Now Enrolling
In 2006 Ali began the tradition of choosing one word for herself each January – a word she could focus on + get curious about as she went about her daily life over the course of a year. Her words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, story, light, up, open, thrive, give, whole, connect, space, habit, less, heart, pause, joy and wild (2024). Each word has become an individual thread that weaves together stories of her life. They’ve been imbedded into who she is + into who she is becoming. They’ve helped her to breathe deeper, to see clearer, to embrace mistakes, and to grow. At the end of 2019 Ali felt moved to change the way she was running this workshop and invited a group of people to join her in co-leading this adventure. Her goal was to bring in other voices, perspectives, and life experiences and to make it more about the wonderful, wholehearted community that comes together around this project. Each monthly prompt (available on the first of each month) is designed to invite you back into conversation with your word. Some are writing exercises, some are crafty adventures, some are rooted in photography. Our goal is simply to help you stay connected to your word throughout the year in a way that is meaningful to you and your season of life. Some of the lenses we've used in the past to be in conversation with our words include: vision, adventure, practice, small wins, beginning again, reflection, etc. In 2022 we added a live monthly Zoom call where we connect to share ideas, reflections and stories related to the monthly prompt. This has become a much-loved way to come together to learn from one another, to listen, to share our successes + our struggles, and to cheer each other on as we walk with our individual words. Our team believes in the power of documentation + the power of words to make a difference in our lives. You are invited to come get curious about your chosen word alongside us as we journey together in 2024. Interested in seeing what a completed One Little Word® project might look like? Check out Ali's walkthrough video of her albums from 2011 through 2017 here.
$50.00
Start Here | Design Formulas For Memory Keeping
With over 20 years of memory keeping experience, Ali Edwards has told a lot of stories and most of them started with a blank page. In Start Here: Design Formulas For Memory Keeping Ali will be sharing her tried + true design formulas that have helped her tell hundreds (if not thousands) of stories over the years. Using her vast catalog of completed memory keeping projects (including traditional scrapbook layouts, pocket pages, and notebooks), Ali will help remove some of the guess work out of the process of starting with a blank page/pocket/notebook and encourage/inspire you to be the boss of your stories. During the workshop Ali will use past projects as examples + create new projects to reinforce the core concepts. Ali's background in graphic design + her years of teaching experience come together for this workshop to give you a solid starting place in your own memory keeping adventures. This workshop will be broken down into three lessons: LESSON ONE: Design Formulas (the formulas that Ali uses over + over again and the reasons why)LESSON TWO: Design Principles (the design principles that Ali uses over + over again and the reasons why)LESSON THREE: Putting The Lessons Into Practice (includes process videos from Ali creating new projects that demonstrate ideas from the previous lessons)The goal for this workshop? Create a resource of ideas for you to refer back to again and again as you tell the stories of your life!Please note: If you have attended our in-person Story Camp in the past some of this content will be similar to what was offered during the design lesson. The content has been updated since our time together at camp and adapted for this style of classroom.
$30.00
Storytelling With Week In The Life™
Storytelling with Week In The Life™ is designed to get you in the mood for documenting a seven day period in your life. Curious about Week In The Life™ generally? You can read more about the project here. This workshop is modeled after the popular Storytelling With December Daily® and Storytelling With Project Life® workshops and is designed to walk you through all the facets of the project in an way that encourages and empowers you to be the boss of your own storytelling experience. Here's a look at what will be covered in the workshop: Lesson One | Looking Back: Video walk-throughs of all my past Week In The Life™ albums along with thoughts on what Ali's learned over the yearsLesson Two | Before Documenting: Establishing your mindset, setting up your Design + Story Plans (based on what's most important to you to document in any given season)Lesson Three | During Documenting: Tips and ideas for capturing your words + photos during the actual weekLesson Four | After Documenting: Bringing your words + photos into your album (basically how to tackle completing the project after you've collected all your content)This workshop isn't specific to any documenting year and is meant to be a more comprehensive + evergreen look at the project/process as a whole. Ali won't be making an album in this workshop but will share images and ideas based on her years of completing the project to give you confidence in your own direction. Ali will continue to share to her annual documenting plans for this project each year on her blog. Her hope is that you'll be encouraged, inspired and empowered to approach telling the story of your week based on your own season of life.Storytelling with Week In The Life™ originally ran April 2023 and all lessons are available.
