Andy's Idea Factory

In starting to look at photobooks as a professional add-on, I'm diving into the options with my researcher's eye. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of photo book printers and photo hosting websites out there, where does one begin? I started with the reviews at the bottom, but shortly began to see that I already had my opinions... AMS If you're an amateur, there is a plethora of choices for family-grade materials. I say family, because with little hands all over photobooks, it's a waste of money to get the super-archival, plush leatherbound versions that are meant for the treasure locker. To start, Shutterfly , Kodak Gallery , and Snapfish are all in the same league, some with more options than others, some with better base designs and help, but all starting at a reasonable price. What you get with these types is photo sharing so families can contribute to the same album. Shop them all to see which format you like the best, which is easiest for you to navigate, and...

Since living on a "sustainable community" in Oregon I have had a very strict rule on body products and their usual "fillers" and preservatives; I use organic and natural products, from toothpaste to shampoo, and I don't budge on it. Thankfully now those products easier to find and even makeup can be found au - naturale , but it wasn't always so. Even still, those products are usually more expensive than non-natural products depending on brand name, and now is the time to consider shrinking your budget while you can. A great way to do this is to make your own face scrub and toner. I had this idea last February and hosted a "Girls Night" where we actually made it together, making it even more fun, and I still have "leftovers!" I'm going to break this Idea into two posts, so first, while that Valentines bouquet is just starting to wither, let's make the toner. I got this recipe from The Woman's Book of Healing Herbs ( Harra...

The best way to start pinching pennies out of your budget is to start small, and what better way than to find what doesn't seem to cost that much money and what won't be missed, and to remove it? Today I finally took all the cards I've saved over the past few years and recycled them. No, I didn't put them in the paper bin under my desk... these were cards I'd saved because they were either so beautiful, so cute, so catchy, and so memorable that I couldn't possibly throw them away. I'm not a pack rat, I'm crafty. This is one of the few things I'd saved, and I've always been a big believer in making your own cards. First of all, cards are expensive. You can spend from $2 to $6 on just one card these days, and although that doesn't seem so bad on one day, $4 for a friend who you rarely talk to, or grandma who doesn't have email, or to go along with that package you're sending. But those days add up, and if you count all the cards you bou...