Skip to content

We use cookies

By choosing “Accept all,” you agree to the storage of cookies on your device for functional, analytical, and advertising purposes. To learn more, please see our privacy policy.
Ali Edwards Design Inc.
Sign in / Sign up Cart

CKU-A

Tags:

I had an amazing experience these last few days at CKU-A in Dallas. It was the best.


Currently I am sitting in Salt Lake City waiting for my flight back to Eugene. I am filled with emotions from this event. I have been to three previous CKU's and there was something so very different about this one. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but it was so, so special. It was definitely more focused - with everything pretty much centered around the idea of albums. There was an overwhelming sense of comraderie. Having the students spend more time together in a group (based on their album track) really fostered friendships. I was lucky to have circular tables in my classroom that was also a blessing for space as well as conversation.


I met wonderful, fantastic women.


I began working on my preparation for this event last October. For the last six months I have been thinking, dreaming, contemplating, organizing, planning, obsessing, procrastinating, feeling frustrated, and feeling so excited I could hardly stand it about this event. Coming up with a teachable concept was very important to me - as was creating something that was different. Something that was content & design heavy. Something that would have meaning in the lives of the students who chose to take my album track.


I had an emotional investment in the project as well. I wanted to emphasize the beauty of the simple things in our everyday lives. And how cool to look back a year, five years, twenty years from now and see precisely the things they were doing during a particular time period.


My goal was for my students to be able to complete their album. I am pretty sure that no one completed their album...it took much longer than I anticipated. One of my suggestions for the event staff will be to increase the amount of time in the album track class - especially begin that class on the first day so that the first crop can be used as a time to work on their albums if they wish.


I was blessed with a room full of women who worked hard before coming to class to work on their homework and document their week. Many of them told me how much they enjoyed that process in and of itself. The idea is to document the everyday. The photos and journaling that they brought were perfect - looking through the pages they did complete was so cool. Seeing their lives right there - the things they eat, the work they do, the things they are grateful for from day to day was so cool.


I was grateful to them for their input in ways I could improve the instructions (thanks for forgiving my mistakes). For their patience. For their enthusiasm. For their compliments. For their questions. For their smiling faces. And for their dedication to working through the project. I will never forget this group of women.


One of the things I always love about CKU's is being able to connect with many of my scrapbooking friends. I got to spend lots of time with Britney. Love you girl. From the moment we met up in SLC throughout the entire event you were such a HUGE support. Thank you for all your help and I feel so blessed that we got a chance to get to know each other better - I imagine we will be friends for a long time.


And Carrie - so glad you were able to drive up. Meeting your Aunt Chris was such a wonderful peek into your "real" world. Thanks for all your help yesterday. Can't believe it has been so long since we last saw each other in person. And thanks to Aunt Chris for the awesome toasted chesse sandwiches and pinot noir (divine).


Heading home to decompress. To sleep. To figure out what I can do to make the next class even better. To spend time with my boys. To be thankful for the opportunities I have had over the last couple of years to meet and connect with so many women in a hobby that is so very personal.

Related posts

Comments

Sign in or sign up to comment.

14 comments