Ali Edwards's Blog, page 166
March 9, 2017
Week In The Life™ 2017 | Kit & Supplies Now Available
The 2017 Week In The Life™ kit and new supporting products are now available for immediate shipping.
A seven-day documentary project, Week In The Life™ began in 2005 as an annual opportunity to capture the simple everyday details of life with photos and words. The albums I've created are some of my most treasured in that they are wonderfully true representations of my family's life at a particular point in time. From the mundane to the profound, it's those simple little everyday moments that I treasure most.
This year I'll be documenting a week in my life beginning on Monday, April 17th.
You are welcome to do this project any time or join me in April. I'll be sharing my documentation process during that week and how I work with the kit after my week here on my blog as usual.
For support and fun and sharing during this project you're invited to join my free Week In The Life ™ Community here on my website and/or the Week In The Life™ Facebook Group (most active).
Here's a look at the 2017 kit:
This year the kit includes an album + page protectors, 3x4 cards, a large chipboard alphabet, plastic numbers, perforated word/phrase stickers, rubber circles, rounded-corner square chipboard pieces, wood veneer days of the week, small paper banners, and an awesome set of large 4x6 plastic days of the week.
When you choose a kit you have the option of either a classic grey striped album or a fun multi-colored small polka dot album (the polka dot album is shown in the kit image above):
These albums have a 2.5 inch spine.
This album is the same width as the 2016 December Daily® albums.
Included with the album + kit are enough page protectors (24) to follow along with my personal plan for the album.
If you'd like to order more page protectors those are also available in a variety of designs in my shop here.
In addition, while supplies last (or until 3/31/17) you'll receive these awesome day of the week 6x8 transparency dividers free with your Week In The Life™ kit purchase. EDITED: These are now sold out.
Here's a video walkthrough of the 2017 kit:
NEW SHOP PRODUCTS
In addition to the kit we've curated a selection of other products you can add to your cart including a word phrase sticker bundle (with 5 different everyday life themes), four 4x6 stamp sets, a rolling stamp, two dies, two silkscreen packs, and a set of transparent 4x6 day of the week cards.
Day of the Week Transparencies available here.
This bundle includes two sheets of each theme for a whole lot of word/phrase sticker goodness.
Pick up the AM Craft Die here and the PM Craft Die here. I use these with my Evolution Die Cutting Machine.
This Day Of The Week rolling stamp is sized to work just right inside the Avery Index Tabs.
Pick up the 4x6 set here and the 3x4 set here.
Direct links to each set: Daily Phrases, Days of the Week Large Initial, Remembering The Week Banners, and Days of the Week Flags.
Here's a video walk-through of the new Week In The Life™ shop products for 2017:
Place a Week In The Life™ order of $45 or more and receive free domestic shipping or $10 flat rate for international shipping using the promo code WITLSHIP. You must enter the promo code at checkout to receive the special shipping offer and your cart must include at least one Week In The Life™ 2017 product and have a subtotal of $45 to qualify.
New digital layered templates for Week In The Life™ and a digital set of the cards & stamp from this kit will be available at the beginning of April.
March 7, 2017
Story Camp 2017 | Details Now Available
As part of my year of connecting, Katie and I are taking action on ideas we've had for a number of years to create and host an event here in our hometown of Eugene, Oregon.
You are invited to join us for for three, 3-hour workshops and an evening for Cropping & Cocktails that will begin on Friday, June 2nd and end on Saturday evening June 3rd.
We are super excited to invite you to visit our beautiful town and gather together with like-minded storytellers for this event.
Full details now available here. Registration will open March 14th at 10am PST via a link posted on that page.
March 3, 2017
March 2017 Digital Release
Happy March!
In January we announced that we are switching things up a bit with our digital products and will be releasing one main themed digital kit at the beginning of each month. They will be similar to the
Digital Story Kits™ in terms of the products included in the package. They will have journal cards, digital chipboard shapes, a stamp set, quote card, and sometimes other elements that will change from month to month. Some months we will have more products released in addition to the monthly digital kit, depending on projects we have going on at that time (Week In The Life™, December Daily®, Day In The Life™, and One Little Word®).