$30.00
Plan, Prep & Play is here to help you set yourself up for success as you dive into crafting in the new year. 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. Among other things, we are going to tackle craft organization, turning inspiration into projects, and other barriers (such as nonstop scrolling) that crafters face in getting their ideas on paper. While the primary focus of this class is on planning and prepping our projects, this class also includes a lot of opportunities and tips to see those plans come to life. In addition to detailed planning steps, worksheets, and tips, this class includes plenty of project examples and process videos. This class is designed to help you accomplish your crafting goals while having fun, I hope to see you in the classroom!
$30.00
Stories of Hanukkah: Free Trial Lesson
Curious about the content included in Jenny Simon's new Stories of Hanukkah class? We are excited to offer you a sample of some of Jenny's incredible paper-crafting techniques and storytelling inspiration. There is truly something for everyone in Jenny's class with inspiration and instruction that can be used year round in a variety of projects.This free trial lesson includes:2 process videos and overview video giving you an insight into Jenny's creative processHanukkah storytelling inspirationstep-by-step instructions for two interactive layouts
Free
In 2006 Ali began the tradition of choosing one word for herself each January – a word she could focus on + get curious about as she went about her daily life over the course of a year. Her words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, story, light, up, open, thrive, give, whole, connect, space, habit, less, heart, pause, and joy (2023). Each word has become an individual thread that weaves together stories of her life. They’ve been imbedded into who she is + into who she is becoming. They’ve helped her to breathe deeper, to see clearer, to embrace mistakes, and to grow.At the end of 2019 Ali felt moved to change the way she was running this workshop and invited a group of people to join her in co-leading this adventure. Her goal was to bring in other voices, perspectives, and life experiences and to make it more about the wonderful, wholehearted community that comes together around this project. Each monthly prompt (available on the first of each month) is designed to invite you back into conversation with your word. Some are writing exercises, some are crafty adventures, some are rooted in photography. Our goal is simply to help you stay connected to your word throughout the year in a way that is meaningful to you and your season of life. Some of the lenses we've used in the past to be in conversation with our words include: vision, adventure, practice, small wins, beginning again, reflection, etc. In 2022 we added a live monthly Zoom call where we connect to share ideas, reflections and stories related to the monthly prompt. This has become a much-loved way to come together to learn from one another, to listen, to share our successes + our struggles, and to cheer each other on as we walk with our individual words.Our team believes in the power of documentation + the power of words to make a difference in our lives. You are invited to come get curious about your chosen word alongside us as we journey together in 2023.Interested in seeing what a completed One Little Word® project might look like? Check out Ali's walkthrough video of her albums from 2011 through 2017 here. Please note that we will not be offering Monday Messages in 2023.
$50.00
Stories of Hanukkah is all about fun ways to document Hanukkah. We will explore several different approaches on how to include Hanukkah in your memory keeping and dive into some really fun interactive techniques to tell your stories. We will be working step by step through several pop-up pages, creating Hanukkah papers with mixed media, and making Hanukkah layouts using items from the December Daily® shop. This class is for anyone who wants to find fun ways to document your Hanukkah stories and learn some awesome techniques that can be used year round!
$20.00
Stories of this Season | Fall/Autumn
A new season is upon us, and this year we are excited to offer a new self-paced class that celebrates Autumn and all of the awesome things this season has to offer. From holiday festivities, to special family traditions, to the beauty of nature, this time of year provides us with so much storytelling inspiration.Stories of the Season | Fall/Autumn is centered around the themes of Gratitude, Fall Activities, and Halloween with two lessons for each theme. Our talented contributors will be sharing a combination of story ideas and creative techniques in a variety of formats with the goal to encourage and inspire your fall storytelling.
$20.00
It is recommended but not necessary that you have taken the original Hello Story before embarking on Hello Story 3. The new workshop will dive right into content without the "stage-setting" that happened in the original workshop. To purchase a bundle of the original Hello Story + Hello Story 2 go here. Hello Story 3 features three storytelling structures/techniques that will bring both creativity and clarity to your documenting process: no-photo layouts, cut paper collage, and repetition. Through in-depth explorations of each topic I'll share with you how I use each of the story structures to get the stories of my life told. Are you ready to discover (or rediscover) the fun that comes from the interplay of design and words? Hello Story 3 will inspire you to take action and give you the tools you need to tell your own stories with confidence. By the end of class, you may even enjoy the storytelling process just as much as you love taking photos and playing with products!First Lesson Update: The first lesson will now go live Tuesday, April 27th instead of Tuesday, April 20.
