When I discovered Shutterfly, I was like an addict. I'm serious! If they SA meetings I could of attended, my husband just might have had an intervention and sent me on my way.
While I still love Shutterfly and use it every time I can, (Hello? Who wouldn't with all their special offers they send their customers?) I have come up with a way to create special photo books for the kids that they wouldn't rip up or destroy after 10 times of looking at them.
Let me tell you, not only are these great for bedtime and quiet time, they are AWESOME for the car. All four of my kids will grab one of these when they get in the car and will flip through it the entire time we are driving. I'M NOT KIDDING!
You should really make one ... and then email me and let me know how it turned out. 
- I print photos that will co-inside with the theme I'm going for.
- Then using some scrapbook paper in the prints that, again, go with the theme I create the pages. You can make the book any size you'd like. Mine usually are about 5 x 8 inches.
- After creating the pages, I glue two pages together, creating a front and back.
- Repeat until all your pages have a mate (don't forget a cover and back).
- I then put a protective covering over them. While I used to laminate, that got expensive (yeah, I made way too many books), so I now use the clear contact/shelf paper found in your kitchen section of your favorite supermart. It's cheap and I just lay a page down on the paper. Then lay another piece of contact paper over the top and cut around it.
- Punch holes in the sides and "bind" the book with notebook rings found in the office department at the supermart.
- Be amazed that your children want to look at their book over and over and over again.
Some theme ideas I've used are:
- Family members (I put in photos of all siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)
- Vacations
- All About Me (and have the whole book be photos of that child)
- Holidays/Birthday
- ABC Book
These books work for us and I hope they work for you and yours too! For more great tips, head over to Rocks In My Dryer!
