Ali Edwards's Blog, page 89
July 1, 2021
Projects + Product Releases | July
Hi Friends! Can you believe it's July? Today we’re sharing a monthly preview of upcoming projects and product releases. Please understand that some of these release dates may change and more information will be available prior to an individual release. This post is just to serve as a snapshot of things to come later in the month.
PRODUCT RELEASES
The Great Outdoors Collection // Later this month we will release a brand new collection with a fun outdoor/adventure theme. The Great Outdoors collection will include cards, embellishments, stamps, and more! More details, including a preview post, will be shared as we get closer. July Story Kit // On the 13th we’ll be revealing a new Story Kit theme, “&.” We can’t wait to share this one with you! Subscribe here.CLASSES
New Guest Storytellers in LAUGH Classroom // The first of the month means we have two new lessons in the LAUGH classroom. This month we are delighted to welcome Pam Baldwin and Meg Gundlach as Guest Storytellers. Learn more here. Travel Start To Finish 2 // Our brand new Travel Start To Finish 2 is now open for registration and classes start July 13th. In this awesome travel-themed workshop, Ali and four contributors will each be sharing their start-to-finish process for completing a travel album using our 2021 Travel Collection. This year, each of the ladies will be completing a different sized album: @aliedwards // plans to document a two-day camper van trip in a travelers notebook.@lindalovescreating // will be documenting six years worth of family trips to Cape Cod using a 6x8 album. @babz510 // will be documenting a recent family trip to Yosemite in a notebook-style album created from the craft envelope in the kit. @smultringunn // will be documenting a pre-kids trip to Utah/Nevada in the 3x8 album. @kimdocumentslife // is using the 9x12 album to document a recent family trip to Emerald Isle, NC. Register for our Travel Workshop here.New Photography Class // We’re thrilled to bring you a brand new photography class taught by Creative Team member Lisa Varshine. In this class, Lisa and her contributors will be talking about their personal photography approaches while sharing tips, tricks, and exercises to help you capture moments that are spontaneous and authentic in order to tell a more complete story of your lives. This class will be a departure from Ali’s classic photography class, Lens of Joy, in that it focuses on finding your voice as photographer and taking a deeper dive into in-camera choices. Class content each week will include a live panel discussion with all of the contributors to further explore class topics and address student questions.
SALES
Christmas in July Sale // We’re excited to offer promotions surrounding past December Daily® items including digitals & classes. We’ll share more informationSTORY CHATS
Story Chat | & // Ali will be LIVE on the Ali Edwards Design Inc Instagram account on Monday, July 12th to talk about story ideas related to this month’s theme. Tune in to ask questions and chat about the stories you want to tell this month. We’re excited to have Ali, several creative team members, and host, Lisa Varshine joining us this month. The chat will be live at 4pm PT/7pm ET and recorded on both the Instagram Television channel (IGTV) and in the Story Classroom.July is going to be a great month! Thank you for being part of this community.
For The Love Of Books | May + June 2021
Happy July!
I'm super happy to be getting back to a little more consistent reading and having simply been making the choice to read whenever I can.
Do you guys rate your books? All the ones I read in the last two months I gave four stars (on Goodreads) simply because I enjoyed them for one reason or another. Enjoyment for me generally means that the book kept my attention and I was glad I read it.
Here's what I read the last two months:
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Short, powerful novel - the best kind that helps create compassion in the reader.
No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood | I started this book a couple months ago and found it really hard to focus on the writing style. I had to re-read many of the passages to even come close to making sense of what she was writing. At times it felt like reading a foreign language I was only partially proficient at understanding. I didn’t hate it for that - I gave her credit for a unique writing style. I picked it back up again a couple days ago when I reorganized books I’ve partially read and was profoundly moved by the shift in the story and how that same style of storytelling could touch me so deeply. Her reflections on that life experience felt so completely universal and the writing was brutally beautiful.
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave | Thriller. Super fast engaging read. It's the kind of book that always pulls me back into reading again.
In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn | This is one of those books that will stick with me. It was beautiful + intense + gave me all kinds of things to think about related to our experience as humans.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalia Harris | I think I'm going to read this one again at some point because there were so many things going on that I think I missed the first time around.
When The Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain | Slow burn mystery. Challenging + heavy topics. Kept my interest.
Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy | Quick read. Enjoyed the twists.
June 25, 2021
In Case You Missed It | June 25
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:
TRAVEL COLLECTION UPDATES
We’re so grateful for your enthusiastic response to this year’s Travel Collection. Here are a few updates related to the release:
All digitals for this collection will be released Friday, July 2nd. Stamp UpdatesGetaway 4x6 : currently available for preorderLabel 3x4 : currently available for preorder Map 6x8 : collecting “notify me” alerts Road Trip 4x6 : will be collecting “notify me” alerts if it sells out (not sold out, but fewer than 5 left) All of these stamps will ship for free, but won’t ship till late September. Preorder for these stamps (and any that roll over to preorder) will close on June 28th. We’re so sorry for the delay in this shipment but our stamp manufacture is experiencing significant delays. *Heads up: if you purchased a stamp set before it rolls over to preorder, and you are seeing a preorder note in your order, please disregard. This note only applies to those who purchased the stamp AFTER it transitioned to preorder. Sorry for any confusion. Regarding the Map 6x8 stamp (sold out) and the Road Trip 4x6 stamp (fewer than 5 left), we need to collect a certain number of “notify me” alerts before we can open them up for preorder. If we hit that requisite number, we will send an email Monday letting you know it is open for preorder. On Monday, if a stamp opens to preorder, we will likely only have one day for you to complete the preorder process as we have a short window to submit these orders. The main kit has sold out and we will not be restocking it. Other items from this collection that sell out will also not be restocked (with the exception of the stamps mentioned above). We may reorder albums in the future, but cannot guarantee that at this point.
CLASSES
Travel Start To Finish 2 is now available for registration! In this awesome travel-themed workshop, Ali and four contributors will each be sharing their start-to-finish process for completing a travel album using our 2021 Travel Collection. This year, each of the ladies will be completing a different sized album:Ali // plans to document a two-day camper van trip in a travelers notebook. Linda // will be documenting six years worth of family trips to Cape Cod using a 6x8 album. Barbara // will be documenting a recent family trip to Yosemite in a notebook-style album created from the craft envelope in the kit. Ingunn // will be documenting a pre-kids trip to Utah/Nevada in the 3x8 album. Kim// is using the 9x12 album to document a recent family trip to Emerald Isle, NC.Class starts July 13th. Click here for more information about the class, and to register.CRAFT THE STORY YOUTUBE SERIES
Ali has family in town this week and is taking a few days off. There will not be a video today. Look for Ali’s next episode on Friday, July 2nd.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!
AE Creative Team | June Stories By The Month™ Digital Kits
Summer stories are here, and today we are delighted to share the awesome projects our Creative Team created using our June Stories by the Month™ Digital Kits.
As always, we are so grateful to our Creative Team for sharing their stories and creative inspiration with all of us!
June 22, 2021
Travel Collection 2021 Preview
Welcome to the preview post for our 2021 Travel Collection.
Here are details to know about this release:
The Travel Collection will be live this Thursday, June 24th at 9am Pacific. SHIPPING: $20 flat rate international shipping on the purchase of $79 from the Travel Collection category with the code READYTOTRAVEL (good through 6/30/21 at 11:59pm Eastern). Free shipping is available for domestic customers when you purchase $79. Our travel workshop Start To Finish #02 will also launch for registration this Thursday. Join me, Ingunn Markiewicz, Linda Jordan, Barbara Picinich, and Kim Chaffin as we each walk you through the steps to create a travel album using either a 9x12, 6x8, 3x8, or travelers notebook. Class begins July 13th and as with all our workshops you can go at your own pace and access the content at your own convenience. Check out other travel related workshops: Start To Finish #01, Stories Of Travel, Travel Product Play #1, and Travel Product Play #2.
Let's dive in to the preview video:
Here's a look at the options this year:
This year we've got three album options available with this collection. We've got two pleather options and one printed chipboard option.
This is the same color as our 6x8 Greige Pleather album.
Here's a sample from the inside:
The interior of this notebook includes dot pages, patterns, quotes, and titled/prompt pages.
Thank you so much for the support! If you have questions please feel free to leave them below.
June 21, 2021
Summer Stories Notebook | Adding An Insert
Last weekend we had our first Stamp Your Story community day and it was super fun + inspiring (it was $5 and all content has been archived + recorded if you wanted to check out the content). During that event I put together another spread in my summer story notebook using stamps as the jumping off point and then playing around with adding an insert between the two pages.
