Ali Edwards's Blog, page 112
May 25, 2020
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Getting Started Bringing It All Together + Monday In My Album
After taking a little breather away from my Week In The Life 2020 project I'm back at it again!
In today's post I'm sharing a look at Monday in my album along with a video that talks about what I do when I begin this process of working in my album. I hope you find it helpful as you start, continue, and finish up your project.
A couple things to remember as we get started:
This project for me has always been more about words + photos than creative play. There isn't a right or a wrong way to get all your memories into your album. What works for me might not work for you and that's just fine. This is the first time I've done this project when the kids weren't here the majority of the week. I'm really glad it ended up working out that way - it's a look at part of our life that happens every other week. I don't always know where I'm going when I start this part of the process and I'm okay with that. You'll see me work through that in the video below.
Check out this video which details how I got started with Monday:
Here's a look - via still images - at how I'm getting started in my album and my completed Monday:
I started my album with the title card from the kit and a reason why card on the back.
During the Week In The Life Prep Day online event I included a Reason Why download. You can still gain access to that full day of content here.
Each of my days of the week also begins with a transparency divider (included with the album) + plastic number + some additional embellishment. For Monday I included one of the plastic phrases from this set.
I love using a "reason why" as an opportunity to set the stage for my storytelling this year. Yes it's always going to be about documenting life right now, but it's also an opportunity to introduce your reader to what's happening globally.
For Monday I printed one full page photo (same size as the page protector - 7 inches wide x 8.25 inches tall) and added one of the pleather hexagons on top. I'll do the same thing for each day of the week.
Adhered to the back of my full page photo is my "loving" journaling.
This year I decided to use a specific "story lens" for each day of the week. Monday was "loving" and I recoded these thoughts on the actual day itself. I loved writing things down as I went about my day and loved having it all done when it came time to work on my album.
I decided to use these day of the week cards from the AE Mini Kit to record what I want to remember when I look at my photos from the day. I like having a combination of "in-the-moment journaling" alongside a paragraph that's a little more reflective (this obviously helps if you leave a bit of distance between your documenting week and putting your project all together). I used the digital journal cards to add my text onto the card before printing.
On Monday my Mom sent me a photo (she was doing the project too) that I ended up sharing on Instagram. I took what I wrote in that post and copied and pasted it onto a 4 inch x 8 inch tag. I ran this tag through my printer while it was temporarily adhered to a 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper.
I usually do a test first to make sure it's all lined up and then I run it through with the tag adhered to the background paper to get the text onto the tag. You can do the same thing with journal cards.
After printing I punch holes using a 6-hole punch and then tackled the back.
On the back of the tag I used one of the pattern papers from The Good Old Days Pattern Papers and cut it to fit. I created my own embellishment using the Label Stamp + the Memories Of Right Now stamp sets along with Honeyman (yellow) + Staz On inks.
I also added red/white twine through the top hole of the tag.
For Monday I printed six additional photos. Rather than go with the standard 4x6 photo size I decided to go bigger and used my Epson PictureMate PM400 to print 5x7 photos.
I adhered these photos that live outside the page protectors back to back. I used a 1.5 inch circle punch to punch out a half circle (after adhering) and then added a small piece of Grafix Plastic Sheet in between the two photos. On this first photo I stamped "this is our life" onto the plastic using black StazOn ink. This is a fun way to add just a little something different to these back to back photos. You could also add Avery Index Tabs along the top.
Another set of photos adhered back to back and given the same 1/2 circle punch treatment. On top of the plastic sheet piece here I added a chipboard asterisk to the front and the back.
You can also see how I've added chipboard pieces to my photos - generally right above any printed text on the photo.
I left off journaling on some of my printed photos to leave some space for embellishments. On top of this photo I stamped using the "today capture life" stamp.
The next page for Monday is a 2x2 page protector. I am using one of these for each day and I totally loved being on the look out for random pieces of paper, packaging, etc. to punch/cut up and add to these pockets. Random bits of life. I used this 2 inch x 2 inch Passport punch for easy punching.
I decided to leave the back of the 2x2 pockets empty. Many of the things I punched have some random bit of something on the back.
For the 1/2 circle punch out on this set of 5x7 photos I added one of the small plastic hearts from the kit.
Love mixing up what I'm adding to these punched spaces.
On my last 5x7 photo for Monday I used letter stickers from the Week In The Life Sticker Book.
You can also see where I handwrote my daily gratitude on the 3x4 card (I did this for each day during the actual week).
Monday ends with my 4-pocket, 3x4 page protector. Each of these photos includes a line of text. On top of some I also added a word/phrase sticker.
Thanks for joining me as I get started on this process. I'll be working day by day and sharing my progress with you here on my blog.
