Everything AE/Ali Edwards

I might be canceling my sbtm sub after all this time. The cards are no longer going to stick with universal formats in mind...seems they will be geared towards 6x8 albums which I do not do. Plus another price hike. Usually, January is my favorite kit (I love the jewel toned primaries she typically uses) and this upcoming sneak is ugly. I'm disappointed that she finally decides to add more variety to the kit but in doing so, also makes the kit unusable for me by changing the card sizes.

What subscription will everyone switch to if SBTM isn’t their jam?

I am going to keep my SBTM kit for now and see how it works for me. Im not thrilled by the price jump but I will give January a try and see how it goes. I wont be doing a year long sub like I had planned to though until I see how I like it.

None of the Story Kit themes appeal to me for a few months so I wont both with that sub at all. I might pick up happy and explore on a one time thing, but otherwise, right now I have no interest in a commitment to that kit.

I had been thinking about cancelling my SBTM subscription. I just went to Ali's site and sent a message to end that one.

I'm still thinking about the Story Kit. Some of the upcoming themes really appeal to me; some don't. I don't know...

I'm not currently a subscriber, but I think that they reveal all the kit items etc. on the first of one month, and you have the rest of that month to alter your order, then it ships on the first of the next month. The way FF does subscriptions is very flexible and appealing. You can pick and choose what goes into your kit, or get extras of an item you really like. I'm really leaning to doing FF for next year, and cancelling all my AE subscriptions.

For those of you who are in the market for a pocket page sub, you might want to consider Cocoa Daisy. There are a variety of subscription kits, some geared towards planning and others geared towards memory keeping. I subscribed to the Memory Keeping Kit this past year, and they also have a Traveler's Notebook kit. If you don't need all of the embellishments, they also offer a "Pocket Cards Only" option.

I stopped subscribing recently because I would really like to use what I have, and I find I don't use the pocket cards all that much. I did enjoy getting the enamel dots and chipboard, along with their 3X4 stamp.

Yes, I'm sorry....I just checked and it looks like the January kits are sold out and available only to subscribers.

There is an "Unofficial Cocoa Daisy B/S/T" group on Facebook if you want to go that route. I tried to link it here but for some reason it didn't go through.

Aw no need to apologize! I’ll check out the Facebook link, thank you!

I also second Cocoa Daisy Modern Memory Keeping kit. The cards are double sided and always it’s a nice choice of cleaner simpler journaling cards or pattern cards or cards that are themy. They always have monthly cards in both sizes and a calendar card. The kit itself is more pricey as it has a stamp and several embellishments so it might be too much for some simpler scrappers.
Also, if not subscribed, getting it is not a guarantee.

I’m absolutely the same. I’ve been scrapbooking well over 20 years and don’t own a diecut machine. I live to play with paper and most digital paralyzes me with too many choices. (Granted, I am that person with piles and piles by the end of a scrapbooking session, because I do ferret out every last little thing that I know I have that I want to see how it looks…..)

I tend to keep notes in a word document. Order huge batches of photos (I promised myself I’d treat myself better springing for shipping more often in 2022… but I didn’t…) I put all my photos in the order I want, which tends to be 99% chronological.) I print out my word doc of stream of conscience journaling, cut it up, stick it in the pockets where it will likely live, in some finished form. Then I pull out the supplies and start making it pretty. I either hand write the journaling, or, when I’m done with everything else, go back and pretty it up digitally, adding it to pp or journaling cards. Making inserts or printing it directly on top of the photos. I know this is some sort of version of hybrid, but It works for me.

BTW… I haven’t been paying attention or money to Ali for months. Also, I don’t really care for her papers or journaling cards (other than the card stock quality/finish) and often either don’t use them or alter them, or simply print on the back if I can. I love her ideas and embellishments. I rarely buy the SBOTM, and used to have a very long running sub to the Story kits. I canceled a couple years ago, get one offs, and I’m happy. Honestly, I love ordering a bit from ACOT when I order my photos (but I do a quarter to a half the year at a time….) and I find I have wayyyy less leftover stash (waste) and it’s much much less expensive…

I do 9x12, and that may change for 2024, but 2023 will remain 9x12. 2 4x6’s equals 6x8 in my format… just cut! Lol. I often use one of the 4x6 pockets at the bottom of the page and add a 6x8 piece of paper for larger photos. The top half is out of the page protector on the front (great for a little interactive or adding longer journaling etc…) and looking at it from the back, I just strategically deal with the stitch line, and use it as a 6x8 canvas too, or I just treat it like normal pocket page items.

Anyway, just thought I’d share my “strategies” for using 6x8 in 9x12 or 12x12…..

Off to check out this product change lol

Was it actually stated there wouldn’t be any more wood veneer? If so, I missed that and it would be good news!

I think Lisa is the constant presence in the new classroom (which is not ideal) but Jen Wong and Krystal contribute in at least the first month and it said there would be other community contributors other months. So even if Lisa wasn’t your jam, it sounds like there will always be others to see as well.

For my PL I like using cards that are all set to go in my kit and creating my own (from pieces of the kit or from my stash) so theoretically it can still work for me. The first month isn’t great due to the vellum and papers but when we saw the peek for the Feb Kit I can see how I can use everything there and I am fine with that and getting to alter things and be creative. As long as I can find ways to make the pieces work I’m still in as I like Ali’s products and I do not like any other kits/designs out there I’ve seen or tried. I also don’t care about the price increase (as long as I can use the pieces) as I still feel like I getting a lot with the stamp and embellishment, and papers and it’s just fun to have something come in the mail.

Just SBTM. Ali is still doing the story kit classroom.

I just had a look at the new SBTM kit - I loved the kits for this year, they were versatile enough to also be used in other projects. I can think of ways to use the new kit but what bothers me the most is the one 6x8 (outside of the page protector, of course) page with the postmark spaces. If I cut that one to 4x6 I have 2 white pieces of paper, which I can get from my stash. There is clearly a 'just background' card missing. If that 6x8 would have been just the floral paper the postmark pieces are put on, I would be all over it. Also it looks like the digital kit has a kind of 'quote' card which the physical kit doesn't. The stamp also looks like one of the many SC label stamps were you can just add something in...