Here's a look at how this came together:
And here are the still images:
Art Of Noticing Notebook Filled In Speech Bubble Stamp Set Gratitude Stamp Set AED Tillamook Ink AED Honeyman Ink Ranger Buttercup Archival Ink Ranger Distress Spiced Marmalade Ink June Stories By The Month Kit Rolling Date Stamp Black Memento Ink
June 18, 2021
In Case You Missed It | June 18
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 at 4pm EST with all the updates and links that have happened throughout the week. So, let's get to it:
TRAVEL COLLECTION UPDATE
We’re thrilled to finally share the official release date for our 2021 Travel Collection: next Thursday, June 24th. Next Tuesday, the 22nd, Ali will share a blog post with all of the details, including videos, photos, prices, etc. We will be communicating the exact time of the release as well as the shipping promotion as we get those details finalized. Thank you so much for your patience and enthusiasm for this collection!!CLASSES
Tomorrow is Stamp Your Story Live! This $5 community stamp day will be live on the 19th and then recordings of all the content will be available to enjoy at your own pace afterwards. Find all the class details and registration here.CRAFT THE STORY YOUTUBE SERIES
In today's Craft The Story video (Episode 24) Ali is sharing a look at how she put together a spread in her Summer Stories Notebook and also includes a short tutorial on creating your own layered templates in Photoshop. Watch the video here.CREATIVE TEAM
Our creative team is sharing their projects using the July Stories by the Month™ Kits over on the blog. You don’t want to miss the beautiful pages these ladies have put together. Read it 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!
A Summer Story + How To Make Your Own Layered Template In Photoshop
In today's Craft The Story video (Episode 24) I’m sharing a look at how I put together a spread in my Stories Of Summer Notebook and also includes a short tutorial on creating your own layered templates in Photoshop.
Also a quick reminder that tomorrow, Saturday, June 19th, is our first $5 Stamp Your Story Community Day hosted by Laura Wonsik. Laura's planned a full day of education, inspiration, and tips all focused on using stamps in your memory keeping projects. This should be great content for beginners + a fun refresh for those of you who love to stamp. I'll be there hanging out all day + playing along as well as sharing a new process video during hour #9. As with all our community event days all the content will be recorded + archived for future viewing so no worries if you don't want to have your face stuck in a screen all day. You can also pop in and out when it makes sense for your own schedule. Get all the details + register here.
Let's dive in:
Circle Scrapbook Kit Art Of Noticing Notebook Plastic Sunshine Add On (available now to subscribers) Fabric Circle Add On (from a previous month) 2 Inch Circle Punch Corner Rounder June Stories By The Month™ Kit AED McKenzie Ink (dark green) Memento Black Ink Pigma Micron Pen 02 POSCA Paint Pens Epson PictureMate PM400 Printer Epson XP15000 Printer Scotch Rolling Adhesive Tiny Attacher
June 16, 2021
AE Creative Team | July 2021 Stories by the Month™ Physical Kit
Stories of sunshine. Stories of outdoor adventures. Stories of celebrating what is good. Today we are delighted to share the special projects made by our awesome Creative Team using the July 2021 Stories by the Month™ Physical Kit.
And just as a note: although this kit is currently sold out, the past few months we have able to add more subscribers from the waitlist and we hope to do the same this month. So if you are interested in subscribing, please be sure to join the waitlist.
Amy Gretchen
Elizabeth Heinz
Ingunn Markiewicz
Jennie Rey
As always, we are so grateful to our Creative Team for sharing their stories and creative inspiration with all of us!
June 14, 2021
Documenting Summer 2021 | Bucket List
This past weekend I wrote up a short bucket list for this summer in my summer stories notebook. You can read more about the start for this project here.
I filmed myself setting up this page and decided to just add music for the video this time:
This also reminded me of some projects I've done in previous summers (a number of years ago now): Summer Manifesto 2012 and Summer Manifesto 2013 Album (includes PSD files).
Art Of Noticing Notebook Vicki Boutin Blue Pattern Paper Lined Alpha Stamp Set Inks: Tillamook, Memento Black POSCA Paint Pens Rolling Date Stamp Corner Rounder Slick Writer Pen
