Pinhole (Im)Press(ed)
I love photography and have approximately a bajillion digital photos sitting on my hard drive, but I definitely struggle with helping these images see the light of day (it wasn't until just before Violet's first birthday that I finally got a photo of her on the wall...doh). So I'm always intrigued to learn about easy ways to turn photos into gifts and art, particularly since Laurel and Violet's grandparents love photo gifts. Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) shares her experience testing out (for the second time, actually) Pinhole Press. Read on for Lindsey's report, as well as to learn how to win a $100 gift certificate to Pinhole Press!
From Lindsey:
Last year I tried to make a photo book with Pinhole Press and I was utterly stymied by the experience. I loved what I could see of their products and found their spare aesthetic elegant and differentiated, so I was frustrated. After calling customer service I was told that sometimes iPhoto simply "didn't work" with their interface. I was disappointed because I liked the few products I'd seen in person -- a handful of holiday cards -- and really liked the look of their site.
Well, I tried again last week and I have found the photo product promised land. Online interface kinks apparently ironed out, working with my photos on Pinhole Press was a pleasant and simple experience. It felt like a totally different site. I made a cloth-bound photo book, note cards, and note pads and in each case the interface was smooth and intuitive. It was easy and quick to both upload photographs and manipulate them within the product designs.
And then the products arrived and quite honestly they took my breath away. The hard-bound photo book is absolutely beautiful, worthy of being displayed in the living room next to the fanciest Rizzoli coffee table book. The paper is thick and creamy, the photo quality sharp, and Pinhole Press's clear design, which I had admired on the website, was even more compelling in person. The stationery cards were lovely, printed on thick stock, had a large photo on the back and a simple border and our name on the front. And the note pads are charming: the covers have two photographs and a short text box, and each page has a narrow border of photograph along the bottom and words at the top. All of these products would make great gifts.
I can't recommend Pinhole Press highly enough. Using their site is easy. The range of products they offer is wide without being overwhelming; there aren't 14 pages of card designs to click through, for example, but instead a tightly-edited selection, all lovely, classic, and timeless. Their products are not inexpensive, but they are extremely high quality. I will return to the site for gifts and books to commemorate trips my family takes.
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Rebecca!
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Now, want to win a $100 gift certificate to Pinhole Press? Check out the rules below and enter to win!
Rules:
*One lucky winner (selected using Random.org) will receive a $100 Pinhole Press gift certificate. The winner will be listed here, using first name only.
Comments
Wow the books look beautiful!
Posted by: Tory | April 5, 2012 9:59 AM | Reply to this comment
Perfect! Our grandmothers are coming to visit all the way from Europe next week --first time they'll see their grandson in live! And I'd love to send them each a personalized coffee table book about their visit and more that they can show their friends back home. They'd absolutely love that!
Posted by: Jonna Katajisto | April 5, 2012 9:59 AM | Reply to this comment
I've been enjoying using Picaboo but I would be open to trying this service too
Posted by: AmyB | April 5, 2012 10:07 AM | Reply to this comment
Thank you notes. I love sending beautiful thank you notes!
Posted by: Annie H | April 5, 2012 10:19 AM | Reply to this comment
I love photobooks and would love to try one from Pinhole Press.
Posted by: BV | April 5, 2012 10:58 AM | Reply to this comment
I would love to memorialize my grandmother by making a hardcover book! Pinhole Press has such a nice look!
Posted by: Yvonne | April 5, 2012 11:23 AM | Reply to this comment
Love the Story Books. Would love to make one!
Posted by: Erin | April 5, 2012 11:52 AM | Reply to this comment
I love the day planner! I will definitely be making one. Great find!
Posted by: Carrie | April 5, 2012 2:51 PM | Reply to this comment
I like the spiral journals. that would be fun.
ky2here at msn dot com
Posted by: ky2here | April 5, 2012 5:53 PM | Reply to this comment
I'd love to do photo books! I'm trying to do one each year for my kids.
