Ali Edwards's Blog, page 185

December Daily® 2015 | Day Fifteen

Welcome to 
December Daily® 2015 | Day 15. 

Today I'm including Anna's letter to Santa (handwritten) and Simon's wish list (via text message) plus a cute little painting that Anna did the other day in my office.  

Today's also a good day to assess where you're at and what stories you still want to tell. What stories/thoughts/feelings/activities from this season are missing from your album? Keep a note of the things you make sure you don't want to forget. 

Here's a look at Day 15 from my foundation pages: 

And here's a look at how it came together in my album: 

Day 15 includes a small bag that's holding Anna's handwritten letter (she wrote it back in November using a Sharpie and a piece of paper torn from a lined journal) and Simon's list that he texted me last week. 

On the back of Simon's list I added one of the cards from the Jasmine Jones Mini Kit. 

After the bag I paired a journal card (similar to what I've done on other days with a title and Remington Noiseless font) + a day card from the Ashley G Mini Kit + a "lily pad painting" that Anna did the other day + a "tuesday stories" word art cut from the Silhouette. 

Anna was super excited to make a painting for me to include in this album. "For your book Mama!" Yes, Anna, for our book. 

DAY 15 OVERVIEW


SUPPLIES

December Daily® 2015 Main Kit
December Daily® Ashley G Mini Kit
December Daily® Jasmine Jones Mini Kit
Crop A Dile
Daily Stories And Photos Word Art
Silhouette


SHARE YOUR DAY 15

I'd love to have you share a link to your Day 15 album pages below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link.

One Little Word® 2016

Welcome to the One Little Word® Kick Off post for 2016. 

Registration for the 12-month workshop has begun. Register before December 31, 2015 to receive the early-bird price of $26 (after December 31st the price is $31).

The workshop will operate much like it has for the past five years - monthly creative prompts to encourage you to connect with your word via writing, photography, and collage. This year I'll be working in the 6x8 format but will continue to provide printables in the 8.5x11 size for those of you who wish to continue in your current albums. 

Past students have reported learning about celebrating progress rather than perfection, about the power of focusing on a single word and the impact that can have in your life, about how many little moments make up the patterns of our lives, about thinking of your future self as you make decisions today, about how your own journey is important, about how to step back into the story of your own life as an active participant, about learning what you most need from yourself, and about the power of coming back again and again to your original intentions as a means of reflection and forward movement.

Is this your first time hearing about One Little Word®? The premise is simple - choose a word to invite into your life for the coming year. You live with it. You let it speak to you. You might even follow where it leads. There are so many possibilities and no right or wrong way to approach the adventure. Sometimes words have come to me out of the blue and other years I've gone looking for what it was I most wanted to bring into my life.

I'll be sharing my 2016 word after Christmas. 

In addition to the workshop this year I'm offering a small collection of products to aid you in your journey with your word - including 6x8 albums (your choice of gray or gold-lined), a OLW journal that includes 20 additional prompts/creative ideas + blank pages for personal writing, a monthly chipboard divider/stamp kit, and small custom acrylic words (written by me in either black or white - the size is between 4 and 6 inches). We've also partnered with MantraBand® to offer a selection of their word bracelets. 

During the One Little Word® Kick-Off period shipping is free domestically and just $5 international when purchasing products included on the  One Little Word® shop page (please note that If you add any other items from other areas in the shop to your cart, normal shipping rates will apply to those additional items.. This will be available through January 31, 2016. After that date regular shipping rates will apply.  

Here's a short video introducing you to the new products: 

Wishing you all the best this holiday season and I hope to see you in the 2016 One Little Word® workshop. 

December Daily® 2015 | Day Fourteen

Welcome to 
December Daily® 2015 | Day 14. 

Today I'm working with the back side of the 12 pocket, 2 inch x 2 inch page and telling an "around here" style of story using images from the last few days. 

Here's what Day 13 looked like in my foundation pages post: 

Obviously things have been moved around the last few days so I'm adjusting as I go. I'm likely going to remove a few of these pages you see above and start back with Day 15 tomorrow. 

Here's what Day 14 ended up looking like in my album: 

For my story today I printed six 2 inch x 2 inch photos from the past few days and created 2 inch x 2 inch journal cards to go along with each one. 

