Friday, June 6, 2008

Are you ready for your book?

First off, let me tell you what an honor it is that you have chosen me to be the caretaker of your cherished memories. The more you tell me about your pictures, the better job I can do for you, let me explain my creation process to you.

First, you gather the photos and pieces of ephemera that you want preserved. Jot down your memories & any pertinent information associated with the photographs. Be as descriptive as possible. The more I know about a particular event or moment, the more detailed your page will be. If you have some journaling you would like associated with these images, by all means, include it, this is your scrapbook, after all!

Second, we will have a consultation. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, we can meet in person to discuss your memory album. We can hold a consultation on the phone or via email or chat, if you prefer. We will be talking about styles, color schemes, sizes and other general information.

Third, I do require that 50% of my fee be paid up front, at the time I take possession of the photos. It can be sent to me via PayPal. If your photos are in paper format, you can either scan them yourself or send them to me and I will scan them for you. Not only will I return the originals to you, you will also receive a digitized copy on a CD or DVD. If your photos are in digital format, you can send them to me burned on a DVD or CD or you can send them to me via a file sending service, which, if you are unfamiliar with, I can walk you through the steps.

Fourth, I will create your page complete with photos & journaling. If I have any questions during the creation process, I will contact you via your preferred method of communication.

Fifth, I will send you a proof copy of the page for you to proof-read and/or request any changes. This is where you will check for spelling errors and date errors. This proof can be sent to you via email or via USPS, for an small additional charge, note that the proof will be watermarked.

Next, I will make the requested changes if there are any. I'll send the changed proof copy to you for your approval. Any additional new changes, which are not the result of designer error, are subject to a small fee.

You will then send the final payment to me via PayPal. Once the final payment has been received, I will send you the finalized, fully completed project. Personal delivery is available in the San Francisco Bay Area. Delivery via USPS and/or UPS is available in all other areas.

My time-frame is dependent on the size and scope of the project. Rush projects may be available for an additional fee. The normal turn-around time for a 20 page hardcover book from the time I begin work (which would be after our consultation) to the time I mail it out is anywhere from 2-4 weeks.

I welcome your input when scrapbooking your pages. I really hope that if you have any style requests or specific design requests that you will let me know.

Thank you!