Ali Edwards's Blog, page 53
February 2, 2023
Make A Page With Ali : Chipboard Frames + Bold Type
Today's Make A Page With Ali project features a story about Anna + Audrey + their shared passion for volleyball.
Let's dive into the video:
Here's a closer look at this page via images:
My foundation for this story are two pattern papers: one from the Black + White Scrapbook Kit and one from the Tag Scrapbook Kit. I knew that I wanted to use these fun chipboard frames from the Remember Story Kit so I printed out Anna + Audrey's new club volleyball photos and printed out journaling which was set up in Photoshop with a black background + white text on top. I paired those frames with one of the speech bubble die cuts from the Remember Story Kit (adhered with foam adhesive so it would stick up a bit from the back).
I love that this is the kind of page that could easily just be the second one (with the words + photos) AND if you wanted to do something more graphic you can add a page of big text like this with whatever word or words you wanted based on the story you are telling.
On top of the Black + White Scrapbook Kit pattern paper I added the die cut letters spelling "volleyball" over and over again. I used a bold alpha metal die from Scrapbook.com and my Sizzix Big Shot to cut those all out from white cardstock. This takes a bit of time but I actually really enjoyed taking my time. You can also achieve a similar look with stamps on cardstock or use an electronic die cutting machine like a Silhouette to cut these out all at once.
On top of the chipboard frames I added a couple clear phrase stickers from a past One Little Word® kit.
I also used a fun rose gold glitter paper (similar option) with the alpha die to signify the girls names and cut out a couple small stars from the same paper in order to add them both pages (a nice bit of repetition across both pages).
Bold text like this is so fun! I bet you have a story to tell that could use some bold text as a background or for the whole story.
Tag Scrapbook Kit Pattern Paper Fiskars Trimmer 6 Hole Punch Rolling Adhesive Red Line Tape Epson PictureMate PM400 Scrapbook.com Alpha Die Set Sissix Die Cutting Machine Remember Story Kit Chipboard Frames Rose Gold Glitter Paper (similar) Black + White Scrapbook Kit Pattern Paper (digital option) Rolling Date Stamp Clear Word/Phrase Stickers from previous releases
January 31, 2023
Join Us For "Pieces Of Play" Next Week
Quick reminder that you are invited to join me next week as I embarks on the next chapter in our Pieces Of Life project: Pieces Of Play.
Pieces Of Life is a project that consists of two different themes each year. Our first theme for 2023 is
Pieces Of Play and our second theme later this year will be Pieces Of Joy. Past themes include Pieces Of Me, Pieces Of Home, and Pieces Of The Past. You can see the available products to support these projects here.
Each project consists of seven storytelling prompts - one for each day over the course of the week. I've been using notebooks to document these stories but you can choose your own adventure and simply share these prompts on Instagram, in a traditional scrapbook, in pocket pages, or even in a personal journal.
For
Pieces Of Play the prompts will be as follows:
Monday: Right Now I Play
Make a list of the games, sports, art, etc that you engage in currently. Do you consider yourself someone who loves to play or someone who is more resistant? At different stages in our lives we tend to be more or less connected to play: where are you at in your own life right now?
Tuesday: What I Loved To Play As A Kid
Looking back, what was your favorite way to play when you were growing up? Did you love organized activities or unstructured play? Did you play sports? Did you draw, paint, or embark on other kinds of creative play?
Wednesday: Play Sounds Like
Make a list of what your own version of play sounds like. Think about the sounds you encounter when you are playing and document them. Is it loud or quiet? Are you on your own or participating in a group?
Thursday: Playful Memory
Think back in your life to a really fun memory of play (or something more recent). How old were you? What were you playing? What makes it such a vivid memory for you? Who was involved? Is it something that you still play?
Friday: Something I've Learned From Play
Play teaches us a variety of things (many of which we learn when we are kids). What have you learned from play in your life? How has what you have learned from play helped you in your life?
Saturday: Play Date
When was the last time you played simply for the sake of playing? When was the last time you got together with a friend for an actual play date where there were few expectations for an outcome? Consider planning a play date for today - with someone in your life or on your own - and embarking on it. Tell that story.
Sunday: Why I Play
Have you ever written out or responded to the question of why you play? Why does play matter for you? What role does it make up in your own life? Why do you still play or seek out opportunities to play?
As Ali states in the "thoughts on the prompts" section of the notebook:
We all have a story. This practice is a wonderful opportunity to focus on some pieces of play that make up the chapters of your life. Enjoy this chance to take a closer look at the ways you play. No photos for some or all of these prompts? No problem. Do an internet search for a favorite toy (or draw a picture) or take a photo of something that reminds you of that time or event or use pattern papers to illustrate your story. You've got this!