Week In The Life 2020 AE Mini Kit Week In The Life Label Stamp Set Week In The Life Memories Of Right Now Stamp Set Week In The Life Asterisk Chipboard Week In The Life Pleather Embellishments Week In The Life Plastic Numbers Week In The Life Transparency Phrases Week In The Life Sticker Book The Good Old Days Pattern Papers Honeyman Ink Page Protectors For 2x2 Squares (5A) 2 inch x 2 inch Passport Punch 4x8 Manila Tags 1.5 Inch Circle Punch Grafix Clear Plastic Sheets Foam Adhesive Tiny Attacher 6 Hole Punch Crop A Dile (hole punch) Epson XP 15000 Printer Epson PictureMate PM400 Printer (for 5x7 and smaller) StazOn Black Ink Round Stamp Block Red/White Twine
If you'd like to learn more about my approach to this project check out the 2020 Week In The Life Prep Day online event. It covers a lot of the basics and is a great introduction/refresher to various parts of the project.
May 24, 2020
Travel Collection 2020 | Collection Preview
Even though we aren't traveling at this time like we have in the past, it's likely that I'm not alone is having past travel stories to tell!
Our new
2020 Travel Collection will be live on Tuesday, May 26th at 9am Pacific. This post is an overview of the products we will have available this year.
SHIPPING SPECIAL // Use code READYTOGO for free domestic shipping, or $15 international flat rate, with $60 purchase from the travel category.
We will be having a new travel workshop for 2020 that incorporates working with products from the collection this year. Look for more information about that coming soon!
Here's a video walkthrough of the collection:
MAIN KIT // $29.99
Come to the shop on Tuesday, May 26th at 9am Pacific to grab your favorites.
May 18, 2020
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Sunday Words + Photos
Welcome to my Sunday photos for Week In The Life™ 2020.
Another super casual day here filled with the stuff of our lives right now. I'll be taking a couple days off from this project before diving into bringing all my content together into my album. I'll share my process here when that happens.
Here's a look at my day via photos:
You are invited to share a link to your Sunday words + photos in the comments below.
Thank you so much for playing along this week!
May 17, 2020
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Saturday Words + Photos
Welcome to my Saturday photos for Week In The Life™ 2020.
One more day to go in this year's project! On Sunday I'm hoping to take a photo of each person and have them answer the questions on my interview pages.
As I look back at these photos almost all of them include a screen device of some sort. I think that's really representative of our lives right now. Today was also a super casual, no-plans day which meant that we all just hung out and relaxed.
Here's a look at my photos from Saturday:
You are invited to share a link to your Saturday words + photos in the comments below.
May 16, 2020
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Friday Words + Photos
Welcome to my Friday photos for Week In The Life™ 2020.
Only thing I really have to say today, I love my people and I love that this project encourages me to take more photos than usual. So happy to have all these hearts back at this house.
Just a few days left! You've got this!
I'll be sharing my words next week when I put my album together.
Here's a look at my photos from Friday:
You are invited to share a link to your Friday words + photos in the comments below.
May 15, 2020
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Thursday Words + Photos
Welcome to my Thursday photos for Week In The Life™ 2020.
A few notes from today:
Today I intentionally took a few more detail photos. I spent half my day at my desk and the other half of my day in the kitchen. There's often a lot of "getting ready" for all the kids to come back - chopping, meal planning, and taking care of all the stuff that Aaron brings home from his once-every-two-week Costco visit. I feel in a groove with this project now and I'm really excited for the kids to get back so I can include them in the story. Overall I'm taking fewer photos but they feel more intentional and I'm totally fine with that - especially knowing that I won't have to spend a lot of time choosing which ones to use each day. I invited the girls to share some photos with me of their day. They've sent a few over so I'll try to find a way to include those as well when I put my project together. The photos below represent my day up until about 5pm. I'll probably take a few more photos in the evening and then add them to my project when I work on the album.Here's a look at my journaling using the story lens "Today I..."
Here's a look at my day in photos:
You are invited to share a link to your Thursday words + photos in the comments below.
May 14, 2020
Sharing My "Book Of The Month" Story
Today I’m brining you a special sponsored video sharing my Book Of The Month story and additional details about why I love being a subscriber (along with three tips for reading more). I’ve been both an Ambassador and a subscriber for a number of years now after first being introduced to the company via a gift subscription (and it's now one of my favorite gifts to give other people). I totally credit my Book Of The Month membership as one of the reasons I’ve really gotten back into reading over the last few years.
If you’ve never been introduced to Book Of The Month let me tell you a couple things about it:
(1) Each month they offer 5 book selections that often include new releases, debut authors, and advance releases in a variety of adult fiction book themes.
(2) For $14.99 per month you select the book you want from the 5 options. You also have the option to add 2 additional titles to your box each month.
