorgeous - I like both the leather and wooden journals, but I think I like the leather journals most. My favorite item in your shop is the Hazelnut Leather Journal with 384 pages. I'd love to see you maybe make some journals with black leather and maybe thinner and smaller planners?
Thank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com

Melinda said...

Great products & shop! The product photos are nice, and I especialy LOVE your shop banner.
melbhager at yahoo dot com

Wehaf said...

I agree with other commenters that the atmosphere and settings are appropriate and very beautiful, but I think the photos are a bit dark, which makes them less appealing - especially if they came up in a search and were next to other photos which were brighter. So I would keep the setting but maybe add another lighting source. I think the photos are lovely, but not *quite* right as sales photos.

urchiken at gmail dot com

JM said...

Rhonda, I like these better than the ones on the deck, but they are a little too dark on my screen. I think you may need to lighten them up a little. Also, while I think props are nice, I also like to see a photo of just the book with no props, maybe on a lighter background. I know you want consistency though, so YMMV as they say.

Unknown said...

cute planner! i love the my analog book in your shop

autumnfromgg(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I really like the photos, it makes me feel like I am in the library of someone who appreciates the written word. Your products are great, as well.

Thanks for the opportunity to win.

D
dbyrne1[at]gmail[dot]com

Brooke said...

Your pictures are amazing! I wish mine looked that nice. :)

whitsend@live.com

Lizzie said...

I do like the photos, but I think they are rather dark. The books don't show up so well on my laptop monitor - the old photos showed up a lot more clearly.
I'm not a photo expert; I see a few clever ideas from others here, so maybe if you "tweaked" the photos a bit, the books would still look nice in their new setting.
Your books are so beautiful, but it would be sad to lose views/customers because they don't show up so well.

Thanks for the wonderful giveaway. I'd have to be organised though, if I won...

Unknown said...

Love your products! I like that the pictures show different angles of the products. The pictures are very nice, but I would just lighten them up a little. Beautiful work though! Thanks for the chance to win!

christauf4(at)gmail.com

Wildflowerhouse said...

The photos are very inviting. Your books are beyond excellent. I have no trouble seeing the colors.Just beautifully done.

Latarnik said...

Hello! I`m only a SCRAPLOOKER, but Yours calendar and photos are so nice ...!
I like it!

Jacqueline said...

the photos look very nice! love the colors jmmccarr@gmail.com

Emily R. said...

The photos look very good. Love all your stuff.

HarajukuGirl92@gmail.com

Made By Mulle said...

I really like, the handbound books with the leather covers. In general I'm crazy about leather at the moment..
And the backgrounds on the photos are really good it complements the books really well.

Sidewalk Chic said...

I love the high-quality leather you use on your products. I especially love the red pocket journal!

Anonymous said...

I really like th photos. They represent the good quality of the product!

Conduit Press said...

I do so enjoy your new photos and the new background you are choosing. I like the neutral earthy tone and the atmosphere it creates.

What I don't like so much is the dark feel and that a lot of the background is cut off, thus giving the photo an unfinished look. My suggestion would be to choose one background prop to show the entirety of and let the rest of them be cut off when cropping- i hope this makes sense;) I love your work and as always you are a mentor to me:)

Tara-Danice said...

I love the leather bound journals,so very pretty

Tara
theycallhersunshine@hotmail.com

TopHat said...

I love the colors in the photos! Deep colors are really attractive. I wonder, though, how accurate the pink is since pink is such a finicky color in different lights.

Kashena said...

I agree with a lot of other people - I'm not sure whether the colors of the photo are accurate to the items... other than that, I like how they're staged.

Unknown said...

Wowza- though the pictures themselves are a bit dark- the items are beautiful. I especially like the Nova Scotia & Oak Wood journals.

I love the natural look of these books, though I hesitate to use the word 'magical' it's only because it seems a bit trite to do so. In any case, the rich, earthy materials you use definitely take on the air of secret knowledge (ah- this is apt for journals of course!) in the everyday world.

Lisa

leah said...

my analogue blog...love it!
the photography is atmospheric and moody. i'm a huge journal fan. love your work

leahdeighton@gmail.com

Liza767 said...

very good :)

Liza767[at]roadrunner[dot]com

Christina Brunk said...

I found your site while browsing the web for bookbinding inspiration and quickly decided to subscribe! I love how beautiful your books are and you inspired me to try some beginner stitching myself! =) Your analog blog gave me a color pallet to do a book for my van dyke prints. Thanks for sharing your gift!

esther said...

Love your books, most especially the red journal - it's my favourite colour.

five stones vintage said...

I love your books! I would like to see better brighter photos though because they aren't being displayed at their best. The first picture in your blog post looks great but the second one is kinda dark...
I also prefer seeing photos of the books by themselves on the woodgrained background.

Overall, reasonable prices too! :)

julieb said...

they look good to me. these books are amazing!
julieb82@gmail.com

Stylista Fitness said...

I would have to agree with Periwinkle...pics are great but are the true lovers true to life. Maybe add a few with natural light?? Thanks!

Tammy in Saskatoon said...

Your photographs are clear and from a variety of angles, which gives an excellent image to a potential client. The planer that someone returned is gorgeous!!

The Smith Family said...

I think the pictures are stunning...very, very nice. I love the pink leather journal too! :)

marcandlorie@embarqmail.com

Lorie

Melissa O. said...