We do have some of the notebooks available either in the physical if you'd like to collect your stories in that format. The Pieces Of Play stamp set is also available here. Digital versions of the notebook and stamp will be available in the shop this Friday.
I also put together a printable PDF in case notebook documenting isn't the method you'd like to use for this project and you'd like to have a place to jot down notes or your story.
January 30, 2023
December Daily® 2022 | Special Guest Kelly Ishmael
Hello everyone. I am delighted to be here with you today to share my completed December Daily® 2022 album.
It was love at first sight for me with the gorgeous floral 6x8 album and therefore a no-brainer for what size album I would use this year.
As for the other products, I also used the main kit and a few other items from the collection.
My intention this year was to document the simple joys of the season. And for me, joy and gratitude go hand in hand so I used the numbers strips from the main kit to document a daily gratitude.
I didn't do much in the way foundation pages this year, but I picked out some of my favorite products and jotted down some notes with ideas. Some years I'm a little more prepared and some years I just go with the flow.
I was a little slow to get started, but once I finally cut into that first sheet of patterned paper (what is that so hard???!!! lol) I was able to gain some momentum. Many of my pages were inspired by the awesome ideas that were shared in this year's Product Play class.
I also love translating ideas from Ali and this creative community to work with my stories and my design aesthetic.
The beautiful patterned papers were one of my favorite things from this year's collection and I took the opportunity to use them throughout my album.
I had completed days 1-10 before Christmas, so after the holidays I took a look at my photos and stories and mapped out my remaining days with some really rough sketches. I fleshed out those ideas in smaller batches as a worked through my layouts.
During this process, I also set out my favorite products in plain sight. Limiting my choices always helps me during this part of the process so I don't get bogged down in overthinking design ideas. Because overthinking things and making them harder than they need to be is one of my talents in life. lol
Towards the end, another consideration for me was the thickness of my album (already). So as I moved forward, I tried to limit the interactive elements and/or bulky embellishments.
Dear Ali and Katie, I used up all those little glitter stars in my stash so I'm going to need about million more of those for next year. <<wink>>
December Daily® is truly a labor of love and the payoff is having a tangible connection to my December memories. That said, I am also very happy and relieved to have this project behind me.
If you would like to see more, I have a video walkthrough on YouTube as well as a gallery of images on my website.
Let me know if you have any questions. And as always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to share my stories and my projects with you.
January 27, 2023
In Case You Missed It | January 27
Happy Friday, friends! Welcome to the latest
In Case You Missed It. Just a reminder that this is a quick post that will happen every Friday afternoon with all the updates and links that have happened throughout the week. So, let's get to it:
STORY PLAY COLLECTION UPDATES
Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support around this release! We have a few updates regarding the collection: 1) Our Story Play 3x4 Stamp Bundle is now available for preorder. The preorder period will close this Sunday, January 29th. These stamps will ship in the early to mid March timeframe and will arrive in time to document Day In The Life; 2) We were able to create a bundle of the three remaining Story Play Mini Kits: Day In The Life, Facts + Feelings, and Little Moments. This bundle is available now in the shop and allows you to grab these kits at a discounted rate. Digitals for this collection will be available next Friday, February 3rd and will include options to purchase the album and packaging art. We still have several items from the collection available. Don’t forget our shipping special runs until January 31st. Use promo code STORYSHIP to get free shipping ($20 international) on orders of $75+ in the Story Play category. Shop the collection now here.
2023 PROJECTS + PRODUCTS OVERVIEW
Last week on the blog Ali shared an overview presentation of our schedule of projects + product releases for the upcoming year. We are sharing this as a way for you to plan, think about what you might want to participate in this year, and simply share some of the things we have coming up to help support + inspire storytelling. For the last few years we've followed a fairly similar cadence for our releases and our major projects will follow that release schedule again this year. Please note that, as you might imagine, this schedule is subject to change throughout the year based on a variety of variables. Head to the blog now for Ali's video, as well as a handy pdf download.
MAKE A PAGE WITH ALI
This year Ali is starting a new simple series called Make A Page With Ali. Head to the blog now for her process video using the Tag Scrapbook Kit.
ONE LITTLE WORD® DIGITALS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
The 2023 One Little Word® Digitals are here! Kits, Stamps, Paper, and Embellishments...the same fun & festive designs as the physical One Little Word® products, only in digital format. We love to see how this incredibly creative community plays with digitals! Resizing elements and cards, adding journaling to papers, creating cut files, transforming files into transparencies, the sky is the limit with digital files. Shop digitals here.