Posted by: Bonnie | April 5, 2012 9:22 PM | Reply to this comment
I MUST make a name and faces book. That is the best gift ever (to my son), and to anyone else with a infant/toddler! Love, love, love it.
Posted by: Michelle | April 5, 2012 10:12 PM | Reply to this comment
I would love to make notecards and notepads for my kids' grandparents. I might even create a brag book.
Posted by: Karen S | April 6, 2012 6:57 AM | Reply to this comment
I like the 4 photo guest book.
Posted by: Tari Lawson | April 6, 2012 7:04 AM | Reply to this comment
What a great site, I would love to win! I can't even think of one thing that I would like to create because I love all of their products.
Posted by: Rose P | April 6, 2012 9:30 AM | Reply to this comment
Great website - the photo pads look great and are not a product I have seen on other sites before.
Posted by: Cara B | April 6, 2012 10:19 AM | Reply to this comment
I'd love to make several 12-Photo Magnetic Desk Blotters (17" x 12" magnetic padded calendars) for myself and family members.
Posted by: Gaye M | April 6, 2012 2:51 PM | Reply to this comment
i would love to use this
Posted by: melinda wilke | April 6, 2012 3:01 PM | Reply to this comment
I'd love to make a journal for my mom for mother's day.
Posted by: Sara B. | April 6, 2012 3:20 PM | Reply to this comment
I just HAPPEN to have all of these Hawaii photos I want to turn into a photo book! Will check out Pinhole GC or not. Thanks for the heads up!
Posted by: Asha Dornfest {Parent Hacks} | April 6, 2012 7:13 PM | Reply to this comment
I like the 1-Photo, Vertical Magnet White/Portrait.
Posted by: Hoa Le | April 6, 2012 9:31 PM | Reply to this comment
They have so much to choose from! Their Wire-O notebooks are fun. :)
Posted by: Wendy | April 6, 2012 10:01 PM | Reply to this comment
LOVE their products - so clean and modern! A photo book for 2011 would be first on my list!
Posted by: Tara | April 7, 2012 1:02 AM | Reply to this comment
Love the holiday cards, photo books and labels on this site. Will definitely go there first for my holiday cards.
Posted by: Amy Nicholson | April 7, 2012 10:15 AM | Reply to this comment
A photo recipe book!
Posted by: Homa | April 7, 2012 10:46 AM | Reply to this comment
I need to do thank you cards to friends and co-workers who were generous to donate funds for my recent medical mission in the Dominican Republic! And we have a first communion coming up...
Posted by: Angela D'Antonio | April 7, 2012 11:51 AM | Reply to this comment
I love their 9-photo framed collage!
Posted by: Rebecca Barlow | April 7, 2012 11:52 AM | Reply to this comment
I definitely need to create some photobooks from the kids first years!
Posted by: Julie | April 7, 2012 12:32 PM | Reply to this comment
Oh I love the Baby Blocks Photo Framed Collage. So precious! Would look beautiful in Carters room!
Posted by: Laura Jacobson | April 7, 2012 1:31 PM | Reply to this comment
I would choose the 68 photo square book for my daughter's wedding
Posted by: Judith Bayer | April 7, 2012 4:42 PM | Reply to this comment
I would use it for baby announcements and the storybooks
Posted by: Sarah K | April 7, 2012 6:28 PM | Reply to this comment
I would probably make a photo book, I really like the 60-photo icon series photo book!
Posted by: Robyn Galloway | April 8, 2012 12:49 AM | Reply to this comment
magnetic scribble pad
thanks for a great contest! Janna Johnson jannajanna@hotmail.com janna@feedyourpig on GFC
Posted by: Janna Johnson | April 8, 2012 1:16 AM | Reply to this comment
I love their cool modern products
Posted by: Diane Baum | April 8, 2012 8:10 PM | Reply to this comment
I love the 1 photo Vertical Magnets. I also like the Chocolate 41 Photo Landscape photobook
Posted by: Paula Hafner | April 8, 2012 10:08 PM | Reply to this comment
I'm thinking of creating a family photo with my new baby to be.
