Thursday, September 23, 2010

Make Your Blog a Book {GIVEAWAY}

When Gabrielle and Alaina surprised us by arriving 12 weeks early, my husband and I started a blog called And Babies Make Four.... to keep all of our friends and family updated on their progress.  The first few months of their lives were spent in the NICU, where we experienced some amazing moments as well as some truly terrifying ones.  Our family blog was an outlet for us during that time and I'm so glad that we have that record of everything we went through.  After both girls came home, I continued to post on the blog but with less and less frequency, and by their first birthday, Facebook became the place where we shared our pictures and updated on new milestones and achievements.  But the thing about Facebook is that I can't easily look back and see when Gaby took her first step or figure out when Alaina said her first phrase.  I really regret not posting more regularly on our blog so all things Gabrielle and Alain could be contained in one place.  Lucky for me, there's a way to assemble everything just the way I want it.

When Gabrielle and Alaina turned two, I decided that I would have our blog made into a book for them through Blog2Print, a website that transfers blogs on Blogger, Wordpress and Typepad into books.


It's such a simple process - enter in your URL, choose a cover design and whether you want a hard cover or soft cover and you're on your way.  You can include every post and picture or pick and choose (you can re-order them, too) and I love that you can also include the comments people left in your book as well.  I laid out more than 100 posts in no time.

But remember when I mentioned being able to incorporate all of the things I'd posted on Facebook instead of the blog?  That's where Everything2Print comes in.  On this site, you can access your Facebook photos, status updates, notes and more, and choose to include any of that information in your book.  In addition, you can add Twitter updates, pictures from Picasa, Word documents and PDFs.  When they named the site Everything2Print, they weren't kidding!  So all of those little things I posted on Facebook - funny moments, silly comments, etc. - are a part of our book now, too.

I am so excited to get my bound version of And Babies Make Four.... and I'll post pictures here once it arrives.  Just putting it together and reading all of the blog posts and messages we received made me extremely emotional.  Thanks to Everything2Print, someday we'll be able to sit down with Gabrielle and Alaina and read them the story of their miraculous road from 2 pound preemies to healthy, happy little girls without missing a step along the way.  Now I've learned my lesson and vow to get back to posting all about the girls on our blog.  But just in case I don't and slip back to my Facebook ways, I'm glad to know that those memories won't be lost. 


Want to publish your memories?  I've got great news - Blog2Print has generously offered to give away one 40-page book to a lucky AFOMFT reader!  To enter, leave a comment here telling me why you want to transfer your blog into a book (this is mandatory).  For additional entries:
  • Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
  • "Like" AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
  • "Like" Blog2Print on Facebook
  • Ask your friends to "like" AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who "likes" our page and names will be cross-checked.  
  • Follow Blog2Print & AFOMFT on Twitter (@Blog2Print & @AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  @blog2print lets you easily transfer your blog into a book. Want to #win a 40 page one? Head over to @AFOMFT now! http://bit.ly/di4lRz
  • Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com Top Baby Blogs.  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
  • Grab our button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
  • Blog or post on Facebook about this giveaway with a link to this post (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and make sure your comments include a link to your status or blog post.
Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. All entries must be posted on AFOMFT as a direct comment to this post.  Comments on Facebook will not count as entries.  This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends September 30th at 11:59 pm EST. The winners will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on October 1st. If the winners don't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

Image: Blog2Print
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117 comments:

  1. I LOVE this idea! I've been wanting to do this for my son's first year! I blog each month and want to put them all in a book for him!

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  2. My blog is my twins' baby book! I have started to do this about 4 times in their 2.5 years, only to be sidetracked. This would finally get me to do it! :) Great giveaway Danielle!

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  3. Your button is on my blog
    http://mommyoftwinsinwaiting.blogspot.com

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  4. My blog is also the boys' baby book. I need to get it printed some day!