We are absolutely still continuing to offer our Story Kit™ subscription that includes options for a physical kit, a physical stamp set, and a digital kit. This digital kit has nothing to do with the subscription program and is simply a change to the way we are adding projects to our digital shop.
This month's digital kit theme is Spring. Because tis the season. This digital kit package includes 12 journal cards, a quote card (in both horizontal + vertical orientations), a "stamp" set, and a set of digital chipboard pieces/shapes.
We're also continuing to release additional
Classic AE products each month. These are products from my past collection previously offered at Designer Digitals (Classic AE products are designated with a grey box around the product preview and have their own category here).
March 2017 Digital Kit
Review Digital Story Stamp™
If you are looking for more information on Getting Started With Digital Scrapbooking check out my free series of posts
here.
We also have a new set of
Classic AE products in the shop this month.
Thanks for your support and here's to telling more stories together!
February 28, 2017
AE Creative Team | February Digital Release
I am so excited to be sharing our first official round of Creative Team projects for 2017. This month the team worked with our all new February Digital Kit to tell their stories. You can read more about how I've changed up how I'm releasing my digital products this year here.
Be sure to check out our Creative Team Gallery where you can go to see how the team is crafting their stories using my products - including additional images from the projects we are sharing below.
Hope you all have a great week!
February 21, 2017
Project Life® 2017 | Week Seven
Welcome to Project Life® 2017 | Week 07.
I'm heading out on vacation today and leaving behind the grey of Oregon and heading to the blue skies of Mexico for some rest + relaxation + three nights of Dave Matthews on the beach. My documentation plan is to just add images to Project Life® this time and I'll share that once we've returned home and I've gotten back into the swing of things.
As I was finishing up my spread this week I keep thinking about how the most important thing in this project is finding something that works for you.
One of the things that works for my is not trying to tell every single story from my week. My goal each week is an overview - little bits pulled from our lives that include photos, words, and pieces of paper from our daily lives. I don't stress about including "more" and the way I decide what is "enough" is by filling up the pockets.
There are lots of things that I didn't include this week and that's totally okay. Again, find your own enough.
Here's a look at my Week Seven:
To create a few of my own titles this week I used the OLW 6x8 Alpha Stamp + the Sans Serif Alphabet Stamp and stamped words directly onto already printed cards.
Crafter's Inks used include Tillamook (orange) and Deschutes (navy blue). Loving both those colors.
I'm still loving those white POSCA pens. This one is the PC-5M size.
Throughout this spread I included a bunch of past chipboard phrases/pieces from past Story Kits™ and from the current Bond Story Kit™.
My title card this week comes from the Project 52 Fresh Core Kit + a rolling date stamp.
The "6 am/pm" card is from the Day In The Life™ Mini Kit No. 2 - that kit includes 24 cards so you can document each hour of the day.
Aaron and I started watching Game Of Thrones last week. Yeah, I know we are super late to the party but we are totally loving it and we are obsessed with it so that card from the Project 52 Fresh Core Kit worked perfect to hold that short story.
The "bonding time" chipboard and the "this bond is awesome" card is from the Bond Story Kit™ (available until March 14th).
Hope you have a wonderful week!
SUPPLIES USED REGULARLY IN PROJECT LIFE®Project Life Design A Page Protectors
Project 52 Fresh Core Kit (anything with rounded corners)
Past Story Kits™
Rolling Date Stamp
12x12 Project Life® / Heidi Swapp / Black & White Album
Week By Week Word Art
February 16, 2017
Project Life® 2017 | Week Six
So far, so good with making Project Life® a priority this year.
My Storytelling With Project Life® workshop started this week and there's still time to jump in if you are looking at taking a deeper dive into the ways you tell stories within this style of memory keeping. This week's content takes a look back at all my past albums to take a closer look at what's worked, not worked, and how my storytelling has evolved over the years of participating in this project.
Here's a look at my Week Six:
Lots and lots of handwritten journaling.
To get more words into my spread this week I created half-circle journaling spots that were added to each of my photos. I used a 3 inch Marvy Circle Punch + white cardstock and scissors to cut them in half before adhering them onto the photos and adding my journaling. On the outside edge of each of those half-circles I also added either a puffy star sticker or one of the small heart stickers from this month's Bond Story Kit™.
