Monday, June 25, 2007

Thing 29: Scrapblog - I'm in Love

Remember all those images representing your favorite books that you gathered up in Thing 27, Photobucket? We're going to use them to create a fantabulous scrapbook slideshow at Scrapblog.

I came across Scrapblog last summer and enjoyed using the service, but it was a beta product with limitations and frustrations. Early this year, the service formally launched, and the wait was worth it. I recently used Scrapblog to create a presentation for my grandfather's 90th birthday, and despite a few hair-pulling moments I was very impressed. (I should note that I'm pretty sure the hair-pulling was because of things I did, not faults inherent in Scrapblog.)

One of the best things about Scrapblog? Little creativity is required! When you begin to create a Scrapblog, just choose to work from a template to start with several nicely-designed pages just waiting for you to add your own pictures. (Drag a photo from your sidebar over an image in the template, and it will pop into place.) You can add blank pages anytime you want, and arrange photos, stickers and text any way you'd like.

If you use programs like Photoshop or Publisher often, you'll find many familiar features available in Scrapblog. If you don't, you'll still be able to have a really good time!

Discovery Exercise:
  1. Create a new Scrapblog about your favorite book or books. Make sure you have at least two pages, and use at least one photo and a few stickers. (Here's my sample.)
  2. Publish your Scrapblog, then use the Share/Post to Flickr option. Give it the tag "scrapblogbooks".
  3. Blog about your experience with Scrapblog and potential ways you might use the service.
P.S. See our Explore ... Discover ... Play at Ning for Scrapblog hints and tips. It's also a great place to ask questions about the service!