NEW CLASS | PLAN, PREP, PLAY
Are you looking to set yourself up for success as you dive into crafting in the new year? In our newest class, Plan, Prep & Play, @lindalovescreating will help you do just that! In this class, we are going to explore goal setting and project planning specifically for memory keepers, discussing and applying various techniques that are adaptable to a variety of lifestyles and crafting approaches. You do not need to be a self-proclaimed “Type A” personality to participate in this class; instead, this class is designed to help you find a system of project planning that works for you. We are going to learn techniques and tips for how to select projects, break them down into actionable steps, and celebrate following through on our intentions. We hope to see you in the classroom. Learn more here.
As always, we’re so grateful to have you all as members of this community! Thanks for joining me today and have a great weekend!
January 26, 2023
Make A Page With Ali : Tag Scrapbook Kit Number 02
My new Make A Page With Ali series continues today + I'm actually sharing two pages in this post/video.
This one starts off using another pattern paper from the Tag Scrapbook Kit to create a fun, interactive tag page telling a little story about Anna right now. After I finished that one up I decided I wanted to add a story to the back of the tags right away vs. leaving it for another time (so fun to be in a groove).
Let's dive in to the video:
Here's a closer look at the pages:
STORY NUMBER 01
This page started off with a full page photo and two of the pattern papers from the Tag Scrapbook Kit. The photo of Anna + her friends walking towards my car after school was the jumping off point for this story and I knew I could use the tags to tell more of the story whether I used the full size pattern paper or cut out the tags.
I decided to cut out the tags and use a 6x8 page attacher as the base for the story.
After cutting out the tags from the pattern paper I started the process of figuring out how this was going to come together. I decided to use a stamp with large scripted words (I think this one was offered with Week In The Life™ last year) as a title on the top of each tag.
To create the tag flip ups I used the blank tags (the ones I stamped "remember" on to) as the base and then used a strip of cardstock to create the flip up. The strip of cardstock is folded in half and adhered to both the top tags (the one with the numbers + then the tag photos) and the bottom tag to create the flip.
I dove into my stash of circles to add embellishments to the front of the tags. I grabbed two puffy circles and one fabric circle.
Along the outside edge of the tags I added ribbon.
You can see here how I printed and cropped photos that go on the underside of the number tags.
This is such a fun way to create an interactive story-focused page!
Make sure to check out the video to see the full step by step on how I set up this tag page.
STORY NUMBER 02
Story number 02 is built on the back side of the tags (I did use a little scotch tape to secure them together before I started this process).
For this page I decided to go with another full photo foundation + sized my image to be 5 inches wide x 8.25 inches tall and then I cut it with my craft knife to fit around the background tag shape.
I cut a small piece of Grafix Transparency and stitched it to the background photo and also added some more of that scalloped washi tape I can't seem to stop adding to my projects.
For this page I used one of the vellum tags from the subscriber Add On options this month as the base for my journaling. I measured a text box, did a test print on white paper, and then used washi tape to adhere the vellum tag to the same location on that white paper. It did up coming out a little crooked (I should have used more washi tape to hold it in place) but I'm using it because I really like these vellum tags + it's good enough!
The tag then slips into the pocket that's built on the photo foundation. On top of the pocket I added a chipboard circle from the January 2023 Stories By The Month kit and then used a POSCA Paint Pen to draw the circle on top.
The other thing I added when adding the ribbon on the top was a chipboard 3 from my stash (you can see it through the vellum). The three goes along with the story I'm telling about me + Anna + Simon watching a movie together.
SUPPLIESTag Scrapbook Kit
Fiskars Trimmer
6 Hole Punch
We Are Memory Keepers Hole Punch
Scalloped Washi Tape
JIHEKJ Pen
Vellum Tag Bundle Flags
6x8 Page Attachers
Grosgrain Ribbon
Puffy Circles + Fabric Circles from past offerings
Tiny Attacher
Long Stamp Block
Stamp Shammy
Shammy Container
Rolling Adhesive
Grid Washi Tape
POSCA White Paint Pen
Grafix Transparent Sheets
Red Line Tape
Epson XP15000 Printer
January 23, 2023
Story Play | 2023 Collection Preview
For the last few years we've come together to document Day In The Life™ on two different documenting days. When our team was looking ahead to this year we decided to mix things up and change the way we were offering that particular kit. As we brainstormed the idea for a Story Play collection was born.
