Ali Edwards's Blog

Most years in this project I like to create something that includes something about each kid and their ages. For 2026 I decided to use the plastic + paper bells as the jumping off point for little "booklets" that include an initial tag, a plastic bell, a bell with their age, and the paper bell at the end.

During December, on whatever day I decide to use this particular story, I'll add an image and a few words about each kid onto the paper bell. I'll also do something to finish off the "celebrating 2026" bell and maybe include Aaron + my age on that one.

Let's dive into the video:

Here are additional images:

SUPPLIES

Paper + Plastic Bells

Small Plastic Numbers

Twine

Main Kit: Letter Stickers, Tags

Stitching Rub Ons

Puffy Star Stickers

Grafix Dura-Lar Film Paper (kind like a mix between vellum + plastic)

Bell Metal Die

Sizzix Big Shot Manual Die Cutting Machine

Basics via Amazon Storefront

I'm excited to share that I've got a new, free series over on YouTube for you this year!

This new series started yesterday and will continue with one video per day for the next 29 days. Each day I'm offering one short December Daily® tip to help you prepare your heart, prepare your practice, find stories, see differently, build homes for stories, and live the season!

Here's the first video (the rest will be shared on YouTube):

BINGE WATCH 12 YEARS OF DECEMBER DAILY® VIDEOS

The other news I wanted to share here today is that I've organized all my December Daily® videos on YouTube into a "show" that allows you to binge watch all my past foundation pages, daily pages, and full album walkthroughs one season at a time. It starts with 2015 (Season 1) and goes all the way through to the current year 2026 (Season 12).

I hope this makes viewing past projects a little more organized + easy to access.

Here's the video introducing this reorganization:

Our family had the best time celebrating Anna a couple weeks back during her Senior Night for volleyball. To make it even more special I made some custom t-shirts with the sentiment "we love watching you play" on the front and our last name/her number on the back.

This was my first time making tshirts and I can't believe I didn't do this sooner in her athletic adventures. It was so fun and easy! Here's a little overview:

You can download the word art here (includes a PNG file and a .studio cut file).

SUPPLIES

Silhouette Cameo (for cutting out the vinyl)

Circuit Heat Press (for setting the vinyl)

Siser EasyWeed White Vinyl

Navy T-shirts from Michaels

Welcome to my table!

Today I'm playing with our current Stamps Are Fun 6x8 Stamp Set which is designed for pattern making! I chose to use the stamps to make some simple backgrounds for a mixed media bell project I'm working on over here (you know, in all the spare moments).

Here's a look at similar mixed media projects I've done in the past with ornament shapes and with tree shapes.

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Read more about the tree project here (I ended up hanging all of these on my tree one year).

This year I want to do something similar with the bell shape!

If you like the idea of playing with the bell shape but you aren't excited about die cutting, we have a set of 15 pattern/sentiment bells here that would be great jumping off point for this kind of project. You could also use those as a template and hand cut out the bell shapes.

SUPPLIES

Stamps Are Fun: https://www.aliedwards.com/subscription-plans/stamps-are-fun

AED Inks: https://www.aliedwards.com/shop/ink

Ranger Archival Inks: https://link.amazon/B0dWPP6Ke

Bell Metal Die: https://www.aliedwards.com/shop/metal-die-set-bell

Sizzix Big Shot Machine: https://link.amazon/B03Yq22Rd

Felt: https://www.benziedesign.com/collections/medley-palettes

Today I'm sharing a look at January + February 2026 in my 10x8 album. Most of the process videos for these projects are included in our Quarterly Storyteller Kit subscription.

Welcome to a monthly overview post of our subscription + shop releases!

QUARTERLY STORYTELLER KIT (PHYSICAL KIT + CLASS)

Details about this kit:

Four kits per year releasing in January, April, July, and October. When you sign up you are committing to the four kits (or however many are left in the year).

Includes classroom + content from Ali and contributors that will be spread out over three months.

Shipping is $1 domestic + $5 international. You can also shop the Add On subscriber section and add to your box during the Add On period for no additional shipping (on the 10th + 11th each month).

Physical kit subscribers can add the digital kit for $14.99 during the Add On period.

We are unable to offer a "skip" option with our quarterly kits.

SIGN UP HERE FOR THE STORYTELLER KIT

Here's a video overview of the new kit:

And an announcement:

Here are some additional images of elements in the kit:

Want to see how Ali used similar kits last year? Check out a walkthrough of one portion of her 2025 10x8 album. You can also see how she's setting up her first album for 2026 here.

QUARTERLY STORYTELLER CLASS (DIGITAL KIT + CLASS)

If you are looking for a digital only subscription that gives you access to digital Storyteller kit and the classroom content then the Storyteller Class is for you.

This is $24.99 and is a quarter to quarter commitment (you don't have to commit to all four kits but if you want to cancel you need to reach out to our Customer Service Team).