"Around here" is stamped/embossed using the 
Gold Tinsel embossing powder. 

To designate the day I created a small pocket using an extra pocket left over from a previous day and used my sewing machine to stitch it in place along the top. Inside the pocket is a small piece of the white star transparency + a 
Tim Holtz Countdown Coin. 

DAY 14 VIDEO OVERVIEW


SUPPLIES

December Daily® 2015 Main Kit
December Daily® Holiday Circles Stamp Set
Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder
Versamark Embossing Ink
Heat Gun
Brother Sewing Machine
AE Precision Pen
White Star Transparency
Tim Holtz Countdown Coins


SHARE YOUR DAY 14

I'd love to have you share a link to your Day 14 album pages below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link.

New Story Theme Now Available | Old + New

Say hello to a new
Story Theme for my Story subscription program: Old + New.

Because life is a combination of old & new, now & then, and yesterday & today. Because stories that examine the sameness and the differences between our past and our present help us move forward into the future. Because it’s super fun to document stories that contrast old and new - thoughts, clothing, food, relationships, etc. 

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 Old + New:

One of the things I'm totally loving from the kit this month (besides those chipboard circles + the patch) is this non-gummed pad of 25 who, where, when and why 3x4 pages. 

And the
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 Old + New (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: 

And a couple peeks at the layouts I created with the kits this month (full details, including process videos and how-to handout, are included with subscription): 

Let's tell stories together!

December Daily® 2015 | Day Thirteen

Welcome to 
December Daily® 2015 | Day 13. 

Today I skipped the words and went with packaging and bits of paper collected around my house. It's a fun way to use the 2 inch x 2 inch pockets that tells it's own story via the images and words on the pieces of paper and packaging. 

This is a good day to remind you again that this album is not measured by any single day or any single story. It's the sum of all of them together that make it meaningful. 

Here's a look at Day 13 from my 
foundation pages post: 

Remember that I ended up moving the Day 12 to a full-page and moved Day 13 to the 12-pocket page. 

Here's how it looks in the album: 

One of my favorite things about this idea is looking for things to include. Consider receipts, packaging, things you read (like a devotional), tape (Amazon Prime tape), something you've been working on (I often look in my waste basket and/or recycling in my office to see if there's something to include), envelopes, magazines, catalogs, handwritten notes, etc. In the video I also mention it would be fun to keep little scraps of wrapping paper from presents received. I might end up adding that at the end of the album. 

DAY 13 | STEP BY STEP



SUPPLIES

December Daily® 2015 Main Kit
December Daily® Ashley G Mini Kit (#13)


SHARE YOUR DAY 13

I'd love to have you share a link to your Day 13 album pages below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link.

December Daily® 2015 | Day Twelve

Welcome to
December Daily® 2015 | Day 12. 

My story today is a bit of reflection and recognition of turning 40 this past November paired with a photo of an ornament I received when I was just a month old. 

Is there a story from the past year that makes sense to include or memorialize in this year's December Daily®? Maybe a birth or the passing of a loved one or a birthday or something else monumental? Is there a way to connect it with the Christmas season in one way or another? 

The other inspiration for my story today comes from some awesome pages that have been shared in the 
December Daily® 2015 Facebook Group - specially two different pages featuring ornaments - one from Geralyn Sy and the other from Sandra Price. 

Here's the one from 
Geralyn: 

And here's the one from Sandra (
Sandra if you have a blog let me know and I'll link it up here): 

I loved both for different reasons - I loved seeing the ornament collection (with numbers even) shot with the white background and I loved how Sandra is holding the ball ornament with the flannel shirt. Both just made me want to make something and tell a story about one of my ornaments. 

Here's what my Day 12 looked like in my foundation pages: 

Day 12 was originally the 12-pocket page protector. I'm just moving that to Day 13. 

And here's what it looks like now: 

Another very simple page featuring a 6 inch x 8 inch photo printed here at home on my 
Epson R2000. I love these full photo pages - always have and probably always will. This one features my hands holding my 1975 ornament. I took this on the table in my office that I use to take photos of my projects and ended up using my tripod so that I could hold the ornament with both hands. 