Story Play is an opportunity to tell stories together outside of our monthly subscriptions. This year's collection includes four intentionally designed, universal themes and for each theme our team will be coming together to share a week of content/ideas/inspiration related to the particular theme.
This collection will be available this Wednesday, January 25th at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific.
The four themed kits that are all available now and can be purchased individually or in a bundle. Here are a list of the themes and the month's we will be inviting you to join us in documenting this year:
Day In The Life™ (March) Photography (April) Facts + Feelings (July) Little Moments (September)
Each kit includes a 7 inch x 8.25 inch sheet of vellum, two 7 inch x 8.25 inch story prompt papers or pattern paper, chipboard, 3 inch x 4 inch cards, and a sticker sheet. These kits are simple foundations upon which you can get some of the stories from your own life told.
Digital kits will be available on the first Friday in February.
In addition to the kits we are also offering a 6x8 album, a set of transparencies with holes already punched, an alpha sticker sheet, and a number sticker sheet.
Here's a video overview of this collection:
Let's take a look at each of the pieces in this collection below:
Bundle: $54.99
Individual Kits: $14.99DAY IN THE LIFE™ // DOCUMENTING IN MARCH
For Day In The Life™ this year we are inviting you to document your day via the lens of everyday colors.
Bundle: $38.99Individual Stamps: $10.99
January 20, 2023
In Case You Missed It | January 20
Happy Friday, friends! Welcome to the latest
In Case You Missed It. Just a reminder that this is a quick post that will happen every Friday afternoon with all the updates and links that have happened throughout the week. So, let's get to it:
Today on the blog Ali is sharing an overview presentation of our schedule of projects + product releases for the upcoming year. We are sharing this as a way for you to plan, think about what you might want to participate in this year, and simply share some of the things we have coming up to help support + inspire storytelling. For the last few years we've followed a fairly similar cadence for our releases and our major projects will follow that release schedule again this year. Please note that, as you might imagine, this schedule is subject to change throughout the year based on a variety of variables. Head to the blog now for Ali's video, as well as a handy pdf download. https://aliedwards.com/2023/01/an-overview-of-our-...MAKE A PAGE WITH ALI
This year Ali is starting a new simple series called Make A Page With Ali. Head to the blog now for her process video using the Tag Scrapbook Kit.
SUBSCRIBE AND GET A FREE MYSTERY KIT
Stay inspired all year long with a monthly subscription that best fits your storytelling style. Maybe you are documenting month-by-month, telling prompt-based stories, approaching digitally, or simply writing, there is a subscription designed to support your journey. This month only, we are sending a free mystery kit along with your first shipment when you begin a new Story Kit™, Stories By The Month™ or Story Stamp™ subscription. Simply find vour subscription below and enter the coordinating promo code at checkout.
Story Kits™ are designed to spark inspiration as you tell the stories of your life. Each month introduces a new theme and coordinates with our monthly Story Class full of innovative ideas. In this subscription, you will find an assortment of journal cards, papers, and various embellishments to get your stories told. Use promo code BOGOSK23 to get a free mystery kit with your first shipment when you subscribe this month.
The Story Stamp™ is perfect for anyone looking to build a collection of intentional, story-focused clear stamps. Geared towards memory keepers, these products and the corresponding educational content act as sparks to help document and celebrate the stories of your life. Gain free access to Story Class ($20 value) when you subscribe to both Story Stamp™M and Story Kit™m Use promo code BOGOSS23 to get a free mystery stamp with your first shipment when you subscribe this month.
Stories By The Month™ is designed for anyone who plans to tell stories on a month-by-month, chronological basis. In this kit, you will find journal cards, papers, and various embellishments to support your stories that naturally occur in a calendar year. This subscription also includes access to our new Inspiration By The Month class content! Use promo code BOGOSBTM23 to get a free mystery kit with your first shipment when you subscribe this month.
Learn more about our subscriptions via the link in our bio. Today is the last day to shop our End of Year Sale! Stock up on past kits, components, and add-ons at their lowest prices to date. Shop the sale
here.
ONE LITTLE WORD® DIGITALS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
The 2023 One Little Word® Digitals are here! Kits, Stamps, Paper, and Embellishments...the same fun & festive designs as the physical One Little Word® products, only in digital format. We love to see how this incredibly creative community plays with digitals! Resizing elements and cards, adding journaling to papers, creating cut files, transforming files into transparencies, the sky is the limit with digital files. Shop digitals here.