$39.00
One of the most popular workshops I've ever offered has been Hello Story. It is recommended but not necessary that you have taken the original Hello Story before embarking on Hello Story 2. The new workshop will dive right into content without the "stage-setting" that happened in the original workshop. To purchase a bundle of the original Hello Story + Hello Story 2 go here. Hello Story 2 features 3 storytelling structures/techniques that will bring both creativity and clarity to your documenting process: grids, lists, and color. Through in-depth explorations of each topic I'll share with you how I use each of the story structures to get the stories of my life told. Are you ready to discover (or rediscover) the fun that comes from the interplay of design and words? Hello Story 2 will inspire you to take action and give you the tools you need to tell your own stories with confidence. By the end of class, you may even enjoy the storytelling process just as much as you love taking photos and playing with products!
$39.00
What's your story? In this self-paced class you will say hello to a dozen fun strategies for sharing more of your words, and more of yourself, on your scrapbook pages.Hello Story features 12 storytelling techniques that will bring both creativity and clarity to your documenting process.Through more than 60 in-depth videos, 36+ layout examples from Ali designed specially for this workshop (12" x 12" and 8 1/2" x 11" layouts, plus Project Life® inserts), and 12 digital/printable packages, Hello Story will inspire you to take action and give you the tools you need to tell your own stories with confidence.Are you ready to discover (or rediscover) the fun that comes from the interplay of design and words? By the end of class, you may even enjoy the storytelling process just as much as you love taking photos and playing with paint and paper!
$65.00
Join Laura Wonsik on a journey of self-exploration to learn more about yourself and your true identity. The Story of the Self is created by a memory keeper for memory keepers with the knowledge that this particular creative outlet is rich with material for this inner work. The class includes lessons in mindfulness, values, self-care, and vulnerability, all of which will help you uncover deeper layers of your story and find your authentic storytelling voice. In this four-week workshop, Laura will guide you through a variety of frameworks to explore your identity from different angles, using different methods, all tied together with the goal of being curious wanderers in the terrain of our identity. The content is aimed at building awareness of your inner and outer worlds in a way that becomes a practice ground for building insight, flexibility, patience and change through the memory keeping process.Laura wholeheartedly believes that if you approach it with a certain perspective and attitude, memory-keeping can improve the quality of your life. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced memory keeper, the ideas in this class can help you reflect on your process in a way that makes it more fun, more peaceful, and more productive.
$30.00
Curious about what the class content looks like each month in our Story Kit, Story Stamp, and Story Class subscriptions? This class offers an introduction to our monthly class content by simply sharing a look at the whole thing. This class is perfect for anyone who is new to the community or anyone who has been curious about the education component to the Story subscriptions. Please Note: No physical products are included with this class but we have added the Firsts Digital Story Kit to the classroom for you to use to support your stories. Please note that the Digital Story Kit is not included with the physical Story Kit or Story Stamp subscriptions but it is included with the Story Class subscription. Class Includes: Process video + overview video talking about the prompt (current classrooms available via subscription now include four individual process videos each month - when we first started there was just one)Two Guest Storyteller lessonsPDF with story ideas + step by stepsFirsts Digital Story Kit
Free
Join photographer, empty-nester, and creative team member Kelly Ishmael as she helps you to identify, explore, and challenge the stories you are telling yourself about this transition and new season of your life. In this four-week workshop, Kelly will share personal stories of her empty-nest transition along with heartening insights to inspire and encourage you in your journey. Each lesson will include an instructional video, specific journaling prompts, a PDF download, and a process video all designed to walk you through the process of documenting your empty-nest transition. (See the Class Schedule for more information on class content.) In addition, you will have access to the support and encouragement of the Empty Nest + New Stories community as well as to Kelly, who will be available to answer questions and provide guidance on the lesson content. This transition in a parent’s life is often accompanied by feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety, or loss of purpose. The goal for this workshop is to help you to acknowledge your feelings + emotions, to encourage you to be brave and ask yourself the hard questions, and to inspire you to embrace and enjoy this new chapter of your life.
$30.00
Hello Story 1 & 2 Class Bundle
This is a bundle of Hello Story and Hello Story 2. Hello Story features 12 storytelling techniques that will bring both creativity and clarity to your documenting process. Hello Story 2 builds on the original content and features 3 storytelling structures/techniques: grids, lists, and color. When you purchase this bundle you will have immediate access to all the content in the original Hello Story Workshop. Hello Story 2 will begin on March 12th. If you've already taken the original Hello Story workshop you'll want to purchase Hello Story 2.