This week I included a 6x12 page protector insert to hold Anna's hand-written birthday list and a couple cards.
The "currently" journal card is from my This & That set available here.
A digital version of my title quote card can be found here.
I love how the half-circles created a small home for a few more details about each photo. Simple and easy.
I used the Phrases Roller Stamp + Pendleton Crafters ink to add "just awesome" inside the Avery Index Tab along the edge of the 6x12 insert.
Just the right size for fitting into those tabs.
The white chipboard "8" is from last year's December Daily® kit. "How we do birthdays" card is from the Project 52 Fresh Core Kit. The stamped "8" is from the Numbers Story Stamp™ set.
Ending the week with a gratitude card - this week giving thanks specifically for Anna and all the awesomeness that she brings to my life.
SUPPLIES USED REGULARLY IN PROJECT LIFE®Project Life Design A Page Protectors Project 52 Fresh Core Kit (anything with rounded corners) Past Story Kits™ Rolling Date Stamp 12x12 Project Life® / Heidi Swapp / Black & White Album Week By Week Word Art
February 15, 2017
Story Kit™ & Story Stamp™ | Bond
Today I'm excited to introduce you to the next story theme:
Bond.
Because we are all bonded to someone or something. Because throughout the course of our lives we bond with different people at different times and for different reasons. This month we are investigating telling stories of our deep connections with people, places and things.
If you are already a subscriber to you can now access the content
in the classroom (
make sure you are logged in to your account).
If you are new to the Story Subscription program, check out all the details
here.
Here's a look at
the
Story Kit™ contents for Bond:
And the
Bond Story Stamp™:
We also have a
Digital Story Kit™ subscription available that includes access to the classroom content. Here's a look at what's included for Bond (which also shows all the designs for the journal cards included in the printed version of the kit): Here's a video overview of the products included in the kits this month:
Here's a video overview of the products included in the kits this month:
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!
Also, don't miss out on my Storytelling With Project Life® workshop. The classroom opened yesterday and the first week of content is ready for you. Here's a quick look at what's included in this comprehensive 4-week workshop (still time to join):
WEEK ONE: Take a look back at all my PL albums via video with commentary on what I've learned along the way. Includes an hour long presentation video + individual walk-through videos of each of my years that range from 10 min to a hour in duration - I have more to say about some years :).
WEEK TWO: Process exploration that looks specifically at how you approach stories within PL - focusing on starting with story. Includes 2 main video presentations and 2 process videos - about three hours of content.
WEEK THREE: Specific story ideas focusing on time based stories, theme based stories, micro stories, and longer stories. Each topic has it's own video - again about three hours total.
WEEK FOUR: Ideas for working with products in PL. Includes a 30-minute presentation and then four process videos + an organization video.
People who are just starting out and people have been doing PL for a number of years both found this workshop inspirational + informative when it ran last year.
This is a great opportunity for those who are new to Project Life® and those who are already doing it and maybe looking to be re-inspired about how they are documenting their lives. Join us!
February 8, 2017
Project Life® 2017 | Week Five
Happy Wednesday! Today I'm sharing a look at my Week Five for Project Life® 2017.
Before diving into my stories for this week I wanted to remind you that registration is now open again for my popular Storytelling With Project Life® workshop which begins on Tuesday, February 14th. Four weeks of in-depth story-centered content focused on helping you get more stories told within whatever format you are choosing to approach pocket-based memory keeping.