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  5. the AFOMFT button is on my blog (www.pyjammy.com)

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  6. I would love to do it just for the memories!

    megan
    mommyminded at gmail dot com

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  7. I sub via google reader

    megan
    mommyminded at gmail dot com

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  8. I have been thinking about doing this. I would love to print my blog. I started my blog off as journal through our fist Invitro Fertilization cycle. My blog really became a journal of my IVF, pregnancy, and baby's first year. I would love to be able to share that with him one day.

    Aly at infertilityoverachievers dot com

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  9. I Follow both @Blog2Print & @AFOMFT on twitter.

    @IFoverachievers

    Aly at infertilityoverachievers dot com

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  10. I voted for you on Top Baby Blogs!

    Aly at infertilityoverachievers dot com

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  11. I added your button to my sidebar.

    www.infertilityoverachievers.com

    Aly at infertilityoverachievers dot com

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  12. I have been wanting to do this for so long! I want to transfer my blog into a book for my parents to see. They still don't use computers!
    scleys(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. I'm an email subscriber.
    scleys(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. A good friend has the most beautiful blog of photos of her kids. I would love to be able to give this to her for her blog.

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  15. Thanks for posting about this. My blog is also my children's baby book as well. It's also a diary for me because these moments have been the most important and challenging time of my life. And my blog is also my way of giving back to the public because so many people have shared their experiences and tips and advice which have helped us get through a lot of the bumpy road that is having kids. Maybe my blog will be able to help someone else too, like many other blogs have helped me. I really need to put it in book form so that I can keep a copy for me and make one for each of my boys. Thanks for posting about these really awesome sites.

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  16. Oh, I added your link to my blog now that I've figured out how. http://taylo2babies.blogspot.com/

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  17. I really want and NEED to transfer mine because I don't have a baby book for my kids! I need to get their blog printed just incase I lose it.

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  18. Did you read my mind!!!!? Just this week I started using another program to do this EXACT same thing!!!...I think this looks easier though!!!!!.
    Since I slacked on writing on the babies books...I definitely want to get my blog printed for them as that is basically their baby books!

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  19. updated your button to my blog (still had the old one!)

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  20. Super duper cutie. Hope someone deserving wins it!

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  21. I posted about the giveaway on my blog (can you tell I really want to win!). :)

    http://mommyoftwinsinwaiting.blogspot.com/2010/09/write-book.html

    #1

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  22. I posted about the giveaway on my blog #2

    http://mommyoftwinsinwaiting.blogspot.com/2010/09/write-book.html

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  23. I would love to do this just for the memories themselves
    spec@live.ca

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  24. Already subcribed via email
    spec@live.ca

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  25. Like" AFOMFT on Facebook
    spec@live.ca

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  26. Like" Blog2Print on Facebook
    spec@live.ca

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  27. Follow both on Twitter
    http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25358951570
    spec@live.ca

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  28. Button htt://3Lilacs.blogspot.com
    spec@live.ca

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  29. i would love to finally get my blog into book-form for my kids to read & look at!

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  30. I have been wanting to do this bc I barely fill out my baby books, but there are great stories and pictures on my blog!

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  31. I don't do baby books or journals or anything else. My kids need to see their story in book form!

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  32. I am so excited about this giveaway. I started my blog because trying to keep family and friends in every direction of the country updated with new measurements, photots, firsts, and all the silly things they do was too difficult without it. So when I found out I could turn my blog into a book to share with my girls when they get older I was stoked. I love going back and reading old posts and looking at old pictures of what they have all accomplished in their short time, I would love to bind it all and keep it on my shelf forever.

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  33. I have your button on my blog.

    http://thewardfamily08.blogspot.com/

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  34. I would love to make my blog a book b/c it's all about my pregnancy and my little girls precious moments growing up!

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  35. I LOVE this idea!! I have thought about copy and pasting my stuff into Word and printing it to put in a notebook, but this idea is SO much better!

    I would love to win this book b/c I enjoy blogging, but want a way to make it more permanent for my children to have a copy one day.