SIGN UP HERE FOR THE QUARTERLY STORYTELLER CLASS

STORIES BY THE MONTH

This monthly subscription includes 4x6 and 3x4 cards in paper and vellum, chipboard, sticker sheet, and an embellishment. It also includes access to a classroom.

SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE" SIGN UP FOR OUR STORIES BY THE MONTH™

Here's an overview of the kit this month:

A few additional kit images:

INSPIRATION BY THE MONTH (DIGITAL KIT + CLASS)

If digital is more for you in this season we've got you covered. This subscription includes the digital Stories By The Month kit and access to the SBTM classroom.

SIGN UP HERE FOR INSPIRATION BY THE MONTH™

This kit is also available to physical Stories By The Month™ kit subscribers as an Add On.

STAMPS ARE FUN

Stamps Are Fun features a 6x8 Stamp Set designed by Ali and shipped to you each month.

SIGN UP HERE FOR STAMPS ARE FUN

This subscription does not include class lesson but will be supported through blog and social media content. Some months the stamp set may be aligned with the theme of the Storyteller Kit but mostly they will be a fun, random assortment of words and shapes. This monthly physical stamp subscription includes the digital version of the stamp.

Here's the pricing for this monthly subscription:

$20.99 - 12 month commitment

$23.99 - 6 month commitment

$28.99 - month commitment

*Digital version of the stamp is included in subscription price.

Let's play together!

ALSO NEW THIS MONTH | ALPHAS + NUMBERS ARE AWESOME + 3x4 STAMP

We've got a new Alphas Are Awesome and this year we are also offering a coordinating 4x6 Numbers Are Awesome set.

Physical kit subscribers can add these to their box for no additional shipping. They are available to Add On (for physical kit subscribers) and are also now available in the shop.

SHOP 6x8 ALPHA STAMP

SHOP 4x6 NUMBER STAMP

SHOP 3x4 STAMP (Coordinates with the November 2026 Stories By The Month™ kit)

Here's a quick overview of the new stamps this month:

"THE BASICS" QUARTERLY MINI KIT

Everyone loves a good basic! Stamp on them. Write on them. Add photos to them. Repeat them in a page design. Add them to a journal.

$19.99 per quarter // Includes 3x4 die cut pad of cards + plastic tabs + felt hearts + die cut labels + die cut circles + alpha stickers + die cut label tabs

Here's an overview video of this kit:

And a couple additional images:

Just a quick reminder that our box order period for December Daily® closes on September 30th, 2026!

Once the boxes close shipping will begin shortly after with our international orders prioritized first! Any remaining DD inventory will move to our regular shop on 10/7 and regular shipping rates will apply.

Here are a couple fun "in-use" images from Kelly Ishmael that we have shared recently on Instagram and in our DD Facebook group that are great jumping off points for playing with your supplies!

Let's dive in:

IDEA 01: Use the Vellum Christmas Candy pieces to create a wreath around your story about Christmas candy. This could be memories from the past or about the kinds of candy you bake or buy these days.

IDEA O2: Create little "presents" using the Cards + Envelopes set. Use twine or ribbon to wrap. Add little details to the front like the vellum snowflake and mini star brad. Use vellum to create a pocket to hold the card + envelope (I love this idea in particular).

On this one Kelly created a collage of photos and then added the little vellum pocket to hold the card + envelope set. So cute.

IDEA 03: Create a tag cluster to add to a full page photo using pieces from the Main Kit and the Cardstock Frame Tags. Check out Ali's post to see a bunch more ideas for playing with those cardstock frame tags.

IDEA 04: Kelly's next idea features the vellum pockets from the Main Kit paired with the -ing Chipboard Set. On top of the cards she added a square photo and added the plastic star tags from the Main Kit to the ribbon. Such a fun little detail.

IDEA 05: The last idea Kelly shared with us was using the Small Plastic Numbers as a tag set along with the die cut stockings. She took 4x4 cards from the Main Kit and added square photos on top before using small star brads to attach the plastic numbers and the stockings.

Thank you so much for your support of this project! We are so excited to get these supplies on their way to you!

Here's a video I put together today to share some of the things I've done already and things I'm thinking about:

One vision I have for a page this year is taking a full-page photo (or a double-page photo spread) and adding a fun hanging tag "line" on top.

To start the process of building this page and do some of the work before December rolls around, I had so much fun messing around using the Cardstock Frame Tags as a base and then mixing in other items from the Main Kit and the 6x8 Chipboard Set.

Just a quick reminder that our December Daily® boxing period closes on September 30th and shipping will begin in early October. We can't wait to get these items on their way to you so you can have fun starting to play too.

Let's dive in to the video:

Here are some images of what I was making:

I love getting the chance to creatively play with a blank set of tags/frames. It invites me to dive into my stash of mixed media supplies along with my general December Daily® stash to see what I might want to add in this year.

I did some stamping, some embossing, some playing with texture paste and stencils, some stitching, and a lot of adding small gold eyelets to each of the things I want to be able to hang on my line of tags.

Anything can become a tag when you add an eyelet!