$72.00
-
Hello Story
with AliEdwards -
Hello Story 2 (Self-Paced)
with
The Family Resilience Handbook
In this workshop, we will dive deep into the stories of family resilience. Specifically, we will create a 6 x 8 album of how your family and its members have bounced back from various life challenges to move forward. Through four focused lessons, we will reflect on and describe your own family's history, establish your family's personal motto, and document family resilience through family interviews. Here is a look at each lesson: ONE | Family Defined // Who do you consider to be a part of your family? What activities connect you and your family members?TWO | Resilience Timeline // What is resiliency? How have specific life events impacted who your family today?THREE | Family Motto // What are your core family values + strengths that make up your family brand? What words best describe your family?FOUR | Family Interviews // How do family members encourage everyday resilience right now?
$30.00
Storytelling With Project Life®
Since 2010 I've been loving the process of documenting my life via the pocket scrapbooking method known as Project Life®. I loved it in the beginning and I still love it today. Storytelling with Project Life® is designed to get you in the mood for telling the stories of your life one pocket at a time. Please note that this is a self paced class. All classroom content will be available upon purchase. Here's a look at what we'll be covering in this 4-lesson adventure:Lesson One | A look back at all my past Project Life® albums with individual video walk-throughs. 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.Lesson 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®. Lesson Three | Specific storytelling ideas, encouragement, and inspiration to spark stories. Lesson 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. 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 completely focused on the Project Life® approach and style. Project Life® is a registered trademark of Becky Higgins LLC and is used with permission.
$30.00
Join Ali for two workshops that each feature 31 different prompts for telling for the story of your life. This class bundle includes: 31 Things | Self-paced. See full details here. 31 More Things | Self-paced. See full details here.
$50.00
-
31 Things
with AliEdwards -
31 More Things
with
Let's tell stories together. 31 More Things is a follow-up to my popular 31 Things workshop that originally ran a few years ago and is now available as a self-paced class or can be purchased via a bundle with 31 More Things here. This workshop includes a collection of 31 prompts - available to you as soon as your sign up - that invite you to tell stories about your life via a single word as a jumping off point. The emphasis in this class is on simply practicing your storytelling skills using some of my favorite techniques and getting over your fears of putting words on the page. Some of the single-word prompts include: home, passion, color, cook, paper, mess, etc. I'll be combining these stories in my original 31 Things 12 inch x 12 inch album. Each story will have a home on a 6 inch x 12 inch page (templates provided in class for either full digital scrapbooking or for writing and printing via journal templates sized to fit) and you can choose to add two together to create a full 12 inch x 12 inch page (that's my plan as you'll see below). You also have the option of simply use the prompts as jumping off points for blog posts, personal journaling, Project Life® inserts, etc.The original 31 Things workshop is recommended but not required before taking this class. Check out a bundle option here if you are interested in taking both workshops. Please note that main handout and the video tutorials on how to work with the journaling and layered templates will be the same or similar to the original 31 Things workshop since this is essentially a continuation of the first workshop. There will be an updated Presentation as well as updated digital files to reflect the new prompts.
$31.00
Say hello again to 31 Things - an invitation to "see into the life of things.”This self-paced workshop includes a collection of 31 prompts that invite you to document some"thing" about your life right now via a single photo and words. Some of the topics include: jewelry, conversation, technology, shoes, think, chores, and smell. Gather your photo and words for each prompt into a 12x12 album (using the templates and tutorials provided in the workshop) or simply use the prompts as jumping off points for blog posts, personal journaling, etc. Already taken this workshop? Check out 31 More Things here.
$25.00
Yesterday & Today (Self Paced)
with AliEdwardsThe goal of Yesterday & Today is to help you meaningfully document and celebrate life by looking to the past before approaching the stories of today. The benefit of looking to the past is that we gain perspective. We see things differently after developing an awareness of what we know and what we wished we knew. Looking back, even if we're just viewing old photos of people we don't know, can change the way we approach the photos we take and the stories we tell today.Topics this workshop addresses: Where do you begin creating with photos from generations past? What do you wish you knew about your parents when they were growing up? How do you document the challenging times in your life? How do you create layouts that tell special stories when you don't have any photos? What are the lessons of your life so far?
$30.00