best site for DIY flush mount albums

[parrot tulips]

It''s been ages since the wedding, but I''m finally feeling motivated to put together an album. Price makes getting a professional one cost prohibitive, so I was hoping to find a site where I could make my own flush mount (thick, cardboard like pages). I heard great reviews about MPix, but they don''t offer any layout options, and I don''t know how to create templates in Photoshop Elements (which is the program I have). Has anyone gotten a flush mount from Picaboo (seems very easy to use, with lots of layout options)? Is the quality any good? Are there any other easy-ish to use suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I used mypublisher.com and LOVED them!

 

[megumic]

We''ve used Kodak''s website in the past and made beautiful and creative albums. Not sure what they offer is what you''re looking for, but their prices are reasonable and worth a look!

 

[ladyciel]

No question about it - www.Adoramapix.com

Their albums are printed on real photo paper, the prices (considering they're real photos) can't be beat. It's barely more to get a full bound album from them than it would be to get the equivalent number of large prints made at a drug store. They come in several different sizes/formats (portrait, landscape, square) and as large as 12"x12", which is the same size as many professional albums. The difference between these books and those many photographers sell is that the pages are not thick like cardboard. They're made from photo paper glued back to back, without an insert in between, which gives them a nice heavy feel but not the hard pages some professional albums have.

Their web interface allows you to either design an album using one of their templates (which can be customized), or you can design full spread layouts in a program like photoshop and then upload them to the site that way.

ETA: The way the books are constructed, there is absolutely NO gap in the center of each spread, just a fold in the paper. This is GREAT when you want to have a photo extend across the gutter but don't want to worry about losing part of the image.

 

[celia_b]

We got our wedding album from Sweet Memory Albums. Good service, beautiful flush mount albums and the best, they make the layout design at reasonable prices.

 

[Morgie44]

I am just now seeing this, but last night I started doing our album with Nation''s Photo Lab. I was also looking for the heavy pages and they had that for a pretty reasonable price. I am doing a 10x10 album, because they have the most selection of layouts... The software is kind of a PITA, at least for me, it took me a while to actually figure it out (the option windows that open have to be manually expanded to show all the options, but it there are no scroll handles that give any indication that they should be expanded) Once I figured that out, it''s been pretty smooths ailing. They also offer design for you, for 5 dollars per side, which I don''t think is too bad price wise.

 

[emeraldlover1]

It looks like we are all over the map here. I''ve used both Shutterfly, Blurb, and mpix for books in the past. When it came down to it I made our parents albums through shutterfly. I find there quality to be the best and they have a 100% gaurentee.

I however did not want cardboard thick type printing. I choose the premium paper as well as the flush photo hardcover and it came out amazing. I even ordered an extra for ourselves eventhough we are getting one through our photographer.