Posted by: tamar | April 9, 2012 9:34 AM | Reply to this comment
what an excellent idea! can't wait to try it out for mother's day gifts!
Posted by: evelyn | April 9, 2012 9:51 AM | Reply to this comment
Pinhole looks very cool. Going to make order something today!
Posted by: Ed | April 9, 2012 11:16 AM | Reply to this comment
Would love to make a photo book! Too many great selections to choose!!
Posted by: Kristina | April 9, 2012 12:13 PM | Reply to this comment
I love the photo books.
Posted by: Betsy | April 9, 2012 12:37 PM | Reply to this comment
I'd love to make a photo book of our family reunion this summer!
Posted by: Elizabeth Apgar | April 9, 2012 1:46 PM | Reply to this comment
I would love to share this with 2 of my best friends who take tons of photos and love to make photo books. There are so many cute ideas for them to use.
Posted by: ewhatley | April 9, 2012 3:25 PM | Reply to this comment
Love the 43 photo gallery photo book.
Posted by: Emily @ Random Recycling | April 9, 2012 8:55 PM | Reply to this comment
I'd like to get the Wedding Panoramic Photo Book for my daughter's wedding photos!
Posted by: Nancy | April 9, 2012 10:14 PM | Reply to this comment
i really love how you can have magnets made. ive never seen that before.
Posted by: ferriz | April 9, 2012 10:34 PM | Reply to this comment
I would love to create a photo book.
Posted by: Sand | April 10, 2012 12:36 AM | Reply to this comment
I've got some great pics from my trip to Patagonia, Chile that I'd like for one of their photo books.
Thanks for the contest.
Posted by: Sarah L | April 10, 2012 3:28 AM | Reply to this comment
I really like M is for Mama Magnetic Portrait set.
eaglesforjack@gmail.com
Posted by: tina reynolds | April 10, 2012 8:27 AM | Reply to this comment
LOVE photo books! Try to do one every 6 months or so.
Posted by: Caroline | April 10, 2012 8:30 AM | Reply to this comment
How beautiful! There are so many classy products to choose from....I would love to have the dilemma of deciding :)
Posted by: Jody C. | April 10, 2012 9:11 AM | Reply to this comment
I have been coveting their notepads for what seems like forever!
Posted by: Jo-Ann Coe | April 10, 2012 9:13 AM | Reply to this comment
I adore Pinhole press! I made our wedding album and honeymoon photo book from them and just love everything they do. Thanks for the giveaway!
~Jennifer
Posted by: Jennifer T. | April 10, 2012 9:26 AM | Reply to this comment
The kids birthday party stuff is adorable. My kids' birthdays are all within 3 weeks of each other. So this would help ;-)
Posted by: Sharon | April 10, 2012 9:51 AM | Reply to this comment
I am having baby #2 today(!) and so I will have a great need for photo gifts. I especially love the baby announcements and the emergency contact magnet, but I could go crazy getting lots of things. Thanks!
Posted by: Sarah C | April 10, 2012 10:01 AM | Reply to this comment
I like the 68 photo square book.
Posted by: carol lewis | April 10, 2012 10:04 AM | Reply to this comment
A photobook of my kids' childhoods, so I could revisit it every time I felt like they were growing too fast. I think it would have to live on my nightstand!
Posted by: Susan | April 10, 2012 11:28 AM | Reply to this comment
I love their photo books.
Posted by: Donna K | April 10, 2012 12:09 PM | Reply to this comment
I love their photo books and would love to make a photo book of one of my son's trips.
jboyanto at swbell dot net
Posted by: Janet Boyanton | April 10, 2012 2:57 PM | Reply to this comment