Also remember that you can adapt the red chipboard letters - the white "40" that you see above is actually the red letters included with the Main Kit simply embossed with a layer of 
white embossing powder.

My simple journaling for today:

This year in November I celebrated my 40th birthday. As we were decorating the tree this past week this ornament from the year of my birth 1975 felt even more special and precious. Holding it in my hand and closing my eyes I flashed-back - 40 years of Christmases, of birthdays, of life experiences, of lessons learned, of love, of travel, of loss and of beginnings. All of it together is my life so far. And I am so, so thankful for the whole of it.

Keep making it work for you my friends. Look and listen for the story that means the most to you today.

DAY 12 | STEP BY STEP 


SUPPLIES

December Daily® 2015 Main Kit
Ranger/Tim Holtz White Embossing Powder
Versamark Embossing Ink
Heat Gun
Epson R2000 Printer
Remington Noiseless Font
Pink Paislee Yuletide Stickers
Seven Paper Gold Stars

And I also wanted to share an image of 
my new collection of paints in use (using the star silkscreen from the December Daily® Main Kit): 

SHARE YOUR DAY 12

I'd love to have you share a link to your Day 12 album pages below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link.

Give Sunday | 49

This year, in honor of my 2015
One Little Word® "give," I'm sharing a hand-drawn quote each Sunday here on my blog.

Click here to read my initial post and download the #givesunday word art title and checklist for helping you to give a little something today. You can also view all the past #givesunday quotes via the archives. 

Click here to download the #givesunday 49 quote. Please note: If you are reading this post via email you need to click through to the actual blog post to download the file. 

You're invited to join me. What will you
give today?

Have a wonderful Sunday. 

December Daily® 2015 | Day Eleven

Welcome to 
December Daily® 2015 | Day 11. 

Today I created a I created my page using one of my 
December Stories Vol. 2 Layered Templates to tell the story of "down the hall" (journaling included below). I've included a video tutorial on how to work with my layered templates in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. There's also a step-by-step video below that talks about what I did after printing out that page. 

In other news today I'm excited to share that I now have a
collection of paints available in my shop. These are the same consistency of paint as the silver paint included in the December Daily® Main Kit:  

There is a
bundle option available or you can purchase them individually. And I have to tell you that one of the most fun things was coming up with the names - all names of places or spaces or culturally relevant things in Oregon and Washington. Love the Northwest. 

Here's Day 11 from my foundation pages post (it was essentially just the tag): 

And here's how it turned out in my actual album: 

Today is a great example of simply watching and listening for a story. This one happened to happen right as I was waking up and starting to walk down my hallway. I think I was struck by the feeling of loving seeing those twinkle lights first thing and the words "down the hall" came to mind and I immediately started thinking about the people down the hall from me. I grabbed my camera and took a few shots - some with it on the ground and some holding it about waist high. I ended up going with one of the waist high shots as you can see above.

Here's what I wrote for Day 11: 

In the very dark, very early morning hours I rise from my bed to begin my day. I stand in the doorway of my bedroom and look down the hall towards two small twinkling Christmas trees. Down the hall my two kids are fast asleep in their respective beds, dreaming of whatever it is that they each dream about at this time in their lives. I feel cozy and thankful and happy. I’ve been getting up at 5am for the last few months and I’m savoring the quiet darkness. It’s a time for me to have a hot cup of coffee and to get a bit of work done before getting the kids up and off to school on the days they are here with me. Down the hall I walk, closing each of their doors carefully and quietly so as not to wake them as I walk down the stairs to feed the cats, make some coffee and begin my day.

To house my photo and my words I decided to use a digital layered template from this set: December Stories Vol. 2 6x8. This package includes 12 different 6x8 layered templates that can be used for this and other memory keeping projects - they include places for words and photos and most include some kind of word art. Each element is on it's own layer so you can move things around and change colors and mask in your photos easily. A similar 4x6 layered template set is available here. 

This page was printed here at home using my Epson R2000 printer. 