Here are some reviews past students have shared about this workshop:
This is the best class I have ever participated in. I highly recommend it! ( Jessica A )
I participated in this class last year and I still go back and watch the videos all the time. SO MUCH inspiration and information. I highly recommend it!! ( Emily J )
If you are sitting in the fence about taking this class - take the leap! You will be re-inspired to get creative with project life once again. ( Shannon S )
Wow! I am loving the content of this class and find myself more inspired than ever to really add to the story with words. ( mjrose )
Thank you so much for this wonderful class! I am so inspired and enjoyed seeing your processes in action, especially how you choose and print photos for the pockets. I was overwhelmed before this class and you have simplified it all for me. I had been using an old all-in-one printer that died just before the class (good timing), so I bought a PhotoSmart printer and it's so much fun to use. You could have charged so much more for this because it is absolutely packed with lessons and tips. ( Kathy )
I just spent this week watching this series of lessons again. I feel like I gain a little more understanding of my own personal process every time I watch it. Using the tools you presented in this class has afforded me the thought process I needed to simplify my Project Life albums & really capture the way our family is evolving and growing. I'm happy to report that I'm almost done with my 2015 album and I've kept my 2016 album up-to-date. Thank you! ( adelina )
Anyone sitting on the fence about both this way of memory keeping and taking Ali's class - sit no longer! I took the class last year. It was inspiring, full of insight and crammed full of ideas on how to approach the project from a story point of view. Something we have come to love from Ali. I am planning to watch all of the videos again this year and look through the handouts to keep me on track to get my stories told and in the album for 2017. Can't recommend it enough! ( Mel_12 )
Now here's a look at my Week 05:
I'm going super light on embellishments right now. Part of that is simply to get myself in the habit of creating space in my days to finish my spreads each week (seems to be going well so far). Lots and lots of handwritten journaling directly onto journal cards and photos is also a way I personally keep it simple.
I'm also really being on the look out for little stories during the week - intentionally being conscious of when a story presents itself that I might want to capture for my album. It might be a photo but more often than not right now it seems to be words. I'm embracing the season I'm in right now.
I finished off using the number labels from the Numbers Story Kit™ (available until February 14th) on each of my photos for the month of January. I totally loved including those - such a fun and easy way to add a little consistency from week to week.
As mentioned previously I love including other "voices" in my projects when possible. This week I included a thank you card sent by my niece and a little drawing of Anna's that I found in her backpack (also known as a treasure trove of goodness that can be cut up and slipped into pockets).
Last week I received my first three books as a Book Of The Month Club Ambassador and I took a photo both to share on Instagram and to include in my weekly documentation. I had asked Katie for a subscription for Christmas and was super happy when she gave it to me and I loved the first book I received in December. After posting about it on Instagram I received a message from the BOTM media team asking if I was interested in joining their Ambassador program which essentially means they will send me books early in exchange for a social media post. As most of you know, I love to read and I like to share what I'm reading with you guys. This month I chose Perfect Little World, Pachinko, and Behind Her Eyes. I finished Behind Her Eyes last week and have started on Pachinko. Behind Her Eyes was an intense twist of a read that I totally enjoyed and devoured in about two days.
Weekly title card is from the Project 52 Fresh Core Kit that's getting sprinkled throughout my album this year. Gratitude card is from my Gratitude Pad.
The pen I used for "books + yoga" is a Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush. The Saturday journal card is available digitally here: The Story Of Today 3x4 Cards.
The "note to self" stamp is from my One Little Word® Messy Circle Stamp set (used with black StazOn ink). The black pen I used on the white photo is a Staedtler Lumocolor Permanent pen. The white pen I used on the black background of my gardening books photo is the Posca PC-1M. You can see my full review of white pens here.
Project Life Design A Page Protectors
Project 52 Fresh Core Kit (anything with rounded corners)
Past Story Kits™
Rolling Date Stamp
12x12 Project Life® / Heidi Swapp / Black & White Album
February 6, 2017
February 2017 Digital Release
Happy February!
Last month we announced that we are switching things up a bit with our digital products and will be releasing one main themed digital kit at the beginning of each month. They will be similar to the
Digital Story Kits™ in terms of the products included in the package. They will have journal cards, digital chipboard shapes, a stamp set, quote card, and sometimes other elements that will change from month to month. Some months we will have more products released in addition to the monthly digital kit, depending on projects we have going on at that time (Week In The Life™, December Daily®, Day In The Life™, and One Little Word®).
We are absolutely still continuing to offer our Story Kit™ subscription that includes options for a physical kit, a physical stamp set, and a digital kit. This digital kit has nothing to do with the subscription program and is simply a change to the way we are adding projects to our digital shop.
This month's digital kit theme is Love. Because tis the season. This digital kit package includes 12 journal cards, a quote card (in both horizontal + vertical orientations), a "stamp" set, and a set of digital chipboard pieces/shapes.