I do love the dark wood, makes me want to sit inside and write away! Though after seeing others' comments, I also agree with the need to have some natural lighting. I especially love the closure ties on many of your books!

wolverina401 at gmail dot com

Sarah said...

You have beautiful pieces, and the photos are great. Maybe the background can be a little distracting from your work? But again, very nice!

Rusthawk said...

What a sense of nostalgia browsing through your products. I used to have a leather journal 30 years ago. Yours are nearly identical. Love the red!

AmbreRose said...

I like the journals, those are so amazingly beautiful! I am going to have to agree with everyone else as they are to dark :( I want to see brighter colors. ambrerose at(aol) dot(com)

avalonne83 said...

I like your photos and your items too, of course.

Please count me in. Thanks a lot.

avalonne83 [at] yahoo [dot] it

Marija said...

I enjoy the setting you chose to put your journals in, but I feel that the flash is too strong. I would love to see the library/study setting, but perhaps set up near a window where there is more natural light.

marija.majerle at gmail dot com

MyHandboundBooks said...

Thanks for all the feedback so far!

Just want to mention that the leather colours are accurate in the photos - (of course given different monitors, it may not be the same for others but I can only go by what I see). If the colours in these photos didn't look accurate to me, then I wouldn't use them!

Reniazen said...

You do beautiful work- and I just love the "Analog Blog", so awesome:)
ashleyrn@gmail.com

Lisa said...

They are rather nice pictures, but my only concern is that they are all mostly shot from "above".
the_outsider01AThotmailDOTcom

Silvergirl said...

wow beautiful..very neat!!

i like this one from the shop Pink Leather Journal . handbound . 320 pages

Like MyhandboundBooks on the facebook


silverlilacc at hotmail dot com

liz said...

Gosh, lot of things i adore, but this one is the faviest http://www.etsy.com/listing/51370586/pink-leather-journal-handbound-320-pages
I cant stand a pink of anything :)
The cover is very neat :)

Much Thankies for the chance dear
Good luck for me and everyone :)

liz_crowny(at)yahoo(dot)com

very married said...

ms(dot)verymarried(at)gmail(dot)com

The analog blog is such a clever idea!

Alexandra said...

I love your books! Especially,
Leather Diary - Replica Medieval Limp Leather Book Structure, I think the photographs were done very well.


alexandra_digiorgio at comcast dot net

hf said...

I love the books and the photos you have of them are beautiful!

halaulani at yahoo dot com

pea said...

I really like the photos- they give me the sense of being in an old library (if that makes sense). There's a great sense of atmosphere that creates a real old worldy feel.

Beautiful books!

Thanks for the opportunity to win.

guinnesspaws(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Photos are great. Like the background

amy at valuedcustomer(at)live(dot)com

Katie said...

Yay, it's beautiful! Thanks for the chance to win!

The photos are simple, which is great. They really show off the books, which look gorgeous!

katie at dekabyte dot com

Else Ljungstrøm said...

I like your photos very much because of how they make me feel...the photos give me a feeling of beeig brought into a secret place, a warm cosy library where you coukd read or write...I like that you have taken several photos of each book, so I can get the best possible impression. The pictures are dark,but not to dark. I like them!And it would be really wonderful to win one...

ginigin said...

Your books are so beautiful. If only it were that simple to be organized!

Satpreet Kahlon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
S. Kahlon said...

The photos are nice; but the fake vignette is a little much. Maybe using natural lighting would help.

Lynn G. said...

wow, lovely items (especially the Tim Horton's one) What a great idea! I especially like the Leather Diary - Replica Medieval Limp Leather Book Structure! How beautiful!
monkei(at)rogers(dot)com

xlacrimax said...

From the first sight I didn't like those photos. When I look at some product photo I want to clearly see what I am buying so other details in them distracted my attention. But when I go to particular book page and look through all photos, everything seems ok ;)
xlacrimax[at]gmail.com

akartisan said...

I like the inside photos- most people use their books inside, so it gives them a better idea of what they would look like.
scoleak @ gmail dot com

Larry Pearson said...

There would have to be really bad photography to hide the quality of your books! I understand au plein air is going to give an excellent rendition of the natural materials used. Their colours, textures, and the workmanship are all open to our gaze. But what also fascinates me about a book is how they lie close at hand, particularly the intimate occasions when we open ourselves to them. This is true of journals and diaries. Can I suggest you experiment with the evocative effect of shadows and pen marks on the page in addition to to the nice location shots? The half -said (or shown) can be so powerful, and it would be nice to see you wonderful books in use as well as in situ.
Many thanks for your work and sharing.

Ingrid said...

Oh, I adore planners. :) I like how these seem so well crafted and detailed. And the photos create the perfect environment to display them! Maybe you could add more "props" around them, that compliment the kind of journals you have here, without them 'stealing the show'? :)

so.kitsch at gmail dot com

Julie B said...

I like your new photos. The books seem very accessible and use-able in the indoor setting - like they are just waiting for someone to open them and use them!

Mescrap said...

Thank you so much for this giveaway.
I really like your handbound book.

karmakaytlyn said...

Both the photos and items are GREAT! Love the weathered wood background; it creates a great mood in the photos.

Lyudmila said...

Interest item

Cerena Leigh said...

your books are beyond gorgeous. the photography is great and they look like they're made of high quality materials! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!! I would love to own one!

CerenaLeigh
Luckycldh(at)aol(dot)com

Abi said...

The journals look amazing! I love the different closure methods and the photos are from every angle I would want to see them from.
havenera at gmail dot com