(3) Book Of The Month has a “skip” option with no penalty (because, life).
For those of you who might be interested in trying it out I’ve got a special code MAY5 that will give you your first book for just $9.99.
This past month I've finally started being able to get back to reading again. It's been hard and I've heard from many of you that you've been feeling the same during this "interesting" time in our history. I'm planning to start sharing what I've read the last couple of months (2-3 books) here on my blog soon.
From May's Book Of The Month selections I picked A Good Marriage (thrillers are a good distraction for me) and I'm also reading The Book Of Longings for my local book club (love Sue Monk Kidd books).
Happy reading my friends!
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Wednesday Words + Photos
Welcome to my Wednesday words + photos for Week In The Life™ 2020.
More quiet inside and more storms outside today. The highlight of my Wednesday's for the last few weeks has been getting in my car and driving to pick up my flower CSA bouquet from Flicker Townes Farmette. It's a little escape out of my house, a little opportunity to feel normal, and I get to pick up local flowers to bring home.
Here's a look at my words for today:
And here's a look at my day in photos:
You are invited to share a link to your Wednesday words + photos in the comments below.
May 13, 2020
We Story Kit™ + June Stories By The Month™
In the
Story Classroom this month we are focusing on stories related to the theme of We.
Here are a few thoughts about this particular theme:
Our lives are built with stories of "we." It might be family or friends or pets or some other awesome combination. This month we are focusing on stories of two or more people (or animals) coming together to create a "we."
Initial story ideas for this theme include:
When you use the word "we" in your own life right now, who does that include?
Create a list that uses the word "we" as the jumping off point and document things you do together. We go, we believe, we love, etc.
Think about stories from the past and identify a "we" that might no longer exist or that has evolved and tell that story. STORY KIT™
The
Story Kit™ includes:
Here's a video overview of the
Story Kit™ and Add-On options this month:
The
Stamp Set:
Here's a video overview of the Story Stamp:
DIGITAL STORY KIT™ (Included with the STORY CLASS)
Your digital kit and the classroom and any Add-Ons purchased will be available to you on the 15th once your card has been charged for the month.
Here's a look at what's included in the Digital Story Kit™:
And a couple peeks at the layouts I created with the kits this month in addition to the one featured at the top of this post (
full details, including process videos and how-to handout, are included with subscription):
Again, thanks so much for subscribing and/or considering my
Story Subscription program! If you have any questions about this program please let me know below in the comments.
Stories By The Month™ kits include 4x6 chipboard, 3x4 and 4x6 cards, a 3x4 stamp, a sticker sheet, and an embellishment (wood veneer, cork, etc). Stories By The Month™ Kits are all based on the designs we offered digitally each month throughout 2019.
Here is a full look at the kit:
And a video overview:
This subscription is a great option for those who are looking to tell more calendar/everyday life sorts of stories.
Add On options are available to all Story Kit™, Story Stamp™, and Stories By The Month™ subscribers
(this excludes Digital Story Kit/Story Class subscribers since you don't have any part of your subscription shipped already). Please note that the Crafters Ink pad option will only be available to Story Stamp™ subscribers.
Current and new subscribers can select + purchase Add-On's via your new drop-down menu access under your user name in the top right corner of the site. If you subscribe to more than one you will have a Box for each subscription and the ability to purchase Add-On's for each one. Depending on product availability subscribers may be able to purchase the Add-On's after the Add-On period has ended and regular shop shipping rates will apply because they will ship separately from the kit.
Check out
this post for more information about this new subscription, including differences between the subscription options offered.
Week In The Life™ 2020 | Tuesday Words + Photos
Welcome to my Tuesday words + photos for Week In The Life™ 2020.
A few thoughts about today:
I am really appreciating the directed journaling prompts this time around. It's given me just enough structure along with enough freedom to capture what our life looks like right now. Today was a very quiet, stormy day and it's reflected in my images. Basically I was either at my desk working or in my bed reading. Sometimes that's just how it goes and my goal with this project is to capture what is real. Something I've been working on over the last few years which comes up with this project specifically is letting the dark be dark and the light be light and not trying to make every image light and bright. I'm having fun experimenting with my DSLR and adjusting the settings to learn more. I really love that the two shots at my desk today (one around 6:30am and the other mid-morning) show the change of light in my office. I'm also totally loving punching out 2x2's from the mail + packaging as I go about my day and putting them into my 2x2 page protector. Such a fun way to include more of the stuff of life.
Here's a look at my Tuesday journaling (this is a printable from a download that was included with the Week In The Life™ Prep Day and will go directly into my album):
Here's a look at my day in photos (all were taken with my DSLR with one exception that's noted below):
(Aaron took the photo above with my phone.)
You are invited to share a link to your Tuesday words + photos in the comments below.