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  36. I just "liked" Blog2Print on FB...

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  37. I now have 7 grandkids under 6. I started keeping a record of what I did with the first one, but that has all fell by the wayside with so many. I'd love to have a book to let them look at together and enjoy the memories of fun times we have each had together.

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  38. I have printed my blog before, and I adore those books. I recently started up a blog with my SIL and MIL where we are all contributors. I think it would be fun to be able to print what we have so far and give it to my MIL for a Christmas present.

    sellbabyphat at gmail

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  39. I'm a fan on facebook of Blog2Print!

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  40. I would love to get this for my Children's blog

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  41. FB share
    www.facebook.com/Elfdiva

    spec@live.ca

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  42. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25394326292
    spec@live.ca

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  43. I want to transfer my blog to book because I am about to graduate from grad school and get my first official teaching position. So I feel like it is important to print my blog and erase it from the internet. I just don't think my students should find my blog and know almost everything about myself! -Tiffklin@yahoo.com

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  44. I am a AFOMFT subscriber! -Tiffklin@yahoo.com

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  45. I voted for AFOMFT on Topbabyblogs! -Tiffklin@yahoo.com

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  46. I voted for you on TBB!
    worldofdennifer{at}gmail{dot}com

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  47. I have worked really really hard on my blog. I have only had it for 9 months and have made it huge!!! I would love to have this book as a keepsake to my hard work!!

    sarahcoulsey03 at gmail dot com

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  48. I voted for you

    sarahcoulsey03 at gmail dot com

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  49. I follow you on twitter

    sarahsblogoffun

    sarahcoulsey03 at gmail dot com

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  50. I follow blog2print on twitter

    sarahsblogoffun

    sarahcoulsey03 at gmail dot com

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  51. My blog is what I use to document the life of my baby girl and I'd love to publish it!

    buckeyechik at gmail dot com

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  52. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25486180152
    spec@live.ca

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  53. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25578999677
    spec@live.ca

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  54. I would love to have my blog in book form!! I try and write about all of the big and small things happening in my boy's life and what to hold onto it forever. Time flies, I want the sweet memories forever!

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  55. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25678487444
    spec@live.ca

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  56. i've had the chance to interview some wonderful authors and actors and the like, and I'd love a book with all of these for a keepsake.

    lauren51990 at aol dot com

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  57. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25775456013
    spec@live.ca

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  58. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25873376439
    spec@live.ca

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  59. i tweeted! i have no idea how to show a link to it, though.

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  60. the one about why i want to win didn't post. My blog is like our 'baby book' also - it's the record of so much, my pregnancy, the girls babyhood, and Jack's entire life. It would mean so much to have it as a book, to all of us.

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  61. And i voted for you on top baby blogs.

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  62. I had no idea you could do this. I would love to have my blog posts and comments from when my blog started because it was a continuous update from my daughter about my tongue cancer surgery. All of the sweet and uplifting comments mean the world to me.
    clarkclay@bellsouth.net

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  63. I am already a follower on FB.

    clarkclay@bellsouth.net

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  64. I would like to make a book out of my blog b/c I have been doing a POTD since the beginning of January and it would be very cool to have 365 pictures of my twin girls in a book.

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  65. I have your button on my blog!
    http://mischievouslivesofmandm.blogspot.com/

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  66. http://twitter.com/3Lilacs/status/25973200484
    spec@live.ca

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  67. I LOVE YOU BLOG! It is so inspiring and when I don't feel like bloggin you always make me want to do more! I have been blogging since the birth of my Son AJ and we have go through some major life changes over the last, well almost 4 years. I think family history is so important and I want the future generations of my family to be able to look back on all our memories but I just recently foundout about blog2print. I have made some books but have been unable to print them due to coast. My husband is a student and I am a stay at home Mother to my boys. I'm unable to work as I am a Canadian citizen living in the USA waiting on a work visa. Hope this giveaway has my name on it! also I have your button on my blog!

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Thanks for the love!