SUPPLIES

December Daily® Cardstock Frame Tags

December Daily® Main Kit 2026

December Daily® 6x8 Chipboard

December Daily® Double Alpha Stamp Set

December Daily® Christmas Phrases Stamp Set

December Daily® Small Plastic Numbers

December Daily® Bows + Trees Stamp Set

Small Gold Eyelets

Crop A Dile (for punching the hole + setting eyelets)

Stencils

Red and Green Stencil Butter

Candied Apple Ranger Embossing Powder

White Ranger Embossing Powder

Versamark

Static Pouch

Star Ribbon Trim (similar)

Basics via Amazon Storefront

It's so fun to get started!

Today's foundation page features the heart prompt paper, transparencies from the Specialty Journal Card Set, and hearts from the Main Kit.

This is a great example of a page where I do a some of the work before December and then fill in my story during the month itself. This will likely be Story 01 in my project this year.

Let's dive in to the video:

Here are additional images:

For this project I temporarily adhered the prompt paper with another pattern paper before cutting out three of the hearts using a craft knife. What I wanted to create were three heart windows that peek through to the following pages.

When December rolls around I'll add journaling to the hearts and most likely pair this with a full page photo.

Inside those cut out hearts I ended up adding two transparencies stitched together. You could easily just use one transparency inside the heart to skip the stitching step.

Here's what I created for the back of this page:

The stitching of the Main Kit hearts to the small heart pattern paper happened after cutting out the hearts from the prompt page. I adhered the hearts first and then ran each column of hearts through my sewing machine, including through the empty spaces.

After stitching I re-adhered the two pages together and used my hole punch to punch the holes before adding it to my album.

In December I may add stickers or other embellishments on top of the small hearts on this page or I might just leave it as it is and flow it into Story 02.

SUPPLIES

December Daily® Main Kit 2026 (small hearts)

December Daily® Specialty Journal Card Set (digital coming October 9th)

December Daily® Prompt Paper Pack (digital coming October 9)

6 Hole Punch

We R Memory Keepers Hole Punch

Brother Sewing Machine

Basics via Amazon Storefront

I'm so excited to be over here in my office dipping my toes into prepping some of my December Daily® pages for 2026.

I'm also over here rooting myself in the start of fall outside:

If you are new around here I often start working on some foundation pages (pages with stories I'm telling in advance or pages I'm setting up to be a home for my stories in December) for my December Daily® in late September/early October. Some years I do a bunch and other years I just make a few before December rolls around.

There's not a right or a wrong way!

In today's post I'm sharing a video of me doing a little organizing of my December supplies in the office and sharing some of my initial ideas as I move things around on my table and try not to get overwhelmed (it happens) AND sharing a look at how I put together my Reason Why for 2026.

That was fun!

Here are a couple links to organizing things mentioned in the above video:

Bisley Containers

Bisley Drawer Organizers

Paper Organizers

Rolling Cart

Toyo Tool Box

Page Flips

Basics via Amazon Storefront

Now let's dive into creating my Reason Why page:

For a number of years I've been starting my project with a Reason Why. Sometimes it's a simple statement, sometimes it's a concept (like "joy"), sometimes it's simply a series of words I bring together to talk about the season I'm in and how I want to experience this project this year (because it's not always the same).

This year I'm leaning into the concept "it's all the same until it's not."

It's true and real and such a wonderful reminder to appreciate the good stuff right now. Here's what I wrote:

This year my reason why is rooted in the simple knowledge that life is the same until it isn't. My hope for 2026 is to express extra gratitude for the ways things are the same + the ways things are different. A lot has changed over the last year around here, including kids moving out + my parents moving to Eugene (+ my shifting role in their lives). I'm excited to experience the joys of the season through my Mom's eyes (+ Dad's too) and lean in to this special opportunity to celebrate being together.

Your reason why should be personal to you! It might be silly or serious or nostalgic or it might just be to have more fun.

Here's a look at how I'm starting my album this year:

This year I'm starting with this full page of pattern paper and adding a couple page flips in the center to create an interactive jumping off point.

I used the chipboard wreath circle to create a home for the "reason why" messy circle from the Main Kit with a stitched red rub on across the top. This piece is adhered to the "joy" card from the Specialty Journal Card set. The red puffy numbers from the Main Kit were added to the outside of the page flip.

When you flip it up you'll discover the December Daily® messy circle underneath (also with stitching on top) and then the gold foil sentiment card.

When you flip that one up you'll find another one of the specialty cards with a quote one top. I wrote up my journaling and printed it on sticker paper before adding it to the postage shape. I set up my journal block to be 2.25 inch x 3.25 inch.

I added a note to myself to add a photo once we get to December.

Yay! Thanks for being here! We have a little less than a week left of our boxing period - closes September 30th. We will begin shipping in early October!

SUPPLIES

December Daily® Main Kit 2026

December Daily® Specialty Journal Card Set

December Daily® 6x8 Chipboard

Page Flips Multi Pack

Sticker Paper

6 Hole Punch

Basics via Amazon (printer, trimer, etc)