We're also continuing to release additional Classic AE products each month. These are products from my past collection previously offered at Designer Digitals (Classic AE products are designated with a grey box around the product preview and have their own category here).
Click here to see all new products added as part of the February Digital Release. Check out our new product category in the digital section of our shop that includes all the new (excluding the Classic AE) products for the last couple months, as well a category where you can find all of the previous Digital Story Stamps™.
February 2017 Digital KitReview Digital Story Stamp™Week By Week Faith Word Art
If you are looking for more information on Getting Started With Digital Scrapbooking check out my free series of posts
here.
We also have a new set of
Classic AE products in the shop this month. We have brought back a variety of love, valentines and everyday memory keeping products this month.
Thanks for your support and here's to telling more stories together!
February 2, 2017
Storytelling With Project Life® 2017 Workshop Registration Now Open
I'm happy to announce that Storytelling With Project Life® 2017 is now open for registration. Class begins on February 14th.
Please note that this is the exact same class that ran at this time last year and no updates have been made to the content.
Since the beginning I've been a fan, a supporter, an advocate and an active participant of the Project Life® style of memory keeping. These albums have become some of my most treasured for the sum of their stories - all those little details weaved together to literally showcase the fabric of my life. They are home to my highs and lows and all the in-between days and include details that simply would not have been recorded without this format in place.
For the online version of Storytelling With Project Life® I've taken the original in-person class content (from 2015) and expanded it into a 4-week workshop that includes video overviews of my past albums, a closer look at my personal processes, more storytelling ideas, and examples of how I use products to help support my stories.
Even though the name and structure of this class is similar to the December Daily® workshop, Storytelling With Project Life® is a completely different class that will solely focus on that particular project and my experiences over the last five years.
Here's a look at what we'll be covering in this 4-week adventure:
Week One | A look back at all my past Project Life® albums with individual video walk-throughs (2010 through 2015 - I will be sharing a 2016 walkthrough at some point here on my blog). The take-away from this lesson is the opportunity to learn from the past and reflect on what's worked and what's not worked to create a plan for right now.
Week Two | Process exploration. Setting expectations, creating a plan for yourself (key word here being "YOU") and setting yourself up for success by establishing a storytelling mindset. This content will be specific to telling stories in Project Life®.
Week Three | Specific storytelling ideas, encouragement, and inspiration to spark stories.
Week Four | Working with products in Project Life®.
A couple things to note:
For the last six years I've shared all many of my Project Life® spreads on my blog. Content included in this workshop will come from my experience all those past years. I'll be talking about a variety of different ways I use both Project Life® branded products as well as pocket scrapbooking products. Last year when this class ran we offered an optional class kit - we were unable to bring that entire kit back this year but we are able to offer the stamp set as a separate purchase. I use the stamp set in Week Four to create journaling cards to hold my stories. As always, the content in the workshop will be my take on this style of memory keeping (weekly Project Life® spreads). We might not have lives the look even remotely similar but the content is more about embracing and documenting your own story vs. me telling you to do it my way. The content in this workshop will be different from Storytelling With December Daily® even though it follows a similar structure. Some ideas may overlap, because, well, it's all about storytelling - but this workshop is focused on the Project Life® approach and style.
My hope is that this workshop will be a springboard for you to get to your own heart of the matter with Project Life®.
Anyone signing up for Storytelling With Project Life® will receive the digital version of the cards and stamp set (PNG files). This will be available to you in the Downloads section of the classroom once the class is live on the 14th.
Last year when this class first ran we offered an optional class kit of physical products. We were unable to bring that kit back this year but we are able to offer the 3x4 stamp set as a separate purchase. I use the stamp set in one of the videos in Week Four to create journaling cards to hold my stories.
During that week's content (Week Four) I'll be showing how I work with products to create homes for my stories. You'll see me using/working with/cutting up the optional class kit from last year (you'll have the digital version available to you) in addition to other products from my stash including Project Life® core kits such as Everyday and Midnight and products from past Story Kits™. As with most of my workshops this class is much more about the stories and the process than it is about any specific products.
Project Life® is a registered trademark of Becky Higgins LLC and is used with permission.