NEW CLASS | PLAN, PREP, PLAY
Are you looking to set yourself up for success as you dive into crafting in the new year? In our newest class, Plan, Prep & Play, @lindalovescreating will help you do just that! In this class, we are going to explore goal setting and project planning specifically for memory keepers, discussing and applying various techniques that are adaptable to a variety of lifestyles and crafting approaches. You do not need to be a self-proclaimed “Type A” personality to participate in this class; instead, this class is designed to help you find a system of project planning that works for you. We are going to learn techniques and tips for how to select projects, break them down into actionable steps, and celebrate following through on our intentions. We hope to see you in the classroom. Learn more here.
As always, we’re so grateful to have you all as members of this community! Thanks for joining me today and have a great weekend!
An Overview Of Our 2023 Projects + Products
As we continuing easing into 2023 I put together a little overview presentation of our schedule of projects + product releases for the upcoming year.
We are sharing this as a way for you to plan, think about what you might want to participate in this year, and simply share some of the things we have coming up to help support + inspire storytelling. For the last few years we've followed a fairly similar cadence for our releases and our major projects will follow that release schedule again this year.
Please note that, as you might imagine, this schedule is subject to change throughout the year based on a variety of variables.
We put together a PDF for those of you who might want to print it out and refer back to it throughout the year.
Here's to a year of getting stories told in a way that's sustainable + enjoyable + meaningful.
January 19, 2023
Make A Page With Ali : Tag Scrapbook Kit 01
This year I'm starting a new simple series called Make A Page With Ali.
As you might have read already, my memory keeping intention this year is to simply tell more stories (no matter the size, style, etc). This is me bringing a part of that intention to life.
A couple ideas to try on your next page:
Full page photo foundation that spreads across two pages. In Photoshop I sized this photo 14 inches wide x 8.25 inches tall and printed it here at home using my Espon XP15000 printer + 13 inch x 19 inch photo paper. You can read more about the printers I use here. Cut out tags from a pattern paper and use those to tell your story. You could identify four things within your photo to document or tell a story that spreads across the four tags.Here's a look at my process for this page:
Here are additional images:
The tags for this page come from a pattern paper in our Tag Scrapbook Kit. I designed a variety of papers in that kit that can be used as a jumping off point for your stories right on the paper or you can cut out the shapes like I did here to use them as a home for your story in a different design.
I paired those cut out tags with two of the vellum flags from our Vellum Tag Bundle (an Add On for subscribers this month that you can add next month on the 10th).
I also used more of that Doodlebug Scalloped Washi Tape along the bottom. I love that set so much + can't stop using it!
Go tell a story!
SUPPLIESTag Scrapbook Kit
Fiskars Trimmer6 Hole PunchWe Are Memory Keepers Hole PunchFoam Adhesive SquaresScalloped Washi TapeGold Brads (similar)JIHEKJ PenVellum Tag Bundle FlagsPaper PiercerRolling Date StampEpson XP15000 PrinterEpson 13x19 Photo Paper
Make A Page With Ali : Tag Scrapbook Kit
This year I'm starting a new simple series called Make A Page With Ali.
As you might have read already, my memory keeping intention this year is to simply tell more stories (no matter the size, style, etc). This is me bringing a part of that intention to life.
A couple ideas to try on your next page:
Full page photo foundation that spreads across two pages. In Photoshop I sized this photo 14 inches wide x 8.25 inches tall and printed it here at home using my Espon XP15000 printer + 13 inch x 19 inch photo paper. You can read more about the printers I use here. Cut out tags from a pattern paper and use those to tell your story. You could identify four things within your photo to document or tell a story that spreads across the four tags.
Here's a look at my process for this page:
Here are additional images:
The tags for this page come from a pattern paper in our Tag Scrapbook Kit. I designed a variety of papers in that kit that can be used as a jumping off point for your stories right on the paper or you can cut out the shapes like I did here to use them as a home for your story in a different design.
I paired those cut out tags with two of the vellum flags from our Vellum Tag Bundle (an Add On for subscribers this month that you can add next month on the 10th).
I also used more of that Doodlebug Scalloped Washi Tape along the bottom. I love that set so much + can't stop using it!
Go tell a story!
SUPPLIESTag Scrapbook KitFiskars Trimmer6 Hole PunchWe Are Memory Keepers Hole PunchFoam Adhesive SquaresScalloped Washi TapeGold Brads (similar)JIHEKJ PenVellum Tag Bundle FlagsPaper PiercerRolling Date StampEpson XP15000 PrinterEpson 13x19 Photo Paper