Here's a look at all 12 of the layered templates: 

These are meant to be used in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and I've included a video tutorial for you on the step-by-steps of working with the templates here:

VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR WORKING WITH DECEMBER STORIES LAYERED TEMPLATES

If you are looking for more information on getting started with digital techniques like this check out my Getting Started With Digital Scrapbooking free collection of tutorials. 

I wanted to keep the #11 tag so I decided to simply punch holes (using the page protector holes as my guide) and include it as a page on it's own. On the back I adhered the sweater pattern paper from the Main Kit and added a red circle label sticker and the "joy" badge. Red and white twill ribbon is from Paper Source.

DAY 11 | STEP BY STEP


SUPPLIES

December Stories Layered Templates Vol. 2 6x8 (also available in 4x6)
RadLab (for photo editing within Photoshop)
Remington Noiseless Font
December Daily® 2015 Main Kit 
December Daily® 2015 One Little Bird Mini Kit
Paper Source Red & White Twill Ribbon
Epson R2000 Printer


SHARE YOUR DAY 11
I'd love to have you share a link to your Day 11 album pages below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link.

2016 Digital Creative Team Call

2016 is fast approaching and with that comes time to select a new Digital Creative Team. 

I'm super thankful for all the hard work the 2015 team put into their projects this year. We wish them all the best as they continue to craft the stories of their lives. 

For 2016 I'm looking for a small group of memory keepers who are interested in using my new digital products on their projects to be part of my Digital Creative Team. You can be digital or hybrid or traditional - or a mixture of all three - but the most important thing is that you have a passionate commitment to telling your story. 

If you are competent & creative using digital/printable products and are interested in having your work seen on my site in blog posts, as in-use product examples, and on my social media channels please email Katie (katie@aliedwards.com) the following: 

2-3 project examples
Links to your blog and any social media outlets your currently use
A list of any other design teams you are currently on

Please put "AE Digital Creative Team" in the subject of the email. 

Deadline to submit is December 21st, 2015.

You can check out all my new digital products here.

December Daily® 2015 | Day Ten

Welcome to 
December Daily® 2015 | Day 10. 

In Week Four of the Storytelling With December Daily® workshop I shared an idea for cutting up the Main Kit box (or any of the kit boxes) into two, 4 inch x 6 inch cards and then showed how to emboss using Gold Glitter Zing and the stamp set. Today I'm using those cards in my album as a home for "loving" lists written by my kids. 

Back on Day 06 I talked about how I like to include other people's voices in this album (on that day I included an email from my Mom). Last night I asked my kids to write up a list of 10 things they are "loving" or into right now. They were more willing than I anticipated and they sat right now and made it happen and I love having their written voices in this album. 

Here's a look at my Day 10 from my foundation pages post: 

And here's what I ended up with for Day 10: 

Day 10 includes a full page or pattern paper from Ashley's December Daily® Mini Kit + a #10 from the Emily Ley December Daily® Mini Kit + a green "celebrate always" sticker from the Main Kit. The second portion of the day are the two 4x6 pieces cut from the Main Kit box: 

I love these lists. Little peeks into their lives right now. I love how Anna drew around the word "loving" (totally her) and that included both Shopkins and food and her Advent calendar and her elf (Elf On The Shelf). I love how Simon included his interest in "historical figures" and "actors" - he's been researching both recently (specially historical figures related to characters from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) and sleeping and legos are still on his list.

I think this is the first time I've included a list like this of what they are actually "loving" or most interested in right now in their own voices. I often do these on my own, based on my own observations but it's so cool to have them come up with their own lists. 

On the front of the green star card I added a gold star + Simon's initial. Along the edge I added my favorite Avery Index Tabs. 

On the back side of the second card I repeated the same simple gold star + initial combination. 

Here's a look at the pages outside the album: 

DAY 10 | STEP BY STEP


SUPPLIES

December Daily® 2015 Main Kit (including the box)
Storytelling With December Daily® Stamp Set ("loving")
December Daily® Emily Ley Mini Kit (#10)
December Daily® Ashley G Mini Kit (tree pattern paper)
White Embossing Powder
Seven Paper Gold Chipboard Stars
Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder
Avery 2-Inch Index Tabs

SHARE YOUR DAY 10

I'd love to have you share a link to your Day 10 album pages below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link.